DESIGN CONCEPT, RATIONALE & INSPIRATION
Gochu is an application where users can access educational information about Korea's cuisines. The app also functions as a restaurant search and as well as a community discussion platform. The concept for "Gochu" draws inspiration from one of the most iconic elements of Korean cuisine aka the chili pepper, known as "gochu" in Korean. The red and blue pepper illustration is symbolic, referencing the two prominent colors found in the South Korean flag, which stand for balance and harmony in traditional Korean philosophy. The red represents passion, energy, and heat qualities often associated with chili peppers and the bold flavors of Korean food while the blue signifies calmness and balance, reflecting the importance of well-rounded flavors in Korean cuisine. The clean and modern typography paired with the bold pepper iconography reflects a dynamic brand rooted in tradition but with a forward looking approach. Altogether, this design creates a powerful visual connection to both Korea's cultural heritage and its contemporary culinary scene.
MOODBOARD
This moodboard showcases a variety of logos related to Korean cuisine, each offering unique strengths that inspire my own branding direction. I’m drawn to the bold yet minimalistic and clean designs that feature illustrations which adds character and depth. The way these logos integrate illustrations or drawings resonates with my vision of a strong visual identity striking but simple. I want to incorporate these elements into my own logo, blending boldness with simplicity, while maintaining an illustrative touch that reflects the essence of Korean culinary culture.
PROJECT STATEMENT
OVERVIEW
Gochu is an application where users can access educational information about Korea's cuisines. The app also functions as a restaurant search and as well as a community discussion platform. The reason why this is happening is because with the amount of people getting into the Korean culture and taken a interest into the food too, I figure that there should be an easy app where these users can easily learn more about the national cuisine and at the same time try it out for yourself by creating or going to a restaurant. I'd even say that there is a need of app like this for towards Korean users as there isn't really a app that comes close to this description except to search on Google. This app will achieve to educate users who are wanting to learn more about Korean cuisine and also find its nearby Korean restaurants that resonates with this cuisine.
KEY OBJECTIVE
The key objective is to create a branding that appeals to the viewer’s eyes and attention in which hopefully will engage with the app and create interests for Korean cuisine, and learning more about the cuisine itself and hopefully in the end users will try out Korean cuisine. Another key objective is to make sure the app function itself is proper and is up to standards with the user feel and experience.
HOW THE PROJECT WILL BE COMPLETED
This project will be completed via Figma for general work, Illustrator for vector based illustrations and the branding templates, and Procreate for drawings. This project will be completed in phases (or tasks) such as the following:
- Phase 1: Establishing the Project Plan and Timeline
- Phase 2: Branding Concept Iterations + Finalize + Researching User App Concepts/Layouts
- Phase 3: Creating the App + Testing
- Phase 4: Researching Showreel Concepts and work on the Showreel video
- Phase 5: Finalize the App Design and the Showreel
DELIVERABLES
App Logo:
- Design an memorable, minimalistic and a visually appealing logo that fits the app’s purpose.
- Making the logo connect with Korea or its cuisine in a way (perhaps using its country’s flag colors or even the food?)
Typography and Color Palette:
- Create a style guide based on the relation with Korean’s cuisines.
Engaging Content:
- Design layouts for the app that will allow the users to interact and be engaged.
- Add in cool or interesting facts about Korean cuisine which could be about the history of an certain dish.
- Create illustrations to make it more engaging.
App Interface Design:
- Design the user interface that ensures a user-friendly and intuitive layout.
- Create visual elements that connects with the overall branding of the app and Korean cuisine.
Interactive Maps and Restaurant Finder:
- Develop an interactive map feature that allows users to easily find Korean restaurants in their area.
- Custom map designs, restaurant marker icons, and UI elements
TIMELINE + KEY MILESTONES
- Week 6: Complete the Project Plan and Timeline
- Week 7: Creating iterations of my branding logo concepts, finalizing the logo, and researching App Concepts for layouts
- Week 8: Creating the App and Testing + Feedbacks
- Week 9: Researching concept layouts for Showreel video and working on it
- Week 10: Finalizing the Showreel Video and the App
- Week 11: Create Behance post and Submit
MAJOR CONSTRAINTS
- All visual elements, including the logo, colour palette, and typography, must accurately represent and respect Korean culture and cuisine.
- All design elements, including logos, typography, colour palettes, and interactive components must maintain a consistent visual language that aligns with the overall branding of the app.
- The app must be optimised for quick loading times and smooth interactions, even on lower end devices or slower internet connections.
ASSUMPTIONS
Brand Identity:
- Logo
- Colour Palette
- Typography Design
- Brand Name
App:
- Interactive
- Smooth performance
- Engaging slides or pages
Style:
- Minimalistic
- Korean relation
- Cuisine relation
PROJECT TIMELINE
BRANDING ITERATIONS
FINALIZED LOGO
RESEARCH APP LAYOUT CONCEPTS
APP CREATION
APP TESTING + FEEDBACK
FINAL PROTOTYPE
Please click the button below to access the final prototype.
RESEARCH SHOWREEL CONCEPTS
FINAL SHOWREEL
REFLECTION
BEHANCE PROJECT
SOURCES
Artwork:
https://au.pinterest.com/pin/korean-kimchi-soup-png-images-korean-specialties-red-kimchi-soup-png-transparent-background-pngtree--637329784743147622/
https://www.etsy.com/au/listing/1501063971/korean-barbecue-clipart-korean-food
https://www.freepik.com/premium-vector/korean-traditional-line-pattern-asian-style-korea-china-symbol-set_32956844.htm#fromView=search&page=1&position=34&uuid=057b48de-4a11-4258-bbd6-56d4e5c92446
https://www.seriouseats.com/grilled-beef-galbi-korean-style-marinated-short-ribs
https://www.vecteezy.com/png/26759286-japchae-png-with-ai-generated
https://waystomyheart.com/korean-bbq-beef-bowls-with-fried-rice/
https://seoul-bird.co.uk/
Inspirations:
https://www.figma.com/community/file/1006579439785522521/food-delivery-app-free
https://www.figma.com/community/file/1134216211507587079/food-runs-food-delivery-app-ui-ux-design-case-study
https://www.figma.com/community/file/1160186880726418317/free-recipely-food-recipe-mobile-app-ui-kit
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ApEG2t4mvd0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VqzHOZ8S43c
Music:
https://pixabay.com/music/beats-creative-technology-showreel-241274/