Some artists work with AI. Others think through it.

Yu.a.Ye belongs to the latter category.

Based in Korea, this visionary creator brings something rare to the AI art space: a deep cultural vocabulary merged with philosophical rigor. Her work pulses with the playful energy of saekdong, the symbolic depth of obangsaek, and the shimmering elegance of mother-of-pearl inlay.

But don’t let the beauty fool you. There’s serious intellectual work happening here.

Before turning to art, Yu.a.Ye navigated the corporate world—strategic planning, consulting, VIP marketing. She studied English Literature at Yonsei University. That analytical mind shows. Her projects aren’t just visually stunning. They’re conceptually rich. Layered. Purposeful.

Take her Seoulscape series. It doesn’t just depict Seoul—it captures the city’s soul. Tradition breathing beside modernity. Temples standing next to towers. Dusk bleeding into neon. This isn’t documentation. It’s translation. The city as memory, movement, light.

Then there’s Echoes of the Self—a cyclical exploration of identity through symbolic imagery. “I → eye → universe → flower → butterfly → forest → ocean → dolphin → back to I.” The self isn’t fixed. It flows. Transforms. Dissolves and reforms through sensation, memory, and connection.

Her Bapsangbodo series reinterprets the traditional Korean meal cover as a meditation on care, protection, and invisible love. Everyday gestures become spiritual resonance. Matter dissolves into light.

Most recently, she’s exploring Nietzsche’s “new eyes” philosophy through her One-Eyed Illusion series. What unique perspectives emerge from enforced solitude? How does deficiency create new ways of seeing? Heavy questions. Beautiful answers.

In this interview, Yu.a.Ye shares her process, her inspirations, and the cultural roots that ground her digital experiments.

Let’s step into her world.

Can you introduce yourself?

My name is Yu.a.Ye, which means “to play within art”.
I began my creative journey through psychology-healing books and picture books.
Now, I work with generative AI to create visual and video-based narratives.
My work explores emotions, memory, and identity through the lens of Korean aesthetics and sensibility.

How long generative AI?

I started using generative AI in March of this year.
At first, it was a personal tool to experiment with visualizing ideas,
but now I use it professionally—for exhibitions, concept design, advertising storyboards, and video projects.

Where do you find your inspiration currently?

I am deeply inspired by traditional Korean culture.
Elements such as saekdong (multicolored stripes), obangsaek (the five traditional colors), mother-of-pearl, hanbok fabrics, and celadon pottery influence the palette and atmosphere of my work.
These colors are not just decorative—they carry symbolism and emotion.
That is why a wide range of colors naturally appears in my artwork.

Which AI tools do you use?

I mainly use Midjourney as my primary AI tool.

Any advice for those who want to get started with AI art?

Just keep going.

Images © Yu.a.Ye 2025