Specializes
Art Direction
Visual Identity & Branding
Print & Digital
Graphic Design Services
Hyena Nam
Designer / Educator / Researcher
Hyena Nam is an award-winning graphic designer whose work has been recognized nationally and internationally. She was selected by the World Brand Design Society as one of the Top 100 Most Creative Designers in the World for two consecutive years (2023/2024 and 2024/2025).
Originally from South Korea and now based in the United States, Nam works across both the Korean and U.S. design industries. She specializes in art direction and visual communication across print and digital media. Her creative practice focuses on understanding how visual communication can influence audience perception and behavior through research-driven strategies. She helps businesses and organizations achieve their goals by developing effective and innovative design solutions, often collaborating with experts across disciplines to meet the unique needs of each project.
In addition to her professional practice, Nam is a design researcher whose scholarly interests focus on addressing real-world problems through visual communication. Her current research explores designing for sustainability and marginalized communities. She is currently leading a project in Des Moines, Iowa, that aims to develop effective visual communication strategies to educate the public on proper recycling practices. Through her design research and creative practice, Nam seeks to convey the social impact and value of design in everyday life.
Nam is also a passionate educator, serving as an Assistant Professor of Graphic Design in U.S. higher education. In the classroom, she shares her expertise in both design and research, guiding students to become innovative visual problem solvers.
디자이너 & 디자인교수
국내외에서 인정받은 수상 경력의 그래픽 디자이너이자 디자인 교육자인 남혜나는 World Brand Design Society가 선정한 World Best Creative Design 및 Global Creative Design 부문에서 세계에서 가장 크리에이티브한 디자이너 100인중 한명으로 2023/2024, 2024/2025 연속 수상자로 선정되었습니다. 한국에서 태어나 현재 미국에 거주하며, 한국과 미국 양국에서 디자인 활동을하고 있습니다.
그녀는 아트 디렉션과 그래픽 디자인을 전문으로 하며, 인쇄 및 디지털 매체 전반에 걸쳐 다양한 프로젝트를 수행해왔습니다. 창작 과정은 리서치 기반의 디자인 접근 방식에 뿌리를 두고 있으며, 연구 중심의 창의적 프로세스를 바탕으로, 전략적인 시각적 개념을 개발하고, 효과적이고 혁신적인 솔루션을 제공합니다.
실무 디자이너로서의 활동 외에도, 그녀는 디자인 연구자로서도 활발히 활동하고 있습니다. 주요 연구 관심사는 시각 커뮤니케이션, 사용자 중심 디자인(user-centered design), 그리고 시각적 메시지가 소비자 행동에 미치는 영향에 대한 탐구입니다. 특히 지속 가능성(sustainability)을 핵심 주제로 삼아, 폐기물 문제 해결과 사회적 소외 계층을 위한 디자인 전략에 집중하고 있습니다. 현재는 아이오와주 디모인(Des Moines) 지역을 중심으로, 주민들이 올바른 재활용 방법을 이해하고 실천할 수 있도록 돕는 시각 커뮤니케이션 전략 개발 프로젝트를 이끌고 있습니다.
또한 그녀는 미국 대학에서 그래픽 디자인 조교수로 재직 중이며, 교육자로서 사명감을 가지고 학생들을 지도하고 있습니다. 리서치 기반 디자인 프로세스를 바탕으로 커리큘럼을 구성하고, 창의적이고 전략적인 문제 해결 능력을 갖춘 디자이너로 성장할 수 있도록 교육에 힘쓰고 있습니다.
디자인 프로젝트나 협업관련 문의는
hyenanamdesign@gmail.com으로
연락부탁드립니다.
