BAT Rothmans (hereafter BAT)'s heated tobacco product "glo" has secured 10 million users in 33 countries. Lee Ju-seok, BAT's principal design lead who spearheaded the design of the flagship model "glo™ HYPER," is drawing attention.
After graduating from Samsung Design School, Lee began a career on the Seoul digital strategy team at Samsung Electronics. He then worked at the Munich-based design studio Felix Heck Studio and led advanced concept design at the London Design Center of Samsung Electronics. Since 2020, he has been part of BAT's global design team in London, leading product experiences that blend Korean sensibilities with a global design language.
Lee defines the strength of Korean designers as the "aesthetics of orchestration." He said Korean designers flexibly move between the big picture and fine detail, showing the reputation of "K-design" on the global stage through a balanced design approach.
He said, "Korean designers, based on outstanding aesthetic sensibility, deeply understand Europe's emotional design, Japan's minimalism, and the United States' industrial design language, and have the ability to naturally orchestrate among them."
What he prioritized most in developing glo HYPER was the "user experience." In particular, he cited the physical dial "TasteSelect™," which intuitively switches between Standard and Boost modes, as the core mechanism.
To realize the rotational feel and tactile control, he refined the dial's tooth spacing in 0.1 mm increments. Lee said, "The dial is not just a simple control button but a medium through which the user and the product interact sensorially."
The premium line of glo, "glo™ HYPER pro," won a main award this year in the product design category at the 2025 iF Design Award in recognition of this design philosophy. Last year, it also won in the consumer electronics category at the European Product Design Award (EPDA).
According to the industry on the 4th, BAT's heated tobacco product glo launched in Japan in 2016 and expanded into global markets, including Korea, in 2017, establishing itself as a flagship brand for BAT. As of last year, it has secured more than 10 million users in 33 countries.
Lee's ultimate goal is to design "an experience beyond the product." The keyword he focuses on for next-generation design is a new CMF (Color, Material, Finish) experience. He predicted the introduction of materials rarely seen in existing electronic products, such as metal substitutes, fabric, and transparent materials.