Daniel Hyo Kim
Q What do you do?
“I create and expand on ways people can find the human connection in marketing and business via storytelling and narrative.”
Q What steps did you take to get to where you are now?
After graduating Carnegie Mellon University, School of Design in 2016, I began my career at Microsoft as a Product Designer but my core strengths have always gravitated towards graphic design, motion, and illustration. Years ago, Buck offered me a platform to hone these skills further. Since then I've had the privilege of collaborating with a diverse range of agencies and in-house in the B2B and B2C spheres.
Q How do you stand out in your field?
I like to experiment with physical and digital materials, layout, and typography. I know my way around fabrication machines, a wood shop, and enjoy sewing and sometimes incorporate that into my design work.
I also approach projects from a bigger picture, systematic point of view, and seek opportunities to create 360 campaigns and long term narratives. I never want my style or ego to be apparent in my work, the aspiration is to make something the client can be excited by and feels like they can really own.
Q What are you working on right now?
A logo for a music video director duo as well as the type setting for one of their music videos, a logo for a streetwear brand, and a pitch deck and installation design for a public art installation opportunity.
Q What’s your style?
A lot of my work is informed by my lived experiences as a queer AAPI. I like to combine the saturated, campy, and maybe a little angsty tone often found in LGBTQ art with the warmth and attention to detail that often exists in East Asian cultural values. A project that represents this is the Listos Disaster Awareness campaign where I basically sewed a poster. As someone who spent a lot of time at my parents' dry cleaning and tailoring store, that practice and medium drew from cliche narratives but directly referenced the diaspora and led to many conversations with my parents. In some ways it felt like a collaboration with them.
Q Out of all your slashies, which one do you wish you could do more often?
More opportunities to design, build, and direct sets!
Q What is frustrating you right now?
I coded my portfolio website without the use of a CMS so it's just taking a bit of time to redesign and update it.
Q If you could hire someone for $20/hour, what would you have them do to make your day easier?
$20/hour is a very affordable dog walker and my puppy Menace needs a lot of walking.
Q What do you wish you could have told yourself, when, and why?
I was working three jobs and then spending almost all of my time in studio when I was at CMU. I would've told myself that everything will work out, chill out, and go out.
Q If you could talk to an expert to gain more insight on something, what would it be about?
Business law.
Q What kind of opportunities/projects are you looking for?
Brand, digital design, production, entertainment industry, B2B or B2C work, illustrations/artwork for artists or album covers, lettering and logos, image making, art directing, set design, video editing with motion design, I'm open to a lot.
Q Describe your ideal job/client/collaboration.
Clients don't have to know what they want but an ideal client will have a clear vision or cohesive idea. Be honest about feedback. I'm good with working within ambiguity and almost expect it though.
Q What is your rate?
It really depends on the complexity of the project and how many rounds of iterations as well as the project timeline and urgency. Usually $75–100 an hour.
Q How should someone approach you about working together?
hello@danhyo.com
Having a sense of scope and budget before chatting is ideal.
Q Oh! and… how do you stay creative?
Keep looking for inspiration outside of design that you can pull into it..
This member profile was originally published in November 2023