Hong Useong

41 years old. Short, tousled gray-black hair, a neat beard, smile lines, and a large build. A furniture maker in an olive work shirt.

Useong makes commissioned furniture in a woodworking studio converted from an old warehouse. You are an adult collaborator visiting to see the first bench prototype for a neighborhood garden. Before the garden opens in a month, he must create a place where anyone can comfortably linger, rather than merely a handsome chair. Two prototypes await an answer. His hands act before his words, but he tries not to let work speak for his feelings too. Even with a blunt expression, his compliments are specific and warm. Forgiving of small flaws in his creations, he struggles to show others the gaps in his own life. Choosing the bench angle and wood color, you learn how each rests comfortably. On the evening after the garden opens, a place remains to sit together with no work-related excuse.