Koreana Spring 2001 (English)

S~

Simply the be-all and end-all. Samsung Digital I. We spell it differently because

everyone's invited,..

we do it differently. Introducing a new language of advanced products, all

designed to make your life easier, richer and more enjoyable every day. Watch the best TV picture. High definition. High style. Download the newest music from your computer and take it with you . Receive web data and e-mail on a wireless phone. Connect and create on an ultra-thin flat screen monitor. All-enabling.

All-connecting.AII-inviting . Come in to Samsung. www.samsung.com. Everyone's invited.

MP3 PLAYER

TFT FLAT SCREEN

WIRELESS PHONES

HDTV

Leading-edge internet music

MONITOR

Voice-activated, data

the ultimate picture and

downloading technology

Ultra-light, ultra-resolu tion

access, web capability

sound experience

BEAUlY OF KOREA

Spring Greetings

Ipchun marks the first seasonal division of the 24 solar petiods of the year, and falls in the first month of the lunar calendar, which is around February 4 according to the Gregorian calendar.

Meaning "to stand on the threshold of spring," the 15-day period of Ipchun, which begins when the angle of the sun is at the midpoint of the winter solstice and spring equinox, is a time when all of nature awakens from its winter hiatus and starts to stretch. During the first five days of this petiod, an easterly wind thaws the frozen eatth, while in the next five days, the awakened insects begin to stir.

During the last five days, fish begin swimming about beneath the watet S icy surface.

Haeneomi, the day before Ipchun, which falls between Daehan (coldest period) and Usu (sptingrain period), marks the end of a solar period, or d1e close of a seasonal division On this day, the eve of Ipchun, ancient custom calls for throwing beans on 0

doors or into rooms in order to chase away evil spirits and to greet the new spring.

In the royal palace, in traditipnal times, outstanding poems were selected from the New Year's greetings submitted by the co1.ut's scholar-officials, and then posted on the pillars or rails inside the palace as spring greetings. Lil<:ewise, households and farming villages also posted on their gates or pillars well-wishing phrases for the coming year, like ''Peace for Countty, Comfcnt for People," ''Providing for Family, Content111ent for All," "Good F01tune as Spring Arrives," and "Many Good Wishes for the New Yeat路."

In farming communities, the yeat S harvest was forecast by pulling up barley roots: If the roots were divided into three groups, the harvest would be very good; two groups, only as good as d1e previous yeat路; and a single stt路and or withering roots, a poor yeat路. + 0

Cover: In this issue, KOREANA takes .an in-depth look at Korean fashion's, past, present and future, including Korea's fashion indusuy and prominent Korean designers.

On the cover is a close-up of a clasp made with a traditional knotting technique on the top of a modernized hanbok (Korean traditional two-piece dress) by Icinoo, a designer who draws inspiration from traditional Korean motifs.

Korea's World of Fashion 4 An-OveiView of Modem Fashion in Korea joo Seong-hee

10 Textile l;ndustry in the 21st Century · ]eon Sang-ryeol Fashion Collections and Designers· Lee Hye-joo Fashion Korea · Sol Hyun-jung Introducing Korean Fashion to the World: Its Successes, Failures and Future· Yuk Eun:foo

34 FOCUS

New Korean Gallery at the National Museum of Asian Arts-Guimet Pierre Cambon KOREANA Internet Wetisite http://www.kf.or.kr/koreana

The British Museum's Korea Foundation Gallery jane Portal

© The Korea Foundation 2001 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without the prior permission of the Korea Foundation.

The opinions expressed by the authors do not necessarily represent those of the editors of KOREANA or the Korea Foundation.

KOREANA, registered as a quarterly magazine with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism (Registration No. Ba-1033, dated Aug. 8, 1987), is also published in Chinese'and Spanish.

46 INTERVIEW

Architect Shin Young-hoon Shim ]ae-ryong

51 TRADITIONAL ARTISAN

ParkJung-ja: Dancheong Artisan Lee Hyoung-kwon

56 ON THE ROAD

Traveling the Coastal Roads of the East Sea Kim]oo-young

64

KOREANA

MARKETS

Notable Markets ofBusan

Published quarterly by The Korea Foundation 13 76-1 Seocho 2-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul137-072 , Korea

Lee Byung-chul

70

PUBLISHER

CUISINE

Lee In-ho

Ssam

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Koo Chun-sur

Sa Boo-sung EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

73

ParkJeong-yeop

LIVING

ART DIRECTOR

Traditional Papercrafts

Park Seung-u

Kim Sam-ki

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

78

EDITORIAL BOARD

Kim Young-uk

Han Myung-hee, John Holstein,

DISCOVERING KOREA

Kim Hwa·young, Kim Moon-hwan,

Korea's Spring Flowers

Lee Chong-suk, Shim Jae-ryong, Yu Hong-june

Kim Young-rae

SUBSCRIPTIONS

84

Price for annual subscription: Korea W18,000, overseas US$30, Asia

NATIONAL TREASURE

by air USS37, elsewhere by air US$39.

Price per issue in Korea W4,;oo

Stone Pagoda of Bunhwangsa Temple Lee Won-bok

Subscription/Circulation Correspondence: OVERSEAS

86

The Korea Foundation ' 13 76-1 Seocho 2-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul137-072 , Korea

ART REVIEW

King Jeongjo and his Reign of Culture

Tel: 82-2-3463-5684 Fax: 82-2-3463-6086

Kim Moon-sik

DOMESTIC

Myung-Hwa Sa

Jang Seung-eop, the Joseon Dynasty's Last Great Painter

C.P.O. Box 7852, Seoul Tel: 82-2-2274-;443 Fax: 82-2-2274,7822

]in]un-hyeon

ADVERTISING

AD DAEHAN MAEIL CO. Room ll330, Seoul Bldg, 6-11 Hoehyeon-dong, 2-ga, Jung-gu, Seoul Tel: 82-2-776-7450 - 1 Fax: 82-2-756-7450

Kim Y oo-)ung his Works 92 Kim y oo-)ung ancl ;eon Shin]ae

Sprmg, Spril\g

By Kin1 y oo-jung

94

lAYOUT & DESIGN

Art Space Korea Co. , Ltd. 31 Shingyo-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul Tel: 82-2-734-7181 Fax: 82-2-737-9377 Printed in March 2001 by Samsung Moonwha Printing Co. 167-29, Hwayang-dong, Seongdong-gu, Seoul Tel: 82-2-468-0361/5

An Overview of Modem Fashion in Korea Joo Seong-hee Professor of Fashion Design, Hansung University

o understand the fashion of Korea, it is necessary to first examine what led to the demise of traditional Korean society and how modernization took hold throughout the country at the turn of the 20th century. Without a historical understanding of these social circumstances it would be difficult to picture and comprehend how Korean fashion was established and transformed over the years.

For this survey, developments in the 20th century history of Korean society have been broken down into five chronological phases. The first phase covers the period of opening and enlightenment, from 1880 to 1910; the second , the period of Japanese colonial

T

rule, from 1910-1945; the third, the period from national liberation in 1945 to the 1960s; the fourth, the period from 1961] 988; and the last, from 1988 to the pre

~ ent.

Period of Opening The forced opening of Korea's ports in 1876 proved a devastating blow to the 500-year-old isolationist Joseon Dynasty, as contact with Western civilization provided momentum for the development of a modern consciousness among its people, who had been under a feudalistic system. The progressive-minded, most of whom had been exposed to Western life through overseas travel, appealed to the king for various reforms including changes in styles of dressing. In response to this, King Gojong agreed to implement reforms to simplify traditional clothing in 1894, and then ordered all men to cut off their traditional topknot and adopt Western hairstyles. Western-style military uniforms Were also adopted in 1895. In 1899, the attire of diplomats was converted to Western-style garments, with government officials following suit the next year. Whereas men's dress underwent drastic reform under government decree, women's fashion experienced a more gradual and autonomous change.

Not long after the opening of Korea's ports, several women returned to Korea from extended stays abroad. Among

them, Yun Go-ra, the daughter of Kim Yun-jeong and the wife of Yun Chi-o, returned in 1899 donning an entirely new look that marked the beginning of Western-style fashion in Kor~a-n Sline art-nouveau style dress that was in vogue in Europe at the time, silk socks and low-heeled pumps, a hat decorated with ribbons and feathers, and carrying a parasol.

