The Herald Design Market will kick off its five-day run at Seoul’s Dongdaemun Design Plaza on Wednesday to promote healthier lifestyles by connecting the fields of architecture, fashion and food.

Under this year’s theme of “Design Your Life NOW,” a total of 63 up-and-coming artists and food companies will showcase their works, said Herald Corp., the organizer of the event.

NOW stands for Natural, Organic and Well-being ― the key ingredients for a healthy yet fun life, they said.

“At a glance, food and design sounds irrelevant. But they’re two of the most important foundations for a healthy lifestyle,” said a representative from the Herald Design Market. “This time, we broke down the barriers between organic food and design and merged them to offer people ways to design healthier lives.” 

Designers ― both well-known and aspiring ― were subject to a thorough screening process based on their products’ safety, eco-friendliness and design capacity, organizers said.

On Thursday, Peter Callahan, a world-renowned caterer who once served for U.S. President Barack Obama, will share his tips on how to start eating the right food, while officials at Urban & Rural Lab, an organization that works to connect rural and urban landscapes, will give a speech on branding strategies for promoting mutual growth between cities and rural communities.

The following day, visitors can attend Urban Beez CEO Park Jin’s talk on urban beekeeping. On Saturday, roasting company Alegria and Anthracite will host a Coffee Talk forum, while Ewha Womans University professor Lee So-hyun is scheduled to deliver a lecture on sharing lifestyles. On Sunday, professional calligraphy project team 4000 will hold a demonstration of their work, the organizers said.

The Herald Design Market and Herald Design Forum are all a part of Seoul Design Week 2014, they added.

At Herald Design Forum, some of the most respected names in the field of design ― such as Rem Koolhaas, fashion designer Oliver Theyskens, and art toy artist Chris Riggs ― are scheduled to share their views on healthy lifestyle and design with the Korean audience.

By Suk Gee-hyun (monicasuk@heraldcorp.com)