hyunjee clara ryu

concept designer for film, tv, and themed entertainment

clara hails from south korea.

she likes creating playlists she’ll never listen to, doing hour-long en plein air sessions, browsing the criterion channel, and swimming even though she’s bad at it.

haunted mansion queue, disneyland resort

supervisor: Kim Irvine, Director of Concept Design

A beautifully landscaped pathway with brick pavers, bordered by a black and gold railing, and lined with lush green plants, decorative garden sculptures, and vintage-style street lamps. Tall trees with abundant foliage are visible in the background, creating a peaceful garden setting.
A whimsical garden with a central large tree surrounded by colorful flowers, enclosed by pink and yellow walls. There are statues, a fountain, and various garden features, with lush greenery, a greenhouse, and outdoor lighting, creating a magical atmosphere.
A whimsical garden with a central large tree surrounded by colorful flowers, enclosed by pink and yellow walls. There are statues, a fountain, and various garden features, with lush greenery, a greenhouse, and outdoor lighting, creating a magical atmosphere.

part of the long awaited expansion project of the beloved haunted mansion, I was responsible for illustrating the marketing concept art used to announce the construction.

A festive, Halloween-themed outdoor scene with a decorated house and yard. The house is adorned with purple and black decorations, jack-o'-lanterns, and spider webs. There are hanging lanterns, scarecrows, and various Halloween ornaments along the pathway. The setting appears to be in the evening or early night, with the trees and plants decorated for Halloween.

my illustration was published on the walt disney company’s park-affliiated instagram accounts and the offiical disneyparks blog.

Outdoor construction wall with a large framed mural depicting a garden scene with pathways, flower beds, and a greenhouse, flanked by two black lantern-style lights.
Artist's rendering of Haunted Mansion grounds at Disneyland with a garden, colorful plants, and a greenhouse, surrounded by trees and a pathway, hinting at an immersive theme park expansion in 2024.

the pilgrimage

The deities of Korean mythology became enraged with the japanese and intended to destroy them. by a fluke in the spell, they end up freezing the entire world. the world is covered with snow and crystallised to a point where it's almost undoable through fire and human effort.

in the vast distances and stranger lands still, the hero arrives at the final threshold shaped by every step taken to reach it.

setting: a parallel timeline of post-colonial, apocalyptic korea

the library is housed in the blue house of korea (where the presidents used to live until recently), containing all the secret and known knowledge about the human life in korea and the traditional magic known to certain lineages in korea. it is historical monument that people built a while ago. the historical architecture standing amongst the masses of blocks assume that very few traditional architecture survived.

gentle wolves

a <little red riding hood> story
written by Nancy Boyd

a dreamscape trapped in stories

project workflow

Interior of a Moroccan-style room with intricate patterned walls, colorful cushions, a pink flowering tree, ornate hanging lamps, and a textured rug.

one thousand and one nights

part 1. scheherezade and king shahryar

this is a story about a woman who is objectified as a mere plaything that constantly tries to escape her fate through her imagination, yet fails to do so. scheherazade is brought into tell stories to king shahryar, only to face the fate and fear of becoming beheaded the next day after betrothal. to save her own life, she must keep him entertained, and she starts telling her stories.

Composite of architectural sketches and digital renderings of a modern building interior and courtyard with a central tree, large windows, and ornate wall decor.
Composite of architectural sketches and digital renderings of a modern building interior and courtyard with a central tree, large windows, and ornate wall decor.
A collection of black and white sketches depicting different scenes, including buildings, a sailing ship, an interior room, a rocky landscape, and a cityscape with towers and domes.

part 2. the merchant and the jinri

in scheherazade’s story, the merchant travels from the bazaar and meets the jinri, a female spirit, who decides to kill the merchant. to appease the jinri, the merchant promises to tell her stories in exchange for his life,

