| Article by Hollis Kerfoot Photography by Park Seong lk |
| ______________________________________________________________________________ |
Many doll artists dream of saying that their
hobby is also like their job. Park Seong Ik is one
of the lucky ones.
"I have never thought that they are separated in
my life," said Park, who sells his repainted
dolls as OOAK Doll Park. "It's my job
as well as one of my hobbies".
His career as a doll artist began in the spring
of 2003 when he got his first Barbie doll and
noticed that her eye decals were damaged.
"It was just a little change", he says, but
he counts her as his first one-of-a-kind doll.
hobby is also like their job. Park Seong Ik is one
of the lucky ones.
"I have never thought that they are separated in
my life," said Park, who sells his repainted
dolls as OOAK Doll Park. "It's my job
as well as one of my hobbies".
His career as a doll artist began in the spring
of 2003 when he got his first Barbie doll and
noticed that her eye decals were damaged.
"It was just a little change", he says, but
he counts her as his first one-of-a-kind doll.
| By the summer of 2003, he was repainting Tonner dolls and selling them to members of the doll community is Seoul, South Korea. He made his debut on eBay in spring of 2004. He said that he sells five to seven nude dolls a month on eBay, and his website is: www.ooakdollpark.com |
Park says he is both a collector and an
artist. He collects Fashion Roaylty and
one-of-a-kind Tonner dolls. These are
the brands that he prefers to repaint, as
well.
"Especially when I repaint Mei Li and
Kyori Sato, I feel great," he said. "I like
the oriental head molds".
artist. He collects Fashion Roaylty and
one-of-a-kind Tonner dolls. These are
the brands that he prefers to repaint, as
well.
"Especially when I repaint Mei Li and
Kyori Sato, I feel great," he said. "I like
the oriental head molds".
| His personal favorites amoung his repaints is a Mei Li he calls "Minnie", whom he based on a hometown school friend. "She's a friendly girl," he said. |
His biggest challenge? A Franklin Mint
Twiggy. "It was a very hard thing but
very interesting work, becuase I love
Twiggy. I think she was the greatest
fashion model I have ever seen".
Twiggy. "It was a very hard thing but
very interesting work, becuase I love
Twiggy. I think she was the greatest
fashion model I have ever seen".
| Park, 30, who graduated from Kyeong-gi University with a major in ceramics and sculpture, said he finds inspiration for his dolls from films, nagazines and novels. "A fashion doll has a changeable character," he said. I think a fashion doll is an actress or actor. They are always ready to change, and I help to bring that change along." |