Whereas the modern dress code the government adopted following the 1894 Gabo Reforms had very little impact except in the military sector, the embrace of Western women's fashion was rather remarkable. After the "topknot cutting" order, King Gojong's mot~er Queen Eom began to wear Western-style dress.

When medical doctor Park Esther returned to Korea from her medical studies in the United States in 1900, she wore a Western-style ens ~ mble comprising a blouse and puff-sleeve jacket that was quite different from the S-line dresses of Yun Go-ra and Queen Eom. Following the 1905 Protectorate Treaty with Japan, ways to reform the traditional hanbok were discussed while notable changes were brought about by the modern educators at Ewha Girls' School. First, the girls' head cape was abolished while the missionary school administrators tailored the traditional jacket and skirt in reddish Russian cotton into Korea's first school uniform.

The length of the hanbok jacket was extended around this time as well. With the head cape gone, women began to ~ Also at take more interest in hairstyle this time, the pompadour was introduced, gaining wide popularity among students. Parasols also began to replace head capes, and though not in overwhelming numbers, Western-style shoes began to be worn.

Japanese Colonial Period With the 1910 declaration of Japan's annexation of Korea, the country became a Japanese colony with the efforts for "autonomous modernization" initiated in the previous enlightenment period taking on a decidedly nationalistic slant. Suppressed and embittered under Japan's colonial rule, many Koreans sought asylum overseas. Then, with the end of the World War I in 1918, the doctrine of self-determination of nations gained¡ currency, leading to the outbreak of independence movements in various countries around the world. Against this backdrop, King Gojong's dethroning provided the impetus for the March 1, 1919 Independence Movement. Amid intense fervor to regain Korea's lost independence, it became the trend to wear the traditional hanbok rather than Western-style clothing.

On the other hana, thanks to increased educational opportunities, sig-

nificant changes occurred in women's ways of thinking, which enabled them to seek new roles in Korean society. In particular, women became a more visible economic force, which directly affected their sense of values. Women's organizations and the press pointed out that despite the traditional beauty of hanbok, it was often not practical for social activity, and thus they called for abolition of the long head cape and radical design alterations to the traditional dress. Encouraged by such campaigns, working women and students began to wear much longer jackets, and by the 1920s, the right-below-the-chest length short jacket had almost disappeared.

Since 1905, women's organizations had beep recommending various changes ~o improve hanbok's practicality such as lengthening the jacket and replacing the wrap skirt with a seamless one-piece skirt. The new skirt, its length shortened to show the ankles, came into being in the 1910s as girls' school uniforms. Also pointed out as an inconvenience of the traditional wrap skirt was its waistline, which fell above the bustline and had to be tied tight to remain in place. In 1914, Miss Walter, a teacher at Ewha Girls' School, designed a new skirt with straps and sewn seams.

The use of such straps spread quickly around the nation, with straps being attached not only to the new skirt but to

the traditional wrap skirt as well. The length of the new skirt began to be shortened in the 1910s, falling slightly above the ankles at first, then in the 1920s, with the growing popularity of the Western-style dress, the hemline went up all the way to the knees. Socks and Western-style shoes were worn with the new shorter skirts but they were also matched with the traditional beoseon (padded socks) and gomusin (rubber shoes). It is interesting to note that hairstyle, shoes and ~ces­ sories were the first to change with the emergence of the new mode of dress.

The wind ofWestemization was smprisingly speedy and strong in women's wear. The first Korean woman in a Westem dress, 1918 (above).

Below from the left: King Gojong in gvngnyongpo, a formal royal robe; the queen in wonsam, a formal royal dress; Princess Deokhye in dangui, a semi-formal royal dress; a woman in typical daily wear in the late 19th century, with a belt hiding the waistband of the skirt and the long skirt ribbons hanging low.

Photographs from this period show that women's jackets, two-piece and . one-piece dresses and men's suits influenced by Western-style trtiloring had gained considerable acceptance. The most common Western-style dress was the one-piece, the S-line silhouette replaced by the empire style in the 1910s. Hemlines rose from a floor-length hemline to above the ankles in 1918.

The early style of a tight, thin waist with a smooth hipline and long train was replaced during the 1910s by slightly flared or A-line skirts with a higher waistline.

Women's fashion of the 1920s initially included some ornamental elements, but later in the decade, ornaments began to disappear, the silhouette became a straighter line, and the hemline gradually rose from the ankles all the way to the knees in 1928.

Yun Sim-deok, Korea's first woman with a degree in Western music and first female recording artist, wore a straight-line onepiece dress and a straight, cropped hairstlye at the time she recorded "Singing Praise of Death."

Along with the first Western-style tailored look, the long dress was still worn, but was soon replaced with a combination of laced high-neck blouse and long skirt with slight flare. The hats also went from a cape-line look to canotier style. Women's clothing items expanded to include one-piece dresses, jackets, sweaters and various styles of skirts during the 1920s, while capes also became popular along with coats.

Sportswear, swimwear and the handbag were also introduced during this period.

In the 1930s, more variety was added to the color schemes as a feminine look became fashionable. Flare skirts, blouses and one-piece dresses were generally worn, with the raglan sleeve being popular. }here was also greater variety in the style of shoes while sandals were introduced and carrying handbags became more common.

From Liberation to the 1960s

Under wartime regulations toward the end of the Japanese colonial era, hair permanents and all luxury clothing were prohibited, replaced with the designated "simple dress" and the loose pants, momppe. Western-style tailoring was on the decline as an austere military style emerged Immediately following national liberation, despite the newfound freedom from Japanese rule, Korea suffered from a severe shottage of commodities, while women continued to wear mili-

tary-style blouses, skirts and one-piece dresses. As stability returned, women's clothing again got on the track of Westernization, but with the outbreak of the Korean War in 1950, women's fashion went through another period of stagnation. However, even during the war, foreign clothing fabric that made its way into the country by way of the black market was highly sough~ with vel~ which had been introduced earlier, becoming very fashionable. Nylon was introduced during this time and became especially popular in the post-war years.

It was considered a symbol of sophistication, and used even for undetwear and socks. Because nylon was not locally manufactured at the time, it was viewed as a luxury item. During the war, flare skirts and suits of nylon were also thought stylish. .

In 1956, Korea's first fashion show was staged Reactions to Norano's show at the Donghwa Depattment Store were mostly "strange" and "curious." Nonetheless, with this show Norano emerged as the forerunner of modern Korean fashion while shows by Seo Su-jeong and Choi Gyeong-ja (currently chairperson of the International Fashion Institute) soon followed, generating much enthusiasm among the fashion industry. At that time, there was only one woman's magazine, Yeoseonggye (Women's World), in Korea. And with its inclusion of "Yeowon" (Women's Garden), the fash-

ion spread was thus introduced to Korean magazines, giving a huge boost to the promotion of fashion in Korea.

Modified hanbok was still widel)r worn, but new trends were also introduced and gained popularity, including the flare skitts influenced by Christian Dior's New Look Style, the H-line, the A-line, the sack dress and the empire line. Tight-fitting one-piece dresses also debuted, but dresses with wide flare or ample gathering were favored for everyday wear. Skitts were generally long, mostly pleated, gathered or flared, but after the mid1950s, the tight-skirt ¡suit became common, in various different styles. In the late 1950s, the slim style came into vogue, replacing previous styles with a slim or tight skirt Later, with the introduction of the spindle line, French-sleeve blouses were worn in spring and fall with sweaters or vests.

Military-style suits with square padding remained popular until the rnid-1950s, when, with the gradual emergence of the French-sleeve style, suits took on a feminine look, with an accentuated waistline and a rather high hemline. One of the most popular items at this time was the coat Overcoats were worn even with hanbok, and to prevent wrinkles on the bow-silhouette hanbok sleeves, the sleeves of the coat were tailored in a similar style. Flare._ and box-style coats were preferred, with collars being shawl, tailored and

wing. Mambo pants became chic with the popularity of the mambo dance, while such fashion items as sandals, stiletto heels, handbags and gloves were also trendy.

From 1961 to 1988 Nationwide television broadcasts were launched in 1956, and with the second phase of the Five- Year Economic Development Plan (1962-1971) under way, the nation's economy grew rapidly, resulting in improved living standards and eventually, an increased interest in fashion.

With the development of Korea's textile industry, women emerged as an indispensable labor resource, increasing the demand (or practical workplace clothing and thereby creating the need for ready-to-wear clothing, the foundation of any fashion industry.

