20130130 bojagi eng

It is a time-honored practice for Koreans to own several bojagi in the home, and carry them around to be used as covers, wrappers, headdresses, or mats.

Out of its many uses, this book focuses on the practical use of bojagi as a wrapper, its most befitting use most true to its original purpose.

Korea᾿s Traditional Gift Wrap

Koreaʼs bojagi is a square-shaped piece of cloth that can be folded as small as the palm of the hand, or spread open to unlock an abundance of uses.

Korea᾿s Traditional Gift Wrap Korean Style & Eco-friendly Life

Korean Style & Eco-friendly Life

Koreaážżs Traditional Gift Wrap

Korean Style & Eco-friendly Life

04.. Prologue … Let bojagi beautify the world 06.. What is bojagi?

10.. Easy-to-make for all Making bojagi 12.. Non-tool tools Simple bojagi-wrapping tools 14.. Four basic bojagi knots

Gifts for Spring

Gifts for Fall

18.. S ending your guests off with a flower in hand Green tea 20.. Thoroughly Korean, inside and out Teaware

46.. Making the ordinary special Cushion

22.. Clothing a bamboo basket

Gifts for Summer

Bamboo basket wrap

48.. A blossoming hydrangea

24.. For newlyweds Apron + dishtowel set

Box of dried anchovies

50.. Bojagi’s day out Cooking oil set

26.. Wishing elders good health Buckwheat pillow

52.. Rice cakes and a dishcloth Rice cakes

28.. For households with growing children Shoes

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30.. Gifting childhood memories Five comic books

36.. Korea’s summer delight Fan

A pleasant discovery at the local shop Parasol

Gifts for Winter

54.. For a dinner guest “This is good” food

38.. Making memories with Mom Tissue box 40.. Visiting a friend who lives with elders

58.. Remarrying gifted wine Four bottles of wine

Silver spoons

60.. Without its box of a home A bottle of liquor

42.. A gift from the heart Cosmetics

62.. For a cozy return home Scarf 64.. A new hope as beautiful as a lily Planner 66.. Repels bad luck, attracts money Red wallet

contents

68.. Special bojagi projects Celebrating a worldwide holiday Christmas

70.. Wrapping directions

tree and wreath

Prologue L e t

b o j a g i

b e a u t i f y

t h e

w o r l d

A gift is a manifestation of a caring heart.

A life that gives, is a happy one.

Whether it's an object kept but not used, Or food that you’ve hand-made yourself, In deference to the joy of the receiver, wrap your gift in bojagi, And watch the heart grow peaceful.

Gifts for special occasions, Finding a better owner for your gift, Or a gift of sharing my own surplus, Wrapping such gifts with paper so easily ripped to pieces, Is analogous to contributing yet more garbage to the world.

Using a reusable bojagi, we need not worry.

While people are apt to parade about shouting eco-friendly, Using bojagi in itself is The true practice of sustainable eco-friendliness.

About the Author

Lee Hyo-Jae Lee Hyo-Jae is a hanbok(traditional Korean dress) designer best known for her first book, Preparing Meals and Housekeeping with Nature, which introduces natural ways of eating and living.

With her impressively creative ideas and her abilities to make masterpieces of whatever she touches, she is known as the Martha Stewart, or the Tasha Tudor, of Korea.

What is bojagi?

Bojagi as a wrapping medium

The environmentally friendly use of bojagi

Korea's bojagi is a square-shaped piece of cloth that can be folded as small as the palm of

With a destiny like that, how environmentally friendly the bojagi is. Some, anticipating

the hand, or spread open to unlock an abundance of uses. It is a time-honored practice for

the joy of watching a loved one unwrap a gift, cover their gifts in layers and layers of

Koreans to own several bojagi in the home, and carry them around to be used as covers,

wrapping paper. If that were bojagi instead, they wouldn’t have to worry about producing

wrappers, headdresses, or mats. Out of its many uses, this book focuses on the practical

excess trash. We often ask that a gift be unwrapped then and there when it is given to

use of bojagi as a wrapper, its most befitting use most true to its original purpose.

somebody. And just as often, the receiver can’t help but to hesitate to do so. In fear of

Bojagi in this book does not refer to pieces of finely embroidered cloth decorated with

ruining the beautifully-tied ribbon and the wrapping paper, they refrain from ripping the

excessive amounts of cutouts or ornamentation, but instead a single piece of fine yet

wrapper to shreds, and instead, look carefully for the areas that have been taped. But

simple, square-shaped cloth that forgoes beads, knots, golden patterns, or tassels for the

asking somebody to untie a gift as opposed to unwrap it softens the verbal expression,

sake of practicality, a wrapper that can be easily transformed and reused at any time.

and when our language changes, so do our emotional states. Anybody who receives a

How then, is the life of bojagi? Bojagi that once held food is brought home, then placed

gift wrapped in bojagi will gently open the gift, as opposed to tearing the wrapper apart.

into a mesh bag and into the washer. Before retiring to bed, it is dusted off and ironed on

The simple act of avoiding the use of wrapping paper can help conserve even the

a table, and upon awaking it will be smiling at you from atop the table, just as a morning

Amazon rainforest. It may not save the earth, but it could certainly help curtail global

glory does each morning. And the bojagi has far more places to go; its destiny is to move

warming, for is it not a worthwhile effort of primary importance to bequeath a livable

round and round.

world to our precious children?

What is bojagi?

