Meet Sumin Ha | Character Animator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Sumin Ha and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Sumin, why did you pursue a creative career?
That’s because I was a child who made an incredible number of mistakes. When I was young, I often lost things, did things I wasn’t supposed to do, and missed deadlines. I was also a gloomy kid who spent a lot of time regretting my actions and imagining how things would be if I hadn’t made those mistakes. In those imaginings, a version of me who never made mistakes lived an ideal life, far better than my own reality. I constantly compared this perfect version of myself to who I actually was.

These thoughts often overwhelmed me and made me feel depressed, so I decided to turn these imaginations into a story. In the story, the ideal version of myself lived the life I wished for, never made mistakes, beloved by everyone. That was the first story I ever created. I kept making stories and I studied animation at CalArts to bring these stories to life. All my stories are about the version of me who succeeded in doing what I should have done. For example, the character Emile in my thesis film “Testimony” is a confident, independent, and decisive child-everything I wished I could have been as a kid.

Unfortunately, I still make a lot of mistakes and spend a lot of time regretting them. However, I no longer torment myself with these thoughts. Now, all my regrets and imaginations become stories, forming the foundation of my artistic career. Despite not being ideal, I have come to appreciate and love who I am.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Most of my peers at CalArts firmly specialize in either character animation or storytelling. In contrast, I considered myself a somewhat ambiguous student, delving into both disciplines. This stemmed from a pivotal moment I experienced.

Until my sophomore year, I primarily identified as a character artist and paid little attention to, or studied, storytelling. Then, in my second year, I botched a film project. While such mishaps are common at CalArts, I found it difficult to shake them off as easily as others did, and I was deeply disappointed in myself. This incident prompted me to delve into the art of storytelling. Although taking advanced classes alongside friends who were already well-versed in storytelling proved challenging, I found joy in learning from an excellent professor. Thanks to his guidance and support, I managed to execute my plans for my junior year film smoothly, and by senior year, I could fully realize my creative vision. The most fascinating aspect of this journey was realizing that the most enjoyable part of my creative process stemmed from having complete control over my work. When my pre-production plans flowed seamlessly, I felt a significant improvement in my planning and execution abilities. Moreover, my newfound enjoyment in studying storytelling, initially pursued solely for filmmaking purposes, has led me to remain “open-ended” in choosing my specialization. However, I do not feel anxious about this ambiguity. I believe it adds a unique quality to my work.

Currently, I am expanding upon my graduation film, “Testimony.” The tale of vampires raising abandoned human children in the human world has been brewing in my mind since my freshman year. Now, as a senior, I have the opportunity to present it to the world as my graduation project. Additionally, I am conceptualizing a series project that delves deeper into the story of these intriguing vampires. They view the children as emergency sustenance, nurturing them, yet ultimately unable to consume them as they age and pass away. I intend to infuse this project with “open-mindedness,” maintaining ambiguity regarding the motives of the vampires and the affection they hold for the human children.

I interpret ambiguity not as confusion, but as the deliberate act of leaving all possibilities open. In a world that demands certainty, there will undoubtedly be individuals who resonate with my perspective. My project is dedicated to them.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
My best friend is probably coming from Korea, so as a friend living abroad, I could take them to some of the famous tourist spots in LA. But rather than that, I want to take them to places that I love.

First stop: In-N-Out near LAX. Picture this: sitting in the outdoor seating area, munching on an iconic In-N-Out burger while watching planes gracefully take off and land all day long. It’s a mesmerizing sight, and with the West Coast’s favorite burger in hand, it’s an experience that screams “Welcome to LA!”

Next, we dive into Koreatown. Now, you might think it’s odd to take a Korean friend to Koreatown but trust me, it’s a whole vibe. It’s like stepping into a time capsule with old Korea captured in photographs from 30 years ago, all while being surrounded by the vibrant colors of a tropical paradise. It’s a place that feels both familiar and exotic, and hunting for our favorite signs among those with vintage fonts is like a treasure hunt. If my friend is anything like me, they’ll be enchanted by this unique blend of nostalgia and novelty.

After that, we’d head to Fortune House Chinese Cuisine. It’s not just any Chinese restaurant; it’s a place that holds cherished memories from my time at CalArts. Despite being located in Valencia, a good distance from LA, I didn’t venture into the city often during my four years there. However, every year, our department’s grand event, the Producers’ Show, brought us to the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in LA. And we always went to the nearby Chinese restaurant before the screening started. It’s a restaurant with excellent reviews, but to me, it’s the most special place to go on the most special day of the year. Sharing this spot with my friend feels like passing on a piece of my CalArts journey.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
It might be a cliché answer, but for me, that place is my school, CalArts.

I majored in fine art at a university in Korea, and when I graduated, I felt that, despite attending a good school, I hadn’t met any truly great artists. So, I applied to CalArts, hoping to meet the most amazing artists in the world. However, the people I met there were far from the amazing artists I had imagined. Instead, I met people who were much like myself.

CalArts is a truly unique community. From the outside, it seems like a school filled with the most talented and young artists in the world, but in reality, it’s full of individuals who spent their childhoods drawing and watching cartoons alone. These are people who have all struggled with being different in some way, which made us incredibly valuable to each other. We would draw for each other and spend all day talking about our favorite anime characters.

For the first time, I felt a sense of stability and belonging there. I learned that I didn’t have to conform to the world and that the things I was criticized for in society could actually be creative strengths. If I am living a stable and fulfilling life today, it is because of the people I met at CalArts and the culture that allowed us to come together.

Website: https://stonehenge601.myportfolio.com/

Instagram: @stonehenge03

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/su-min-ha-86220a22b/

Twitter: https://x.com/Sumin_HaHaHa

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@SuminHaHaHa