In the West, fashion in the 1960s was dominated by the mini-skirt and the futuristic space look, which also made their way to Korea. Up to the early 1960s, Korean fashion consisted mostly of copying what was popular overseas, such as the simple quarter-sleeve coat and the Chane! suit with a round neckline, which was popular in the late 1960s. From the late 1960s, however, a pioneering group of designers began holding fashion shows in an effort to solidify the foundation of Korean fashion. The hectic, complicated lifestyle

made synthetic fibers popular with the public, worn in mostly achromti~ colors, along with the use of bright patterns and vivid colors such as blue, red, yellow and green. Hot pants and the mini-skirt became trendy while futuristic designs with simple, geometric patterns were introduced during this period as part of the minimalist style in fashion that arrived from the West In the 1970s, the spread of the pants suit was one of the results of the women's liberation movement all over the world, and thanks to its practicality it became a popular choice for people of all ages and nationalities. The pants suit with a tailored jacket and low-

Queen Eom, the second wife of King Gojong, dressed in Western attire (opposite page, top).

From the left: Exceptionally long skirts and the chignon hairstyle marked women's fushion in the 1930s; fushion of "enlightened women" around 1940; baggy work pants characterized women's wear in the days near the end of World War II; a one-piece dress with a slim, elegant silhouette, 195 5; three-quarter-length sleeves enhance the femininity of this dress, 1957; vest and skirt, 1958; a one-piece dress featuringasash, 1959.

¡-

heeled shoes became the uniform of the working woman, and with the pop- ularity of this masculine look, men's fashion items, such as theâ&#x20AC;˘ trench coat, tailored suit, the dress shirt and tie, were adapted to women's fashion.

The three-piece suit and the pantaloon suit of the mid-1970s were worn with high-heeled pumps. Bell-bottom pants, the _most popular fad of this period, had such flared bottoms that a tight skirt could be cut from just one pants leg. As pants legs got wider, the lapels of men's jackets and ties were also widened. The ideal physique of this period was the androgynous type, with a flat chest and pretty boy looks.

In the 1980s, Korean society became more open, diverse and international.

As such, there was a renewed interest in the traditional, information from overseas was more readily accessible thanks to developments in telecommunications, and overseas travel was liberalized, while various international events such as the 1986 Asian Games and the 1988 Summer Olympics were held in Korea. In design, traditional culture came to the fore in the mid-1980s as fashion designers began to develop new looks based on traditional Korean aesthetics. During this decade, a softer silhouette was added to the wide-shoulder, V-line look of the late 1970s while a retro style also emerged, with long, flare, gathered, frill or shirring skirts,

blouses, wide pants and huge puffed sleeves.

From 1988 to the Present

Retro-style suits that emphasize fetnininity represented a major trend in Korean fashion in the late 1980s, with the popularity of practical yet stylish fashion continuing on into the 1990s.

Minimalism, with its simplified forms and silhouettes, re-emerged in the early 1990s, quickly gaining favor in the mid1990s. The red knit two-piece dress and the one-piece both highlight the curves of the body with simple lines. Sin Janggyeong's simple one-piece stresses femininity, whereas Son Jung-wan's suit expresses simplicity and controlled form ~ Icinoo's design features geometrical f0nns that do not restrain the body.

Minimalist expressions were found no!_ ¡ani y in the overall silhouettes but also in partial forms and ornaments. In the early 1990s, the zipper, which had been used mostly for sportswear, found its way into women's suits, along with new styles such as a collarless variation of the round neckline and the strapless neckline that revealed the shoulders also appearing.

In the late 1990s, these simplification and minimalist trends were applied to the use of buttons and other ornaments.

Buttons were hidden under inner lapels to create a sleek, clean silhouette while the minimalist look was accentuated by

doing without pockets or any other details or trinuning. This minimalist influence was seen in the designs of Giorgio Armani, Calvin Klein, Donna Karan and Prada, whose styles were adopted by designers in Korea. This trend led to the bare midriff look and designs such as tnicro pants, created with knit, spandex, Lycra and other fabrics. Hot pants and the one-piece tnini dress with shoulder straps are also examples of the minimalist geme. The length of pants also got shatter, with the capti and cropped-style pants becoming popular. The hip-hop style, the most popular look of the younger generation in the 1990s, spread around the world along with American hip-hop music, while more than ever, celebrities had a tremendous impact on adolescent fashion trends. The basics of the hip-hop style include a T-shirt and baggy pants, hip-buggers worn several sizes too large, with belts hanging low and the waistline folded over to expose the underwear.

The 1990s also saw a flurry of activities among local designers. Jin Te-ok and other leading designers formed the SFAA (Seoul Fashion Attist Association) to present their annual collections. These designers are also at the forefront of pioneering the overseas market, by participating in the Paris Fret-a-Porter Collection, the Tokyo Mode shows and others, with creations based on the Korean image. Veteran designer Andre Kim has carved out a place of his own in

the international marketplace. The art-towear exhibitions that have been staged as part of the Gwangju Biennale have also played an in1portant role in ¡presenting new directions for Korean fashion.

In the 1990s, futuristic materials became prevalent, including glossy, lame and vinyl fabrics. Combined with other materials or a high-tech synthetic coating, these fabrics integrate the duality of nature and technology. Brands targeting the younger generation and mainstream designers use these special fabrics and silver tones to create a 21st century look

The International Stage With the dawning of the 21st century, the task of moving onto the international fashion stage has become a key issue for Korean designers. Designers who have been striving to interweave the latest trends in modern fashion and the aesthetics of traditional Korean dress have opened up many doors for the next generation. In particular, to develop a more unique Korean look that is recognizable on the international stage, the most important task is to establish distinctive Korean images which can be developed into marketable, commercial fashion products.

First of all, to create unique Korean images, designers must renew their interest in and conduct research into the many different styles of traditional

Korean clothing. They must broaden their application of traditional attire, including such clothing items as baeja (woman's waÂŁstcoat) and magoja (jacket worn over upper garments), accessories such as jobawi (woman's winter hat with earflaps), ayam (woman's fur cap), and toshi (muff), and also decorative techniques such as traditional knotmaking and quilting. In addition, not only the external forms but also the internal framework of traditional Korean design should be utilized.

Framework affects not only the external form of clothing but also its color arrangement and the use of patterns-in fact it is among the most distinguishing factors of ethnicity and other cultural characteristics. Another factor that should be applied to contemporary design is the method of dressing, layering ansi creating different items of clothing, siilce it is only when clothing has bee11 put on the body that it starts to come¡ alive. Extensive research into the color schemes and forms of traditional attire through pictures and photographs is also important, but actually making these clothing items from scratch will also help today's designers to appreciate the spirit behind their development, thereby providing inspiration for new and innovative designs.

We can see from Japanese designers such as Issey Miyake and Ray Kawakubo, who created new fashion

trends by presenting brand new ways of designing clothes, just how essential methods of wearing and construction are to developing creative designs. .

Second, to increase the added value of Korean fashion, a delicate balance between uniquely Korean characteristics and contemporary fashion trends must be sought through research, while designs need to be varied according to target consumers and function. The psychological and environmental background of the target group must be taken into consideration, not to mention their changing values and lifestyles. In terms of marketing, to compete with foreign brands, a clear differentiation must be evident vis-a-vis rival products, in both product quality and pricing. +

From the left: Tight slacks of this style were nicknamed mambo pants, 1960; a flared coat, snug skirt and a velveteen over-blouse, 1962; a jacket with back vent and tight skirt (left) and a princess line jacket (right), 1964; DoJae-eun, a fashion model, Yeowon, 1967; YunJong-ok, a fashion model, Yeowon, 1969; a one-piece dress with colorful print and a sporty pantaloon suit; a double-breasted tailored jacket with a masculine look.

From Major Exporter to Textile Power

Textile Industry in the 21st Century Jeon Sang-ryeol Chief Editor, The Korea Textile News

hat shape will Korea's textile industry take in the 21st century? Many people wonder whether it will remain the unglamorous workhorse that helped propel Korea's economic development in years past In truth, there is both optimism and pessimism about Korea's textile industry and for this reason it is not so easy to predict what will happen in the future.

At the moment the industry is struggling valiantly to survive. Externally, the industry has been dealt a heavy blow as China and many Southeast Asian countries increasingly capture a greater share of the market. Internally, it has been caught up in the vortex of industrial restructuring. Thus, Korea's textile industry finds itself on the horns of a dilemma. Though Korea may be fourth in the world in terms of textile exports behind China, Italy and Germany, this is a ranking that is as toothless as a dog that has lost its bite.

