College students’ presentation contest kicks off Wednesday

Ten semifinalists of Herald Corporation’s English-language design-themed presentation competition will show off their skills Wednesday in the hope of making the finals.

Under the theme “Design Changes the World,” the competition welcomes a diverse array of ideas, as well as creative ways to delve into the broad spectrum of design-related topics ― including literature, philosophy, music, visual art, media, management and even IT.

The presentation competition is a major side event of Herald Design Forum, which launched last year. It has positioned itself as a major design-themed event in Korea, inviting acclaimed figures in the field and attracting local audiences looking for inspiration.

Last year, a group of three students attending Yonsei University won the top prize for their presentation about innovative design for school classrooms. Aside from the 3 million won cash prize, they were also invited to the VIP dinner of the forum where Danish brand futurist Martin Lindstrom, American automobile designer Chris Bangle and Canadian industrial designer Karim Rashid attended.

“I’d always been interested in design, and it was such an honor to meet the world acclaimed designers,” said Shin Young-ho, one of the three winners. “The whole experience was very inspiring.”

This year, four teams will be selected as finalists during the semifinal on Wednesday. Each presentation, which must be delivered in English, will be assessed on the participant’s oral storytelling skills (40 percent), English proficiency (20 percent), and his or her understanding of the chosen topics (40 percent). The judges are Chon Shi-yong, managing editor of The Korea Herald, and recognized scholars in a variety of fields.

The final competition will be held on Thursday at COEX Auditorium in southern Seoul. The top prize winner will be given a cash prize of 3 million won and the opportunity to give their winning presentation during a VIP dinner, which the forum’s invited figures will be attending.

By Claire Lee (dyc@heraldcorp.com)