"Rainman" and the ball-jointed dolls of Elfdoll.

By Mercy Neumark

Changun Lee, the Korean artist known to the doll world simply as “Rainman,” creates what many consider to be some of the most beautifully sculpted ball-jointed dolls (BJDs) for the Korea-based company Elfdoll.

As a young man, long before he adopted his Rainman persona, the would-be artist expressed his creativity by drawing comics. Movies, stories, and real life were the catalyst for his imagination.

In 1995, Changun began sculpting as a hobby. He enjoyed the three-dimensional aspect and the feel of clay in his hands and soon found work in the burgeoning action-figure industry with the Character Doll Co. Here, Changun’s talents as a sculptor matured, but he longed to create his own characters with their own stories; he longed to create a “unique and emotional being, with a story.” And so, after several years, Changun set forth to work on his own, and Rainman was born.

In 1999, Rainman’s artistic efforts garnered an award from the prestigious Korean Academy Contest. Over the next few years, he created over 700 original sculptures, participated in various exhibitions, and had his work featured through other media outlets as well. Rainman also became a sculptor at “I Figure,” which is considered by some to be the largest figurative art community in Korea.

Still, Rainman was not satisfied and yearned to create something with more depth. When he met artist Ms. DoKyung Kim, or Ms. DK as she was fondly called, Rainman found a kindred spirit. He found someone who shared a common vision and helped create a company that highlighted the beauty of Korea to the rest of the world through the art of the doll. When Elfdoll was established in 2004, Rainman at last found his home.

Elfdoll’s entry into the Asian market was an instant success. But with little experience in dealing with foreign trade, the Rainman and Ms. DK’s mutual dream of sharing their Asian culture with other countries proved more of a challenge.

In 2005, Rainman met Ms. Yeoun Joo Lim, otherwise known as Ms. Cholong. Ms. Chalong had just begun working with Artmaze, the company that distributes Elfdolls, and her experience as foreign trade manager was just what the company needed. The following year, Ms. Cholong studied merchandise marketing in the United States and recognized a desire on the part of U.S. collectors to see the Korean dolls to appreciate their true beauty. And so, Ms. Chalong officially opened the first U.S. showroom for Elfdoll/Artmaze products in Los Angeles, Calif., shortly thereafter.

“The main goal of the showroom is to build a stronger relationship with collectors and support our U.S. dealers,” says Ms. Cholong. “Elfdoll hopes that everyone who visits their store enjoys a pleasant and joyful experience. They want to become a bridge between Artmaze Korea and its customers in the U.S. Elfdoll wants to share Rainman’s artistic vision with the world.”

For more information, visit www.elfdoll.com.

Buy This Issue: May 2008