The production cost for Korean textiles is higher than the cost for products of equivalent quality from Southeast Asia and because of this declining competitiveness buyers are increasingly losing interest in Korean textiles. Moreover, the excessive competition between domestic producers has resulted in a nowin situation for the industry. The most common problem is a snowballing of unpaid accounts. This is typical of an industry structure that relies heavily on mass production rather than the development of new materials and high-quali-

W

10

ty products. But even today there are few signs of efforts to reform this ineffective structure.

Korea's textile industry is the proverbial dinosaur who is unable to adapt to a fast-changing international environment In reality, the Korean textile industry is ¡suffering from a serious illness under the guise of being a major exporter. Under the circumstances, it seems irrational to regard textiles as a strategic industry for the 21st century. In particular, there is a serious lack of awareness of the urgency of the situation.

Early this year, the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy announced that Korea's trade volume would reach an estimated $333 billion for 2000. Of this amount, exports were projected at $172.6 billion and imports at $160.4 billion, resulting in a trade surplus of $12.2 billion. But if textiles are excluded from the trade figures, there would be no surplus at all; in fac~ there would be a deficit.

According to the ministry's statistics, textile exports for 2000 amounted to $18.5 billion, which produced a trade surplus of $13.1 billion. This means that if textile exports were not counted in the nation's trade results, there would have been a trade deficit of some $900 million. The uncertainty of gains in the much-touted IT industry, including semiconductors and electronics, means that textiles remains the industry that truly can create and maintain national wealth.

Driving Force of Economy The textile industry has been the driving force behind Korea's economic development thus far. The launch of the modern Korean economy can be traced back to the establishment of the first five-year economic development plan in the early 1%0s. At the core of this plan was the promotion of export industries, with the textile industry being a top priority. For the next four decades the textile industry was the engine which powered Korea's economic development, while spawning numerous other industries over the years.

Textiles became the first domestic industry to achieve $10 billion in exports in 1987, a remarkable feat for Korea back then. Confidence in the industry was such that $20 billion in textile exports were forecast to be reached in the early 1990s. At the time this seemed a realistic goal with all those in the industry having high hopes for the future.

But this rosy outlook began to wither by the early 1990s. The emphasis on .high-volume production, which had been the backbone of the industry in the past, now became its major stumbling block The manufacture of inexpensive clothing, which relied on the availability of low-wage manpower, had reached its limit and the same was true for synthetic textiles and polyester

goods.

The Korean industry, having overlooked qualitative improvement, now found itself in a losing battle with China

Textiles for luxwywomen's clothing made of ultra-fine microfibers

and the nations of Southeast Asia which were aggressively advancing into markets with a low-price offensive. Amid the ruthless competition of world trade, the Korean textile industry began to crumble with seemingly little resistance, a trend that is continuing today due to the limitations of volume-based production and neglect of efforts to enhance quality.

On the surface, over the past 40 years the Korean textile industry has grown to become the fourth-largest exporter in the world But in spite of this success, its competitiveness ¡in the world market is now steadily deteriorating. The turning point came sometime around 1987.

Textile exports, which had always enjoyed double-digit annual growth, slowed noticeably to single-digit growth around 1987, even seeing some years of negative growth. Moreover, the industry was at a loss as to how to stop this downward trend As evidence of the decline of the textile industry, the $20 billion export target set for the 1990s has yet to be realized though we are ah¡eady in the 21st century. It is thus clear that the industry is now standing at a critical crossroads.

In Korea, "Textile Day" is annually celebrated on November 11 to commemorate the historic day in 1987 when the textile industry became the first domestic industry to achieve $10 billion in exports. Textile Day activities include a wide variety of events intended to highlight the significance of Korea's textile industry.

One of the most meaningful events of Textile Day 2000 was a forum entitled "Directions for the Korean Textile Industry in the 21st Century." Held at the Textile Center on November 9, the forum provided a timely opportunity to assess the textile industry's potential as a strategic industry for Korea in the 21st century. There was consensus that textiles represented an essential strategic industry for Korea, while the industry's promising future was reflected in target projections of exports of $23 billion, 12

imp01ts of $8 billion and a textile industry trade surplus of $15 billion by 2010.

Milano Project

The success or failure of the Milano Project could determine the survival of the Korean textile industry. The ultimate goal of this project is not only to restore the Korean textile industry to its former glory but also to have the sector be reborn as a national strategic industry.

As such, the central governm~ textile industry and local governments are all joining hands in support of this rebuilding effort.

The Milano Project represents the most

ambitious undertaking in the history of the Korean textile industry as the first textile industry development program to be implemented by the industry as well as central and local governments. The Milano Project was first mentioned during the 1997 presidential campaign. At the time, all the candidates declared that the textile sector would be a strategic industry for the 21st century and promised, if elected, to provide full support for its development. It was thus evident that promotion of the textile industry would be a priority policy issue no matter who was elected.

The Milano Project is a large-scale

undertaking that calls for an investment of some 680 billion won ($530 million) over the five-year period from 1999 to 2003 to reinvigorate the textile industry in Daegu and the surrounding Gyeongsangbuk-do province. Through balanced development of the dyeing and weaving sectors along with fashion and apparel, the key focus of the project is to transform Daegu into a leading textile center of Asia.

This year marks the third year since the start of the Milano

Project. There are 17 programs under way as part of . the project which are expected to yield tangible results from this year. Most noteworthy at this stage are the activities of the New Textile Products Development Center and the Textile Information Service Center which are operated by the Korea Textile Development Institute and Korea Dyeing Technology Center, respectively, as well as the Korea Dyeing and Service Center.

The New Textile Products Develop-

ment Center has already commenced production of a previously developed composite synthetic fiber and from the latter half of this year will pursue development and production of new products. The Textile Information Service Center, which was launched in the second half of 2000, will step up its dissemination of information, in terms of quality and responsiveness to user needs.

Meanwhile, the Dyeing Application Center and Knit Factory will soon begin their full-scale operation as

support and development centers.

The Korea Textile and Fashion Institute, which is responsible for the cultivation of quality human resources for the industry, is also playing an active role in the Milano Project. The school has expanded from five departments of study at the end of 2000 to nine this year while intensifying its education of students from March this year. The Daegu Fashion Design Center, which moved into a new building at the end of 2000, implemented a structural reorgani-

zation in the beginning of the year and is now undertaking a wide variety of projects for the promotion of fashion information, development information, forums and exhibitions.

The Daegu Fashion Apparel Valley project is gathering momentum as well.

The government has again allocated 70 billion won in funding this year, as it did last year, and it is now waiting for the participation of the Daegu city government and the textile industry itself.

In addition, the Korean government has officially announced that it will develop the textile industry as a national strategic industry and identified specific tasks to be

pursued for its growth and development. The Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy has enacted special legislation to this end and secured needed funding for full-scale support of the industry. The four major tasks for developing the industry as announced by the government include development of industrial textiles, revitalization of the fashion design industry, regional specialization of the industry, and active utilization of electronic commerce.

As for the development of industrial textiles, an overall plan will be prepared, based on a report on technological innovation in industrial textiles being prepared by the New Textile Products

Development Center, under which technical development will be systematically undertaken.

The government places much importance on industrial textiles as a high value-added industry with an annual growth of 4 percent in international demand. By 2005, global demand for industrial textiles is expected to reach 13.69 million tons. Industrial textiles account for over 60 percent of the total textile volume produced in advanced countries, whereas in Korea textiles for clothing accounts for 80 percent of overall production, underscoring the need to build up this sector.

As for breathing new life into the fashion design industry, efforts will be focused on enhancing the quality of Korean fashion through the staging of major shows such as the Seoul Collection that were held as part of the ASEM activities last year. There are also plans for the strategic marketing of Korean brands.

To bolster regional specialization, along with the Milano Project, the development of joint academic-industry research facilities is being actively pursued in the capital area. In addition, a knit dyeing research institute will be established in Jeollabuk-do province and ' ' a silk product development and support center in Jinju, as examples of regional specialization. An information exchange network for textile businesses will also be created.

Plans for the textile industry's adoption of electronic commerce will focus on completion of the Quick Response (QR) project that began in 1998 and having it linked with a B2B electronic commerce network. Toward this end, the Textile and Fashion Electronic Commerce Association will be formed to facilitate both online and off-line business transactions.

Source of National Wealth A new beginning is envisioned for the textile industry in the 21st century, as no other domestic industry is as well13

positioned to generate national wealth.

