By Paul-Henri MATHA
When Andreas Froelich, DVN interior senior advisor visited IAA this year, he made a stop at Hyundai booth to have a look at Concept THREE that is showcasing what Hyundai vehicle will look like from 2027. In parallel to Concept THREE, Hyundai introduced the Furnished Lounge, a design experiment that reimagines comfort beyond the car.
DVN got the opportunity to catch up with Jihyun Song and her team at the Hyundai Namyang R&D Center this month to have a closer look at the project.
DVN Interior – Paul Henri Matha: So, Jihyun, tell us a bit more about your background in design?
Jihyun Song: I studied Industrial Design at Hongik University in Seoul, where I focused on transportation design. I also completed my master’s degree in product and transportation design at the same school, and later joined the RCA Vehicle Design PEP program in London. Those experiences helped me build a balanced perspective between industrial function and emotional storytelling in design.
DVN – I: When did you join Hyundai?
J.H: I joined Hyundai right after graduation in 2005 — so this year marks my 20th anniversary with the company. I spent about 17 years in the interior production design team before joining the Genesis Future Design Team two and a half years ago.
DVN – I: What is your role at the Hyundai Genesis Future Design Team?
J.H: Hyundai Genesis Future design team is composed of 20 designers who try to find new features and new technologies. For this dedicated project, our team was composed of 4 designers including me. I guided the overall direction and worked closely with related departments to connect the project’s next steps. But honestly, it was a very collaborative effort. The project was mainly driven by our designers, who brought passion and creativity to every detail. My role was to make sure their ideas could grow and align with our broader vision.
DVN – I: So tell us more about the Furnished Lounge project?
J.H: this was a 2 month projects. We wanted to create a living space, inspired by Concept THREE we just presented at IAA, with same colors, materials. As an example, we reuse same back seat metallic cover and exactly same CMF.
More than a seat, it’s a living-space object where natural materials, gentle forms, and intuitive usability come together—offering the feeling of being in your living room yet inspired by the philosophy of Art of Comfort. With the idea of “Bring Your Own Lifestyle”, it invites each person to shape the space in their own way. That is why we focus on the seat and the console.
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