Q. Could you please briefly introduce yourself?

Hello. I'm Jaeheon Lee, a director and art toy artist at Hands in Factory. I go by the name "uptempo."

Q. Can you tell us more about your representative work, 'Running Horns'?

The key message is 'RUN AGAIN AND AGAIN.' Continuing to run, continuing to live. In the past, I found the fervent act of running and never giving up crucial. Now, I focus more on running (living) at one's own pace rather than being relentless. It's more about embodying diverse lives around us than a detailed worldview.

Q. You've been making toys for a long time. How do you feel about your journey so far?

I'm starting to ponder over something more than that, to be more influential. Honestly, having a profession in art toy in Korea isn't that stable, so I want to create a system by being more influential so that my friends and colleagues can continue working without financial concerns.

Q. How was collaborating with Seven Eight Under?

The artist I collaborated with, Ha Jong-hun, and I struggled to think of ideas we were both satisfied with since we wanted to create works that were somewhat different from our previous ones. For example, Running Horns or Hazard wearing Seven Eight Under shoes would be too ordinary, so it was great when we came up with the idea of the "Bukcheong Lion Dance." We did face another challenge in expressing it, but we enjoyed resolving it and completed it satisfactorily.

Q. Infusing Korean concepts into 'Running Horns' and transforming them into 'Bukcheong Lion' is intriguing. Could you explain the background of this idea?

We wanted to represent the highlights of Seven Eight Under sneakers aptly. We chose the Bukcheong lion mask as a metaphor for many feet on sneakers and created a scenario where people wearing that mask also wear Seven Eight Under sneakers. We thought the communal enjoyment and dancing of the lion go well with Seven Eight Under.

Q. Which details would you highlight for this work?

We paid attention to details, but I hope the overall vibe and mood are well conveyed more than anything. One point could be the hand-painted feeling of the mask, which wasn't done with clean spray paint but rather handcrafted.

Q. Could you please briefly introduce yourself?

Hello. I'm Jong Hun Ha, an illustrator and toy designer at Hands in Factory.

Q. You introduce many different characters in the HAZARD series - do you have a favorite?

VINE has become my favorite character. I like music and listen to it a lot, especially when I go home late after work, changing the genre to the mood. I've imbued that aspect of myself - walking while listening to the music of choice - on VINE.

Q. It seems your personality is reflected a lot in your work. Is there a message you want to convey as well?

Most of us, including myself, carry our own worries and pains without showing them outwardly and move forward persistently. I reflect this in my work, likening it to a lizard that continues to regenerate its tail despite it getting cut off due to external stimuli.

Q. What are the details/highlights of this recent project?

Integrating Bukcheong Lion's distinctive mask into HAZARD's face is a detail I paid particular attention to. This detail gives a different feel than HAZARD's previous characters. Also, we wanted to add dynamism by depicting a Bukcheong Lion dancing light yet actively with Seven Eight Under shoes.

Q. You reinterpreted 'Bukcheong Lion' in collaboration with uptempo. What was the process like, two artists with different identities creating one piece?

Creating a piece that shares a single concept between uptempo's HONZ and my HAZARD doesn't happen frequently. Collaborating from the conceptual stage through design and modeling brought about greater synergy than working individually, so it was enjoyable. I often thought about creating artwork based on Korean culture, so this opportunity to work with 'Seven Eight Under,' a Korean shoe brand, using the Korean-themed concept of 'Bukcheong Lion,' gave me a different kind of joy.

Q. Finally, any words of encouragement or advice for those who continue marching for their dreams?

The HAZARD series itself portrays a narrative of continuous progress, suggesting that what currently troubles us might eventually become nourishment for growth. I often face uncertainties but persist in moving forward by taking in this story of HAZARD. I hope those who take a step forward, albeit feeling shaken occasionally, will think of the HAZARD and continue marching for their dreams steadily and persistently.