Welcome back to the next round of 10K Club Interviews - we're looking forward to sharing some more stories behind your incredible Ideas! Today we meet I-Yan Ha, a.k.a. Iyan Ha and his fantastic CASTLE DRACULA. Find out more about CASTLE DRACULA here.
ABOUT YOURSELF
- Who are you?
My name is I-Yan Ha.
- Where are you from?
I am from South Korea.
- How old are you?
I am 40-years-old
- What do you study or do for a living?
I've been working for a food model company for 11 years.
- What hobbies do you have?
Of course, making LEGO creations is my hobby.
- How and when did your interest in LEGO products come about?
About a decade ago, I started building with LEGO bricks, with the idea of making a LEGO diorama of my favourite Hollywood movie.
- What is the LEGO hobby to you? What does it mean to you? How does it fit in your life? E.g. build, display, meetups, play the games or 'just' watch the cartoons.
My hobby is the dream that gives me energy and concentration outside of my tired daily life.
- What is your favourite LEGO theme (current or past)? Why? And has any theme inspired your building style or preference in any particular way?
It's Monster Fighters now. I was very inspired. Halloween sets always seem interesting. I hope the Monster Fighters come back to life.
- What is your favourite official LEGO set ever? Why?
I like 10294 Titanic the most. I love the movie Titanic, and I think it is perfect in terms of size and assembly. It's so cool.
- What is your favourite LEGO element? Why?
I think compatibility is the biggest advantage of LEGO bricks. I think LEGO bricks' creation, design, and items are endless because of their good compatibility.
- Is there a LEGO designer (official LEGO designer or fan designer) who you are inspired by and look up to? Who and why?
I respect Mike Psiaki. I like all of his works, such as the 10294 Titanic and the downtown restaurant & spaceship.
- Is there one or more particular LEGO-related websites (not official LEGO websites) that you visit often and/or are inspired by?
I see a lot of materials here on LEGO Ideas and Instagram.
ABOUT YOUR PROJECT
- Where did your interest in this particular model come from?
I've always liked the theme of Dracula, and I've been waiting for the product to be released for a long time.
- How long was the process of making the project, and what did you have to research as well? What kind of prep, research and design phases did you go through to produce your creation?
I didn't look at any other material for originality. It was difficult to design just in my head. So, after sketching first, I moved it to LEGO work. It took about three months to make.
- What special challenges did you face creating the model? What was the most difficult part to recreate?
I wanted to make the hinge opening part look rich in landscaping and the exterior of the building, but that part was difficult.
- How long did it take to complete the model? Did you finish it fairly quickly, or did it take a long time? And how did the build time compare to the time you spent promoting your Product Idea to reach 10,000 supporters?
It took about three months to make. It took about eight months to gather support.
- How did it feel when you reached the magic 10,000 votes and how long did it take?
I was so happy that I bragged about it to people around me and showed it to my father as a gift. My father really liked it.
- Approximately how many LEGO bricks did you use to create your model?
It took about 2,900 pieces.
- What is your favourite building technique or part/section that you’ve incorporated into your Product Idea?
I like the expression of steel exterior parts, expressed in black the most.
- If you built your model digitally, what software did you use to build and render your model?
I made it as a PartDesigner with Studio 2.0
ABOUT LEGO IDEAS
- What (if any) methods did you use to advertise and attract support for your Product Idea?
I posted it on SNS.
- What is your favourite LEGO Ideas Product Idea (besides your own of course)? Are there any Product Ideas you think have been overlooked?
Among LEGO Ideas products, I like the Old Fishing Store the most. I think it's because I like fishing.
- Do you have plans to submit any other Product Ideas in the future? If yes, can you give us a hint of what that might be?
I'm thinking of making a submission again. I'm thinking about items now.