Bojagi as a representation of traditional Korean culture

Korea’s traditional colors are often referred to as

The changing fate of bojagi

obangsaek, which consists of the base colors of

It is the fate of the bojagi to wait for its new owner while it embellishes even the most

yellow, blue, white, red, and black. The people of

typical of contents, and the fate of those that have indeed found new owners does not

Korea have achieved a sophisticated, harmonious

end there, but transforms. Imagine a husband and wife driving to a destination, with the

balance of the use of these colors in all aspects

wife eating tangerines and placing the scraps on the bojagi laid across her lap, and the

of their everyday lives, including food, clothing,

husband being fed by the wife. After arriving at a rest stop, she gets out to discard the

and architecture, comparable to abstract artist Piet

peels into a trashcan outside, while the husband, although he may not express it in words,

Mondrian’s use of colors and segmentation. The

looks on lovingly knowing that this too will become a precious memory to be treasured

colors of obangsaek are best expressed in bojagi,

later on. Determined by the hand of the owner it meets, the bojagi can become a mat,

which is why the image of any object wrapped in

something to cover the knees when wearing a skirt, or a shield from a sudden downpour.

obangsaek-colored bojagi has a distinctly Korean feel

Take for example Korea’s traditional double-layered bojagi, which is not sewn shut all

to it, while the way bojagi holds and embraces its

the way around, but is left with an opening at one of the edges about three centimeters

contents is symbolic of the tight, loving bond among

long, enabling it to be pulled apart into two pieces and reused again. Fill it with cotton,

Koreans that is an integral concept in Korean culture.

and you now have a cushion. The Western culture relies on the use of sacks, which are

How convenient and easy it is to convey Korea’s

closed along three sides and has a handle attached to the top. While sacks can only differ

tastes in art to the people of the world using a single

from one another in size, your plain old square bojagi has the potential to transform itself

piece of square-shaped cloth.

in endless ways.

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1_ Whether a handkerchief or a dishrag, any cloth that can wrap and be knotted can be transformed into bojagi.

2_ Department store bojagi, most commonly found sitting in the bottoms of kitchen drawers.

Easy-to-make for all

Making bojagi

Anything can become bojagi When replacing blanket covers, discarding old hanbok (traditional Korean wear) dresses, or changing out the curtains, why not try cutting the unused fabric into squares? Sewing bojagi requires only the simplest sewing process, which is good for beginners or people who aren’t good with their hands. Cut once, sew once, and you’re done. Not only are bojagi made from a special material, any cloth that can wrap an object and have its corners be tied, whether a handkerchief or a dishrag, can be transformed into bojagi.

The fate of department store bojagi Bojagi most commonly found in Korea are pink ones encasing meat, dried fish, and fruitbaskets that are sold in department stores. Once acquired, women in Korea typically roll them up and place them in the lowermost drawer under their sinks. And on a sleepless night as she cleans out the drawers, she may consider the bojagi as unneeded bulk and throw them away. Unlike the fate of department store bojagi, however, obangsaek-colored bojagi tends to be used more wisely and passed on from house to house. Here’s a tip for throwing away dead plants from a vase, which can be a rather tedious task. Instead of wrapping the plants in newspaper and having them rip through trash bags, why not try wrapping them in department store bojagi, stepping on the stems with your foot, and tying a tight knot for easy disposal?

Ma king double-la yer ed boja gi Place two bojagi of different colors against one another, and backstitch all around the fabric, leaving a margin of 1 cm along the sides. Leave an unstitched hole about 3 to 5 cm long, turn the piece over, and straighten out the corners.

Ma king single-la yer ed boja gi Backstitch or hem along the untreated edges of the bojagi. You may leave it to your local alteration shop to mend the edges for you, or you can run the edges along a candlelight yourself to prevent strands from becoming undone.

Bojagi wrapping: the basics

Non-tool tools

Simple bojagi-wrapping tools Wrapping with bojagi requires no special tools; all you need to know is how to tie a knot. Bojagi for the purpose of carrying things around requires a firm knot, but when wrapping a gift, it may be better to use yellow rubber bands instead, because having to untie a tight, stubborn knot can frustrate a person and make them grow impatient. On

Creating a center cross When wrapping an object by eye, the item placed in the center always seems to deviate sideways. Fold the bojagi in half, and in half again. Press firmly with your hand the corner that is the center of the bojagi. This will create a cross in the middle, your very own secret guideline to placing your object for wrapping.

Creating a center cross

Reducing big bojagi by half If your bojagi is too large to be used for wrapping a smaller object, reduce its size by half. Bring in the four corners to the center and fold creases along the sides, making a smaller square. This also produces a doublelayered effect (two colors) on the ears of the knot after they’ve been tied.

Reducing big bojagi by half

Tying with a rubber band Heavy objects require tight knots, which untying them can become an inconvenient experience for both the person trying to untie the knot and the other person watching. When wrapping heavier objects, tie the knot using a regular rubber band, which is particularly useful for making flower knots, and makes for an easy untying experience.

Tying with a rubber band

Tying a handle that wont's come undone

the other hand, using a rubber band allows you to make a number of knots, including beautiful flower knots, that can be easily untied without having to break a nail.

A flower knot is always an attention-grabber. Life is all about utilizing the tools around you; look around and you’ll be sure to find something. Let’s take a pair of chopsticks for example, which can be used to push the ears of the knot into the shape of a flower.

With some practice, a simple cosmos can evolve into a beautiful hydrangea, or even an elegant calla lily.

Tying a handle that won’t come undone Watermelons, heavy dishes, a stack of books. Their heavy weights often have the power to undo knots, which may discourage you from using bojagi in the future. First tying a knot, then using one of the ears to tie a special second knot, will prevent any bojagi from coming undone, no matter how heavy the content.

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1_ Tie a single-looped bow.

2_ Slide one of the ears into the loop.

3_ Pull the ends tightly to secure.

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Binyeo (hairpin) knot _Looks best with rectangular objects.

Hydrangea knot_Works best using department store bojagi 1

Directions 2

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1_ Place the rectangular box at the center of the bojagi.

2_ Hold two opposing corners, and tie twice to make two knots.

3_ Hold the remaining corners and tie twice to make two knots again.

Spread out the four ears of the knots into the shape of a cross.

4_ Take one of the ears of the uppermost knot and pull toward the center of the box, gathering it into a spherical shape that covers the knots. Take the opposing ear and cross over to the other side to cover the knots again, then tuck the end beneath the knots.