Awards & Recognitions
Selected as Finalist, Future Frames Exhibition 2025
University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA, 2025
Winning design: Motherhood
Selected for Permanent Design Collection
United Designs Alliance, Seoul, South Korea, 2025
Winning design: The Melody of Healing
International Design Award: Honorable Mention
Graphis International Design Awards 2026, New York, USA, 2025
Winning design: Enough is Enough
Selected for Times Square Billboard Showcase
Visual Art Journal, New York City, USA, 2025
Featured design: The Melody of Healing
Selected and Featured in International Art Magazine
Visual Art Journal, Tbilisi, Georgia 2025
Featured design: The Melody of Healing & Motherhood
International Design Award: Silver Award
Graphis Poster Awards 2026, New York, USA, 2025
Winning design: Vote for a Better Future
International Design Award: Bronze Award
UDA International Design Competition, Seoul, South Korea, 2025
Winning design: Enough is Enough
International Design Award: Bronze Award
UDA International Design Competition, Seoul, South Korea, 2025
Winning design: Moving Day
International Design Award: Silver Award
UDA International Design Competition, Seoul, South Korea, 2025
Winning design: Bellaluna
International Design Award: Silver Award
UDA International Design Competition, Seoul, South Korea, 2025
Winning design: Busan City Icon System
International Design Award: Bronze Award
UDA International Design Competition, Seoul, South Korea, 2025
Winning design: Icon System for TruArt Studio
Excellence Award, Design for Social Impact Category
Art Director’s Association of Iowa, IA, USA, 2025
Winning design: Vote for a Better Future
International Design Award: Gold Award in Mobile App
Indigo International Design Award, Amsterdam, Netherlands, 2025
Winning design: Planning App for Busan Travel
International Design Award: Gold Award in Promotional Materials
Indigo International Design Award, Amsterdam, Netherlands, 2025
Winning design: Busan BADA
International Design Award: Silver Award in Branding
Indigo International Design Award, Amsterdam, Netherlands, 2025
Winning design: Busan BADA
International Design Award: Silver Award in Integrated Graphic Design
Indigo International Design Award, Amsterdam, Netherlands, 2025
Winning design: IDM Gallery
International Design Award: Silver Award in Logos for Graphic Design
Indigo International Design Award, Amsterdam, Netherlands, 2025
Winning design: IDM Gallery
International Design Award: Shortlist, Professional / Illustrate (Graphic) Category
London International Creative Competition, UK, 2025
Winning design: Busan BADA
Listed and Featured as 2024/2025 Year’s Best Creative Design
World Brand Design Society, London, UK, 2025
Listed and Featured as 2024/2025 Year’s Global Creative Design
World Brand Design Society, London, UK, 2025
International Design Awards: Silver Award
IDA (International Design Awards), CA, USA, 2025
Winning design: IDM Gallery Identity Design
International Design Awards: Honorable Mention
IDA (International Design Awards), CA, USA, 2025
Winning design: MGS Global Rebranding
International Design Award: Honorable Mention
IDA (International Design Awards), CA, USA, 2025
Winning design: Woman Into History
International Design Award: Bronze Award
World Brand Design Society, London, UK, 2024/2025
Winning design: IDM Gallery Identity Design
International Design Award: Commended Award
World Brand Design Society, London, UK, 2024/2025
Winning design: Rebranding Busan City
International Design Award: Grand Award (1st place)
UDA Idea Design Competition, Seoul, South Korea, 2024
Winning design: Enhancing User Experience in Planning Busan Tourism
International Design Award: Gold Award
International Visual Identity Awards, London, UK, 2024
Winning design: Bella Luna Rebranding, Retail Category
International Design Award: IBDA Idea Award
International Busan Design Award (IBDA), Busan, South Korea, 2024
Winning design: Blanche Armwood
International Design Award: Gold Award
UDA International Design Competition, Seoul, South Korea, 2024
Winning design: Vote for a Better Future
International Design Award: Bronze Award
UDA Signs, Systems, and Letterform Marks, Seoul, South Korea, 2024
Winning design: TruArt Corporate Identity Design
International Design Award: Bronze Award
Indigo International Design Award, Amsterdam, Netherlands, 2024
Winning design: TruArt Branding Design
Selected as Judge's Choice, 66th ADAI Design Exhibition
Art Director’s Association of Iowa, IA, USA, 2024
Winning design: TruArt Branding Design
Selected as Best of Category, Integrated Brand System
Art Director’s Association of Iowa, IA, USA, 2024
Winning design: TruArt Branding Design
Excellence Award, Integrated Brand System
Art Director’s Association of Iowa, IA, USA, 2024
Winning design: Hell's Fried Chicken Branding Design
Excellence Award, Identity System Category
Art Director’s Association of Iowa, IA, USA, 2024
Winning design: TruArt Branding Design
International Design Award: Bronze Award
IDA (International Design Awards), CA, USA, 2024
Winning design: TruArt Branding Design, Corporate Identity Category
Selected as One of the 2024 Winners and the Best Media Inspiration
Favourite Design Worldwide Designers Awards, Violès, France, 2024
Winning design: TruArt Branding Design
Selected and Featured by BrandsAwesome
Media/News Company Brooklyn, New York, USA, 2024
Winning design: TruArt Branding Design
Listed and Featured as 2023/2024 Year’s Best Creative Design
World Brand Design Society, London, UK, 2024
Listed and Featured as 2023/2024 Year’s Global Creative Design
World Brand Design Society, London, UK, 2025
International Design Award: Shortlist, Professional / Illustrate (Graphic) Category