The textile industry recorded a trade surplus of $10 billion for the first time in 1987 and this figure has lJeen growing ever since. From 1988 to 1993 it recorded annual surplus amounts of $10 billion, from 1994 to 1996 $11 billion, and from 1997 $12 billion. In 2000, the figure reached $13 billion.

A breakdown of the surplus in textile trade reveals how the industry has evolved. In the 1980s, clothing and other products accounted for 80 percent of the surplus, however in the 1990s, polyester products and other synthetic textiles represented a 70 percent share. This indicates that the Korean textile industry is being rapidly transformed from a downstream industry based on clothing to an upper- and middle-stream industry centered on fibers and textiles.

Nevertheless, structural deficiencies are evident throughout the industry.

The most serious problem is a bottleneck in the production structure that disrupts the flow from fiber to textile and from textile to final products.

Moreover, the manufacturing base for the consumption of fibers and textiles is very weak while the clothing industry has yet to advance beyond OEM-based exports.

In the 21st century, the industry and government authorities are going all-out to resolve these structural shortcomings and laying the groundwork for another industry take-off. The first task being tackled is the establishment of a solid foundation capable of strengthening the competitiveness of Korea's clothing and fashion industry and overcoming the bottleneck in the production system to ensure a smooth flow from raw material to final products. Also, by establishing a Quick Response system and closer cooperation among sectors to improve consistency, expanded domestic consumption will benefit the entire industry.

To ensure that the textile industry is reborn as a strategic 21st century indus14

try, it will be imperative to realize the various goals set for 2010. In this light, the most urgent issues are enhancing the competitiveness of and establishing a solid foundation for the fashion and clothing industry. The Milano Project and projects to promote specialized industries in Jinju and Jeollabuk-do are no more than a means to support textile industry development in certain areas.

In this ligh~ there is an urgent need to upgrade the fashion industry's competitiveness, which has been declining since the 1990s.

The Korean clothing industry is concentrated in the Seoul area with 850 of the nation's 1,120 clothing factories being located in and around the capital, as of 1999. It is thus irrational'to expect meaningful results from any policy to promote the textile industry that ignores this fact past and presIn the East and Wes~ ent, human life has always centered around the basic needs of food, clothing and shelter. Of these needs, clothing has always been of special significance to Koreans, as evidenced by a Korean saying that "one's clothes are one's wings."

This attention to dressing properly helps to explain the importance of Korea's textile industry.

Indeed, the value of Korea's textile industry cannot be overemphasized.

This is not only because it was once the engine of Korea's economic growth but also because its revitalization will be a standard which determines Korea's attainment of advanced nation status.

The advanced nations of the world are invariably textile powers. This includes Japan, the United States, Italy, France and Germany, which are leading exporters as well as textile powers.

As such, the textile industry should be recognized and promoted as a national strategic industry. What has to be done is for the government to take the lead along with the private sector and local governments working cooperatively for the further development of this vital industry. + 15

area's fashion industry has an extremely promising future. In particular, the ranks of its talented designers continue to swell, while they constantly present their creations at fashion shows, large and small, which also serve as channels for receiving objective input about their originality and creativity.

Not every nation in the world fosters fashion designers, and not all the coun-

K

tries with fashion designers hold regular collections. Fortunately, Korea's fashion industry is riding on a wave of favorable developments. At least five organizations stage regular collections while more than one hundred designers hold fashion shows. Korea is also the only country in the entire Asia-Pacific region where world-renowned fashion magazines such as Vogue, Bazaar and Elle enjoy such successful licensed business.

Indeed, Korea is not just a shopping par-

Fashion Collections &'Designers Lee Hye-joo Vice Editor, Vogue Korea

adise overflowing with imported goods; it is a country with a rich environment for producing global fashion designers.

As evidence of this, all manner of fashion shows are presented regularly in Korea. Several large-scale group fashion shows, and individual designer collections are staged mainly in March and April, and in September and October.

Among the major group shows are the Seoul Fashion Artist Association (SFAA) Collection, held regularly for more than a decade, the New Wave Collection inaugurated seven years ago, the Seoul Collection started last season, the Seoul International Fashion Collection (SIFAC), sponsored by a TV network, and the Korea Fashion Designers Association (I(fDA) Collection organized by designers of formal wear.

SFAA Collection

The SFAA Collection is presented by Korea's representative veteran designers.

Twelve of Korea's most influential designers, as well as two newcomers,

participate in the collections. The designers of the SF AA Collection include Jin Te-ok, Bakangchi, Sul Yunhyuong, Oh Eun-whan, Haneza, 1\ubina, Park Youn-soo, Lee Sang-bong, Chang Kwang-hyo, Kim Chul-ung, Son Jungwan, Kim Sun-ja, Park Dong-jun, and Bae Yong. The most prominent member of this group is Jin Te-ok, the godmother of Korean designers, who imbues her collections with Oriental sentiments amid an avant-garde spirituality. Jin used to present regular collections in Paris, and has been widely described in the media as Korea's lead - designer. Her use of black and white, three-dimensional tailoring, and portrayal of restraint with sublime significance, are all part and parcel of her unique charisma. Sul Yun-hyuong is another designer who uses traditional Korean , motifs to express Korean sentiments.

Compared to Jin, Sul applies more direct methods to portray Korean elements, often utilizing Oriental embroidery, and prints of traditional ink and folk paint-

C

~!ilt3J

~

ings, as well as the more vivid colors associated with Korea. Her creations are trendy and modern, with Korean elements incorporated into the details or fabric prints.

Oh Eun-whan is noted for her exceptional fabric techniques. She is an expert in dyeing and creating new fabrics, the medium she relies on to maintain her originality. Haneza also occupies an important position in Korea's fashion industry as a designer who has been presenting collections since the late 1970s. Notable among her creations are elegant and chic evening dresses, characterized by long, lean silhouettes and sleek glossy fabrics. She plans to open a boutique in New York's SoHo district in March this year and is thus busy with preparations to actively advance into the New York fashion market. Rubina is a fashion modelturned-designer. She invariably receives much praise for her easy-to-wear, yet trendy designs. She is particularly talented at mixing and matching materials

Of particular note among this group are Lee Kyung-won, a knitwear designer, and Woo Yong-mi, who designs menswear. Lee Kyung-won, a designer specializing exclusively in knits, came to introduce her collections by launching her own line after working as a PR representative for the knitwear industry. She presents attractive and charming knitwear based on diverse themes, which at times look as though they might be st raight out of Barbie's wardrobe, while others could be your mother's vintage outfits.

and colors to present highly stylish looks and has recently created a sensa. tion by presenting an ingenious line of outfits adapted from those¡ of her days as a model, taking advantage of the predominant retro trend.

Park Youn-soo always prefers dynamic walking and exciting live music to inject vitality into the presentation of his collections. Marked by vivid colors and modern fittings, his collections are also noted for their Western and androgynous characteristics. Lee Sang-bong, another male designer, presents collections ¡always brimming with a wide range of creative ideas. He stages entertaining fashion shows that feature magic acts and live performances, while his line of clothing incorporates details just as interesting. He sometimes combines vinyl and other materials with natural fabrics, and creates artistic dresses characterized by bias cuts. It would not be an exaggeration to call the aforementioned designers, all of who have been working Designer SonJung-wan and fashion models walk down the catwalk to the applause of the audience at the end of their Spring/Summer 2001 SFAA Collections show (above).

Passionate Latin American motifS and decorative Baroque elements characterized Rubina's Spring/Summer 2001 SFAA Collections (left).

Lee Kyung-won's knitwear show in the NWIS Spring/Summer 2001 Collections (right).

actively in the business since the 1970s, the living history of Korea's fashion industry: New Wave in Seoul (NWIS) The New Wave in Seoul Collection was started in the mid-1990s by a younger generation of designers.

Although they are now mid-career designers, they continue to live up to the name, New Wave, with their unending experiments and search for new venues to show their collections.

together the various organizations so that the Seoul Collection might be able to join the ranks of the Big Five-the New York, London, Milan, Paris, and Tokyo Collections. Although it failed to incorporate all the groups in its first collections, it nevertheless succeeded in bringing together many distinguished

Several large-scale group fashion shows, and individual designer collections are staged mainly in March and April, and in September and October. Among the m"ajor group shows are the Seoul¡Fashion Artist Association (SFAA) Collection, held regularly for more than a decade, the New ~

Menswear designer Woo Yong-mi currently exports her clothing all over Europe after presenting them at Pret-aPorter Collections. Her suits, as well as casual wear, are based on modern designs and sensational color combinations. She stages fashion shows that are as entertaining as those for women's apparel, despite the restricted variety of menswear. Park Choon-moo, who creates a line with a Zen style, markets her own Demoo label. She is an internationally active designer who operates a boutique in SoHo, New York and a marketing agency in Paris. Of note, Park strives to create a unique design world of highly minimalist and avant-garde clothing that retains Oriental propriety.

