<p>Joey Thurman: A young man's journey to Aurora led to a passion for design. You designed this building that we're standing at right now.</p> <p>Minkyu: Yes, yes.</p> <p>Joey Thurman: Okay, when you look at a skyline like this in Aurora, I think people think of Aurora and I think often they're thinking of Wayne's World, and pretty much that's it, right?</p> <p>Minkyu: I do think about the Wayne's World too, because a lot of people do talk about it. But for me it's different because I came here when 1980s. This was when I was 14 or 15, my parents had a restaurant soon as they came to United State. And when they have a taste of Aurora, we would open up a small stand.</p> <p>Joey Thurman: You have a little booth?</p> <p>Minkyu: And then booth, and then you do the barbecue. And it will be sold in like 10, 15 minutes.</p> <p>Joey Thurman: Really?</p> <p>Minkyu: Yeah. It was really good. That's about the memory that when I had when I was young.</p> <p>Joey Thurman: We're standing right now at Bureau Gravity, and this specific spot you wanted to do the interview in. Why is this important to you right here?</p> <p>Minkyu: I guess reason being is because it's a structural element that we were able to enhance this building. This building was basically, there was a shell, and there's not much you can do as a shell. I thought the best ways to enhance this building is to extend this floor, and people can enjoy both the inside and outside and enhance this whole property.</p> <p>Joey Thurman: You bring in elements of the original building, and then you have these modern elements and the steel, and it really works well together. Was that your intent?</p> <p>Minkyu: You would say maybe a respectful, you want to be respect of what the existing element is. And then by doing that, if you respect something like that, you automatically enhance the building.</p> <p>Joey Thurman: We're standing inside of, I guess, BGs building three.</p> <p>Minkyu: Yeah, BGs.</p> <p>Joey Thurman: And you can really see the elements of a building like this, which is obviously just old and smells like my grandparent's barn.</p> <p>Minkyu: Okay.</p> <p>Joey Thurman: To when you go over to the building that you design, and is, well, never completely finished, as you said. And you really bring it together and it's nice to see this. What do you think this is going to be?</p> <p>Minkyu: I think client has many, many ideas.</p> <p>Joey Thurman: Yeah?</p> <p>Minkyu: For now, I think the latest one we're talking about is studio.</p> <p>Joey Thurman: Like a sound stage?</p> <p>Minkyu: Sound studio, yeah, sound stage. They talked about it, and I go, "Yeah, it is a great idea." All we know is that those kind of aspirations, what this could be, and the city, and for the city and the future, and we just go from there.</p> <p>Joey Thurman: What does that mean to you? Because you're literally having a big part in changing the face of Aurora. Years from now when we're all gone, you would have shaped what Aurora is.</p> <p>Minkyu: Well, I'll be honored if I can be in part of that. Right now we're just beginning, and few buildings here. Because most of-</p> <p>Joey Thurman: You got to start with one.</p> <p>Minkyu: Of course.</p> <p>Joey Thurman: Right?</p> <p>Minkyu: Yeah, yeah. Most of the project that I've done is in oversea, a bigger project. But over there, project that I used to do in overseas is usually I just come up with a concept, and then can be end there or concept. And then you do a construction document to the detail. It's different because here, I get to be more involved in both from design and all the way to the end building.</p> <p>Joey Thurman: Minkyu, thank you so much for showing me around. And it's really nice to see Aurora from your eyes, and I truly appreciate it. And what's your hope for Aurora in the future?</p> <p>Minkyu: People can see that this is the continuing of what it was, and there's more brighter things that they can think about.</p> <p>Joey Thurman: If we could all look through the world from your eyes, I think it'd be much better place. Thank you so much.</p> <p>Minkyu: Thank you.</p>