London International Creative Competition, UK, 2023
Winning design: TruArt Branding Design
International Design Award: Bronze Award
World Brand Design Society, London, UK, 2023
Winning design: TruArt Branding Design, Education Branding Category
Selected for Permanent Design Collection
United Designs Alliance, Seoul, South Korea, 2025
Winning design: Message to Mumanity; Love & Forgiveness
International Design Award: Silver Award
Indigo International Design Award, Amsterdam, Netherlands, 2023
Winning design: Blanche Armwood, Poster Design Category
Excellence Award, Poster Design Category
Art Director’s Association of Iowa, IA, USA, 2023
Winning design: Blanche Armwood
Excellence Award, Integrated Brand System Category
Art Director’s Association of Iowa, IA, USA, 2023
Winning design: IDM Gallery Identity Design
Selected as One of the Top 3 Poster Designs
Visual Voice National Graphic Design Competition, GA, USA, 2022
Winning design: Woman into History
International Design Award: Excellence Award in Typography
International Society of Typographic Designers, United Kingdom, 2018
ISTD Membership Granted
Selected as Winner and Printed for Distribution
Theatre Poster Design Competition, OH, USA, 2017
Winning design: For Colored Girls
Selected as Best of the Show and Printed for Distribution
Tri-C Annual Art Show, OH, USA, 2017
Exhibitions
Jeonbuk Industrial Designers Association International Invitational Exhibition
International Design Invitational Exhibition
Iksan Arts Center Exhibition Hall, Iksan, South Korea, 2025
Whimsy and Wonder
Juried National Exhibition
Overt Space Gallery, Stoughton, WI, 2025
Future Frames: AI Graphic and Video Art Exhibition
Juried International Exhibition
Herman Maril Gallery, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA, 2025
Korea Smart Media Society
International Design Invitational Exhibition
Gallery ITDA, Museum of Kunsan National University, South Korea, 2025
Messages To Humanity, 12th United Designs Biennial,
International Juried Poster Exhibition
[Virtual], China, 2025
67th Annual Art Directors Association of Iowa Design Exhibition
Juried Group Exhibition
Curate Event Center, IA, USA, 2025
KWVD International Invitational Design Exhibition
Group Exhibition
Kim Hee Soo Art Center, Seoul, South Korea, 2024
2024 Busan International Design Week Exhibition
Juried Group Exhibition
Bexco (Busan Exhibition & Convention Center), Busan, South Korea, 2024
KWVD International Invitational Design Exhibition
Group Exhibition
Kim Hee Soo Art Center, Seoul, South Korea, 2024
Textures Exhibition
Juried Group Exhibition
Overt Space Gallery, WI, USA, 2024
66th Annual Art Directors Association of Iowa Design Exhibition
Juried Group Exhibition
Curate Event Center, IA, USA, 2024
Run What You Brung Faculty Exhibition
Group Exhibition
Grand View University Prairie Meadows Gallery, IA, USA, 2023
Messages To Humanity, Poster Design Exhibition
Juried Group Exhibition
[Virtual], Texas, USA 2023
65th Annual Art Directors Association of Iowa Design Exhibition
Juried Group Exhibition
Decades Event Center, IA, USA, 2023
Visual Voice Poster Design Exhibition
Juried Group Exhibition
Roy C.Moore Gallery, GA, USA, 2023
Kent State University MFA Exhibition
Group Exhibition
Taylor Hall Gallery, OH, USA, 2018
Featured Publication / Online
Whimsy and Wonder, Contemporary Art Exhibition (Issue 006).
Overt Space, 2025–2026, pp. 40–41
Smart Media International Design Invitation Exhibition Catalog, p. 104
United Design Alliance Design, 2025, E-book Exhibition Catalog p. 84
Graphis Design 2026: The Best in International Design, Online Gallery & Publication
Visual Art Journal, Issue #35 (August 2025), Print and Online Publication
Graphis Poster 2026: The World’s Best Poster, Online Gallery & Publication
United Design Alliance Design, 2025, Digital Catalog p. 24, 38
Signs, Systems, and Letterform Marks, 2025, Digital Catalog p. 4, 5, 6
Art Directors Association of Iowa, 2025, Permanent Exhibition Book p. 290
Indigo Design Awards, 2025, Indigo Digital Book of Design
KWVD International Invitational Design Exhibition 2024, Printed Catalog p. 5
World Brand Design Society, 2025, Online Gallery
The Favourite Design Book of the Year 2024 Vol.12
United Design Alliance Design, 2024, Digital Catalog p. 2
World Brand Design Society, 2024, Online Gallery
AIGA Design for Democracy Campaign, Online Gallery
World Brand Design Society, 2024, Online Gallery
United Design Alliance Design, 2024, Digital Catalog p. 2
Korean Women Visual Designer Association, 2024, Printed Catalog p. 94
Overt Space Gallery, 2024, Online & Printed Catalog
United Design Alliance Design, 2024, Digital Catalog p. 8
Indigo Design Awards, 2024, Indigo Digital Book of Design p. 296
Art Directors Association of Iowa, 2024, Permanent Exhibition Book p. 10, 132
Favourite Design, 2024, Best Media Inspiration, Online Gallery
BrandsAwesome, 2024, Highlighted Project Online Gallery
World Brand Design Society, 2024, Online Gallery
Indigo Design Awards, 2023, Indigo Digital Book of Design p. 301
Visual Voice Women's Right, 2023, Digital Design Catalog p. 10, 11.
Art Directors Association of Iowa, 2023, Permanent Exhibition Book p. 13, 62.
UDA United Designs Biennial, 2023, Digital Catalog p. 68
Creative Practice Areas
Brand Identity
Strategy
Competitor Analysis
Logotypes and Symbols
Identity Systems
Brand Guidelines
Icons and Patterns
Visual Communication
Concept Development
Art Direction
Service Design
Campaigns
Graphic Design
Typography
Print & Packaging
Packaging
Editorial Design
Book Design
Print Design
Digital Design
Website & App Design
UX Research
Data Visualization
Generative AI
Environments
Interior Graphics
Retail Design
Exhibition Design
Signage and Wayfinding