[Interview] 3D modeler, Kane's story

Please introduce yourself! What role do you play at Toonit?

Hello. I am Kane, a modeler responsible for creating and supplying objects needed for webtoons at Toonit. I first joined the company in August 2021, and since then I have started with a passionate team of 5 people and have grown to work alongside 11 other Toonit employees.

I tend to thoroughly examine the workflow from the beginning to completion, checking challenging parts while focusing on the technical aspects and the core of the task. I believe that the areas where I lack skills or need to improve technically reflect a deficiency in my abilities, so I practice personally after work to strengthen those areas, striving to achieve better outcomes in my work.

What was your motivation for starting 3D modeling?

While I don’t have a clear reason, I had a college class that introduced me to CINEMA 4D basics (modeling, animation, rendering) during my university years. Due to the nature of the program, media design was focused on 2D tools and visuals, leading to a curriculum that emphasized these aspects. Although it was just an elective course, I experienced a whole new world upon first encountering 3D. From that point on, I was solely focused on creating objects. As time passed, it became clear that relying on just one tool was limiting, and I decided to broaden my horizons in modeling by researching many tools and 3D-related professions. Over time, my interest continued to grow, and I naturally set my sights on becoming a modeler. The 3D field is continuously evolving, and like a co-evolutionary process, I aspire to become a modeler who makes a mutual impact on the company through constant effort in line with the changing times.

What assets did you create in the Seoul theme?

Seoul is the capital of South Korea and the center of its political, economic, social, and cultural activities. With the K-pop wave, many people around the world have become curious about Seoul, the capital of South Korea. Since Toonit is based in Korea, it could potentially become the first theme, but we decided on the unique cultural characteristics of Seoul as our primary theme, aiming to provide overseas users with an indirect experience of South Korean culture, emotions, and unique traits, even if they cannot directly experience it. Thus, we designated Seoul as our first theme.

In this theme, I produced elements such as Seoul Parks where one can take a leisurely stroll, the extremely busy Seoul subway known for commuting, a typical Korean school which is a must-visit educational facility, a giant bus terminal located in Gangnam, the vibrant Hongdae Street known for busking and Korean hipster culture, and K-pop stages. I hope you enjoy exploring the Seoul theme and find it useful!

Could you introduce the next theme, Magic & Broom?

If the Seoul theme represents realism, then Magic & Broom can be described as an unrealistic fantasy theme. We needed a contrasting and distinctive theme, and after gathering valuable user feedback focusing on the concepts of freedom and imagination, it was decided to create a magical world that does not exist in reality. Taking inspiration from the Harry Potter film series, which is based on a novel, we aimed to create a new magical world. By referencing places and backgrounds and collecting materials, we highlighted the characteristics of the original Harry Potter concept, applying them to the main structures, and thus Magic & Broom was newly born. I hope you have an enjoyable experience with Magic & Broom, as we put a lot of effort into making it.

The 3D assets created for the Magic and Broom theme are very delicate and impressive! What challenges did you face in carrying out this work?

There were some minor difficulties before and during the work, but they were not too challenging. The concept of the theme was clear, but there was much deliberation regarding the direction we should take. Should we depict the locations as they appear in the Harry Potter movies to provide users with nostalgia, or should we interpret Harry Potter differently and create new locations? This raised some challenges. While there are adaptations from novels and comics into movies, creating a webtoon based on a movie could be a new challenge for us, and there haven't been many reported cases of this until now. In my view, creating something entirely new rather than just replicating the existing helps reflect Toonit's identity and color, so after much thought, we chose this direction.

Do you have a favorite 3D asset that you've worked on with the most enjoyment?

Each theme has its own distinct composition, making me feel like I’m starting afresh every time I create certain assets, which is very enjoyable. For example, while creating a spider forest, even though I’m not fond of spiders, I had to examine references for production and ended up exposed to many unpleasant spider visuals. This broadened my understanding of spiders and their natural habits, resulting in a strange feeling during the creation process—but to this day, it remains a memorable and odd experience.

Additionally, while working on the school in the Seoul theme, I have memorable moments since the reference material was based on my alma mater. Although it might not be identical, the structure bears a strong resemblance. As I work on various scenes of school life, I'm excited about the many fun stories that might emerge with details that allow for interior exploration.

What elements did you consider when creating 3D assets for Toonit users?

I focus on creating high-quality assets optimized for the web engine and strive to produce assets requested by users as closely aligned with their thoughts as possible by communicating and addressing any deficiencies along the way. It is crucial to have a comprehensive plan in place beforehand since any deviation in the process can lead to completed assets not meeting initial expectations, causing delays. Therefore, I believe it’s important to minimize potential issues by organizing a detailed overall plan ahead of time. I am committed to working meticulously for users and continuously researching to fill in gaps and analyze differences, ensuring that user-requested assets are created while considering optimization.