Design House Opens 50th-Anniversary Exhibition ‘MAK,’ Exploring Korea’s ‘Creative DNA’ Through Makgeolli and Makguksu

Design House, a leader in design and lifestyle content, is marking its 50th anniversary with a special exhibition, MAK. The exhibition runs for about a month, through November 25, at the Design House headquarters in Jangchung-dong, Seoul.

Koreans’ creative DNA: the art of taking action without hesitation

Words such as mak-sabal (rough-hewn pottery), makgeolli, makguksu (buckwheat noodles) and makchum (free-form dancing) are deeply rooted in everyday Korean life. The word “mak” evokes a distinctly Korean tendency to dive in and give something a try without hesitation. Design House sees in this concept the creative DNA that has helped it bring Korean culture to the world over the past half-century, and has made it the central theme of its 50th-anniversary cultural campaign.

The entire headquarters becomes a canvas for work by 18 creative teams

The exhibition’s defining feature is its transformation of the entire headquarters—designed by Seung Hyo-sang, a leading figure in contemporary Korean architecture—into one vast gallery. Eighteen teams, comprising 26 creators working across design, art, graphics, fashion and food, have reinterpreted the space from their own distinct perspectives.

Fabric artist Eunha Kim drew inspiration from the goimsang, a lavish table setting used at royal banquets during the Joseon dynasty, and created a fabric-object birthday table using discarded clothes and fabric scraps. Traditional foods such as pomegranates and yugwa (traditional honey cookies) sit alongside contemporary treats like macarons and cakes, stacked into colorful towers and inscribed with the words “mak” and “bok” (“good fortune”). The work asks what “mak” truly means, showing how humble, rough materials can take on new value when shaped with care.

The project group Dada Friends—architect Byung-ahn Yoo, actor and photographer Sang-won Park, photographer Yong-ho Kim, architect Si-young Choi, consultant Myung-jin Kim and singer-songwriter Soo-cheol Kim—each put their own spin on the Louis Ghost Chair by Italian furniture brand Kartell. Floral artist Leo Kim created a miniature garden in the persimmon-tree courtyard at the headquarters, capturing nature’s cycles, while creative group Level9 adds energy to the exhibition with Color Shake, a digital graffiti work that visitors help complete. Dada Friends was a name given by Design House CEO Lee Young-hye to the members, who have each made their mark in their respective fields as “multitalented” figures.

A philosophy expressed through food: a Michelin-starred restaurant reimagines familiar flavors

The spirit of “mak” extends beyond visual art to food. The café Chajiso inside the headquarters was planned and visually directed by styling duo Seven Doors, who brought together space, objects and food in an expression of Korean aesthetics. The restaurant Soul, which holds one MICHELIN star, is contributing special dishes from co-owner chefs Dae-hyun Yoon and Hee-eun Kim, who are blurring the lines between Korean and Western cuisine.

Limited-edition dishes available exclusively during the exhibition pair familiar ingredients with new techniques. They include makguksu reimagined as buckwheat capellini, jeungpyeon (steamed rice cakes) fermented with makgeolli and served with butter, and gnocchi inspired by gamjajeon, or Korean potato pancakes.

A step toward the next 50 years: the value of having the courage to just try

Discovering creators and helping them reach wider audiences reflects Design House’s long-standing philosophy of “helping people thrive.” More than a look back at the past, the exhibition is expected to spark new collaborations by bringing creators’ inspirations together and embracing “the courage to just try.”

Founded in September 1987 with the slogan “Design your life, and make it happier,” House Full of Happiness was Korea’s first lifestyle magazine. Its October issue marks its 470th edition. The magazine will celebrate its 40th anniversary next year.

The Design House 50th-anniversary exhibition, where past and present, tradition and modernity intersect, can be visited for 10,000 won with a Naver reservation. The company has charted the course of Korea’s design industry with an entrepreneurial spirit, and its next chapter is already drawing anticipation.