After DDP Design Fair: five Korean home brands worth discovering

The 2026 DDP Design Fair ran at Seoul’s DDP Art Hall from 14 to 18 October and is over as of 21 October. Rather than treating an expired event as a weekend invitation, discover five Korean home brands highlighted around it: NOMIA, MISORANG, FIABA, PLATS and Gori Studio. Their approaches begin with floors, handheld objects, furniture, plants and light, suggesting changes that do not require replacing a whole room.

NOMIA and MISORANG: begin underfoot and in the hand

Busan-founded NOMIA works with rugs, bedding, towels and window textiles. The colours and edges of its Canelé and Oatmeal rugs invite attention to how a floor changes a room’s focus. Measure circulation, cabinet doors and chair movement before judging dimensions from product photographs.

Ceramic artist Cha Misorang’s MISORANG gives objects expression through gestures and body language. Hand Heart Mug and the hand-held-torch-like Flash Light turn familiar movements into handles or lighting structures. Their interest also lies in actual use: how a hand meets a cup or adjusts a light, allowing function and sculpture to be considered together.

FIABA’s curves and PLATS’s clothing for plants

FIABA’s oval Lento clock and asymmetric Molto sofa table address walls and low furniture. Curves change how the eye moves through a rectangular room, but tables still need to suit sofa height, reach and usable area. A gentle shape does not remove functional requirements.

PLATS connects plant styling with colour through pot covers and hanging designs. Multiple cover colours allow the same plant a different appearance, useful for a small change. A cover does not replace drainage or plant care: check inner-pot size, light and the plant’s needs.

Gori Studio: traditional forms as containers for light

Gori Studio develops ceramic home objects from Korean traditional forms and material imagery. Its moon-jar light combines a rounded vessel with soft illumination; hanji-inspired lighting recalls light passing through traditional doors and windows. Consider a lamp as an object present in daylight, rather than judging it only when switched on.

Continue exploring after the fair by identifying one need: a floor without definition, a dull tabletop, a wall lacking focus or overly direct evening light. Then confirm sales channels, dimensions, shipping and electrical specifications. Display prices do not guarantee current stock or overseas delivery; checking function alongside appearance helps an object remain part of everyday life.