The DFK-LG Industry-Academia Collaboration Project marked the very first partnership between Design Factory Korea and LG Electronics — a milestone project that brought together students from three disciplines to tackle a real-world design challenge.
Working across the boundaries of Culture and Design Management (CDM), Information and Interaction Design (IID), and Creative Technology Management (CTM), student teams were tasked with proposing new concepts for IoT home appliance accessories and devices, along with the corresponding usage scenarios. The project challenged students to think beyond existing products and envision a new type of smart accessory that could be seamlessly attached to legacy home appliances — enhancing their functionality without replacing them.
Throughout the project, students had the opportunity to meet directly with LG Electronics professionals, receiving real feedback on their work from industry insiders. The experience placed students in the mindset of an LG task force team, making the project feel as close to actual industry work as possible.
The final presentations were held at LG Headquarters, where students showcased their ideas to LG officials. The response was overwhelmingly positive — so much so that the ideas presented have since been filed for both domestic and international patents.
Led by Professor Sangwon Lee, the DFK-LG project set a strong precedent for what industry-academia collaboration at DFK can look like: interdisciplinary, hands-on, and directly connected to the real world.
