Blending fandom, performance, and digital storytelling into a bold, interactive brand experience
SM Dance Battle Ground – Interactive Branding for a Fan-Driven Dance Platform
SM Dance Battle Ground was a digital dance competition platform developed by SM Entertainment to bring K-pop fandom culture into a new participatory format. The goal was to create a space where fans could engage with idols and each other through performance, not just content consumption. I led the visual identity and interface design of the platform, transforming the concept of dance competition into a stylized, interactive digital environment that reflected SM’s futuristic brand tone.
Role
- Art Director and Visual Designer
- Led the branding concept, UI direction, and key visual development for the platform
- Designed digital content elements across web, mobile, and social, including battle cards, scoreboards, and choreography tags
- Worked closely with motion designers and the SM artist management team to align brand visuals with talent image
- Led the branding concept, UI direction, and key visual development for the platform
- Designed digital content elements across web, mobile, and social, including battle cards, scoreboards, and choreography tags
- Worked closely with motion designers and the SM artist management team to align brand visuals with talent image
Challenge
- Build a digital-first brand that feels both competitive and fun, in line with SM’s high-production aesthetic
- Design a visual tone that appeals to Gen Z users who are both consumers and creators of content
- Balance the tension between game-like interactivity and K-pop’s polished, stylized brand identity
- Reflect the individuality of each idol group while maintaining consistency across the platform
- Design a visual tone that appeals to Gen Z users who are both consumers and creators of content
- Balance the tension between game-like interactivity and K-pop’s polished, stylized brand identity
- Reflect the individuality of each idol group while maintaining consistency across the platform
Creative Approach
- Developed a bold, futuristic visual identity with kinetic typography and vibrant gradients
- Created UI components that felt dynamic and gamified—like battle cards, voting progress bars, and fan leaderboard graphics
- Designed layouts to support both idol-generated and user-submitted video content in a mobile-first format
- Incorporated choreographic cues and motion-inspired elements into the brand language, reinforcing the theme of movement and clash
- Used dark mode with electric accent colors to give the interface an energetic, stage-like atmosphere
- Created UI components that felt dynamic and gamified—like battle cards, voting progress bars, and fan leaderboard graphics
- Designed layouts to support both idol-generated and user-submitted video content in a mobile-first format
- Incorporated choreographic cues and motion-inspired elements into the brand language, reinforcing the theme of movement and clash
- Used dark mode with electric accent colors to give the interface an energetic, stage-like atmosphere
DANCE BATTLE GROUD WITH EXO
Outcome
- Helped SM launch its first interactive fan dance competition platform—bridging fandom with performance as a two-way experience
- Enabled thousands of fan submissions and participatory content uploads during the first event cycle
- Increased social interaction metrics across SM’s owned channels (e.g., 200%+ increase in shares and story mentions during battle weeks)
- Deepened artist-fan relationships by making choreography a shared language, not just a performance
- Visually redefined SM’s position as a digital performance innovator among 4th-gen K-pop agencies
- Served as a foundational case for future digital extensions such as AR concert campaigns and fan-participation apps
- Enabled thousands of fan submissions and participatory content uploads during the first event cycle
- Increased social interaction metrics across SM’s owned channels (e.g., 200%+ increase in shares and story mentions during battle weeks)
- Deepened artist-fan relationships by making choreography a shared language, not just a performance
- Visually redefined SM’s position as a digital performance innovator among 4th-gen K-pop agencies
- Served as a foundational case for future digital extensions such as AR concert campaigns and fan-participation apps
2nd Outdoor Kiosk SM Town @Cheongdam <Dancebattle Ground with EXO>
Media Installation
SM Entertainment
Media Installation
SM Entertainment
Task Scope: Digital Media Installation
Partial Scope: Creative Direction
Sub Tasks: Art Direction, Graphic Design, Motion Graphics
Category: Entertainment
Date of Completion: 2018
Partial Scope: Creative Direction
Sub Tasks: Art Direction, Graphic Design, Motion Graphics
Category: Entertainment
Date of Completion: 2018
Planning & Design: A FLOW
Development: Crazy Guys
Development: Crazy Guys
