Speculative Stuff
2023 - 2024 Student Works
* The intellectual property rights of each work are owned by each student.

0 dB













JOONGIN KIM






 Advanced technology is replacing humans in many aspects, but many people argue that art is something only we can create. However, music is often considered less significant compared to other art forms such as literature or visual arts. For instance, books and artworks still hold greater value as physical objects, while music seems to have been reduced to a stream of digital signals consisting of 0 and 1 flowing through our AirPods. Moreover, if AI were to write a novel instead of a human author or create a painting instead of a human artist, we would be highly skeptical. However, we readily enjoy songs that have been created using autotune voice on top of virtual instrument sounds with no idea. Although it serves a different purpose from classical music, is popular music solely about commercialism and

entertainment? Why do we fall in love with music for what value? According to literature and primary research, many individuals, excluding a minority of music lovers, use popular music as a means to increase the efficiency of their tasks or simply as a byproduct of their favorite artists. Based on this reality, I imagined the following future scenario.

In 2050, artistic effort is no longer essential in the popular music industry. As long as there is a pre-recorded singer’s voice, even if the lyrics and melody are ridiculous, a ‘Song Maker’ can quickly create their beloved music using experimental and stimulating sounds. However, there are still listeners who seek the authenticity of music, so ‘musical facts’ must always be indicated according to copyright law. Also if a certain level of real vocal and instrumental performance is included, it can receive a special certification mark, and the pricing of the album varies. The artifact below is the LP of the 305th digital single ‘I’m Real’

released by the renowned rapper Drake. Although it cannot be played on a turntable, it is a popular merchandise cherished by many fans as a memento.

As recently seen with the popularity of 0 kcal beverages and snacks among health-conscious individuals, it is possible that in the near future, we might increasingly come across songs with ‘0 dB’ (zero decibel) where there is no inclusion of a singer’s vocals or instrumental performances.

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2023



Speculative Stuff



Speculative Stuff documents the design works of Yonsei University's Integrated Design undergraduate students, showcasing South Korea's first speculative design course. Led by Hyunjae Daniel Shin (Assistant Professor) and Eun Sun Park (Lecturer), our 16-week program blends theoretical lectures, interactive workshops, and practical exercises.

This course aims to foster the ability to understand and speculate about macro and micro changes in technology, culture, society, and the environment through everyday products and services in future contexts. By using future scenarios, comedy techniques, and preposterous worldbuilding, students develop a critical perspective on alternative futures.