Children living without parents in welfare residential facilities in Korea met their very own mascot, a whale named HaNeul, for the first time during a special event held Saturday, at the Seodaemun Natural History Museum in Seoul, organizer Open Arms said Monday.
The local nonprofit organization said the mascot was designed by Jin Kim, the renowned Disney animator behind iconic characters such as Olaf from the 2013 film "Frozen" and Moana from 2016's "Moana." Kim collaborated with Open Arms, former Cheil Worldwide executive Wain Choi and the children themselves to create a character that would represent hope, learning and unity.
Open Arms provides English education and emotional support to children living on their own in such facilities, which the NGO calls welfare homes, and around Seoul. Last year, Kim gifted the organization with a unique character sketch, sparking a year-long-creative project that involved the children every step of the way.
The kids submitted drawings and ideas for the mascot, and after several rounds of input and refinement, a whale was chosen as the final concept. One child described the vision: “The whale swims the oceans of the world with letters in its belly. These letters it sprays onto kids for learning – just like Open Arms teaches us.”
Children also helped choose the mascot’s name and personality. The final creation. Haneul, symbolizes a peaceful and wise whale that swims freely across a borderless ocean, looking toward the sky with dreams of a bright future.
Barbara Bai, founder of Open Arms, said the project empowered the children to take ownership and express themselves. “The whale mascot is a collective collaboration,” she said. “Our powerful and gentle Haneul lives in a borderless ocean where he can look up to the sky and see a bright future.”
shinjh@heraldcorp.com
