Giyong Lee has recently set-up SYNC, a fashion brand and creative studio in Seoul, South Korea. SYNC works with clients to produce shoots and provide media PR, as well as being able to provide photographers, videographers, hairstylists, stylists and visual directors.
A graduate from MA Design Management and Cultures at London College of Communication (LCC) in 2017, Giyong is also a member of the UAL Korean Alumni Association and has previously hosted one of the association's events.
He spoke to us about SYNC, as well as his involvement with the committee.
Tell us about your time at LCC – what were your favourite memories of studying there?
Overall, my learning experience at UAL gave me the life-changing opportunity to build the framework of the creative process and to discover new aspects and cultures through other creatives from diverse backgrounds. Undoubtedly, my favourite memories of studying at LCC was attending 3D printer and software workshops!
You’ve recently launched your own brand and studio SYNC, can you tell us more about this?
We are a creative collective based in Seoul, established to synchronise youth and novel creation by the discovery of postmodern equilibrium. Focusing on the optimisation of our society’s desire to collect and connect identities and to create and curate cultures, SYNC aims to construct the momentous appearance and experience through diverse outlets such as apparel, accessories, images, videos, artworks, and events.
Our collection is derived from the conceptual hybridisation of creativity and socio-cultural perspectives for the new generations. Our vision is to build the ultimate cultural platform for the global creative community, where unique individualities and ideas in harmony are valued.
Our production agency's procedure consists of planning, casting, producing shoots, and media PR. Our talent pool consists of photographers, videographers, hairstylists, make-up artists, visual directors, fashion stylists, illustrators, fine artists, and designers alike.
We provide professional production service for advertising, digital content, short films, lookbooks, editorial, e-commerce, events and more. Through synergistic collaboration with clients who are in the fashion, design, beauty, and art industries, our work spans across online, offline and mobile platforms to deliver the optimal outcome.
What are the benefits and challenges of setting up your own brand/studio?
The most prominent benefit of setting up my own brand/studio is the degree of freedom to express my own creativity/narrative without asking permission from the superiors. On the other hand, accommodating various ideas and skillsets from other members of the team to generate the optimal outcome while spending many more hours in the studio without any promise of financial compensation are real challenges that I am facing every day.
What has been your proudest moment of SYNC so far?
The proudest moment for SYNC so far was our launch event where we have received the positive feedback from the fellow creatives in Korean fashion/design industry. As trendsetters and influencers of the industry have appreciated our brand’s visions and outputs, I strongly believe that the mass market/public will support our brand in the near future.
What are the future plans for SYNC?
Just like SHOWstudio in London, I hope our brand SYNC will be the ultimate creative platform to communicate creative ideas and concepts while connecting talented creatives from diverse industries with interesting projects by facilitating purposeful collaboration.
Tell us about the recent UAL alumni event that you hosted at your studio?
The purpose of our recent UAL Alumni event at our studio was to build a more connected, supportive, and interactive UAL network in Korea. We provided the chance for our graduates to exhibit their artworks/brands whilst meeting and greeting with other members of our network. In addition, we exchanged gifts and offered catering and event photography service to make the experience more memorable.
You are a committee member of the official UAL Korean Alumni Association. Tell us about this group and the main objectives of the Korean Alumni network?
The official UAL Korean Alumni Association is a group of passionate and experienced creatives from diverse professions. We have a great team dynamic since every one of us truly enjoys organising something for our alumni networks and meeting new members from our networks. Our main objective is to build a more supportive UAL community by fostering active collaboration and consistent communication among our members.
If you could offer one piece of advice to students returning to Seoul after studying at UAL in London, what would it be?
As we all know, collective learning is becoming a very important aspect of staying competitive in the global creative industries. Thus, I highly recommend to fellow graduates coming back to Seoul to join our network first to connect with as many members as possible since this could lead to potential collaboration or employment opportunity. I met two of my graphic media designers (fellow LCC graduates) from the UAL networking event and successfully built an amazing team!
How can UAL alumni contact SYNC BRAND/STUDIO for creative projects in the future?
The SYNC team welcomes everyone from the UAL alumni network.
SYNC Studio
- Visit the official website: sync-idea.com
- Email the studio: studio@sync-idea.com
- Follow the studio on Instagram: @syncidea
SYNC in Process, brand
- Visit the website: syncinprocess.com
- Email: store@sync-idea.com
- Follow the brand on Instagram: @syncinprocess
Showroom/studio address is 70-17 Cheongdam-dong B1, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea (06072).
Relevant links
- Find out more about the UAL Korean Alumni Association