Four basic bojagi knots

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Dumpling knot_Matches any shape of object.

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Directions 1_ Place the container at the center of the bojagi.

2_ Hold two opposing corners, and tie into a bow.

3_ Hold the remaining corners and tie them into a bow as well.

4_ Fluff out the four loops of the bows. Use chopsticks to poke into the knots to shape the hydrangea.

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As you tie and untie different shapes of knots, you can name the ones you like according to their shapes.

Here are four types of basic knots that have been named after their shapes.

Topknot knot _Looks best with square objects Directions

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Directions 1_ Place the box at the center of the bojagi.

2_ Hold two opposing corners, and tie twice to make two knots.

Repeat the process for the remaining corners. Spread out the four ears of the knots into the shape of a cross.

3_ Gather the ears into a spherical shape excluding the bottommost ear and use it to cover the entire knot, then tuck the end beneath the knot.

4_ Use chopsticks to clean up any loose ends.

1_ Place the square box at the center of the bojagi.

2_ Hold two opposing corners at their base and cross each corner to the opposite side without tying.

Hold the remaining corners and cross them in the same fashion.

Repeating the process for each set of corners will create a topknot. This is much easier to do when two people take turns crossing each set of corners.

3_ Once the topknot has been made, take the next set of ears to be crossed and tie a single knot.

Straighten out the ears to finish shaping the knot.

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As spring approaches and the heart grows warmer, everything looks grander than usual.

Old trees begin to sprout leaves once again, and the little kid you knew long ago sends you

Gifts for Spring 16|보자기도 효재처럼|

a wedding invitation to celebrate her new love. This spring, try taking a blooming flower with you along to all the places you go.

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Sending your guests off with a flower in hand

Green tea

It is unacceptable in Korea to have

guests who visit your home leave empty-handed. Just as elders sent their guests away with at least a single mackerel, green tea makes a safe choice that is never too over-the-top.

It is likely that guests who’ve received too large of a gift will hesitate to visit again, so to encourage guests to drop by often, give the simple, not-too-heavy gift of green tea wrapped in bojagi. When the content isn’t particularly large, as it is in this case, it is ideal to tie a fancier flower-shaped knot that will send your guests home holding a flower in hand. The bojagi wrapping the green tea will be reused and resurrected into a new life. While the fate of handkerchiefs ends at personal use, the fate of the bojagi is to get married to someplace else. * For wrapping directions, see page 71.

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When the content isn’t particularly large, it is ideal to tie a fancier flower-shaped knot that will send your guests home holding a flower in hand.

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Nothing feels more empty than empty bojagi. When you want to give your guest bojagi as a gift that you think will come in handy later on, it can be embarrassing to hand them empty ones. A great solution is to use two bojagi of different colors to wrap one green tea box into the shape of a flower.

Gather the four corners toward the center of the content as usual, but instead of tying a knot, tie the ears together using a rubber band. For the ears to most successfully look like the petals of a flower, use large bojagi reduced to half its size by joining each corner of the bojagi at the center and folding along the sides.

Thoroughly Korean, inside and out

Teaware

Traveling to another country, you’d likely want to give your

friends gifts that are more traditionally Korean, in which case teaware is the most popular choice. Because the contents are fragile, however, it must be wrapped in multiple layers. Use an inner wrap embroidered with wildflowers, and an outer wrap using a double-layered, light

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The receiver of the gift will be able to glean the traditional nature of the gift just by looking at the special wrapping material.

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green bojagi. The receiver of the gift will be able to glean the traditional nature of the gift just by looking at the special wrapping material. The receiver need not be able to appreciate the ceramic work of a master craftsman, but just from seeing and undoing the elaborate layers of wrapping they will regard the gift as valuable china and use it to suit their needs. * For wrapping directions, see page 72.

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Bamboo basket wrap

Clothing a bamboo basket

The quaint beauty of bamboo baskets.

Although they are attractive and useful in a number of ways, sometimes our clothes get caught on the edges, and they tend to wear at the corners. Try wrapping a bamboo basket with bojagi to resolve such shortcomings. Quickly throw on some bojagi on a basket before a picnic, and it’ll not only wrap the basket, but the bojagi can be unwrapped later to use as a mat whenever needed. Wrap worn baskets with different colored bojagi every season and enjoy the feeling of being abundant in baskets. * For wrapping directions, see page 73.

“ Larger baskets are best wrapped in thin, single-layered bojagi. When tying knots at the ends of the handles, pull the ears of the knot upwards for a more attractive look. Tying the same kind of knot on both sides will produce the shape of donkey ears.

Wrap worn baskets with different colored bojagi every season and enjoy the feeling of being abundant in baskets.

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For newlyweds

Apron + dishtowel set

How and since when did all Korean weddings became so identical? Regardless of whether you are a colleague or a family member of the star of the event, your monetary gift in a white envelope is accepted and numbered at a desk up front. Next time, instead of handing over the same old envelope of money, why not give the newlyweds a thoughtful gift essential to a housewarming, such as an apron and dishtowel set?

Handling household chores wearing a properly sewn apron impervious to machine washes will surely boost confidence and make it a more pleasant, even fun experience. * For wrapping directions, see page 74.

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Why not give the newlyweds a thoughtful gift essential to a housewarming, such as an apron and dishtowel set?

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No matter what it is concealing, light green and pink double-layered bojagi are always as beautiful as a newlywed bride is. Make sure to produce a fold that reveals the second color beneath, and to arrange the wings of the knot so that they also reveal the inner color.

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It’s always a good idea to gift the elderly the things you’ve tried and liked. In most cases, a buckwheat pillow will be the ideal choice, as pillows symbolize health in Korean culture.

Tie a rabbit ear knot when gifting a pillow to an elder. They’ll be delighted to have received the pillow, as well as pleased at the sight of bojagi they haven’t seen in a long time.

