Lioncolony’s ASMR Videos Will Leave You Feeling Immensely Satisfied
Satisfying videos have taken over the internet for a while now. On TikTok and Instagram you'll find an array of goo-squishing, jelly-cutting, cake-oozing rainbow-coloured glitter bombs getting chopped into pieces, in playlists with titles like “Oddly satisfying videos that will help you fall asleep” or “Oddly satisfying videos that will relax and calm you” — videos tand playlists that have millions of views.
But what exactly makes people so drawn to videos like that? We speak to the creator of @lioncolony, Dave Oh, who took one step further by bringing these phenomenal trends to life with his 3D animations.
What got you into designing such pleasing ASMR videos in the first place?
Life can get quite stressful as we are living in a fast-paced environment. I want my videos to allow people to pause for a moment to reset and relax. Even if it just takes them 15 seconds or hours of replay. I also wanted a better way to connect with my audience. That was when I chanced upon ASMR: I noticed that I could incorporate these audio-visual triggers such as squishing, squeezing or slicing into my videos.
What is your creative process like?
I start by sketching the idea I have in mind for better visualization. Brainstorm on what are the possible textures, movement actions and colours that I like. Afterwards, I will start creating and animating the videos in the software. Following that, I add in the colours and adjust the lighting and shadows to make the visuals pop. Lastly, I add sound effects to make the piece complete.
Where do you get inspiration for each new creation?
I find inspiration through everyday life, things I find satisfying, an idea/message I want to convey, or through video references.
Gummy bears are a rather common motif in your works. Why’s that? Are there other motifs frequent in your works?
Gummy bears have made up a huge part of my childhood, and I have always been fascinated by the variety of colours, therefore, I created the g.bears, I added shades for them, as a touch of personality. I have another motif called the B.bear, which is seen in some of my videos.
How long does it take you to complete a piece on average?
I normally take 2-3 weeks depending on the complexity of the project, for a 6-8s loop.
What is it about ASMR that you like so much — and why do you keep going back?
My IG account reflects a multi-dimensional approach to create mesmerizing animation loops to entice and evoke happiness. My followers have often mentioned that the videos helped them get through their anxiety — and this has always been what I want to create in my videos.
Do you run this IG page as a full-time career? (If no, what do you do outside of this — if yes, how did you end up running this as a full-time career?)
Yes, I run this page full-time, but outside of this, Lioncolony is also a studio that provides 3D Marketing solutions to clients, working on full-fledged production videos. ASMR is like the brand voice of Lioncolony on Instagram / TikTok.
In your IG bio, you make reference to ‘oddly satisfying fantasies’ — could you elaborate more about that?
I imagine my videos to be a "world" that the G.bears live in, sort of like a fantasy with the pop of colours, as well as the neverending productions.
The colour choices on your IG page are vibrant, candy-colour palettes. How do you come up with this colour aesthetic and why?
I try to portray surrealism in my videos and imagine what life would be like if it was filled with bright, bold and fun colours, along with different textures, patterns and movement. The inviting colours are meant for people to stay, pause and look, and take a break from their busy schedules.
