14 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Korea embraces beauty of everyday with monthlong craft exhibitions
Craft exhibitions on hanji and hanbok await visitors this month
South Korea is turning up the charm this month with a series of craft exhibitions that celebrate the artistry found in everyday objects.
The Korea Craft and Design Foundation is presenting "Hanji Objects: Embracing Wisdom" at Hanji House in Jongno-gu, central Seoul, through June 22. The exhibition spotlights "hanji," traditional Korean paper made from mulberry bark, and its evolving role over the centuries. Once primarily used for writing and books, hanji has long been repurposed into durable, lightweight and humidity-resistant household items.
Artifacts on loan from the Hanji Art and Culture Foundation in Wonju, Gangwon Province, and the Goesan Hanji Experience Museum in North Chungcheong Province, illustrate the craftsmanship and ancestral wisdom embedded in these handmade pieces. The exhibition is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and admission is free.
From June 13 to 15, the KCDF will also host a three-day hanbok fair at AK& Sejong. The 2025 Hanbok Expo will feature eight hanbok brands — Guiroe, Ccomaque by Dolsilnai, Daraewon Hanbok, Sun Daum, Somock Hanbok, Somikyung, Ondata Parang, and Flora Dress and Hanbok — offering visitors a chance to try on traditional attire and explore the synergy between Hangeul and hanbok. Admission is 5,000 won, with more details available on KCDF's official website.
Later that month, jeweler and maker Kim Yoo-jung will unveil her second solo exhibition in five years, "Refuse to Disappear," at Yeol Bukchonga in Jongno-gu, June 17-23. Her contemporary jewelry pieces reflect on the presence of everyday objects and challenge viewers to rethink consumption and value in a fast-paced society.
In Gyeonggi Province, the Yangju City Council gallery is showcasing 'The Phrase: Perspectives on Space' through June 27, featuring artists Won Jo-hyun, Lee Se-rim, Lee Eun-kyoung and Chung Dong-gyun. The exhibition draws inspiration from musical phrasing — the shaping of a passage — using visual art to express how individual works can resonate both independently and as a cohesive whole within a shared space. Admission is free.
