Jinsoo An is a Korean American immigrant, designer, researcher and technologist dedicated to enhancing human relations

From past through present

Prior to immigrating to California in 1995, Jinsoo was raised on a small family-owned farm in South Korea, just a few miles away from the DMZ. Surrounded by wet rice fields and unpaved roads where an endless chain of tanks roared, he often waved his arms and shouted, “M.R.E.!.” A friendly soldier in an enormous tank would pop out to throw him a bag of what seemed like a Happy Meal from outer space.

Through this curiosity-ridden environment juxtaposed with clattering tanks, home-brew games and shareware, gadget teardowns, and hanging fermented soybeans, he developed a deep fascination for human ingenuity.

Decades later, his passion has evolved into crafting experiences across 20 industries such as food, gaming, consumer electronics, apparel, retail, automotive and finance. With these practices, he has helped to shape the lives of hundreds of millions of people in N. America and Europe.

In 2013, he became involved in a series of experiments that attempt to understand how humans interpret senses and emotions. In response, he founded Project Nourished, a public-benefit initiative with a goal of diversifying methods of consumption and maximizing therapeutic qualities of food, beverage and medicine through a combination of mixed reality, embedded tableware and sensory apparatus.

During his spare time, he loves inspiring people of all ages by speaking to them and educating them about the human condition of today and tomorrow. His favorite themes include play, hyperreality, fandom, commensality, social isolation, aging and community reintegration.

Periodically, he engages with local and global communities to strengthen public–private partnerships hoping to improve the role of technology in people’s daily lives.

He is obsessed with films and enjoys dabbling with novel, antiquated cameras and electronics.