Wishing elders good health

Buckwheat pillow

You can’t help but to be careful giving a gift to someone much older. You

don’t want to be scolded for giving them something they dislike, or you’d rather have them scold you outwardly instead of feeling quietly disappointed on the inside. It’s always a good idea to gift the elderly the things you’ve tried and liked. In most cases, a buckwheat pillow will be the ideal choice, as pillows symbolize health in Korean culture. While the body must be kept warm all throughout the year, the head must be kept cool, which is why Korea’s ancestors have long relied on the use of pillows stuffed with buckwheat. Many trends have come and gone, including pillows filled with charcoal or ume fruit, but the classic remains as the buckwheat pillow. It leaves your head feeling refreshed after putting you in a deep sleep. A buckwheat pillow is the perfect gift for wishing elders a long, healthy life. * For wrapping directions, see page 75.

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For households with growing children

Shoes Excessive packaging is harmful to

the environment. Unlike bojagi, paper that can be ripped to shreds, large boxes, and shopping bags, are all contributors of trash. With bojagi, however, even if you were to wrap something in an excessive amount of it, the bojagi will be reused, and the bojagi itself becomes a gift as well. To make a much warmer gesture, try wrapping shoes with bojagi in place of paper and boxes. Just the mere fact that the shoes were wrapped in bojagi will delight the receiver.

Shoes make a great back-to-school gift for households with children, but as children grow rather quickly, select liberally when it comes to size. * For wrapping directions, see page 76.

Roll up a pair of shoes with pink department store bojagi, and elders will recall the days when as children they‘d roll up their textbooks, shoes, and lunchboxes in bojagi to take to school.

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Unlike bojagi, paper that can be ripped to shreds, large boxes, and shopping bags, are all contributors of trash.

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People are always amazed at the sight of the four ears of the bojagi sitting in a straight line. This particular knot is very easy to tie. Make a knot using two opposing corners, and another knot using the remaining corners. Then make another knot using the bottommost ears once more.

Comic books wrapped in bojagi are limited to five, simply because five comic books tend to fit nicely in bojagi.

Gifting childhood memories

Five comic books

Books make a great gift, particularly old comic books with collectible value;

they will rekindle the receiver’s childhood memories of reading comics at the comic book store. Comic books wrapped in bojagi are limited to five, simply because five comic books tend to fit nicely in bojagi. It also relieves the burden of heavy weight, and we know that the first five books of a comic series are always packed with the most excitement. As for whether the receiver wants to continue the series is their choice, if they want to buy the rest of the books at a bookstore or rent them from a local shop. * For wrapping directions, see page 77.

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There is no reason to despise the heat if you know how to enjoy the riches of summer. Armed with a hanji (handmade Korean paper) fan in one hand and your beloved lace parasol in the other, even the most sweltering heat wave cannot win.

Gifts for Summer

When the time comes when you need to give a gift, easily wrap a parasol in some jade-colored bojagi.

It is always best to give gifts for special occasions early. Be the first to give a well-thought out gift and the recipient will always remember you for doing so.

A pleasant discovery at the local shop

Parasol

There is nothing handy like a parasol on the hottest

days. After all, there were the days when a lace cream-colored parasol made you the most stylish person on the street. However, the problem with parasols is that they don’t easily fit in a box, nor do they look nice sitting in a shopping bag. The bojagi can fix all this. Purchase a parasol or two while you’re traveling abroad, or when you spot a nice one at a shop. When the time comes when you need to give a gift, easily wrap a parasol in some jade-colored bojagi. Parasols are perfect gifts for female recipients, as they are never out of the trend, and it never hurts to have more than one. * For wrapping directions, see page 78.

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Korea’s summer delight

Fan

Every summer, plain, undecorated fans are sold along the streets

of Insadong, a hub of Korean traditional culture where buying ten decent-looking fans will still cost you less than a cup of coffee. Try wrapping the handles of these fans in cotton twine for aesthetic purposes as well as to prevent the handle from breaking. Cover the twine with strips of hanji(traditional handmade Korean paper), then paint a picture on it yourself, or ask someone more artistically talented to help you. Wrap these thoughtfully reinvented gifts in pink bojagi, saying as you hand it over, “Keep this in the backseat of your car. Try using it as a handy sun shield at a rest stop.” * For wrapping directions, see page 79.

Cover the twine with strips of hanji, then paint a picture on it yourself, or ask someone more artistically talented to help you.

This fan features a peony that has bloomed across the edge of the fan. It is also a great idea to replace the painting with a personal letter to the receiver, or an inspirational message.

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Making memories with Mom

Tissue box

Mothers always lug around excess baggage when visiting their

daughters studying abroad, out of her insistence on buying and taking everything her daughter might need with her, regardless of the fact that the same items can be found in that country.

Upon seeing all that heavy luggage, daughters feel sympathy for their mothers. However, instead of becoming each other’s source of unnecessary pain, a mother can take several sheets of bojagi along and wrap her daughter’s tissue boxes or baskets as their daughters study. Teaching her how, she can suggest that she wrap gifts for her friends, too, and remind them it’ll be a nice chance to show her friends a bit of Korean culture. Even after her mother has left, she will look upon the wrapped tissue box on her desk, and remember her mother as she wraps gifts in bojagi for a friend’s birthday party. * For wrapping directions, see page 80.

Traditional Korean goods tend to shine even brighter in countries overseas. Teaching them how to wrap if need be, hand friends traveling abroad several bojagi and tell them to wrap lots of new things back.

Traditional Korean goods tend to shine even brighter in countries overseas.

Visiting a friend who lives with elders

When giving a gift to an elder, it should symbolize health, luck, and longevity, and silver spoons are just that gift.

Silver spoons

It is considered discourteous in

Korean culture to enter a house where elders live emptyhanded. When giving a gift to an elder, it should symbolize health, luck, and longevity, and silver spoons are just that gift.

