Sanha Hong

YUZA is a practice-led communication design project exploring how packaging design can encourage human connection through gift-giving and shared experience. Inspired by memories of my grandmother’s homemade yuja tea and Korean gifting traditions, the project investigates how cultural values of care, generosity and reciprocity can be expressed through contemporary design.

The research draws on theories of gift exchange, Korean hospitality, shared experiences and packaging practices. Through visual investigation, iterative prototyping, digital fabrication and handcraft, these perspectives informed the development of a cylindrical gift set containing ready-to-drink yuja tea and two handmade ceramic cups. The packaging incorporates a layered opening sequence intended to extend the experience of receiving a gift into an invitation to share tea with another person. A bilingual visual identity, brand storytelling, posters, social media content and a mobile-responsive website further communicate YUZA’s cultural origins and purpose.

Informal feedback suggested that the packaging could encourage curiosity and interaction, although its effects on relationships were not formally tested. The project suggests how packaging can move beyond product presentation to create opportunities for meaningful everyday interactions.