Booklover Multifunctional Bedside Table

The core of my design is the fusion of the past and the present. I am interested in bringing past ways of thinking and living, which are gradually disappearing today because they are considered inefficient or inconvenient, back into modern daily life through furniture and objects.

In particular, I believe that reading is one of humanity’s oldest and most important methods of acquiring knowledge, and I wanted this practice to continue naturally within contemporary life. This led me to consider how furniture could better support reading and create an environment suited to it.

The design was developed by drawing inspiration from traditional Korean furniture, especially the spatial openness and restrained proportions of the Sabangtakja, a traditional open-frame side table.

I focused on naturally incorporating functions that support reading, along with the role of bedroom furniture, within a traditional structure. I viewed this not simply as a modern reinterpretation of past forms, but as a process of connecting the lifestyles and ways of contemplation of the past and the present. Through this work, I sought to bring the sensibility of the past, when reading and contemplation were naturally part of everyday life, back into a contemporary living environment.

Currently, I am exploring the possibility of small-scale production while continuously refining the design details and production methods. At the same time, if the appropriate opportunity arises, I believe it would be meaningful to further develop the structural characteristics and design of this work into a form suitable for larger-scale production. Furthermore, based on the structural language and material approach developed through this work, I plan to expand it into an ongoing series of furniture and objects.

I once had a conversation with several friends who enjoy reading, and we started talking about what people usually do with a book when they become sleepy while reading before bed. Most of them said they leave it on the headboard or simply place it on an already crowded bedside table before falling asleep. My own habit was not much different. Sometimes I left it on the headboard or on any available space on the bedside table, and when there was nowhere to put it, I simply placed it on the floor and picked it up the following morning. Although I found it inconvenient, it gradually became such a familiar part of my everyday life that I hardly thought about it anymore.I wanted to bring even a small sense of consideration to the bedtime reading routine. I wanted to create a dedicated place where a book could always be placed before going to sleep. When drowsiness set in, I wanted the reader to be able to simply hang the book without looking for a bookmark or marking the last page they had read, making it easy to continue reading naturally the following day. That small act of consideration became the starting point for the brass book hanger.However, incorporating the book hanger without compromising Booklover's open structure was much more difficult than I had expected. To achieve this, I explored various materials and forms before choosing brass, as it provided both the structural strength required and the most natural visual harmony with walnut. In particular, brass, like walnut, naturally develops a richer texture over time. Because of this characteristic, I was able to design the book hanger so that, rather than becoming a decorative element over time, it would naturally feel like part of the walnut frame and the overall structure.The book hanger is a very small functional element. However, I believe it best represents the design philosophy behind Booklover. To me, good design is not about adding grand functions or decorative features, but about showing consideration, no matter how small it may seem.

To me, reading before bed is more than simply reading a book. It is a way to end the day by looking back on the day and on myself. Today, however, many people end their day by looking at their smartphones before going to sleep. The interesting thing is that even as they get into bed to sleep, they look at their smartphones, which actually hinders them from falling asleep. Watching this made me wonder whether those few moments before sleep could become a quieter time to think.When designing Booklover, I adopted the traditional structure of the Korean sabangtakja, but I wanted to bring more than just its form. I also wanted to bring with it the way of thinking and the way of life of the scholars of the Joseon Dynasty. For them, the sabangtakja was much more than a display cabinet. They carefully explained their own requirements to craftsmen when commissioning a piece, and after it was completed, they would discuss and evaluate it together, always striving to create furniture free from showiness. By borrowing a structure shaped by this way of thinking, I hoped to create a small space and a quiet moment in today's bedroom where people could pause for a while and look back at themselves.At the same time, I did not want this idea to disturb the essential purpose of the bedroom. That is why I made both the brightness and the color temperature of the light adjustable. People can choose lighting that is comfortable for reading or lighting that is better suited for preparing to sleep, allowing the bedside table to naturally support reading while preserving the calm atmosphere of the bedroom.Booklover was designed for people who already enjoy reading, but I also hoped that people who do not usually read could naturally experience the quiet time for thought that reading can offer through the spirit of the traditional sabangtakja.

What I wanted to emphasize was the sculptural value of the traditional structure and the philosophy contained within it. I wanted people to experience the sculptural value of the work first, before noticing its functional elements. For this reason, the lighting system, including brightness and color temperature control and the touch switch function, had to be housed within a linen shade of limited size. To implement this within such a restricted space, it was essential to use a bulb that could control brightness and color temperature through Wi-Fi. This allowed me to implement the lighting function without disturbing the sculptural value of the work.More practical technologies will continue to support many aspects of our daily lives. In craft-based design, I think such technologies should be actively used to offer broader functional possibilities while preserving the sculptural value of the work.