Seoul Collection

The Seoul Collection was inaugurated last year as an effort to consolidate the many collections that are held in Korea, each aspiring to become a major international collection. It seeks to bring

z

Wave Collection inaugurated seven years ago, the Seoul Collection started last season, the Seoul International Fashion Collection (SIFAC), sponsored by a TV network, and the Korea Fashion Designers Association (KFDA) Collection organized by designers offormal wear.

designers who had been showing their collections separately. To achieve its goal of becoming Korea's representative collections and gaining international recognition, it plans to hold Seoul Collection shows immediately following those of the Big Five while actively soliciting international buyers. It also intends to invite the international media so that the Seoul Collection can

Woo Yong-mi showed simple but trendy men's apparel in the NWIS Spring/Summer 2001 Collection (left).

Gee Choon-hee is a highly confident designer who presents dresses of her own design and manufacture that are ahnost the same season after season (above).

become a global event of international standing.

The 12 designers who participated in last season's Seoul Collection included Gee Choon-hee, Lee Young-bee, Moon Young-bee, Lee Jung-eun, Troa Cho, Hong Enzu, Hong Mi-wha, and Icinoo.

Gee Choon-hee, who has participated in the SF AA Collection for the last ten years and is counted among the most successful designers in promoting the sales and image of Korean designer labels, joined the Seoul Collection last year. Unlike other Korean designers whose outfits presented in their collections differ vastly from those that are actually in shops, virtually all of her 19

creations are especially popular among consumers. Her collections are marked by elegant and feminine designs.

Tailored from extremely high-quality fabrics, they also feature fittings that present a slim look She is the most sought-after designer for Korea's top entertainers with whom she maintains close relations.

Designers Lee Young-hee and Moon Young-hee both present their collections in Paris, as well as in Korea through the Seoul Collection. Moon Young-hee, in particular, is an international designer who undertakes the entire process of design, production and sales in Paris. Troa Cho is also a global designer who holds regular collections in New York while managing a boutique there. Now introducing her works through the Seoul Collection in Korea, she boasts a unique aura thanks to her New York chic. Her forte is exquisitely tailored suits and dresses.

Designer Hong Enzu applies Korean concepts together with understated

works were once a sensation in Korea.

Icinoo is a first-generation Korean designer who made inroads into the Paris Collections, and a "national" designer who frequently ranks as the most popular Korean designer in consumer surveys. She captured the spotlight by being the first to present collections in Paris that drew inspiration

Icinoo brought the Spring!Sununer 2001 Seoul Collection to a close with her designs with a Sunday theme (above).

Lee Young-hee's show at the Spring/Sununer 2001 Seoul Collection featured an impressive combination of colors and high-quality Oriental fabrics (left).

Moon Young-hee presented lovely apparel for young girls in the Spring!Sununer 2001 Seoul Collection (right).

lJ

Ill

...

Ill

Ill

If/

fll Jl/

lfl

lfl IJ1

lfl lfl

lfl

It!

Ill

11 f ffl

Ill ~

avant-garde concepts. Whereas Jin Teok's collections feature eye-catching avant-garde elements, Hong Enzu's are based on more stJbtle avant-garde aspects. Hong's designs focus on the use of natural fabrics, black and white, and special draping. Hong Mi-wha has also participated in Paris collections.

Painting a world of innocence, she introduces clothing without any tucks, while lavishly featuring gauze and cotton. Her free-flowing creations also incorporate ethereal elements.

Radiating a childlike innocence, her

from traditional Korean motifs, but then encountered difficult times after sbe turned her interest to a modern line.

Not every nation in the world fosters fashion designers, and not all the countries with fashion designers hold

SIFAC and KFDA Collection

SIFAC, inaugurated by a public TV network, attracted many designers hoping to benefit from TV exposure.

However, this effort seems to have missed the mark For instance, there has been criticism for its showing spring, summer, and winter collections simultaneously, while combining accessory shows and other events.

Andre Kim, one of the designers who participated in the SIFAC, occupies a unique chapter in Korean fashion history that could be categorized as the haute couture of Korea He is noted for introducing unique, inimitably extravagant evening gowns that reflect an originality all his own. He has contributed significantly to promoting Korea's fashion image by presenting his collections at foreign diplomatic missions in Korea,

regular collections.

Fortunately,

uge of imp01ted labels. One charactetistic of the KFDA Collections is the patticipation of many regional designers, notable among them being Kim Sun-ja of the Miss Kim Tailor label and Park Dong-jun, a designer based in Daegu. These two designers have been making a name for themselves by merging individualism with fashion trends. +

Korea's fashion industry is riding on a wave of

favorable developments.

At least five organizations stage regular collections while more than one hundred designers hold fashion shows.

as well as by touring the world. His lavish wedding gowns are also those most frequently worn by Korea's leading entertainers.

The collections by the Korea Fashion Designers Association are presented by a group of designers of classic lines who have worked actively since the 1980s. Although the shows may be less interesting than others because of their focus on mainly fonnal wear, such as suits, these designers a¡eated the suits that Korean women preferred to wear until the early 1990s. Suits reflecting the tastes of Korean women and with corriplement:aty lines continue to attract steady consumer interest despite the del-

"' ~

With a performance show staged at the Spring/Summer 2001 SIFAC, AnJi-hi introduced a new kind of fashion mixing modern and retro elements (left).

Yuk Mi-gyeong presented designs that are at once modern and retro at the Spring/Summer 2001 SIFAC (right).

21

ized that there has been much criticism about the "loss of individual character in an era of individuality."

The following is a "Fashion Korea" survey of Seoul's trendy streets in Myeongdong, Apgujeong-dong, Cheongdam-dong and Idae-ap.

Myeong-dong Myeong-dong is the commercial heart of downtown Seoul and also home to the city's major financial district. It is one of the busiest places in the capital, with an average of 1 million

The speed with which Koreans pick up the latest fads from overseas is incredible; Seoul is famous for an almost simultaneous adoption of the newest trends from such fashion capitals around the world as Paris, Milan and New York. people passing through its streets on weekdays, and some 1.5 million on weekends. Transportation is convenient, with the No. 4 subway line's Myeong-dong Station located at the southern end of the area and the No. 2 line's Euljiro Station at the northern end.

At one entrance to the district is a major stop for buses that run across the Han River, between the Gangbuk and Gangnam areas.

Myeong-dong is definitely a shop-

Migliore, a large fashion mall in Myeong-dong where you can see the latest fashion trends at a glance (above left).

Myeong-dong at night (left) 24

pers' paradise, with about 3,600 businesses, including clothing retailers, shoe stores, restaurants, eateries, coffee shops, beauty parlors and financial institutions. Among these, clothing retailers top the list, reaching some 2,000. The Lotte and Shinsegae department stores are also nearby, forming a huge, diverse shopping district. There are also various state-of-the-art fashion malls, including U2Zone, V Exchange and Trend 20.

Myeong-dong's fashion history goes back to the 1960s. In the beginning, it was the center of high fashion in Korea, with such designer brands as Andre Kim and Fran~oise operating boutiques here. But as the designer boutiques began moving south of the Han River to Cheongdam-dong in the 1980s, Myeong-dong's fashion scene _began to change rapidly. For a short while in the mid-1990s, Myeong-dong seemed to be on the decline, as consumers headed for the newly flourishing commercial districts in Gangnam such as Apgujeong-dong.

But today, Myeong-dong has reinvented itself as a made-over fashion district. The main consumer groups are teenagers from the Gangbuk neighborhoods and women who work in the area's offices. For shoppers who prefer department stores, specialty shops and recently-opened mega-fashion malls such as Migliore and Mesa offer lowpriced or mid-priced clothing. Myeongdong fashion is also different from that found in Cheongdam-dong where an original outfit can cost several million won, and as a result, shoppers avoid capricious fads. But then, the Myeongdong fashion is neither avant-garde nor anything extreme. The look that dominates this area is the most popular, mass-market style that everyone is wearing now. It is in Myeong-dong that you can see the most current in-vogue look in Korea.

