A man of letters: step into the world of Min Kim – packed with tasteful, evocative typography

Razor-sharp edges, flamboyant details, swashes that curl like tendrils – there’s something poetic about the way Min Kim approaches typography. Even a cursory glance at his body of work reveals his grasp over the subject. Take, for example, the title card he designed for Lil Nas X’s ‘Tales of Dominica’ video, with its ornate typography, that perfectly echoes the otherworldly setting of the video, with its floating beds. That title card – and another, for ‘Life After Salem’ – led to an opportunity to design a system for the musician’s first tour. This is just one of the many projects from the portfolio of the New York-based designer and art director, which also includes the campaigns he’s designed for YouTube Music, as a Senior Designer at Google. The common strands that run through his work – for both his full-time job and his freelance practice – are music and typography; neither are hard to spot. Here, he talks to us about landing the gig at Google, his childhood spent sifting through music album covers, and how, for him, typography always serves as “a starting point and a driving force.”

RB Hello, Min! How is the new year treating you?

MK Hello! The new year has been treating me well so far. I did get the flu during the holiday season, but I’m feeling much better now. I’m super happy to start the new year with the interview.

RB Could you tell us a bit about yourself and what drew you to the world of design?

MK I am an independent art director and graphic designer based in New York, currently working at Google YouTube Music. Back in the day, I was all about reading and collecting magazines, especially the ones about cars. I thought I was into cars and wanted to design them, but as it turns out, I was more into how cool the typography and layouts looked in those magazines. So, I decided to switch gears and dive into graphic design, and I’m loving every bit of it! Shaping visuals and playing with design to tell a story is where it’s at for me. The ability to shape visual experiences and convey messages through design has become fulfilling and rewarding.

RB You’re currently working at Google – how did you land the gig and how has the experience been so far?

MK The journey to joining the team wasn’t particularly special. I’ve consistently followed my favourite designers and one day, I came across an Instagram post by Gabriela Namie – the Art Director at YouTube Music –  who is now my manager. In the post, she was searching for a designer. I applied, and that’s how I got in. However, I believe it underscores the importance of keeping an eye on your favourite designers because you might have the chance to work with them!

It’s been almost two years since I joined, and the experience has been fantastic. I’ve had the opportunity to grow and learn in various aspects of design. My role involves handling graphic design, type design, interaction design, and animation, allowing me to explore and contribute to diverse creative areas. I am really happy with the work I’m doing at Google, and look forward to continuing this journey.

RB You crafted the identity for Lil Nas X’s first-ever concert, as well as the title cards for some of his music videos. Congratulations on the great project! How did the opportunity arrive?

MK The opportunity to work on his concert and contribute to the title cards for his music videos was truly exciting. It all started through my connection with Saad Moosajee, my instructor at the School of Visual Arts and an art director. Since then, I worked on various projects with Saad, and our collaboration extended to the Lil Nas X project, continuing until now. I feel incredibly fortunate to have had the chance to work alongside him.

RB Tell us about the flamboyant typographic treatment you opted for, and what led you to this aesthetic?

MK I developed an appreciation for typographic treatments through my upbringing surrounded by various music albums. In particular, I used to collect album covers on my iPod Classic, especially drawn to the Cover Flow feature. In high school, I toyed with the idea of crafting album covers. As I kept gathering these covers, I kind of stumbled into this aesthetic. The bold and elegant typography that defines my style today evolved from those music-centric influences. It’s my way of infusing a bit of that cool, dynamic vibe from my album-collecting days into my design work.

In the context of Lil Nas X’s projects, my journey began with creating title cards. For the videos ‘Tales of Dominica’ and ‘Life After Salem,’ I developed title card designs and typographic systems, both accumulating millions of views. Following the monumental success of the MONTERO album project, the artist’s team highlighted the significance of the typography, specifically referencing the title design for ‘Tales of Dominica’ as a crucial visual reference for the international tour’s branding. The typography in ‘Tales of Dominica’ drew inspiration from magical elements in classic fairy tales, such as ‘Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland,’ capturing the dreamy and fantastical atmosphere the artist aimed to convey.

During the creation of the concert’s visual system, we adhered to the established typography style, but added a 3D treatment to align with Lil Nas X’s visual language. To achieve this, I redesigned the original type to work dimensionally, and Saad – the Creative Director of the project – used it as a base for the 3D type treatment. The incorporation of Lil Nas X’s brand identity, characterised by blue sky and gold symbolism related to the divine, resulted in a cohesive and visually striking design for the concert.

Music opens up a world of various vernaculars to play with.

RB A large chunk of your work seems to revolve around the world of music – whether it be the Lil Nas X project or your work for YouTube Music at Google, especially for the campaigns for cultural music months like Pride, APAHM and Recap. What do you most enjoy about working at this intersection of music and design?

MK I thoroughly enjoy working at the intersection of music and design. Music, being closely tied to culture, opens up a world of various vernaculars to play with.

This intersection provides me with a unique playground for creativity, allowing me to delve into various styles and expressions. Typography, in particular, has become a powerful tool for me in conveying these cultural nuances. It’s this dynamic and culturally resonant aspect of music that I find most inspiring and fulfilling in my design work.

RB You led me to my next thought – just as music seems to be a prominent strand in your work, so does typography. Would you say type plays an important role in your body of work?

MK Absolutely, without a doubt. Typography holds a pivotal role in my work – it’s one of the key elements. When kicking off new projects, my first instinct is to dive into research and start connecting ideas through typography. It sets the tone and visual language for the entire creative process.

For instance, in the project for Woodkid's ‘Reactor’ music video, where the inspiration stemmed from 90’s Japanese animation classics like Akira and Ghost in the Shell, typography played a central role in conveying the thematic essence. Extensive research and exploration led us to a bold and condensed type, drawing parallels with Akira’s typography. This approach extended to the creation of promotional posters for the music video, where layouts and image treatments were inspired by Japanese Manga. In essence, typography served as the starting point and the driving force throughout the creative process.

RB What’s been the most exciting and challenging part about juggling both a full-time job and a freelance practice?

MK The most exciting aspect of maintaining a freelance practice alongside a full-time job is the opportunity to dive into various projects and collaborate with different individuals. This dynamic experience consistently teaches me new aspects of design, contributing to my continuous growth. On the flip side, the challenge lies in navigating opportunities and managing the balance. While concerns about opportunities can be a challenge, the valuable knowledge and experience gained make it a worthwhile endeavour.

I don’t stress too much about developing a ‘personal style.’

RB The creative industry always talks about a designer’s ‘personal style’. Do you think it’s important to identify a style of your own, or do you prefer to focus on other aspects of how you approach a project rather than worrying too much about developing a signature aesthetic?

MK I don’t stress too much about developing a ‘personal style’ in graphic design. For me, the essence of graphic design lies in effective communication with the audience. Getting too fixated on a signature aesthetic may hinder the ability to convey ideas clearly. In my opinion, even if you don’t consciously focus on developing a personal style, your unique approach naturally shines through, and in the end, everything tends to look like your work.

RB Through all of your career, what’s the one thing you’ve learnt that’s stayed with you the most?

MK One key lesson that has stayed with me throughout my career is to not be scared of making mistakes. I’ve discovered that every time I try something new, there’s always a takeaway, and it contributes to my growth and learning.

RB Is there anything you’ve had your eye on for a long time, which you hope to achieve this year?

MK Since the start of my career, it’s been a busy journey, and I haven't had many moments to pause and reflect on my surroundings. The people around me have been incredibly supportive, and now, I want to pay it forward by helping others.

Min Kim