"Growing Dreams Inspired by the 917" Korea's First Porsche Designer's Endless Challenge [Car Design Hallyu]

Car Design Hallyu①
Exclusive Interview with Porsche Exterior Designer of Jung Woo-sung Style
"Dreams Grew After Seeing the 917 Model in Childhood"
Most Beloved Model is the '919 Street'
Generous Advice for Juniors Dreaming of Becoming Car Designers

“I saw a photo of the Porsche 917 model in a magazine and thought, ‘So this kind of car exists.’ From that moment, I dreamed of becoming a car designer.”

A young child who had a vague desire to ‘make cars.’ By chance, he saw a photo of the Porsche 917 model when he was in high school. He started studying design later than others. He even repeated a year to enter Hongik University’s College of Fine Arts. The child who approached his dream in this way earned the title of ‘first.’ He is Jeong Woosung, the only Korean designer at Porsche headquarters.

At ‘Style Porsche’ located in Weissach, Germany, over 120 people are sweating for Porsche design. Among them, about 10 designers are responsible for exterior design. Jeong is the only Korean.

Jung Woo-sung style Porsche exterior designer is answering interview questions on the 4th.
[Photo by Porsche Korea]

He says that his experience studying in Germany was a major factor in joining Porsche. Jeong graduated from Hongik University’s Department of Industrial Design and completed a master’s degree in automotive design at Pforzheim University in Germany. Pforzheim is located about 30 to 40 minutes from the headquarters of Porsche and Mercedes-Benz. Thanks to this, many car designers give design lectures at Pforzheim. Jeong said, “If there are outstanding students in class, many are recruited through internships.”

His experience at Hongik University also shaped who he is today. He was able to grow into a top designer thanks to classes from the first generation of car designers, exchanges with seniors, and club activities. He said, “It’s important what schools teach, but more important is the environment,” adding, “I was able to see and learn from many seniors and juniors, and this environment allowed me to dream.”

Among the models he designed, he said the ‘919 Street’ is the most memorable. He designed the exterior from start to finish and also introduced the vehicle himself. This car was based on the 919 Hybrid model that won the ‘Le Mans 24 Hours Race,’ one of the world’s three major races. Last year, at ‘Iconen,’ the first Porsche brand exhibition in Asia, Jeong explained the vehicle development process.

The 911 RSR Pink Pig, an homage to the model 917/20 that inspired designer Jung's dream [Photo by Porsche Korea]

He believes that proportion is the most important aspect in car design. The vehicle’s proportions must be designed properly first, then the details should be considered. It’s like when drawing a Coca-Cola bottle?you don’t start with the cap. This philosophy aligns with Porsche’s design. Porsche explains that the ‘golden ratio of width to height’ is the most important part of their design identity.

Jeong did not hesitate to give advice to juniors dreaming of becoming future car designers. He emphasized the importance of an environment where one can naturally learn by frequently encountering cars. If the environment is lacking, more effort is needed. “Germans accumulate related knowledge from a young age by repairing old cars in their garages themselves. If you don’t have such an environment, you must observe and feel a lot on your own to develop the capabilities as a designer.”