Meet Chahn Sung | Spatial and Brand Identity Designer

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

Hi Chahn, where are your from? We’d love to hear about how your background has played a role in who you are today?
I was born in Maryland while my dad was getting his Ph.D. But when I was three years old, my family relocated to Seoul, South Korea for my dad’s new job, and I was basically raised there until I was thirteen. My parents asked if I wanted to study in the United States, but they couldn’t come because they had job in Korea; instead, I would have to live in a private dorm for Korean students in Austin, Texas. I suppose I was adventurous, so I said yes, and my life became a little more complicated and enriched as a result. It was never easy to live away from parents in such a young age not to mention living with random guy and going to school where was not racially diverse or friendly to Asians at the time.

To cut a long story short, it was a difficult but crucial time for me. I was moving back and forth between the United States and Korea due to a variety of obstacles, and I was frequently homesick. But I wasn’t sure if Korea was my home or U.S.A. was my home. I was getting to realize that environment was just a canvas and I define where my home is and I’m the drawing. One of the factors that drew me to the United States was my desire to be around diverse people and express myself freely. South Korea is a conservative nation with a monoethnic population. I thrived after moving to California from Texas. I started to find out who I am. I was never a regular; I was always the black sheep wherever I went. I was a rare Korean gay guy who had been raised in both Korea and America, had no definition of home-home and independent at a such young age. The journey boosted my self-awareness, independence, and open-mindedness.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’m a multidisciplinary designer. I didn’t want to limit myself to just one activity. I was aware that many things were interlinked and relevant. I began my studies and career as a spatial designer who can see the big picture and provide brand identity design, graphic design, and art direction in addition to spatial design for small brands and people to truly immerse and experience each space’s persona and storytelling. Each space and brand has their own personality and mood, just as we all do. I enjoy creating and expressing a brand’s personality and mood through interior design and graphic design. Also, I’m happy that people nowadays recognize the value of cohesive storytelling across branding, spatial design, and programs. I can’t wait to bring together my creative friends and embark on a multidisciplinary design journey in the near future.

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.
When friends from Korea or elsewhere visit LA, I always suggest places with a good design sensibilities and a distinct personality because that’s what I like. I would particularly suggest taking a walk in Echo Park on a sunny day to appreciate nature and the tranquility within the city. For coffee, I always suggest Kumquat, Loquat or Document. I suggest Sqirl, Woon, Manuela, or Joy for unique local dining experiences. I suggest Tilda, Friends, Arts District, or Techno warehouse parties for drinking or a night out. At last, I enjoy watching sunset in Hermosa Beach. Oh I almost forgot about Ice cream shops. LA has the best Ice cream places hands down. Bumsan, Jeni’s and Salt & Straw are my go-tos.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I sincerely appreciate everyone with whom I have had profound interactions throughout my life. My family, who were physically distant but always supported me and not to mention, I appreciate myself in young age enduring and able to push through life challenges without having parents right next to. However, I have to mention these two people I met during my university years, and they had a significant impact on me. Loretta and Vero are two of my closest friends. I met them at Art Center College of Design while on a study abroad program in Berlin. Since then, we’ve steadily gotten to know each other and bonded by going through some shit together haha. I had received a support and love like family from them. They each have a distinct personality and have impacted me in quite distinct ways.

Vero has been a creative influence. I still had a bit of a conservative mindset from my family and Korean background, but she has influenced me to be more creative, open-minded, and fearless in life.
Loretta, on the other side, has been the self-love influence. She knew and understood so much about me, and she has been always honest, caring, and genuine with me. She guided me to the great self-loving and accepting journey.
I’ve told them once that Loretta was like the sun to me and Vero was like the moon to me. We are now living separate lives across multiple cities, but I will always remember and appreciate their contributions to my life.

Website: www.chahnchance.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chahnchance/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chahnchance/

Other: Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@spatialreels (I recently started creating spatial reels)

Image Credits
Joongho Choi Studio Sangpil Lee B for Brand