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| Article by Hollis Kerfoot Photography by Park Seong lk |
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| 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. |
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| 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 |
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| 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". |
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| 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. |
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| 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". |
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| 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." |
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