Silver spoons were used by kings at each meal, because silver has the ability to detect poison. Wish an elder health and long life and to eat as well as the kings did, by making a gift of a set of silver spoons. Silver spoons, wrapped neatly in bojagi, make a great gift even for elders who are difficult to approach. * For wrapping directions, see page 81.

No longer is the price of a gift the be-all and end-all.

Expensive gifts are often unfitting in many situations, and can become a burden upon the receiver. Not only are silver spoons ideal for gifting elders as it symbolizes the well-wishing of health, they’re also reasonably priced.

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“ Two packages wrapped in bojagi, one in a dumpling knot and the other a binyeo knot. These look fantastic when using double-sided bojagi with a different color on each side. All you need to do is to make a spherical shape out of the ears of the knot, tuck them under, and use a screwdriver or chopsticks to secure.

A gift from the heart

Cosmetics

Acquaintances living in

the countryside will sometimes send city dwellers wholesome foodstuffs to eat, such as organic beans or kimchi made with hand-grown, non-pesticide cabbage.

Although their gesture cannot be measured by money, a good way to reciprocate is to send cosmetics that are not easy to find in rural areas. However, sending them in a box will likely result in worn edges, which is why bojagi is useful. The receiver will likely not even want to unwrap the gift because the package is so beautiful. * For wrapping directions, see page 82.

The receiver will likely not even want to unwrap the gift because the package is so beautiful.

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Gifts for Fall

A bountiful season is one for sharing. Friends divvy into bag after bag valuable food products, and finally open the lids of the vegetables they’ve been pickling.

When somebody reports how delicious something was, more of it gets wrapped in bojagi and is gifted from place to place.

Objects wrapped in two different colors of bojagi are always eye-catching. Try selecting the colors to match the recipient’s tastes, such as two of their favorite colors.

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A careful selection of the colors will make even the transport process much more attractive.

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Making the ordinary special

Cushion

When gifting large objects such as cushions, two sheets of bojagi,

preferably of two different colors, can be connected for wrapping. Wrapping such a large object using the same colored bojagi will make the package look like a giant, heavy sack.

A careful selection of the colors will make even the transport process much more attractive.

The receiver will likely enjoy the beauty of the bojagi even more than the cushion itself! * For wrapping directions, see page 83.

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Drop by a friend’s house with a box of dried anchovies, and help her divide it into smaller bags.

Chatting about this and that while packing the bags and filling up the freezer cheers up even the gift giver’s spirits. This depicts a common occurrence in the daily life of a Korean homemaker.

A blossoming hydrangea

Box of dried anchovies

Come fall, Koreans become busy

preparing for Chuseok(harvest celebration). Roasted laver and dried anchovies are some of the most common gifts during this time, and as virtually every household uses anchovies in their dishes, the gift ranks high in usefulness, too. However, you will likely not feel good handing it over in a sloppy-looking box that won’t help make the gift look nicer in any way. In such a case, use pink department store bojagi, which is easy to wrap for even the most unskilled of wrappers. Tie a blossoming hydrangea knot on top and give a gift that leaves both sides delighted. * For wrapping directions, see page 84.

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Bojagi is not limited to a single destiny.

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Use ample bojagi to wrap two bottles of oil.

Anybody can follow this method easily.

Bojagi’s day out

Cooking oil set Bojagi is not limited to a single destiny. Imagine

gifting a friend a set of sesame and perilla oil wrapped in bojagi depicting ancient Korean text. The oil will be taken out and placed next to the seasonings, while the bojagi will be folded and kept in a bottom drawer.

Then one day, as she leaves the house dressed up in black for a special occasion, she will wonder if her outfit looks too drab. Remembering the bojagi that will be perfect for her outfit, she may transform it into a scarf.

Let plain bojagi become a useful fashion item in another’s hands! * For wrapping directions, see page 85.

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A basket of rice cake wrapped in cloth is a perfect gift for people who have to eat at irregular hours due to work.

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People will use the embroidered cloth in a multitude of ways: to wipe their children’s mouths, to set as a table mat, and when the other dishrags wear out, to use as a dishcloth.

Rice cakes and a dishcloth

Rice cakes

People always delight over small luxuries. Hand over a gift of rice

cake wrapped in embroidered cloth and suggest using the wrapper as a dishcloth. The receiver will surely comment that the cloth is too pretty to ruin. A basket of rice cake wrapped in cloth is a perfect gift for people who have to eat at irregular hours due to work. The cloth can be used to wipe their hands clean without them having to go grab tissues, while at home it can be used in the kitchen. Embroidered cloth is perfect for wrapping brownies or pound cakes, also. * For wrapping directions, see page 86.

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For a dinner guest

“This is good” food Every Korean household has a food item that they have stocked up,

whether old kimchi kept in a crock for over a year, or pickled garlic from the mother-in-law.

When a guest remarks, “This is good,” and keeps picking up more to eat, head quietly to the kitchen and set some aside in a glass container to hand to your guest as they leave. People are always pleasantly surprised and thankful when they are unexpectedly gifted some of the food they enjoyed so much. * For wrapping directions, see page 87.

Pack small amounts of the food in glass containers to prevent your guest from having to transfer the food into another container at home. Tying a tight hash knot will prevent it from coming undone on your guest’s way home.

Pictured is doenjang, a paste made of fermented soybeans used in Korean dishes.

“

People are always pleasantly surprised and thankful when they are unexpectedly gifted some of the food they enjoyed so much.

”

Red and green are exciting colors for many. Prepare for the holidays using red and green-colored bojagi at the onset of winter. Decorate the house with festive splashes of red and green, and delight when someone takes notice.

Gifts for Winter

Make someone feel like it’s their payday by gifting them four bottles of wine. Tell them they are different because they were individually made gifts, and to let you know which one they find the most enjoyable.

Remarrying gifted wine

“

If you’ve received bottles of wine as gifts and have no use for them, try wrapping several of them and finding them new homes.

