Jihyun Kim uses gloop glaze to create "gravity-defying" Salty Fairy Ring ceramics
South Korean ceramic designer Jihyun Kim combines elements of myth and magic in her multi-coloured vessels, which she is showing at the Collect 2026 fair at London's Somerset House this week.
Salty Fairy Ring is a series of slip-cast ceramic salt vessels featuring mushroom-inspired forms, raised on gloopy stems so they appear to defy gravity.
As part of Collect Open, a section of the fair dedicated to 11 emerging talents, London-based Kim is showcasing new versions of these fungus-like vessels in a large circle formation.
The designs rely on a gloop glaze technique that has become Kim's calling card. It involves working with a glaze that is more like a clay than a liquid, but which becomes sticky and more fluid in the kiln.
Kim uses this glaze to connect separate ceramic components, raising her curvy dishes above doughnut-shaped bases.
The designer developed this technique while studying for a Ceramics and Glass MA at London's Royal College of Art, from which she graduated in 2023.
"Gloop glaze is already a well-known type of glaze with a slimy and gloopy behaviour," Kim told Dezeen.
"Many artists use it as a surface decoration. I began to wonder, what if I used it as part of the structure instead of just decoration?"
The designer likes to sometimes fire these elements upside down "to create a gravity-defying effect", which she believes amplifies the sense of magic.
"I have been using this glaze for three years and I'm still learning new things about it," she said.
"This glaze is very sensitive and I have high standards for how I want it to look, so I go through many test firings to achieve a result I'm happy with."
Each Salty Fairy Ring vessel has one of these glooping stems, but they are otherwise widely diverse. Kim has experimented with many other techniques to create varied shapes, finishes and textures.
One of her favourite techniques involves using a slip trailer to add raised dots to the ceramic components, similar to the spots found on toadstools.
Some of Kim's latest pieces showcase a "lampworking" technique, which allows her to add colourful glass beads, while others make use of airbrushing to create colour gradient effects.
The name, Salty Fairy Ring, references two mythologies that inspired the designs.
The first is the Korean superstition for placing salt jars beside the entrance of your home to ward away bad energy and evil spirits, something that Kim said her grandmother used to do.
The second is the myth that naturally occurring mushroom rings, known as fairy rings, are signs of magic.
Ritual and mythology are key themes across Kim's ceramic designs, with other examples including the hand-shaped Fingernail Fungus vessel.
This design is based on another story told to Kim by her grandmother, suggesting that cutting fingernails before bed could result in mice eating them and stealing her identity.
"Korean folklore and superstition were a big part of my childhood," the designer explained.
"I was raised by my grandmother, and she used to tell me these rituals and habits that I should follow. When I moved to London by myself, I realised that following her habits made me feel safe and protected."
By channelling these ideas into her ceramics, Kim has defined a distinct identity.
"When I make my work, I use Korean mythical objects, house gods and superstitions as both functional and design elements. I translate these ideas into funky, colourful, and playful forms," she added.
At previous editions of Collect, designers have shown objects that pushed natural materials to their limits and cabinets made from fallen coconut trees.
Collect 2026 takes place from 26 February to 1 March 2026 at Somerset House in London. See Dezeen Events Guide for more architecture and design events around the world.
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