Seola Birthday Message Book
In an effort to elevate Seola’s birthday message book experience, I decided to break away from the traditional Seola cafe event and create something that would showcase the international love for Seola. Instead of a local event, I opened up submissions for birthday wishes and messages from WJSN fans globally, emphasising the impact Seola has had on their lives.
The responses were heartfelt, delving into personal stories of how Seola became a source of strength during challenging times. I titled the book as “You’re the sanctuary” to show how she has been such a safe space for fans alike
To visually complement the diverse and modern theme of the project, I chose a cyberpunk aesthetic. This choice not only accommodated the abundance of content but also gave the book a futuristic and timeless quality. Departing from the common cottage core style found in K-pop birthday books, the cyberpunk theme pushed creative boundaries.
The central visual element was a rose, Seola’s birth flower, strategically placed to serve as a symbolic and recurring motif throughout the book.
This project came with its fair share of challenges. Sorting through and organising countless heartfelt responses while staying within a word limit required careful thought. Some submissions did not follow the guidelines, so I had to rephrase them for consistency. Finding a translator who could meet the tight deadline for Korean translations was another hurdle. The process of transferring everything into an InDesign file was tedious, making me realise that a more efficient solution, such as a plugin linking Excel to InDesign, would have saved time.
Securing a printer was tricky, especially since I needed a hardcover option for just one book. With the limited quantity, I had to compromise on customisation and choose a printer that best met my needs. Despite these obstacles, the final product stood as proof of perseverance and a celebration of Seola’s global impact.