”

Four bottles of wine

Wine is a popular holiday gift item. Although those unfamiliar with

wine culture often feel discouraged for not knowing their wines, there is no reason to. Simply enjoying the wine the guest has brought can be an enjoyable time enough. If you’ve received bottles of wine as gifts and have no use for them, try wrapping several of them and finding them new homes. After storing them in a cool place, wrap in bojagi four bottles at a time. Tie a hash knot to prevent the weight of the bottles from undoing the knots, and suggest to the receiver that they host a wine party as you hand the wine over. * For wrapping directions, see page 88.

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Bottles are best wrapped in thinner bojagi to achieve prettier shapes. Instead of using double-layered bojagi, select singlelayered ones in deep, luxurious colors.

Without its box of a home

A bottle of liquor

If four bottles of

wine can be wrapped into one package, a single bottle of liquor is cake. Compared to four bottles, a single bottle can be wrapped in a multitude of impressive ways. Wrapping

“

a bottle of liquor nicely without its box is no

Compared to four bottles, a single bottle can be wrapped in a multitude of impressive ways.

�

longer a tricky challenge when you use bojagi.

Try tying a knot with a tail, or make braids with the ears. Experiment with the knots and you will be rewarded with great ideas. * For wrapping directions, see page 89-90.

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“

As simple as this idea is, it’s always a head turner. Even simple, unpatterned black bojagi can shine when wrapped in this method.

When you have bojagi that is too small, doing a nude wrap becomes a cute wrapping alternative.

”

For a cozy return home

Scarf

This method is called the “nude wrap” because the two shoulders

of the wrapped box are exposed. When you have bojagi that is too small, doing a nude wrap becomes a cute wrapping alternative. One can never have too many scarves in the wintertime, so buy several of the ones that catch your eye to gift them at a later time. As they are generally reasonably-priced, buy one of each color and on biting winter days, gift one on your guest’s way home. A warm neck keeps the rest of the body warm. Give the gift of coziness on an otherwise cold journey back home. * For wrapping directions, see page 91.

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A new hope as beautiful as a lily

Planner

People make new plans and resolutions at the year’s change: to start

donating, to quit smoking, or to go on a diet. The first page of a planner is always filled with new hopes for the new year. Much is written throughout the first half of the year, but it tapers down as May or June approaches, and writing in the planner becomes no longer a priority. Still, try making the gift of a yearly planner. Encourage somebody to set new plans, regardless of the failures of the current year’s to help foster their tenacity. For further encouragement, use the bojagi to tie a calla lily knot that symbolizes new hopes. *For wrapping directions, see page 92.

“

Encourage somebody to set new plans, regardless of the failures of the current year’s to help foster their tenacity.

”

The knot of the bojagi looks like a petal of a calla lily. One ear is tucked beneath the knot, and the other ear is used to cover the knot and shaped into a lily. For optional results, it is important to use smaller-sized bojagi.

Repels bad luck, attracts money

Red wallet Northeastern Asians regard red

as a lucky color that wards off misfortune and attracts money. Whether a seal on the painting on a folding screen, the king’s royal seal, or even our fathers’ inkpads, they are all colored in red. In addition, all three national flags of Korea, China and Japan include the color red. Gifting a red wallet on New Year’s is a gesture that wishes luck upon the receiver. It’s also a fun Korean custom to place a bill in the wallet as a lucky charm before giving it. * For wrapping directions, see page 93.

“

Gifting a red wallet on New Year’s is a gesture that wishes luck upon the receiver.

”

This method eschews the tying of a knot, and is characterized by a small piece of the corner as its decoration.

The key here is to select bojagi that is not too large in size in comparison to the wallet.

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Special bojagi projects When creating a Christmas wreath using a wire hanger, bend the triangular part into a circular shape, then wrap around the circumference using paper towels to give it more thickness. Next, wrap the circumference once more using red and green bojagi, but do not cover the hooked portion of the hanger, to reveal to the onlooker what the wreath originally was before.

Celebrating a worldwide holiday

Christmas tree and wreath

Historically for Koreans, the holidays always meant the New Year’s

and Chuseok. As globalization spread, however, Christmas has become a worldwide holiday regardless of religion. Red and green are the colors that symbolize this worldwide holiday, and for some, mini-trees using rubber bands and red and green bojagi can easily take the place of an

“

This December, try incorporating elements of a Korean-style Christmas that reinvents and creates!

”

ornamented Christmas tree. Made out of water bottles, these trees can be kept on the windowsill or used as table-toppers. In place of a wreath, bojagi can be used to wrap wire hangers. This December, try incorporating elements of a Korean-style Christmas that reinvents and creates! * For wrapping directions, see page 94-95.

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Wrapping directions Green tea

Gifts of Spring

1

2

Squares, triangles, or circles, whether big or small, bojagi wraps it all.

Impressively flexible,

Directions

bojagi easily becomes one with its content,

1-Lay out two sheets of bojagi in different colors on top of one another, then place the box of green tea at the center.

a virtue we can all learn to live by.

2-Gather the four ears of the corners snugly along the box at the top.

3-Holding the ears in one hand, use the other to tie a rubber band

3

around them.

4-Spread the four ears outwards and pull slightly on each to keep them spread open.

5-Take the four ends of the inner sheet and curl them inwards, then tuck the ends into the center (rubber band).

6-Take the four ears of the outer sheet and fold them into a circular shape outwards. Secure using another rubber band.

4

7-Use chopsticks to push any wrinkles into the center and clean up the final shape. Neatly spread out and shape the ears of the outer sheet, making sure that the rubber bands are well hidden.

7

6

5

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Bamboo basket wrap

Teaware

Gifts of Spring

1

1

Directions

2

1-Open the bojagi into a diamond and place the box of teaware at the center.

2

2-Gather all four corners at the center and hold all four ears in one hand.

