AN ORIGINAL CHARACTER BY SHIN HAEDAL

SPACED-OUT
SEA OTTER.

Eolbbang Haedal (얼빵해달)

A spaced-out sea otter who never learned to swim.
Meet it by the sea.

THE STORY↓

01 — MEET

01 / THE SHELL DELIVERY WORKER

A shell from the shore.
A delivery to the artist.

Spaced-out Sea Otter picking up a shell on the beach

On two feet.

Spaced-out Sea Otter walks along the beach, picking up shells.

Spaced-out Sea Otter delivering a shell to the artist

A shell delivery worker.

It brings the shells it finds to the artist. That is why it is a shell delivery worker.

The artist setting mother-of-pearl onto lacquer, piece by piece

Shells become mother-of-pearl,

The artist cuts the shells into thin pieces and sets them onto lacquer, one by one.

Spaced-out Sea Otter holding a finished najeonchilgi piece

and mother-of-pearl becomes art.

The shells Spaced-out Sea Otter delivered are now a shimmering najeonchilgi work.

DELIVERS

Along with shells, it delivers love, encouragement and comfort.

02 / MORNING SWIMMING

“If only I could deliver shells faster…”

Spaced-out Sea Otter wants to deliver shells to the artist faster.
So it signed up at Hyundae Social Sports Center.
It is now learning to swim indoors.

Spaced-out Sea Otter learning to swim at an indoor pool

Hyundae Social Sports Center membership card

Even sea otters have to learn to swim.

SPACED-OUT SEA OTTER

03 / A LITTLE MORE ABOUT ME

A name with meaning.

Spaced-out Sea Otter is not only a translation of a name. It is a translation of the character itself.

얼빵

→ SPACED-OUT

Rather than romanizing ‘얼빵’ as Eolbbang, it was translated as ‘Spaced-out’ — slightly absent-minded, a little offbeat, and endearing. The name itself introduces the personality.

해달

→ SUN + MOON

In Korean, ‘해달’ (haedal) means sea otter. But it can also be read as 해 (sun) + 달 (moon) — one name carrying two layers: the animal, and the sky.

04 / FROM 2D TO 3D

Meet it
off the page.

Spaced-out Sea Otter has also been made into a 3D collectible art toy finished entirely in mother-of-pearl and lacquer.
Its signature shell has been recreated as a magnetically detachable part.

View the art toy↗

NAJEONCHILGI ART TOY

2026 · 10 × 9 × 6 cm

Natural mother-of-pearl · Lacquer · Eco-friendly oyster shell resin

05 / IRWOROBONGDAN

Not alone.

Meet the friends of
Irworobongdan.

Irworobongdan (일월오봉단) is Shin Haedal’s original character group, inspired by Irworobongdo (일월오봉도, Sun, Moon and Five Peaks). This traditional Korean painting motif depicts the sun, moon, five mountain peaks, pine trees and water, and is closely associated with the royal court of the Joseon dynasty.

Its characters and stories draw from traditional Korean motifs, including the crane, rabbit, tiger and deer. Their roles reflect occupations and ways of life that Shin Haedal personally respects and admires.

MEET THE FIVE

1 / 5

SUN

Crane Crane

Guard

Item: ㅎ (hieut, a Korean letter)

MOON

First-Moon Rabbit

Princess in Disguise

Item: Evening Primrose

MOUNTAIN

Gentle Tiger

Mountain Keeper

Item: Dried Persimmon

PINE

Blunt Deer

Porter

Item: Pine Cone

SEA