KACF-SF
Korean American Community Foundation of San Francisco
Project Type
Brand Identity, Logo Design, Promotional Marketing, Social Media, Digital Assets, Printed Material
Tools Used
Illustrator, Photoshop, Indesign, Procreate, Canva
WEBSITE
The Hana Gala is the flagship event of the Korean American Community Foundation of San Francisco (KACF-SF) held annually to celebrate the local Korean community, gather philanthropists, and fundraise to support the most critical needs of Koreans. This event is not just a festivity but also an opportunity to make a difference and address some of the pressing issues affecting our community, such as mental health, senior care, gender-based violence, economic security, and hate crimes. The 2025 Hana Gala exceeded our goal and raised an astounding $1.23 million that will go towards community grants and special initiatives.
BRAND IDENTITY
A cultural and cheerful theme for this year's gala
Prompted by the Director to come up with a elegant and festive theme, this years gala was inspired by Korean saekdong (multicolor) patterns and color palette. The Hana Gala is a very formal and esteemed event, therefore black and gold in the color palette was essential to exude glamour and elegance for our prestigious guests. In addition, readability as well as sleek silhouettes were a priority in typography choices. As this was a spring event the color palette was to reflect the vibrancy of the season and traditional Korean culture.
BRAND IDENTITY
A bold and elegant invitation
This banner appeared on KACF-SF's website, newsletters, and email templates in anticipation of the big event. It was designed to be bold, captivating, and highlight the simple beauty of the 하나 logo. Hana, meaning one, is the essence of this charitable event. Bringing people together to celebrate the Korean community and encourage people to open their hearts, and checkbooks, is goal of the night. This advertisement gives people a taste of what is to come.
PRINTED MATERIAL
Creating a cohesive brand identity across all printed materials
In this role I collaborated closely with commercial printers (Colour Press and Buzzsaw Media) to prepare and deliver high quality files, ensuring accurate color and print specifications under tight deadlines. This included stage design, program booklets, table place cards, wayfinding signage, photo backdrop design, engraved awards, and silent auction posters.
Accomplishments:
This event seated over 300 attendees, giving grantee partners, philanthropists, and members of the community an opportunity to connect in an intimate setting.
 Program Booklet |  Stage Design |  Auction Paddles |
|---|---|---|
 Podium Sign |  Engraved Honoree Award |  Engraved Honoree Award |
 Photo Backdrop |  Photo Backdrop |  Photo Backdrop |
 Silent Auction Posters |  Silent Auction Posters |  Silent Auction |
BOOK DESIGN
Program Booklet
Once seated, guests peruse the program booklet that sets the itinerary for the night and excites them to imagine their first auction bid. It's printed on a thick cardstock with vibrant ink so that it is worthy as a souvenir for participants to remember the night by. Members of the organization often collect each year's program to be able to look back on the impact we've made as collective, so it's important to credit everyone who was involved and give our flowers to grantee partners, donors, and the leadership team.
MERCH
Reflecting on this experience
I'm am so grateful to have had the experience of designing this whole event from start to end with creative freedom but also guidance and constructive feedback from the Director of KACF-SF throughout this process. I learned a lot about designing for print and being intentional with a layouts and hierarchy. Collaborating with an influential organization that does such meaningful work has encouraged me to continue to pursue a career in working to design a better world.