3-Use the other hand to firmly tie a rubber band around the ears.

4-Pull the four ears outwards to shape them into petals.

3

3

Directions 1-Open the bojagi into a diamond and place the basket at the center.

4

2-Take the top and bottom corners and slide them into the basket.

3-Take the remaining corners and for each, wrap the ear around the handle once, then tie a knot. Be sure to

4

pull the ear of the knot upwards.

4-Use your hands to shape the ears into donkey ears.

One of the corners sitting in the basket can be made into a lid by tying the corner into a single knot.

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Apron and dishcloth set

Buckwheat pillow

Gifts of Spring

1

2

1

3

Directions Folding one of the corners of the double-sided bojagi will reveal 2

3

the inner color within.

Directions

1-Place the box sideways onto the bojagi and pull the bottom corner upwards to cover the box.

1-Open the bojagi into a diamond and place the pillow towards the right side.

2-Pull the top corner downwards to cover to box, but make sure to fold a portion of it backwards twice to reveal the other color of the bojagi.

2-Take the bottom corner and pull upwards to cover the pillow, then roll the pillow upwards.

3-Take the left and right ends and lift them above the box, then tie two knots. Shape the ears of the knots to resemble a bow.

3-Gather the bojagi snugly against each end of the pillow, then stand the pillow up.

4

5

4-Take the remaining corner (long) and lift upwards snugly against the pillow, then wrap it around the opposing ear that you are still holding. Pull the ear up to create a candle flame shape.

5-Use your hands to achieve a clean, final shape.

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75

Comic books

Shoes

Gifts of Spring

1

2

1

Directions 3

1-Separately place each shoe sideways onto the bojagi away from the center.

2

2-Roll each shoe inwards until they meet at the center.

3-Take the left and right end and lift them above the shoes, then tie a single knot.

4

4-Take each loose end and tuck it beneath the opposite side.

5-Use your hands to achieve a clean, final shape.

3

Directions

5

1-Open the bojagi into a diamond and place the comic books sideways at the center.

2-Take the top and bottom corners and lift above the books, then tie two knots.

4

3-Keeping them snug against the books, take the remaining corners and tie two knots.

4-Take the ears of the bottommost knot and tie another knot on top. Now you can shape the ears to lie parallel to one another.

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77

Fan

Parasol

1

2

2

3

4

5

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Directions

Directions

1-Open the bojagi into a diamond and place the parasol at one corner, as shown in the picture.

1-Place the fan onto the bojagi and fold in half.

2-Take the two top corners and gently pull them in to

2-Fold the sheet of bojagi in half to cover the parasol.

3-Take the left and right ends and fold them upwards to lie along

intersect them at the base of the fan handle.

the sides of the parasol.

3-Take the two lower corners and fold inwards on top of one another.

4-Fold the left and right corners inwards once more to create an ice cream shape.

4-Neatly gather the bojagi at the handle and secure using a rubber band.

5-Holding all the ends of the bojagi and the parasol in one hand, tie a rubber band around the base of the handle of the parasol.

5-Take the loose ears and pull them upwards, then tuck the ends into the center of the rubber band to

6-Curl the loose corners sticking up toward the handle outward, then tie another rubber band to secure.

create a flower on the handle.

6

Gifts of Summer

1

3

4

5

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Tissue box

Silver spoons

1

2

2

Gifts of Summer

1

Directions

3

1-Place the tissue box onto the bojagi sideways at the center.

2-Fold the left and right edges of the bojagi over the tissue

3

box.

3-Holding the folds over the box in place, fold the bottom edge over the box.

4-Fold the last remaining edge over the box, then hold the two edges so that they face one another.

4

Directions

5-Use rubber bands to tie each resulting corner.

6-Fluff out the ears to shape them as shown in the picture.

4

1-Place the spoon container onto the bojagi sideways.

2-Fold the bojagi nearly in half to cover the container,

7-Fold the ends of the four ears outwards, and tuck them beneath the rubber band used in step 5.

leaving a small margin as shown in the picture.

3-Take the left and right ends and fold them one at a time inwards to cover the container.

5

6

7

4-Hold the folds down with your thumb while using the rest of your fingers to gather the top corners, then roll

5

the box upwards.

5-Secure the end with a pin, pushing the tip inwards to prevent injuries.

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81

Cosmetics

Cushion

Gifts of Fall

1

Directions Left 1-Place the box sideways onto the bojagi at the center. Take the bottom corner and cover the box, then take the top corner and pull 2

downwards until the triangle produced is

1

twice the size of the box.

2-Fold the top edge down once more, leaving a little margin so that the flap does not reach

Directions

or extend the edge.

3-Take the left and right ends and pull upwards, then tie two knots.

3

4-Gather one of the ears in the center to create a spherical shape.

2

1-Stack two cushions onto bojagi.

2-Open a different color of bojagi into a diamond on top of

1

the cushions, then connect the top and bottom sheets by tying two knots at each corresponding corner.

5-Cross the remaining ear to the other side and tuck the end beneath the knots to

3-Clean up the areas where the two sheets of bojagi meet.

complete the dumpling knot. Use chopsticks to make it easier to tuck in any loose ends.

4

Right

3

2

4

3

1-Open the bojagi into a diamond and place the box sideways at the center.

2-Take two adjacent corners and pull them snugly against the box, then tie two knots.

Neatly spread out the ears of the knots.

5

3-Take the two remaining corners and repeat the process.

4-Gather one of the ears of the uppermost knot in the center to create a spherical shape, then cross the other ear over and tuck in beneath the knots. Use chopsticks to clean up the sphere and complete the binyeo knot.

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83

Box of dried anchovies

Cooking oil set

1

2

2

Gifts of Fall

1

Directions 1-Place the two bottles of oil sideways onto the bojagi so that their bottoms face one another. Slightly separate the

3

3

bottles to create floor space for the bottles to stand on later.

2-Fold the bojagi in half to cover the bottles, then roll upwards until the end.

