UCAS University choices
- University of the Arts London (UAL) – Virtual Reality
- University of the Arts London (UAL) – Games Design
- Brunel University – Games Design
- Bournemouth University – Virtual and Augmented Reality
- University for the Creative Arts (UCA) – Games Arts
Personal statement
Whenever I make moving images, my heart beats. For me, the most crucial aspect of creating moving content is storytelling. To narrate my story in a more immersive and interactive manner, I want to study animation, game design and virtual reality at university. I will now discuss previous projects I have enjoyed.
While working on a project with the theme ‘climate change’, I made a game based on animation. The game protagonist was inspired by Persephone, the Greek goddess of seeds and agriculture. To create the character, I first sculpted the facial features and body using Blender 3D and then formed her joints and skeleton using Adobe Mixamo. I had to struggle through numerous setbacks but eventually had successfully made my lovely moving human! One sentence that came to mind was that I felt like the father of my character, Zeus. I decided to put her animation into my third-person zombie game as a main character.
To make a better game, I had to use coding. Initially, I thought that using coding in game development would probably be the most challenging aspect of my art path. However, I found coding a marvelous language; I felt as though I was talking with my laptop! Furthermore, it was an exciting experience to create AI characters that could move independently. After I had finished the entire game, I showed it to my classmates and let them play it. Some gave me positive feedback, while others gave me advice about how to make improvements; that was my first customer feedback. I felt satisfied with the result even though the game was somewhat unrefined. However, as I copied and pasted some existing code from YouTube videos, I would like to make my own coding source at university.
In another project, I made an AR animation. I tried to interact with my 3D gargoyle monster as much as possible, which was designed to scare and surprise me whenever I approached it. The final animation looked fairly ridiculous, but that was funny.
In my free time, I enjoy playing VR games. One of my favorite games is Half-Life: Alyx. The game is so immersive that I feel that I am really in that place. I thought about how a game space that does not exist in reality can still give me a sense of reality and wondered, “Isn’t the fundamental purpose of VR games to trick human senses?” Furthermore, I realised that VR work that deceives human senses could allow humans to experience various things that cannot be experienced; this is why I want to learn VR. A message I saw at the Cambridge Museum of Technology comes to mind: “River Cam’s water purification technology has not only improved the quality of life of Cambridge residents but also upheld the dignity of human life.” I believe that VR technology can both satisfy the human desire for entertainment and provide enlightenment on the dignity of life.
In my Korean high school, my art club members and I received an excellent opportunity to exhibit our artworks in the local civic hall. My role was to make a poster that would encourage local people to come and appreciate our works. The exhibition drew quite a crowd and I gave a guided tour as a curator. I learned the importance of teamwork and how to communicate with the local community.
While studying in the UK, I really enjoyed the process of research. Researching in historical, mythological and philosophical domains helped expand my perspective in art. Furthermore, I am excited when I apply research sources to my moving image artwork. As I have done at my current school, CSVPA(Cambridge School of Visual Performing Arts), I hope to continue developing my proficiency in art at a UK university.
I have a dream that one day I will create artistic VR games and animations that can engage the senses while providing enlightenment on the dignity of life.
SEOKWON 