Sorry Not Sorry — Dahoon Lee

In public places, our experiences are often disrupted by other people’s poor manners. I wanted to question why this discomfort happens, and design an experience that draws attention to the issue in a rounded, non-confrontational way. Rather than offering a direct “solution”, the intervention works more like a signal, surfacing friction in everyday settings such as theatres and public transport.

When Manners Break Immersion

How might we reduce behaviours that break immersion in theatres? How can we balance the tension between overly rigid viewing culture and disruptive rudeness? Beyond theatres, what kinds of discomfort show up in everyday public spaces, and how might design make them visible?

Finding the Language of Shame

I gathered theatre-going experiences through a survey and categorised disruption cases from cinemas and performance venues. To shape a visual language, I researched cultural references including medieval punishment devices, the Korean folk practice of using a ki (a traditional winnowing basket) as a shaming device for bedwetting children, and ruff collars. From a critical design perspective that prioritises highlighting problems over proposing fixes, I developed a rationale for using satire and dark humour as the tone.

Rather than strongly enforcing norms, an intervention that “visualises” discomfort through satirical symbols is safer and more scalable across contexts.

Key Concept
A wearable design that uses the strangeness of a rounded yet rigid frame, drawing on medieval punishment devices and ruff collars as references.

Round, Rigid, Unignorable

I produced three low-fidelity prototypes, each designed as an artefact responding to a different scenario. I then integrated three functions into a single high-fidelity prototype to clarify structure and user flow.

I expanded the concept into scenarios that share a consistent design language, including theatre, the Tube, and the library.

To communicate the context and intent, I adopted the exaggerated advertising tone of tech companies such as Apple, Dyson, and Samsung, using it as a framing device.

A Conversation Starter

Rather than presenting a simple fix, this work aimed to spark conversation around social etiquette and encourage voluntary shifts in awareness through design.

I would like to further explore an anti-ergonomic approach that intentionally designs discomfort to constrain behaviour and strengthen the message.

I also expect richer discussion could emerge through workshops where people from different backgrounds build the prototypes themselves and reflect on social friction in their own contexts.