Q WHAT CRITERIA DID YOU APPLY WHEN SELECTING THE BEACHES USED AS MODELS FOR THE PRODUCT?

I wanted to make known that there are various seas around Jeju. There is the pebble beach at Aljakji, where one can hear the sound of pebbles rolling, Soesokkak Estuary with an impressive black sand beach, and the Hwasungeummoraehaebyeon Beach from where one can enjoy the beautiful sunset behind Sanbangsan Mountain. We divided Jeju into east, west, south, and north, and selected beaches with distinct characteristics among them.

Q HOW DID YOU MAKE THE PRODUCT?

Each product goes through three processes for three days. I mix the sand and pebbles of the beach that I want to showcase with resin, work on the shape, and let it naturally dry for a day. Once the bottom has hardened well enough, I mix resin and a blue toning agent to get the color of waves and Jeju seas. After a day, I pour in a transparent resin for the final coating and let it naturally dry. Once the resin has dried, I use sandpaper and a knife to neatly trim the edges.

Q DID YOU USE THE SAND AND PEBBLES OF THE ACTUAL MODEL BEACHES?

Udo Island’s Seobinbaeksa Beach is the only beach in Asia made of “Rhodolith (red algae, which makes lime, that has grown round after rolling)” and its butter popcorn-like sand grains are distinctive. It is a state-designated cultural heritage and natural monument that we must preserve and protect. With love, we chose to showcase Jeju’s natural resources with corals, pebbles, basalt, and golden sand from the market.

Q WHAT WAS A HELPFUL ADVICE FROM THE JUDGES?

Someone advised that we lacked a detailed explanation on the products and beaches. We originally attached only the name of each beach on the back of he coasters, but we enclosed explanations of the beaches after following the advice, thereby further upgrading the product quality.

Q WHAT PART DID YOU PAY THE MOST ATTENTION TO WHILE PRODUCING THE PRODUCT?

If one places a cup on a coaster, it must be well balanced. We had to secure space to place a cup while naturally placing the pebbles of each beach. Before placing resin, we had to find the right position for the pebbles by lifting and placing them over and over again. We also wanted to use resin to show off each detailed part of the foaming waves and deep seawater without fail.

Q WHAT ARE YOUR FUTURE PLANS?

We want to showcase the diverse seas off Jeju that have distinctive features but are not famous as tourist sites, such as Conan Beach and Sagye Beach. We also plan to work on large artworks that can function as everyday objects.