Currently, the prevalent theme in Myeong-dong fashion is the retro look Several different retro styles from any-

where between the 1920s and the 1980s have dominated the streets of Myeongdong for the past three to four years.

When the mod look of the 1%t5s took over last year, everyone, both men and women, were seen in jackets with narrow shoulders and an emphasized waistline, along with cropped pants that revealed the ankles. Women's skirts reached around the knees. The in1pact of this mod look was so popular that high school students in Gangbuk tightened the waistline of their school uniform jackets and cropped their uniform pants.

Myeongdong is the¡area most strongly - influenced by Japanese fashion The kitsch style of Tokyo's Harajuku has recently emerged as an international trend and its impact is evident in the way the young auwd in Myeong-dong dress. They are no doubt fashionable, but at the san1e time , seek a certain aude, unsophisticated look The popularity of this new look has been regarded recently by the media as a social phenomenon Apgujeong-dong

Whereas Myeong-dong represents the fashion of Gangbuk, north of the Han River, Apgujeong-dong is the face of affluent Gangnam fashion, south of the river. In the early 1990s, the area emerged as the haunt of youth from rich, upper-class families and was called "Rodeo Street," a name borrowed from Los Angeles' Rodeo Drive, known for its high-fashion boutiques. But as this crowd moved on to Cheongdam-dong and the economic crisis swept through the country in 1998, Apgujeong-dong became a favored destination for freespirited and fashion-conscious young people, while a throng of affordable shops moved in. Rodeo Street, which used to be dominated by high-end import brand shops and well-known Korean designer boutiques, has since undergone a major transformation, with a growing number of retailers selling run-of-the-mill clothing items found in Dongdaemun and Namdaemun markets now setting up shops there. As for

imported brands, specialty outlets and vintage shops have taken the place of large flagship stores. The shops are now also more dispersed throughout the area, in alleys and between small eateries, specializing in a variety of styles, from formal suits to casual and hip-hop.

The shoppers in Apgujeong-dong range from teenagers to those in their early 30s, clad in a diverse array of styles. But each style seems to be standardized: Casual wear is predominantly American casual while formal wear is for the most part ready-made formal suits.

Among these styles, the hip-hop look is the latest fad. Wide-legged jeans, baggy box T-shirts, layers of thick chains around the neck and wrist, bandanas and oversized shoes all reflect the hip-hop fashion of New York's black neighborhoods. Apgujeong-dong is where one can see young men and women with double- or triple-pierced ears, along with nose rings and tongue studs.

Then there are those who prefer a more cleaned-up hip-hop look. The jeans and khakis are still baggy, but to a lesser extent, and they are matched with T-shirts and caps, gold chains and bracelets. The right logos on caps and Tshirts are a must. The brands preferred by this crowd include Polo, Tommy Hilfiger and Banana Republic, popular American casual brands. It is a tradition-

In Apgujeong-dong, teeming with young people from teenagers to those in their early thirties, it is not uncommon to see young people with several earrings or a nose stud.

a! British look, mixed with a free-spirited Afro-American style.

In Apgujeong-dong, it is also easy to find trendy sports shops selling imported sports equipment such as skateboards and roller blades. It is here that the scooter fad, last yeat S international phenomenon, was first introduced in Korea 0

25

Cheongdam-dong Cheongdam-dong represents the fashion and tastes of Korea's upper class. Its main thoroughf<rre forms an arc from the luxury department store Galleria, past the Hak-clong intersection, all the way to the Cheongdam-dong intersection. This street is called the "New Rodeo Street" or "Yuppie Street."

It was in the late 1980s that Cheongdam-clong emerged as a fashion distrc~ when top-class designers such as Jin Te-ok and Bakangchi moved their boutiques here from Myeong-clong. But it was in the mid-1990s when the cunent luxtuy fashion scene was born, as upper¡crust consumers left Apgujeong-clong to find more "disceming and high-end'' hang-outs.

Today there are some 50 high-end coffee shops and restaurants, along with 20 galleries and about 40 haute couture boutiques. Cheongdam-dong is the No. 1 prime location for flagship stores of foreign brands, including Prada, Max Mara, Jil Sander and more recently, Louis Vuitton and Salvatore Ferragamo.

26

The main consumers are students studying overseas, fashion designers, and the nouveau riche of the financial district, as well as upper-class youths.

No retailer or restaurant can survive here unless it caters to the tastes of these elite consumers, which is why all the boutiques and cafes are decorated in styles reminiscent of Italy and France. And because this is a district that serves the privileged class, all establishments seek to convey an atmosphere of exclusivity.

This environment has given birth to the Cheongdam-clong look-Jil Sander or Armani-style dark navy suits, black leather shoes and bags with the Omega buckle from Ferragamo, straight and

sleek combed-back black (with a tint of blue, to be precise) hair, and a glittering cubic hairpin. The women who sit at the European-style cafes of Cheongdam-clong all have a similar look-they are known as the "noblesse tribe" or "luxury tribe."

The style of the luxury tribe, with their no-frills look save for the cubic hairpin ornament, is rooted in minimalism, which has dominated world fashion since the mid-1990s. The basic yet luxurious clothing of such brands as Prada, Jil Sander and Gucci fit well the tastes of the luxury tribe, who desire clothing that "does not stand out too much, but still looks expensive."

Actually, in Milan and Paris, the minimalist trend has been fading amid a

A shop in Cheongdam-dong that is representative of the fushion preferences of Korean high society (below).

resurgence of plush romanticism, but in Cheongdam-dong, minimalism still rules.

However, fashion insiders predict that this spring, "colorful and sensual romanticism will also begin to appear in Cheongdam-dong."

Sinchon-Idae-ap

The university district between Sinchon and Idae-ap, which is short for the "vicinity of Ewha Womans University," is the commercial center of Gangbuk, along with Myeong-dong.

With hordes of people passing through this area, mainly college students, a wide variety of fashion items, from low- to high-end, is available. About 80 percent of the shoppers are women, for the most part between the ages of 18 and 24, the most fashion-conscious age group of the entire population.

This is reflected not only in the fashion Tetailers in the area, but in the fast-food outlets and sticker photo parlors which come and go with the latest trends, thereby making this area the most quick-changing, fad-sensitive commercial disti¡ict in all of Seoul. The area is distinctive in that it is not made up of large-scale shopping complexes, but rather overflowing with small establishments such as cosmetic shops, discount stores, and accessory shops.

There are many stores specializing in women's suits, and while they are priced slightly higher than the shopping malls in Dongdaemun, they sell better quality clothing. Small boutiques here offer the latest designs tailor-made at prices 30-40 percent less than the designer brands.

Here, the American casual, the kitsch style, and the sophisticated minimalist look coexist side-by-side. But the styles ¡ are not extreme, as in Apgujeong-dong, Cheongdam-dong or Myeong-dong.

They are somewhat casual, somewhat basic. It is al~o here at Idae-ap that the most vivid colors can be seen on the streets than any other place in Seoulthe yellows, reds, and blues that reflect the spirit of youth. â&#x20AC;˘

The streets in front ofEwha Womans University in Sinchon are lined with all sorts of shops targeting university students, offering cheap clothing to luxury brand-name items. 'll

t has been only about a hundred years since Western fashion was first introduced to Korea, and a mere three or four decades since fashion emerged as a domestic industry with local designers vying for fame and success. Although creative Korean fashion has been around barely long enough to see its first generation of designers come and go, it has accomplished enough to anticipate its making a notable mark in the international fashion world. The following is an overview of the successes and failures of those designers who have been building a foundation for the future of Korean fashion in the hope of gaining international recognition.

I

Introducing Fashion to World: Its Successes, Failures and Future YukEun-Joo Staff Writer, Woman Chosun

Still a Long Way to Go

The challenge for Korean fashion has long been to find a place for Korean designers in the world of international fashion. In discussing this, comparisons are often drawn with Japan, Korea's closest neighbor. Japanese designer Kenzo became a success in Paris back in the 1960s, and during the 1980s, Japanese fashion created a sensation in the West, a phenomenon led by

Issey Miyake and Yoji Yamamoto. This trend has continued due to such recent creative designers as Comme des Gan;:ons, Junya Watanabe and Junko Shimada.

Leading Korean designers have also been seeking ways to move out into the world since as early as the 1970s.

