Jessica HJ Lee is a Korean illustrator and zine-maker based in Seoul. After a decade as an art director in the U.S., she now creates intricate, playful narratives inspired by nature and daily life, blending the imaginative with the ordinary. Working across pencil drawing, digital illustration, and risograph printing, her colorful, detail-rich works draw from personal experiences and are told with warmth, wit, and a belief that humor makes everything better.
Country: South Korea
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jess_hj_lee
Primary Contact Person: Haejeon Lee
Email: jessica.hj.lee@gmail.com
Contact no.: +82 010 4330 6654
Business Name: Jess HJ Lee
Address: #501, 87-21 World Cup-ro 29-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul 03969, South Korea
Website / Link to Portfolio: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1kIG0k-ihRk-qwc40t0jYeEA9xbzD8GPIJec4dGyFIJc/edit?usp=sharing
Publication/Work:
At KLABF 2025, I’ll be presenting a series of illustrated zines and prints that each tell their own story—centered around themes of luck, healing, imagination, and the quiet beauty of everyday life.
One featured zine, Good Luck, is a 16-page illustrated mini-encyclopedia of lucky charms and superstitions from around the world. Created as a personal talisman during a difficult time, it humorously explores cultural symbols of fortune with a vibrant palette of green, black, and pink.
Another title, Internet Animals Can Heal Your Soul, is a risograph-printed A6 zine that blends meme culture, emotional honesty, and bold visuals. Inspired by the artist’s own experience with burnout and depression, it explores how even a scroll through internet cuteness can offer unexpected comfort—featuring a cast of lovable, whimsical animals.
In addition to these zines, I will showcase mini foldout zines featuring cats and animals, risograph and digital prints inspired by nature and travel, as well as a selection of lettering posters, letterpress cards, and stickers.
Haejeon Lee
Jessica HJ Lee is a Korean illustrator and zine-maker based in Seoul. After a decade as an art director in the U.S., she now creates intricate, playful narratives inspired by nature and daily life, blending the imaginative with the ordinary. Working across pencil drawing, digital illustration, and risograph printing, her colorful, detail-rich works draw from personal experiences and are told with warmth, wit, and a belief that humor makes everything better.
At KLABF 2025, I’ll be presenting a series of illustrated zines and prints that each tell their own story—centered around themes of luck, healing, imagination, and the quiet beauty of everyday life.
One featured zine, Good Luck, is a 16-page illustrated mini-encyclopedia of lucky charms and superstitions from around the world. Created as a personal talisman during a difficult time, it humorously explores cultural symbols of fortune with a vibrant palette of green, black, and pink.
Another title, Internet Animals Can Heal Your Soul, is a risograph-printed A6 zine that blends meme culture, emotional honesty, and bold visuals. Inspired by the artist’s own experience with burnout and depression, it explores how even a scroll through internet cuteness can offer unexpected comfort—featuring a cast of lovable, whimsical animals.
In addition to these zines, I will showcase mini foldout zines featuring cats and animals, risograph and digital prints inspired by nature and travel, as well as a selection of lettering posters, letterpress cards, and stickers.