3- Holding each end of the bojagi at the tops of the bottles, lift them to stand the bottles up.

4

Directions 1-Place the box of anchovies sideways onto the bojagi.

5

2-Take two opposing corners and tie a bow.

3-Take the remaining corners and tie a bow.

4-Fluff out the loops of the bows.

5-Using chopsticks, push anywhere into the knots to

4-Tie a single knot above the bottles, then twist each ear.

5-Tie two knots using the loose ends, leaving a loop to

4

be used as the handle.

5

create a nicely-bloomed hydrangea.

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85

“This is good� food

Rice cakes

Gifts of Fall

1

1

2

4

1

3

Directions

Directions

1-Place rice cakes wrapped in plastic wrap onto the cloth.

2-Cover the rice cakes using a corner of the cloth, leaving a margin at

1-Place the container onto the bojagi.

2-While covering the container one corner at a time

the edges.

in the order shown, gather each ear snugly. Weave the

3-Keeping them snug against the cakes, fold the left and right corners inwards.

fourth ear beneath the first to create a hash shape.

4-Hold the folds down with your thumb while using the rest of your fingers to gather the top corners, then roll the cakes upwards once.

4

5

86

5-Slide the loose end beneath the resulting fold.

3

2 2

3-Pull each ear snugly to shape a neat hash.

4-Repeat the process to create another hash.

5-Once again, pull each ear snugly to shape the hash neatly, then fluff out the ears to create petals.

3

5

4

87

A bottle of liquor

Four bottles of wine

1

Gifts of Winter

2

4

2

1

3

1

Directions 1-Place the four bottles at the center of the bojagi in the shape of a diamond.

2-Take two opposing corners and pull each in between the bottles to the

3 4

5

1

other side.

Left

3-Take the two remaining corners and repeat the process.

4-Pull ear #1 beneath #2, #2 beneath #3, #3 beneath #4, and #4 beneath #1

1-Stand the bottle at the center of the bojagi.

2-Take two opposing corners, lifting them up

to create a hash. (Refer to page 81.)

snugly along the bottle, then tie a single knot

5-Clean up the bojagi near the necks of the bottles.

6-Repeat step 4 to create another hash. The results will look best if the inner

above the cap.

7

lining is revealed.

3-Twist the ends downwards, then tie two knots to create a handle.

7-Pull the four ears to tighten the hash.

8-Take two adjacent ears and twist each, then

4-Take the remaining corners and cross them over one another to wrap around the bottle,

tie two knots to create a handle.

then tie two knots at the front.

2

9- Take the two remaining ears and repeat the process to create a second handle.

8

2

3

Right 3

6

Directions

1-Lay the bottle onto the bojagi as shown in the picture.

2-Fold the bojagi in half, then roll the bottle until the end.

9

4

3-Take both ends in your hands and stand the bottle up. Cross the ends over one another to 4

88

wrap around the neck of the bottle.

4-Tie two knots, then use your hands to achieve a clean shape.

89

Scarf

A bottle of liquor

Gifts of Winter

1

1

2

3

Directions

Directions

1-Place the bottle of liquor on the bojagi.

2-Take the bottom two adjacent corners and tie a knot

1-Place the box diagonally onto one corner of the bojagi.

2-Take two opposing corners and tie two knots, standing

beneath the mouth of the bottle.

the box up.

3-Take the remaining corners and push them into the knot to pull them out from the back of the bottle.

3-Twist each remaining ear once and tie a knot for each.

4-Use your hands to achieve a clean, final shape.

2

4-Gather the four ears at the back of the bottle and braid them downwards.

4

5-After braiding, take one of the ears and tie a knot around the end of the braids. Use chopsticks to tuck in

3

any loose ends of the bojagi to clean up the final shape.

5

90

4

91

Planner

Red wallet

Gifts of Winter

1

1

2

2

Directions

Directions

1-Place the planner onto the bojagi.

2-Take two opposing corners and tie two knots at the center.

1-Place the wallet sideways onto the bojagi, then fold the bojagi in half.

2-Take the left and right corners and fold them inwards to cover the

3-Slide the remaining corners beneath the knots, and pull each corner out from the other side.

wallet.

4-Gather the ears of the first knots into a spherical shape, then take one of the unused corners to cover the sphere. Tuck the end beneath the knots, then shape the remaining corner into a calla lily.

3

3-Fold beneath the edge of the wallet any excess bojagi at the ends.

4-Roll the wallet upwards once.

5-Carefully turn the package over, while keeping the shape intact.

6-Gently slide the loose end into the resulting fold, then fold the corner outwards so that it peeks out from the fold.

4

3

4

92

6

5

93

Christmas tree

Christmas wreath

1

1

2

Directions 2

1-Place a filled water bottle onto the bojagi.

2-Take two adjacent corners and lift them loosely over

3

the cap of the bottle, then use your other hand to lift the two remaining corners in the same fashion.

Holding all four ends in one hand, use the other hand to shape the bottom surface into a square.

3

3-Tie a rubber band securely around the four ends.

4-Shape the loose ends into a star.

Directions 1-Bend a wire hanger into a circular shape, then add thickness by wrapping its circumference with paper towels. Prepare one red and

4

one green sheet of bojagi.

2-Arrange the bojagi to create an X at the base of the hook, then use a rubber band to secure.

4

94

3-Wrap the bojagi around the circumference with the bojagi.

4-Secure the ends of each bojagi using pins.

5-Tie the loose ends at the hook into a bow. Bend the hook of the hanger into a closed loop.

5

95

Korea᾿s Traditional Gift Wrap Author Lee Hyo-Jae Published by Korea’s Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism: Korean Culture and Information Service Edited by jcontentree M&B

※ This book was produced by Korea’s Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism’s Korean Culture and Information Service in conjunction with jcontentree M&B to share Korea’s bojagi culture with the world. ※ This book is not for sale.