Dear.Odd: A Unique Blend of Art and Toy Design

Eunbyeol Choi's Award-Winning Collectible Toy Inspired by Music and Emotion

The Karma Series, which Dear.Odd is a part of, was inspired by the lyrics and ambience of songs like Radiohead's "Karma Police," and "Across the Universe" by the Beatles. The lyrics and atmosphere of these songs were reinterpreted in the sculpture, exploring the idea that our past shapes our present. Choi's design philosophy is that "Not being seen and even if forgotten, the things I see and feel at every moment are archived inside me and make who I am today."

Dear.Odd is a unique design, made for interior design and collecting. As a hand-made work, only 10 were made for each color. The one-eyed setting and carved-in tattoos express the trauma and unconsciousness that each individual carries. The Karma Series, which started in 2014, has been presented in toy festivals in South Korea, Taiwan, and Hong Kong.

The toy is a handmade resin sculpture, painted manually by Choi. The design is composed of body, arms, crown, and heart parts. The body and arms are stuck together, but the crown and heart can be separated. Weighing 700g, it can be used for decorating a home or an exhibition hall. The design measures 130mm x 110mm x 230 mm.

The 'Karma series' started in October 2014 in Seoul, and has been exhibited in Taipei, Hongkong, Seoul, and Thailand toy festivals. Choi's research for this design was based on the music she listens to, with the theme of 'Dear.odd' being the image of a woman named Odd who symbolizes our inner side (karma). The design aims to show a dark but fancy, and emotional but controlled aspect in color and shape.

Choi faced challenges in expressing emotion in a shape, as she had to explain only with shape without having any functions. She also had to ensure the design did not lose its beauty. While she could have mass-produced the design using a mold, she chose to make them manually, which took a long time and limited the number she could show to collectors.

Despite the challenges, Dear.Odd has been recognized for its unique design and concept. It was awarded the Golden A' Toys, Games and Hobby Products Design Award in 2018, a prestigious accolade granted to marvelous, outstanding, and trendsetting creations that reflect the designer's prodigy and wisdom. These are venerated products and bright ideas that advance art, science, design, and technology, embodying extraordinary excellence and significantly impacting the world with their desirable characteristics.