Eunseo Ko
Eunseo Ko
Fluidity of Cultural identity
Cultural identity is shaped by heritage, traditions, language, and social norms, influencing how individuals perceive themselves and engage with the world. As an immigrant, my cultural identity is deeply tied to language—a constant struggle since moving to the U.S. at a young age. My thoughts shift fluidly yet unpredictably between Korean and English, creating both comfort and disorientation. This linguistic hybridity reveals cultural belonging as fluid and ever-evolving.
Konglish—a fusion of English and Korean through loanwords, mistranslations, and hybrid expressions—visually embodies this mixture. To explore this, I designed a bi-scriptural typeface merging Korean and English, inspired by cross-cultural design and deconstructivism. Using a 3D printer, I transformed the typeface into letterpress stamps, allowing people to compose their own prints and engage with linguistic hybridity firsthand.
This project is deeply personal. It reflects my lived experience of navigating two languages, neither of which ever feels fully mine. But rather than seeing this as a limitation, I embrace it as a space of creative possibility. Like water—flexible and adaptable—identity is shaped by experiences and interactions. Through Konglish typography, I invite viewers to see identity not as something to define, but as something to experience.
Contact:
