Esther Jihye Cho is an interdisciplinary artist and designer working in wood, paper, and performance. Her practice focuses on preserving traditional Korean craft techniques while reinterpreting them through a contemporary lens. Central to her work are meticulous and labor-intensive processes, such as joomchi (paper felting) and jiseung (paper weaving), which serve as both inspiration and a means of creative expression. The time and effort invested in these techniques shape her ideas and reflect her commitment to merging tradition with contemporary artistic practices, exploring themes of identity, storytelling, and materiality.

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Cho has received several awards, including the Windgate Fellowship from the Center for Craft, the ALL Prize from Art + Literature Laboratory, the Caxton Club Grant, and the Creative Arts Award from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She holds two MFAs from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in Woodworking and Furniture Design, and Design Studies, as well as two BFAs in Interior Design and Craft/Material Studies from Virginia Commonwealth University.

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In addition to her studio practice, Cho is an experienced educator, teaching courses in design and craft that help students develop their technical skills and creative voices. She has exhibited her work widely and conducted workshops on Korean papermaking techniques.