Crafting the Perfect K-pop CD Display: A Guide

Lets be honest...

At some point in many K-pop fans' journey, there will come a time where... perhaps, what one might consider to be a "poor choice" is made. That choice being, buying an album.

And then buying that same album, again.

And then maybe you're one day caught up in the rush of being with a group of friends and everyone wants a specific photocard, so you buy it again. Or you possibly uttered the famous last words on what everyone promises was meant to be a quick Target run...

"I'll just go look and see what they have."

It's like watching the main character go back into the haunted house in a horror movie, right? Except instead of being possessed by an ancient spirit, you've instead been possessed by the spirit of (insert favorite idol here) and now you have several copies of the same album.

It's okay, we've been there, we get it. Luckily, here at K-Universe, we're always brainstorming new and fun ideas to solve the problems of K-pop fans everywhere. So, if you're not willing to part with those duplicates sitting in the back of your closet or under your bed, grab one and let's make something new together!

If you'd rather check out the TikTok version of this tutorial, click here!

Scroll down till you see the " ❀•°:🎀:°•❀ " for an abbreviated version of the supplies list and instructions~

 

What supplies do I need?

For this tutorial, the only thing I bought brand new was the frame! Depending on the level of detail you want, the supplies you have on hand, and your creativity, this can be a cheap and easy DIY for you too.

  • A K-pop album
I mean, obviously! And if you still have cold feet around cutting your duplicate albums, you can purchase an album on sale from us to practice with. 
  • Glue and/or double sided tape
I used an Elmers glue stick for the background design and a hot glue gun to make sure the foam dot that holds the CD was very secure. You can use whatever you have available to you or is easily accessible.
  1. Elmers Glue Stick
  2. Elmers Glue Pen (a bit easier to be precise on small pieces)
  3. Double Sided Tape (if you're indecisive or change your mind about a placement, you can carefully remove it without messing up the whole project!)
  4. Hot Glue Gun (this or a strong liquid glue like E6000 is best to make sure the foam dot doesn't move!)
  • Scissors and/or a craft knife
I would say scissors are definitely a must, I used them to cut my cardboard and trim my design at the end to make sure it fit snugly in the frame. I only used the craft knife to remove the foam dot from the CD board in the album, but it's useful for detail work if you want to do that! If you don't have a craft knife, I would suggest using the top blade of your scissors (if you're using them right-handed, its the blade that your thumb controls) to gently pry the foam dot off the board. Please don't hurt yourself with or ruin a kitchen knife! I would advise you to use a plastic ruler or a gift card to get it off instead!!
  1. Craft Exacto Blade (it has a few color options too!)
  2. Black or White Glue Dots (if you have trouble removing the glue dot from your album cleanly, you can get a sheet of them)
  • Cardboard or chipboard
You can use ANYTHING for this part! I used the cardboard back of a wall calendar, you can use a cereal box, a shoe box, anything made from thin cardboard or even a sturdy piece of paper could work (think a manilla folder, construction paper, poster paper, etc.) The only thing I wouldn't suggest is using cardboard from a regular box for shipping or moving, its usually too thick to fit the picture frame backing board over top of it.
  1. Chipboard (this is really for if you want to go above and beyond, or if you want to make designs to sell! Someone please use this idea and show me what you make!!!)
  • A frame
I personally bought a minimal frame from Walmart that was around $9, but frames are sold so many places! Target, Walmart, Joanns, Michaels, Marshalls + Home Goods, Ross, as well as thrift stores! Someone you know or in your family might even have some frames they aren't using, don't be afraid to ask around. Also, be sure to check out the back of the frame you choose to see what it hangs by! Some are easier to hang than others.
For this tutorial, I used an 8x10 frame, but any size would work! You would just need to adjust the cardboard size accordingly. You could even use a big poster frame to display more than one CD like all of your favorites or an entire discography. Definitely let your creativity shine! You could get a really ornate gold frame for a royal or vintage look, or decorate the frame to match your display no matter the theme. 
(these frames are all 8x10, at 3 price points)
  1. Frame A ($11.99 and up depending on the size, lots of frame color options, easy to hang with a nail or pushpin, wood frame)
  2. Frame B ($7.99 and up depending on size, only available in black or white, easy to hang, plastic frame)
  3. Frame C ($4.99, listing only for 8x10 size, only available in black or white, a bit more difficult to hang, engineered wood frame)
  • Extras!
There's all kinds of extra ways to add more flare to your design, you can use washi tape, dry flowers, stickers, lyrics, the only limit is your imagination!

Lets build a display frame!

Now that you've got all your supplies ready, we can put it all together.

 

1. Use the display photo from your picture frame or a piece of paper cut to size as a template to cut out your backing piece.

If you're unsure whether or not your backing material is too thick, place the cut backing piece inside the picture frame and reassemble it to make sure its not too hard to fit the back of the frame in place.

 

2. It's time to get creative! Grab your album, some inspiration photos if you need it (Pinterest, Google, Tumblr are all great places to find inspo!) and create your design. 

I'd suggest mapping out where you want all of your photos and decorations to sit first, take a photo of it, and then glue everything down layer by layer.

 

3. Once your design is complete and all of the glue is dry, take your cd and place it pretty side up on your design. Mess with it and figure out where exactly you want it to sit, then take a pen or sharpie and mark the center of the CD. This is where the foam dot will go!

Then, use your exacto knife, scissors or whatever you have on hand to carefully remove the foam dot from the album packaging. If some paper residue sticks to the back of the dot, that's okay!

 

4. Take your hot glue or strong liquid glue and place a small dot where you previously marked on your design (try not to use too much! the glue might spill out around the edges, use less than you think you'll need.) then firmly press the foam dot in place for about 10 seconds.

Even if you purchased a sheet of foam CD dots, the adhesive on them is not always reliable, so I'd still suggest gluing it to be safe!

 

5. Once the glue is dry, go ahead and place the cd on your design!

If you want to protect the CD from scratches or debris, cut another piece of cardboard or paper slightly smaller than the CD with a larger center than the CD so it doesn't show through, and place that down first before you place your CD on the foam dot.

 

6. Now carefully place your design back into the frame and reassemble!

Or, if you're decorating your frame as well, now is a good time to do that. Once the decorations are complete and dry, you can reassemble your frame!

 

Ta-Da!

You are now the proud owner of a custom 1 of 1 CD display frame! Woo-Hoo!

If you decide to make this DIY, I would LOVE LOVE to see it! Tag us on TikTok or Instagram @kuniverseofficial 

 

❀•°:🎀:°•❀

 

DIY Photo Frame: Quick Ver. 

Materials needed:

  • K-pop album with a CD that is secured with a foam dot and you're okay with cutting
  • Scissors and/or an exacto knife
  • Regular glue like a glue stick for the design + a strong glue for the foam dot
  • Backing material for design (thin cardboard like a cereal box or chipboard)
  • A picture frame (any size, any design, its up to you! I used 8x10)

 

Directions:

  1. Remove the display photo from the picture frame you're using and use it as a template to cut backing material to the correct size.
  2. Using any inspo you like, create a design for your display using the photos and lyrics from the album or any other materials you wish. Make sure everything is glued down and dry before moving on.
  3. Place the CD on top of the design to determine where you want it to sit, then use a marker or pen to mark the center of the CD.
  4. Place a small amount of your strong glue where you marked and firmly press the foam dot onto the glue for 10 seconds. Then, allow it to dry completely.
  5. Once the glue is dry, secure the CD to the design using the foam dot and place the completed design into the frame. If you plan on decorating the frame itself, finish that and allow it to dry before this step.
  6. Reassemble the frame. Congratulations! 
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