Today we’d like to introduce you to Nahyun Kim.
Hi Nahyun, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Like most other artists, I liked drawing and painting when I was young. Then, I started learning art properly in college. As I was interested in animation and movies in my fresh year, I learned how to broaden my artistic ideas and use digital programs as a Game Development artist. Over the years, I expected to be a concept artist in the future. However, before I knew it, I became more interested in game development, and that’s how I started my indie game development journey. It just started as a hobby, but surprisingly, a few years later, I now plan to launch my game with a game publisher. Although I’m on a different path than I expected, I’m still actively using my painting skills I learned in college for my passion project.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I studied and worked on game development for years, and I have never been tired or bothered by it. In every moment, game development has given me a heart-racing experience. It made me live a life of waking up early in the morning and falling asleep late at night without even noticing it! Of course, there were difficulties. The hardest thing about game development was that there was no shortcut. To produce the result I wanted, I had to spend a lot of time. I can’t even remember how much coffee I’ve had so far during the project. In my indie game development journey, especially in the early stages of it, I simply had to jump in the deep end. It was an exciting new challenge but also fear because I did not know anything about it. I think securing the time needed for the project and maintaining life as a concept artist was also a big challenge. Luckily, because my effort didn’t betray me, I now have enough funds and time to spare. But even a few weeks ago, I spent every day full of anxiety. I truly believe that I wouldn’t have been able to come this far without my passion.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m a visual development/concept artist and an indie game developer. Recently, I’ve been working hard to develop my game to release it. What makes me different from other artists in my age is that I started building my own creation earlier. In my case, that’s my indie game. My game is an adventure puzzle game, which has been influenced by my favorite games since I was a child. I present my voice directly to all aspects of my project and enjoy thinking about the infinite possibilities of this project every day. Each aspect of the game will contain my thoughts and feelings, and I can’t wait to share it with the public. Being an indie is lonely, and it was scary to start something alone without knowing anything. I’m still afraid but on the other hand, I’m proud of myself for keep pushing through it.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
The real ‘shortcut’ to success is consistency. There is not much to beat consistency. The long-held promise with me made me believe in myself more. When developing indie games, I must be a director myself and supervise every part of the project. Therefore, I should know exactly what I love the most and not be afraid to correct and develop those parts constantly. I also must actively accept other people’s feedback, and assert my opinion strongly and take pride in my creation. I think it’s important to know that many things work theoretically but don’t when we actually try. It sounds pretty scary, but in fact, it’s all just a problem that can be solved by repeated practice. Being proactive is a powerful strength.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://aubreykim.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aubreykim_art/
- Other: https://www.artstation.com/aubreykim