A vibrant marketplace scene set against a grand, ornate building with intricate tile patterns and arched windows. The market is bustling with people shopping among colorful stalls filled with fruits and vegetables. There is a large pink flowering tree on the right side, adding to the lively atmosphere.
A vibrant marketplace scene set against a grand, ornate building with intricate tile patterns and arched windows. The market is bustling with people shopping among colorful stalls filled with fruits and vegetables. There is a large pink flowering tree on the right side, adding to the lively atmosphere. 
ext. bazaar

part 3. the city of brass

A digital painting of an ancient city scene featuring a large ornate doorway with tall stairs and two small figures walking nearby, one dressed in historical clothing, set against warm earth tones and mystical colors.
A digital painting of an ancient city scene featuring a large ornate doorway with tall stairs and two small figures walking nearby, one dressed in historical clothing, set against warm earth tones and mystical colors.
A fantasy scene depicting two figures in front of an ornate palace entrance with steps. One figure is dressed in regal or ceremonial clothing, wearing a mask or headdress, while the other kneels or sits nearby. The background features intricate patterns and abstract textures in warm and dark colors.
Design plan for a door embedded in a desert rock formation with ornate patterns and minaret-style towers.
Abstract painting of a landscape with twisted tree trunk and sprawling branches, with a background of soft clouds and distant hills.

In the story that Scheherazade tells about the merchant, the merchant tells the angered spirit about a ghost city home to a brass lamp (Tale of the City of the Brass).

Abstract watercolor painting of several rock formations in earthy tones against a black background.
Digital painting of a Middle Eastern cityscape with historic architecture, domes, and towers, set against a background of mountains and a cloudy sky.

part 4. sinbad's adventures

A colorful watercolor painting of a small sailboat with a yellow sail on a vibrant lake, with a large whale surfacing in the water behind it, and mountains or cliffs in the distance.

Scheherazade also narrates a story about a sailor named Sinbad who accidentally discovers a whale island.

Colorful digital artwork of two traditional Arabic dhows sailing on water at night, with a dark and colorful abstract background and a paragraph of text in the middle.
Colorful digital artwork of two traditional Arabic dhows sailing on water at night, with a dark and colorful abstract background and a paragraph of text in the middle.
Illustration of a wooden sailboat with yellow sails, floating on a dark background.
Illustration of a wooden sailboat with yellow sails, floating on a dark background.
A split image showing an artist's sketch of a luxurious hallway on the left, and the finished, decorated hallway on the right. The hallway features high ceilings, arched doorways, ornate lighting fixtures, and elegant furniture.
Luxurious hotel lobby with ornate chandeliers, decorative arches, lush plants, a vintage-style carpet, and elegant furniture. A person dressed in formal attire carrying a briefcase walks through the space.

barton fink

the main inspiration for the exterior of Hotel Earle will be the Cecil Hotel. though there are many historic hotel buildings in Los Angeles, most of them are inspired by the Beaux Arts tradition, which I do not believe is suitable to the descriptions of the hotel that the script provides.

Interior view of a room with pinkish textured walls, hanging chandeliers, potted plants, wooden chairs, a small table, floral arrangements, a bookshelf, and floor lamps.
A woman sitting at a vintage desk typing on a typewriter in a dimly lit, vintage-style bedroom with dark wallpaper and a bed with a headboard. There are windows on the side and a framed picture on the wall, with a small table and lamp beside the bed.

in a creative block, there are no walls or definition that provides a glimpse of a hint into what may become a storyline. My challenge is to create a space that is true to the period while accentuating that suffocating nature of an emptiness that seems to point to no visible way out.

An artistic digital painting of a large, old brick building with towers, set against a dark, stormy sky with swirling clouds, some illuminated with pink and orange hues. A person stands at the bottom right corner near the entrance, which is glowing with warm light. 
ext. hotel earle
A hallway with patterned green and orange wallpaper, lit wall sconces, a closed decorative iron gate at the end, and a person peeking from behind a wall on the right side. 
int. 6th floor hallway