We stumbled upon the fan art of KakaoTalk fan Andrew Jackson and were instantly delighted by his fun images that place the Kakao Friends stickers on iconic album covers and famous painted masterpieces. Not only were we anxious to share the work, but we were curious about the man behind the Kakao Friends collages and reached out to him at his home in London, U.K. to hear more about what inspired these creations.
1.Tell us about your background and how you came to use KakaoTalk?
My "better half" is Korean and I'm lucky to have made Korean friends here in London. I was introduced to KakaoTalk a couple of years ago and love using it to keep in touch with family and friends.
2.What do you do for a living? Have you ever studied art or graphic design?
I work in an independent college devising sports, cultural and entertainment programmes for international students. Yes, it's a great job! I'm not an artist but enjoy being arty when I have the time.
3. What inspired you to create these designs? Why did you choose to use the Kakao Friends to play with?
Like many users I enjoy adding stickers to my own photos. One evening it just struck me it might be interesting to add them to iconic images such as famous paintings and album covers. It's simple to do and the results can be hilarious.
4. Do you have a favorite Kakao Friend? Or one that especially speaks to you?
I love all the Kakao Friends but I identify most with Frodo, especially as I have such a beautiful Neo in my life!
If the old masters were around today they wouldn't be bothering with oil painting, they would be creating stickers for social media. The Kakao Friends artwork is pure genius.
5. Could you pick a piece to tell us about? One of your favorites, maybe?
One of my favourite pieces is the Beatles Sgt Pepper album cover. I like the juxtaposition of Kakao Friends with 1960s pop art.
[One of Kakao Team's favorites too!]
6. Do you have any future aspirations related to art or design or projects you are thinking about?
I do creative stuff whenever I have the time and inclination. I'm interested in social issues and would like to create something to show support for those that are meaningful to me.
7. What would you say to a friend who doesn’t use KakaoTalk?
I recommend KakaoTalk to everyone. It's fun, useful, easy to use - and it's free. I have friends from many different countries I connect with on KakaoTalk. One downside I find with using KakaoTalk is the transition from a [Korean] to a global phenomena is that I now can't buy hangul stickers here in the U.K.! ㅠ ㅠ.
