On October 10, Hanyang University alumnus Jang Ki-min(Master’s student in Department of Industrial Design, Graduate School of Arts and Design) published his new book A City Has It All Planned Out. Borrowing its title from the famous line “You’ve really got everything planned out” in the film Parasite, the book views the city not as a passive environment but as an active, self-organizing entity that plans and acts on its own. Jang said, “Since this is my first book with Ph.D. in Urban Planning, I wanted to include the words ‘city’ and ‘plan’ in the title,” adding that he intentionally used a quote from a familiar movie to capture readers’ attention.

What does it mean for a city to plan itself? Jang explains, “A city is a massive organism created by countless citizens, where individual plans influence urban dynamics, and the city’s plans, in turn, shape individuals’ lives. Through this interplay, both evolve together.” He added, “Just as it feels natural to say a company releasing a new product ‘has a plan,’ we can also view cities as autonomous entities that make their own plans.” 

One of the book’s core themes is public design and urban aesthetics. Jang argues that urban design elements—such as subway signage systems, bus stops, and park benches—define a city’s aesthetic tone, shape its cultural values, and determine the quality of life. “Public design functions as a language that connects citizens and cities,” he said. “A good public design should benefit all users while expressing the region’s identity and the spirit of the era.”

Jang also sees the city as an educational realm. The book describes cases where students who study public design develop empathy for diverse users and sensitivity toward sustainability. He highlights tactile paving, voice guidance systems, and low-floor buses as examples of facilities that make cities inclusive for everyone. “Design is closer to sensibility than knowledge,” he said. “Since cities are spaces where sensory education happens naturally and continuously, administrative design must allow citizens to perceive and interpret reliable sensory data.”

He emphasized that “public design must go beyond aesthetics to express local identity and serve as an urban strategy generating economic and social value.” At the same time, he warned against letting public design become welfare content limited to particular groups or age brackets.

Jang, who aims to make the world a better place through design, founded the company Design Link(Cabinaid) to establish his own design language. “I start from social awareness and find solutions through design,” he said, describing how he developed and patented practical product ideas to address everyday inconveniences while expanding his business. The company’s core philosophy, Hongik 토토사이트추천gan—combination of the Korean phrase Hongik Ingan(benefiting all mankind) and design—embodies the vision of using design for the greater good. Jang believes design should move beyond aesthetics to become a practical tool for solving social issues.

Currently serving as director of a design lab, Jang continues his research in public and urban design. “Urban design is ultimately for satisfaction of citizens, and the philosophy of administrators should not create ‘noise,’” he said. Citing inspiration from thinkers such as Michel Foucault, Ferdinand de Saussure, and Laozi, he integrates heterotopia—the concept of 'other spaces' within reality—into his projects, seeking to realize diversity and coexistence in urban spaces.

He further noted that “design is a form of iterative marketing that drives shifts in thoughts.” Using examples such as Mokdong and Apgujeong apartments and the IKEA brand, he explained that even discomfort can be a part of design. “When people learn and understand design that incorporates discomfort, they no longer perceive it as inconvenience—that is the moment design gains social acceptance,” he said.

Looking ahead, Jang identified the respect for local identity as the most crucial value in future urban planning. “We must preserve the traditions that predate the city and reflect that culture in urban planning,” he emphasized, citing how the United States and Canada have integrated indigenous traditions into city development. “This approach prevents the conceptual loss of urban history and reinforces intangible cultural values,” he explained. He also expressed hope for institutional systems to empower citizens in solving problems through design. “I want to evolve into an urban design interpreter who helps people understand and apply design sensibility in city planning,” he said.

Finally, Jang summarized, “A City Has It All Planned Out presents a new perspective that sees the city as a self-planning entity influencing its citizens. I hope readers find it an engaging opportunity to understand how elements such as design and urban regeneration shape how cities operate.”