Hyunjung Park joined Cheil Worldwide South Korea in 2006 and became a creative director in 2014. She specialises in the intersection of technology, culture, and human experiences, continually seeking innovative paths and her work aims always to meaningful connections between consumers and brands. She also explores diverse genres beyond the realms of entertainment, delving into areas such as branded short films and documentaries. These include Moment Class, Travelogue for Sustainability, and 100-Second Novel.
Park has been a NEW STARS judge in the past and has a keen eye for the potential within young creatives as well as the dangers of inexperience. She has been observing NEW STARS entries with interest, noting that the “power of intimacy and simplicity” has persisted through the years.
She explains, “Abusive Appliances, Gold winner in 2023, effectively raised awareness about child abuse with just a simple tag placed in major supermarkets, places we often frequent.
“Similarly, The Real Sponsor, (Silver winner in 2022), showcased the Busan Expo through engaging local events in collaboration with small businesses in the area. These examples demonstrate that ground-breaking ideas don’t always have to be distant or grand; sometimes, they’re right beside us in our everyday lives, gradually enhancing our experiences and leading us towards betterment. I believe this success was achievable because they were young creators who were free from the stereotype that something had to be packaged nicely.”
As a creative director, Hyunjung has watched many young creatives attempt to move up the ranks. She is very aware of the challenges that most “new stars” need to conquer to do so. “Young creators possess a wealth of potential. They possess the ability to immerse themselves in diverse cultures, an innate thirst for innovation that seeks to surpass existing conventions, and even remarkable physical vigour,” she says. “Moreover, I seek from them not just beginner’s luck, but rather a mastery of detailed execution skills. There are plenty of ‘outstanding ideas’, yet the number of ‘outstandingly executed ideas’ remains scarce. I earnestly hope that their exceptional ideas won’t remain confined to conference room discussions, but will venture into the field, transforming into actionable plans. It’s only through meticulously crafted ideas aligned with the campaign’s purpose and target audience that the market can truly be influenced.”
MAD STARS is your “home” awards and festival. What do you think is its importance on the global awards stage?
Hyunjung Park: Modern society is intricately interconnected across geographical borders, with real-time sharing of countless aspects of life. We’ve identified common challenges plaguing us and discovered services that can enhance our lives. In many areas, we’ve even reached a consensus. Hence, I believe that any solution addressing universal human issues, transcending cultural and regional boundaries, possesses the fundamental qualifications to shine at a global awards ceremony. Nonetheless, as the adage goes, ‘God is in the details’. A thorough and nuanced approach that respects the uniqueness and diversity of every culture, ethnicity, and locality will undoubtedly garner more attention.
What do you hope to see in the judging room this year? What makes great work? What are the biggest challenges to getting great creative work through to launch?
Hyunjung Park: Artificial intelligence has been a hot topic throughout the industry for several years now. MAD STARS’ theme this year is also AIM: Aim Marketing Success with AI. New technologies always provide new inspiration to creators. This summer, I am very excited to see how creative ideas using artificial intelligence can solve problems in life. I hope to see a campaign that finds a ‘prompt’ solution, not just a campaign using ‘Prompt’. Each person may have a different idea of what a great work is, but my standard is ‘How much of a positive influence has it had on the world?’ A completely new idea that did not exist before can completely change our lives, but sometimes a basic idea can become powerful when it meets timely execution and excellent completion. I believe that making optimal choices in each and every step of the process, from the beginning of the idea with the creators’ one-line memo to every minute and every second that consumers experience in any form, comes together to create a great work. In the process I just mentioned, the compromises that creators make that test their concentration and patience can be said to be difficulties that impede the sophistication of creativity.
