Yidan Kim uses olfactory materials and sensations to create either intangible or tangible sensory imagery. The artist focuses on the sense of smell, which has been undervalued in the hierarchy of senses, exploring humans as sensory beings. She aims to provoke the expansion of sensory perception and cognition by emphasizing the sense of smell. She delves into the boundaries between human and non-human beings, or endeavours to shift the human-centric perspective to that of non-human entities, thereby focusing on non-material objects that exist beyond the realm of human perception.

Awarded the Gilbert Bayes Award 2025 by the Royal Society of Sculptors, Kim completed her MA in Sculpture at the Royal College of Art in 2024. Earlier in their career, Kim studied the techniques of fragrance oil perfumery and Hyang-do, a traditional Korean fragrance ceremony rooted in East Asian culture. Kim has conducted on-site research into olfactory object-mediators across different cultures, gathering a diverse range of olfactory materials. Drawing on the craft of incense-making and the techniques of fragrance oil perfumery, Kim manifests olfactory imagery synesthetically through sculpture, installations, and performances.