Introducing New Logo and Its Creator

This morning, I received an exciting message from a YCC student. Along with the words "Grab it when it is still hottttt!!!", she sent me a beautiful picture of words in the style of Korean calligraphy, written by her!

The calligraphy above is written: "Youth Cultural Corps Baltimore Branch"
Next to the calligraphy is a stamp that she personally created to prove it is her work.

Allow me to introduce the creator of this new logo.

This is Bomin Song, a student attending Seoul National University Girls' Middle School. She is part of the Youth Cultural Corps, working as a tour guide and offering free tours to foreign visitors in historical sites (currently, she works at Deok-su Palace). She dreams of becoming a writer, which motivated her to become an expert calligrapher too. She is poetic and loves to write poems with her Korean brush.
Not just poems, but even writing in general.

She also has her pen name 백호랑이 (meaning "White Tiger"), which is stamped in red next to work.

"Even this time will pass away" (Bomin Song, 2015)

Earlier in the summer, I met her working at Deok-su Palace while I was visiting and leading YCC students around the historical sites of Seoul. Her last name "Song" got my attention, since that was my mother's surname. I guess I might have felt a familial connection. After adding her on Facebook, I saw photos of her calligraphic writings uploaded by herself on her timeline. And I'll be honest: I was flabbergasted by such skill and creativity. One may expect such old-fashioned writing styles to come from an elder or some old person, but these were works of a young student.

"Don't be greedy, child" (Bomin Song, 2015)

Calligraphy is foreign to many westerners, so it is even intriguing. As I created the blog and Facebook page for the YCC Baltimore Branch, I felt that there should be a good logo that captures the eyes of foreign visitors. Right away I knew that calligraphy would do the trick. And I knew who to call.

After contacting her, Bomin sent me a first copy of her calligraphic work.

It was written: "Youth Baltimore Branch". She forgot that it was suppose to be written as "Youth Cultural Corps" instead of just "youth". Regardless, it was beautiful and eye-capturing, so I kept it for records.

In exchange, I promised to buy her a meal for her and her group of YCC tour guides, and a bag of Salt & Vinegar potato chips.

A few days later, which was today, she sent me her second copy. And I LOVED it.

I purposely asked her to also add in her pen name stamp, since I felt that it was best to honor her work by crediting her. Also, the stamp was a good representation of how Korean traditional stamps looked like.

I tried to make the logo myself, and ultimately failed to the point that even my grandmother (a skilled calligrapher herself) would be disappointed and would consider disowning me.

But I'm glad that Bomin was willing to help me out and create the logo herself, despite her busy schedule as a student in Korea. I really can't thank her enough.

Now, YCC Baltimore Branch has its new, official logo! Hurrah!

Bomin, if you're reading this: Thank you thank you so much for this awesome new logo! I am honored that you wrote this for me, and the YCC Baltimore Branch will cherish this logo forever. I'll be sure to show you my gratitude once I return to Korea-hopefully in the winter-with a nice hot meal and bags of salt & vinegar potato chips ;)








YCC Website (Korean): http://www.yccworld.or.kr/front_ycc/index/index.php?q=
YCC email: ycc@icworld.or.kr
YCC Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ycc.officials
YCC (Baltimore): https://www.facebook.com/pages/Youth-Cultural-Corps-Baltimore-Branch/883939185035654?fref=ts
HQ Adress: Jongro-gu Bukchon-ro, 137-13, Seoul (Samcheong-dong 27-26)
(Adress in Korean: 서울 종로구 북촌로 137-13 (삼청동 27-26) 
Phone Number: 02-3210-3264