In March, the Korea Furniture Industry Association appointed Lee Ju-seong, CEO of Archisketch, as its new chairman. This appointment is noteworthy as it comes at a time when the furniture industry is transitioning from a manufacturing-centered model to an industry based on artificial intelligence and spatial data.
The association carries out activities such as policy proposals, institutional improvements, export support, quality certification, education, and information provision to promote the development of the domestic furniture industry; the leadership of major furniture manufacturers, including Livart, Fursys, Kumseong Bed, Jaekyung Furniture, Hanssem, and Downing, has served as its chairman. Given that the chairmanship has traditionally been held by executives from manufacturing companies, the appointment of a technology-based entrepreneur to the position is considered an exceptional case.
New Chairman Lee Ju-seong possesses experience in innovating the furniture industry by integrating 3D design technology with artificial intelligence. He has driven industrial digitalization by establishing technology-based platforms in the domestic spatial design software sector. He has consistently emphasized the need to build an industrial ecosystem utilizing furniture and spatial data.
Since assuming the position of Chairman, CEO Lee Ju-seong has set the digital transformation of the furniture industry and the establishment of a data-driven ecosystem as key priorities. He plans to strengthen the industry's foundation through measures such as standardizing industrial data, operating conferences and educational programs, and establishing a private certification system.
As of 2024, the size of the domestic furniture market was approximately $12.6 billion (about 18 trillion won), and global market research firm IMARC Group projected that it would grow to $17.7 billion (about 26 trillion won) by 2033. The furniture industry is a core manufacturing industry for the configuration of residential spaces, and changes in the industrial structure are accelerating due to the spread of artificial intelligence and digital technologies.
The digital transformation of the furniture industry begins at the design stage. As furniture is a core element of spatial organization, the data generated during the design process can be connected to manufacturing automation, smart factories, and even physical AI environments such as robots and smart furniture. In this process, the standardization of furniture data is garnering attention as a key component of industrial infrastructure.
Chairman Lee Ju-seong stated, “The furniture industry possesses characteristics that connect design, manufacturing, and living spaces, requiring a new role aligned with the spread of artificial intelligence and data-based technologies.” He added, “At the association level, we will build an industrial ecosystem based on furniture and spatial data and lay the foundation for the industry to evolve into one that combines spatial data with AI technology.”
Meanwhile, as the digitalization of the furniture industry and the utilization of spatial data spread, the demand for smart factories and AI-based design software is rapidly increasing.
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