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

SSS project:  Selfish Slumber Society













JUHA KIM






 Human beings inevitably cause environmental destruction. Humans constantly operate factories and consume resources for their own benefit. However, throughout history, humanity has exploited nature without concern for its destruction. The environment is deteriorating at an alarming rate, and it may soon reach a point where humans are unable to intervene. Yet, at the same time, we often fail to fully comprehend the gravity of the situation. If the environment deteriorates to the extent that Earth’s resources are insufficient to sustain all humans, can humanity make ethically correct choices? Can we consider a system that sacrifices the well-being of some individuals for the benefit of others?

In the year 2070, environmental pollution has become so severe that human life expectancy has decreased to only 20 years. The world has no choice but to acknowledge that humans are the main culprits behind environmental pollution. To reduce environmental pollution and extend human life expectancy, humanity has chosen to put half of the population into a state of slumber.

SSS project: 

“Selfish Slumber Society Project” that prevents environmental pollution by hibernating humans. This society follows the principle of greatest happiness of utilitarianism. This is because it is a society in which humans put conservation first quantitatively and choose sleep in a way that intentionally reduces the population by reducing the number of humans. The Selfish Slumber Society project proposes a society that puts a portion of the population into a prolonged sleep state to conserve the environment and its resources. By reducing human activity, this society presents a ground-breaking solution to the problems of overpopulation and environmental pollution. When individuals in this society reach the age of 20, they must choose how they will enter their sleep state. All of humanity is compelled to enter this state, known as the “Turn off” mode, and depending on their chosen method (There are 2 options in this society.), they will experience different life cycles.

In a society where the environmental degradation has reached such an uncontrollable level that not sleeping would result in the death of all, what choice would you make?

Video link



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.