vol.49 R TRUNK FRAME 115L with Visual Artist, Kim Hyunjoong [Rino]

Vol.49 Visual Artist, Kim Hyunjoong [Rino]

From the moment RAWROW ALT TRUNK first entered the world to now,
artist Kim Hyunjoong (Rino) has traveled across the globe with ALT TRUNK, capturing those journeys as records.

To encourage him to make a new travel companion as well,
we gifted him a 115L trunk.

How did your connection with ALT TRUNK begin?

If I remember correctly, it was about six years ago.
Around 2018, I started traveling on my own.
In my twenties, I was too busy to travel much, but once I hit my thirties, I found more room in my life and felt the urge to explore.

I realized I needed a suitcase, so I searched around, but nothing really appealed to me.
The designs didn’t resonate, and most options came only in silver or black.
Just as I was about to give up, I came across some crowdfunding products and the mustard-colored ALT TRUNK immediately caught my eye.
I remember thinking, “This is it.”

 

The largest size since the birth of ALT TRUNK—115 liters. How was it after using it yourself?

I was really satisfied it was perfect for filling up and bringing everything back from a trip.
I’ve loved the 88L and used it well for a long time, but the longer the trip, the more I felt its capacity was a bit limited.
Since it’s a hard case, you can’t really expand the volume.

I’m a bit of a maximalist, so I tend to pack a lot of clothes, and because I run,
I usually bring one or two pairs of running shoes when I travel.
After traveling like that for a while, I even felt the 88L was slightly small when I went to run the Chicago Marathon last year.

 

I loved everything except the capacity, so I always felt a bit of regret.
But on my recent trip to Japan, I tried the 115L and having that extra room made all the difference.

It was incredibly satisfying for filling up with things I picked up along the way,
and I think from now on, for long trips or trips focused on shopping, this 115L will be the one I bring.
I’ll keep using the 88L for shorter trips or when I’m heading out for photo work.

When you prepare for a trip, what do you consider most important?
And how did ALT TRUNK help with that?

I first think about how easy it is to move around.
That matters even more when it comes to things I use for travel. 

I’m a serious walker. Since I’m constantly moving around and taking photos while traveling,
I tend to roam from place to place rather than stay in one area to shop.

That’s why, when choosing a suitcase, noise was the most important factor for me.
Sometimes when you see people pulling suitcases, the sound can be distracting.
Especially on asphalt roads.

 

When I first bought ALT TRUNK through crowdfunding,
I noticed almost immediately after using it that it made hardly any noise.
That part was amazing.

When you’re traveling, there are times you have to move late at night or early in the morning because of flight schedules.
In those moments, it was great that it made almost no sound.
There was nothing distracting while moving around.

 

And the TT HANDLE™ this handle is incredibly convenient.
Because I often carry a backpack for my camera gear, it’s easy to hook it on while traveling,
and it’s also great for setting my bag down when waiting to check in.
It may seem like a small detail, but once you actually use it, you really feel the difference.

When do you say “wow” when you see a product?

As I mentioned earlier, my wow points are design and color.
Rather than making many different products,
even if it’s just one, what matters more to me is the thinking behind it
and how that thinking is expressed through the design.

 

Do you feel that way about the RAWROW products you use as well?

Yes, very much so they surprise me a lot.
What I liked most about RAWROW products was the color.

I remember thinking, “They really know how to use color.”
I tend to prefer toned down pastels rather than vivid colors, so the Smoke Blue I used this time was especially satisfying.
It’s a color that doesn’t stand out too much, but doesn’t get lost either.

Because the color is distinctive, it’s also convenient when picking up checked luggage at the airport.
Even from a distance, the suitcase color naturally catches your eye, so you instantly know, “That one’s mine.”
You find yourself watching and waiting for it to come out.
In that sense, RAWROW products feel genuinely fun.

 

What does ALT TRUNK mean to you as an artist?

I’d like to call it a “shining moment.”
I started traveling a bit later in life. As I entered my thirties, I really fell in love with traveling.

The moments when I was having a great time and taking photos have stayed deeply with me, and ALT TRUNK was always there beside me in those moments.

In that sense, it represents a time when I felt like the best version of myself
a period when I was fully immersed in something I loved.
That’s why I’d describe it as a “shining moment.”