[IT Donga x Ulsan City x Design-Driven Manufacturing Innovation Center] The Korea Institute of Design Promotion has established the 'Ulsan Design-Driven Manufacturing Innovation Center' at Ulsan University. This center aims to enhance the design competitiveness of promising SMEs and startups. IT Donga introduces companies selected for the 'Ulsan Design-Driven Manufacturing Innovation Project' and supports their scale-up.

A craft brand that started in a small hanok in Ulsan is advancing into the global art scene. This is the story of 'Villa Oasis,' a Ulsan-based tufting (a textile craft technique of inserting yarn into fabric) creation platform. Villa Oasis, which has brought a fresh breeze to the Korean craft scene, has provided opportunities for creation and established an open ecosystem for domestic and international artists to exchange ideas.



Participation in overseas exhibitions was a significant turning point. In September 2025, Villa Oasis participated in Maison&Objet held in Paris, France. This is Europe's largest design fair, with over 2,500 brands participating and more than 70,000 attendees. Villa Oasis showcased the potential of Korean textile art on this stage and gained recognition from global design brand representatives.

Building on these achievements, Villa Oasis plans to accelerate its growth by expanding activities domestically and internationally. From exhibitions in the Ulsan region to entering international art stages, the company expressed its commitment to broadening the base of Korean crafts and textile art.

A Creative Ecosystem Blossoming in a Century-Old Hanok

Villa Oasis, growing as a cultural bridge connecting the region and the world, presents a new direction for local creators. Under the slogan "Feel alive in my oasis," it has created a complex art ecosystem where domestic and international artists gather for creation, education, and exhibitions.

Villa Oasis operates by organically combining four business models. First, it conducts tufting education as the headquarters of the Global Tufting Association (GTA). It offers programs ranging from short-term experiential education to certification programs for aspiring artists, serving as a talent pipeline that attracts domestic and international artists interested in tufting crafts to Ulsan.



Second, Craftus, which plans exhibitions, has proven its capabilities by planning Craft Week hosted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. Craftus has played a pivotal role in strengthening the public nature of Villa Oasis and deepening ties with the local community.

Third, it challenges the commercial design sector with the Screen Project. Collaborating with the textile flower brand Onzieme, it undertakes various projects such as visual merchandising (VMD) work at the Seoul Dosan Park store and brand exhibitions, crossing the boundaries between pure art and commercial design.

The last is Art Stay, an immersive experience program where aspiring artists or artists visiting for tufting education stay in a hanok and interact with each other. This business leverages the value of the hanok as a core asset and also offers a residency program that invites emerging international artists through an annual international artist competition.

Building an Online and Offline Art Ecosystem

From the spring season of 2026, Villa Oasis will continue its work in collaboration with The Hyundai Ulsan. In partnership with the region's largest distribution platform, it plans to conduct craft exhibitions and content development, discover local artists, and operate experiential programs. The goal is to create a new model connecting department stores and crafts, integrating crafts into everyday life.

Villa Oasis plans to showcase the charm of textile crafts centered on works by Ulsan-based artists. Alongside the exhibition, it will also conduct citizen-participatory workshops, providing visitors the opportunity to experience tufting techniques and create their own works.

Bae So-hyun, CEO of Villa Oasis, stated, "The collaboration with The Hyundai Ulsan is expected to strengthen the local craft ecosystem. We aim to create a virtuous cycle where Ulsan citizens naturally encounter crafts and meet local artists' works when visiting the department store."

This initiative is expected to significantly impact the establishment of cultural infrastructure in the Ulsan region. Ulsan, which has grown as an industrial city, has been evaluated as relatively weak in cultural and artistic infrastructure. It is anticipated to contribute to overcoming regional limitations and rebuilding Ulsan as a cultural and artistic city.



In addition to artistic collaboration, Villa Oasis is also expanding its tufting certification and expert training programs. The core is to provide a growth path from teaching craft techniques to creation, exhibition, and overseas expansion.

In 2026, the educational curriculum will be systematized. It plans to subdivide into beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels and issue certifications for each stage. Online educational content will also be developed to create an environment where anyone can learn tufting crafts without spatial constraints.

The hanok space is Villa Oasis's unique competitive edge. CEO Bae So-hyun plans to complete a unique ecosystem where education, exhibitions, and art stays are organically integrated within the breath of tradition.

From Ulsan to the World, Promoting the Value of Villa Oasis

With the help of Ulsan Metropolitan City and the Ulsan Design-Driven Manufacturing Innovation Center, Villa Oasis has enhanced its global design capabilities. These two institutions supported its participation in Maison&Objet held in France in September 2025. They provided opportunities for business promotion, marketing, and corporate meetings on-site in France. CEO Bae So-hyun met with representatives from local brands such as Louis Vuitton and Saint-Germain and gained recognition for her design skills.



Villa Oasis is preparing for a new leap in 2026. It has been invited to showcase its works at the 'Vienna Amadeus Festival' in Vienna, Austria, in June 2026. This event, held on the Vienna Amadeus International School campus, will provide spaces for collaboration and exhibitions across various art fields alongside classical music performances. Through the festival, Villa Oasis plans to introduce Korean textile crafts to the European art scene.

CEO Bae So-hyun plans to present her works as an artist while also selecting and exhibiting works by emerging Korean artists. She is preparing an installation work that provides a new sensory experience by combining music and textile art. CEO Bae So-hyun expressed her anticipation, saying, "The invitation to the Vienna Amadeus Festival signifies that Villa Oasis is recognized on the international stage. It will be an important opportunity to showcase the uniqueness and modern sensibility of Korean textile crafts in Europe."

Following participation in the 2024 London Design Festival, Villa Oasis is also operating a Ulsan-London two-way exchange program. In the second half of 2026, it will hold joint exhibitions in Ulsan and London, inviting Ulsan-based artists to the UK and UK artists to Ulsan.

Villa Oasis has presented a blueprint to demonstrate the growth potential of the local cultural and artistic ecosystem. CEO Bae So-hyun stated, "Although it started as a small space in Ulsan, we aim to continuously expand the global stage for Korean crafts and textile art. The goal is to grow as a platform that overcomes regional limitations and promotes the value of Korean crafts to the world."

IT Donga Reporter Kang Hyung-seok (redbk@itdonga.com)

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