JaeBum Joo

Artist JaeBum Joo is a leading figure in the realm of pixel art in South Korea, garnering international acclaim for his distinctive vision. He has collaborated with an array of prestigious global brands, including Google, Starbucks, Nexon, Gentle Monster, Adobe, Uniqlo, Hypebeast, and entertainment giants such as SM, YG, and JYP. Through these partnerships, he has firmly established himself as a singular force in the world of illustration, all while pursuing his personal artistic endeavours with unwavering curiosity and innovation. His work is deeply rooted in personal experience and perception. Having discovered his artistic identity through the 8-bit graphics of the cartoons and animations he grew up with, he has seamlessly woven nostalgia with contemporary technology to cultivate a style uniquely his own. For him, pixels are not merely a nod to retro aesthetics; they serve as a bridge between digital interfaces—such as animation and gaming—and the language of traditional painting, unlocking new dimensions of expression. In his hands, pixels transcend their conventional role as the smallest unit of a screen, becoming colour, form, and a sensory experience in their own right.