How many people have ever heard of a perspective designer? Probably not too many.

In fact, there’s only one in Korea, and his name is Park Yong-hu.

Park recently sat down with The Korea Herald to talk about why he decided to take on such a job, and what exactly it is he does for a living.

“As far as I know, I’m the only official perspective designer in the country,” Park said. “I made that name for myself because I didn’t want to become ‘one of them.’ I wanted to be different, and I wanted the whole world to know that I’m different.”

And different he is.

Strictly speaking, Park is a public relations expert. He specializes in marketing strategies, and most clients have seen success based on his consulting.

Kakao Talk, Sundaytoz, Hansot and Ocon ― the production company for the beloved children’s character Pororo ― are only some of the companies Park has represented, or still represents.

Change your perspective, change your life

The secret to Park’s stellar performance as a PR strategist?

A brand new perspective, of course.

“I felt that people were failing in their trade because they weren’t thinking out of the box. I know this sounds cliche, but it’s just that it doesn’t take so much to turn things around and actually start creating innovation,” Park said.

He’s able to speak with confidence because he’s something of an expert on failures.

After he decided to “graduate” from being a journalist ― Park enjoys using the term as an alternative for quitting or being fired ― he embarked on a long string of business ventures, all of which flopped.

Discussing this low point in his life, Park mentioned that he was forced to live on a daily 20,000 won ($19) allowance due to his repeated business mishaps.

“But I didn’t think it was the lowest point of my life. Rather, I saw it as a new opportunity, and that’s the kind of perspective I’m talking about. Your lowest moment may turn out to be a spectacular chance for you to grow.”

When you think about it, what Park is preaching is pretty simple. It’s all about staying optimistic, and trying to see what other people can’t see.

That helped him train for his current job as a marketing and PR specialist.

The beauty of his job, Park says, is that he gets paid to be creative, and also to help firms get the kind of recognition they deserve.

Another aspect that he loves is that he’s an “officeless” worker who is on the go all year round.

“I don’t have an office, I don’t have a team, but everyone I work with is my team,” he said.

11 paydays a month

These days, Park has literally hit the jackpot, as he makes up to 100 million won a month from the dozen or so PR and communication jobs he holds at small and big companies across the country.

He also is an inspirational speaker who gives talks for companies and any other group that wants him to help them see what he has seen.

“I’m very grateful for the chance I was given, and I wanted to give back to society and help other people feeling like they are in the depths of despair. I wanted to show them that there was a way out,” Park said.

He switched on his phone to show that almost every day of the month was blocked out for speeches and lectures at various venues around the country.

Thanks to the outspoken nature of his lectures ― Park doesn’t bother to mince words when it comes to rebuking detrimental attitudes and work practices ― some of the firms use Park’s speeches as a vehicle for communicating new management guidelines or initiatives.

As an author, he has written a best-selling volume entitled “Design Your Perspective” on adopting new perspectives. The book has been translated into English and Chinese.

Park also frequently meets with youngsters to give them advice on their future life directions. That’s his way of making a social contribution.

His purpose in life, he says, is to help the good companies become greater, make the people around him happy, and finally, ensure his own happiness through his good deeds.

“I realized that depending on how many people I make happier, I can contribute in creating a whole happier society.”

Again, a very simple philosophy, but not the easiest to act on.

“I also want for the good companies, companies that are out not only to make money but do social good, to succeed,” Park added.

This way, he hopes to eventually become a world-promoting perspective designer.

“My ultimate goal is to promote the world, to try and make it so that everyone on this planet becomes successful.”

At the same time, the journalist-turned-perspective designer said he would never hesitate to speak up on malpractices and enterprises that were up to no good.

“They don’t deserve to stay, and someone has to put them in their place,” he said.

For his next job, Park said he would think of something when he “graduates” from being a perspective designer.

By Kim Ji-hyun (jemmie@heraldcorp.com)