Student Jo Kyung-min, Department of Environmental Design and Horticulture
Design of the laser-based safety guide system ‘L-VGS’

Jo Kyung-min (Class of ’23) from the Department of Environmental Design and Horticulture (advising professors: Kim Yu-seon, Gil Su-yeon, and Yoon Ju-young) won an Encouragement Award at the ‘14th Road Landscape Design Contest’ hosted by the Korea Expressway Corporation.

This public contest was created to reflect the public’s creative ideas in highway design improvements, and it was conducted in two divisions: university and general. Over two months from September to October last year, a total of 212 entries were submitted across three designated themes and an open theme, and after preliminary and final judging, a total of 23 winning works were selected.

Student Jo Kyung-min’s award-winning work is the directional laser guide line system ‘L-VGS (Laser Based Virtual Guiding System),’ which escorts drivers through fog.

It began with the awareness of a problem: existing LED fog lights scatter in fog particles and instead obstruct visibility, causing the “Wall of Light” phenomenon. This system uses a laser that travels straight without scattering to create a clear “Path of Light” on the road, providing drivers with a distinct visual reference point.

In particular, it implemented a visual nudge effect (Nudge, inducing indirect behavioral change) by projecting a seagull-mark (VVV) dashed-line pattern onto the road. By helping drivers unconsciously maintain a safe distance from the vehicle ahead, it can prevent rear-end collisions even in severe weather by leveraging visual perception instead of complex speed control.

The system is divided into three levels depending on fog intensity: △Fog Advisory △Fog Hazard △Severe. It applies a 520mm-wavelength green laser, and it also improved maintenance efficiency by adopting materials and finishing that consider waterproof and impact-resistant performance, as well as a modular fastening method that allows simple replacement. Another eye-catching feature is the use of a chevron pattern (>>>) at regular intervals to create a visual rhythm.

Student Jo Kyung-min said, “This award was an opportunity to confirm that design can become an active language that protects someone’s life beyond simple beauty,” adding, “It feels meaningful that my 고민 to break through the ‘Wall of Light’ in fog and present a ‘Path of Light’ seems to have been recognized as a practical solution.”

The concept development for this work was greatly aided by major courses and capstone design project experience. Through major courses, the student built a foundation for refining and concretizing ideas by visualizing them in a sophisticated way, and internalized a problem-solving process during project execution. This, they explained, enabled them to analyze the limitations of existing fog lights and logically develop a laser-based alternative.

Jo added, “This contest led me to recognize design not as an aesthetic tool, but as a language of solutions,” and said, “Going forward, I want to study the principles of how natural elements operate within space and build a spatial design system that solves real-world problems such as the climate crisis.”

After graduation, the student aims to establish an independent brand that embodies their own design philosophy. They said, “I want to build an identity that penetrates the essence and sustainability of space and present outcomes that provide practical inspiration in users’ lives.”

Meanwhile, the winning work will be reflected in the Korea Expressway Corporation’s highway design improvement project. After further design detailing, it is scheduled to be applied at actual sites.

Written by Ha Hong-jun hahj@syu.ac.kr

ⓒ Sahmyook University Brand Strategy Headquarters, Communication Team supr@syu.ac.kr