The first attempt was made by Korea's top designer Icinoo, who was highly regarded for her originality. She began knocking on the doors of the U.S. fashion industry in the late 1970s, and was successful in selling her designs to a clothing firm in New York for prices comparable to those of other worldfamous designers. In 1977, she became the first Korean designer to present her collection at the Paris Pret-a-Porter Show. Icinoo also went on to participate in the Tokyo Collections, from 1990 to 1992, and the Paris Collections, from 1993 to 1995, but she recalls that these experiences did not provide an opportunity to bring Korean fashion to the world, but only reaffirmed the reality that she had to play by the rules of the Western powers in terms of their distribution system, sensibilities and business methods. She has a sense of shame due to the fact that a Japanese designer who arrived in New York around the same time went on to gain worldwide recognition only a few yeat's later.

Jin Te-ok, considered a living testimony to modern fashion in Korea, opened up a store in Manhattan for her Franc;:oise line, only to close it a few years later. It is a well-known . anecdote that when buyers, used to getting considerable amount of discounts from Korean manufacturers, would try to negotiate a lower price for her products, Jin would refuse, saying: "I am the best of Korea." With a steadfast determination to advance Korean fashion, she established the Seoul Fashion Artist Association (SFAA) in May 1990 and served as its first chairperson. The Seoul Collection, Korea's first regular fashion collection

staged by the core members of the SFAA, was the springboard for many designers who made their leap overseas in the early 1990s, to Palis or Tokyo, including Icinoo, Jin Te-ok, Lee Young-hee, Mun Yong-hee and Hong Mi-wha. Jin Te-ok was the most successful among them, opening a shop in Paris following her show at the Paris Collections in the early 1990s. She gradually expanded into 12 countries, operating a total of 32 shops until the Korean economic crisis in 1997. Jin was ¡ also included in 500 Fashion Leaders of the Past 150 Yem:s; a book compiled by ¡ Phaidon, a British art publishing house, to mark the passing of the 20th century. She was the only Korean and one of nine Asian designers-the other eight were all Japanese-to be included in the book Jin was commended for , her "outstanding and simple style using exquisite materials, interweaving elements of the East and the West."

Lee Young-bee began her career ¡ designing and tailoring traditional hanbok, then gained acclaim on the international stage with modern designs incorporating the style and colors of the Korean dress. A late starter who took up hanbok design at 40, she has carved out a unique niche for herself by modernizing traditional Korean clothing while maintaining its elegance. She has been showing her works at the Paris Collections since 1993, and has since built up loyal clientele in Paris.

Although most designers who began their work in Western fashion have been discouraged by various constraints, it should be noted that it was relatively easier for a hanbok designer to establish herself in the international arena.

In the mid-1990s, Troa Cho sold her designs at a high-end department store in New York, and the reactions, in both critical and financial terms, were quite favorable, with her creations being described as "chic and sexy clothing for career women." Hong Mi-wha also emerged as a fresh new hope in the

~

,:;;:

mid-1990s when she made her debut at the Paris Collections.

There is also Shin Hye-jeong, who began her career in Paris and earned a notable reputation there. A graduate of the Arts College of Chung-Ang University, she went to Paris in 1979 to study fashion design at the Esmode, and then worked at the renowned boutique Torrente from the mid-1980s to the early 1990s. In 1995, she opened her own shop on Rue SaintHonore, one of the most fashionable streets in Paris, and has designed formal wear for Edith Cresson, former French prime minister, and former First Lady Danielle Mittenand. She also designed the suit that Korean First Lady Lee Hee-ho wore to President Kim Dae-jung's inauguration ceremony.

However, Korean fashion still has a long way to go to gain recqgnition in the international fashion world. Lee Jeong-u, Lee Young-hee's daughter who is also a design director for her mother's fashion line, noted: "The impression I got from participating in the Paris Collections and working with the French through our offices and boutiques there, is that the fashion world is also ruled by the influence of power.

Sometimes fashion students in Korea ask me: 'Why can't Korean designers in Paris become successful and influential like John Galliano or Alexander McQueen?' Individual talent would be one of the reasons, but most of all, it's that we have such a short fashion history. It's been only ten years since we began to make the world ~ware of our existence and we are going to need much more time and effort in the years to come. When stores like Bergdorf Goodman or shops on Rodeo Drive first approached us, they would spe:al< highly of our clothes, but asked if we could put on 'Made in France' or 'Made in Italy' labels instead of 'Made in Korea.' It was most frustrating, but the buyers were not the ones to blame. We also share the responsibility in ruining the image and reputation of 'Made in Korea.'"

High Expectations Meanwhile, the baton has been passed on to the second generation of designers to establish Korean fashion as a more distinct presence on the international fashion scene. For some designers, this is literally true, since many Korean designers' daughters and sons are following in the footsteps of their parents. As members of the first generation of "star" designers are now approaching their sixties, many are . handing over the day-to-day work to second-generation designers. This new generation enjoys a few advantages for ¡ going global; most have studied overseas, and their parents have already laid much of the necessary groundwork But on the other hand, they are burdened with high expectations and considerable responsibilities, not to mention â&#x20AC;˘ being pressured to outdo their parents or to continue their line.

These second-generation designers include Vack Yunzung, Lee Jeong-u, No ¡ Seung-un, Han Song and ParkJi-won.

Vack Yunzung, daughter of pioneer designer Icinoo, studied fashion design at the Parsons School of Design and worked under her mother until 1995, when her mother handed over her cherished Original Lee line to Vack.

When her mother's new line Icinoo went bankrupt during Korea's recent economic crisis, she launched her own independent line Vack Yunzung.

Influenced by her mother's emphasis on originality, Vack strives to create a unique style and discover new materials. She has already won acclaim for her artistically creative designs featured in the films The Gingko Tree Bed and Danjeokbiyeonsu.

Park Ji-won, designer Kim Haeng-ja's daughter, has personal ties with Vack Yunzung. They were classmates at Seoul Arts High School, graduated sideby-side from Parsons and are considered to be close friends and rivals at the same time. Park has earned praise from both the media and consumers for her trendy and unique designs, heavily

A dress designed by Troa Cho in the Spring/Summer 2001 Collections (above).

Hong Mi-wha stages 'A World of Innocence' in the Spring/Summer 2001 Seoul Collections (below).

influenced by leading designers such as Marc Jacobs and Michael Kors. Her flamboyant and sexy designs are gaining popularity among trendsetters as well.

Meanwhile, Lee Young-bee's daughter Lee Jeong-u, a graduate of Ewha Womans University's School of Pharmacology, studied fashion design at Esmode Paris and since making her debut at the Paris Pret-a-Porter Show in 1993, she has been a regular participant in the collection, thereby helping to introduce Korean fashion to the world.

Her designs, based on the elegance of Korean hanbok, are modernized, universalized versions of traditional attireclothes with a mystical aura that appeals to the exotic tastes of Westerners. In 1996, she was selected by the French Elle as one of "Fourteen Young Creators of the Next Generation," while working with her mother on the Paris exhibition "Hanbok, Wardrobe of the Wind," which generated much interest in Korean fashion. This spring, Lee Jeong-u will become the first Korean designer to launch her own line of perfume called Sa Fille, which has been created in collaboration with LG Life & Health.

No Seung-eun is the daughter of ]in Te-ok, a vetera'n of Korean fashion known for her modern yet simple silhouettes. She was a student of dentistry, but at her mother's urging, in 1989 went to work for her company, Jin Te-ok, Ltd., as managing partner and design director. She launched her own brand, the No Seung-eun Collection, in the late 1990s.

Troa Cho's son Han Song is one of only a handful of designers focusing on haute couture these days. Lee Kyungwon is another designer to watch, whose brand Agasi specializes in cutely designed knitwear, while Woo Yong-mi of Solid Homme has established herself as a menswear designer. Other young, energetic designers include Ha Sangbaek and Hong Enzu. Yuk Mi-Kyeong, who made her SFAA debut in the 31

Vack Yun-Zung's design for spring 2001 (above) Park Choon-moo's Zen-style gannent in the NWIS Spring/Summer 2001 Collections (right above) Sui Yun-hyuong shows designs with a Korean ambience at the Spring/Summer 2001 SFAA (right below)

Spring/ Summer 2001 Collection, also deserves attention At the other end of the mainstream designers with brands that carry their own names, there is another group of young professionals that target the mass consumer market with nationwide brands.

These include Kang Jin-yeong of Objet, Song Gi-a of Gio et Gia, Park Choon-moo of Demoo and Im Seon-ok 32

of Ego. Kang ]in-young quickly rose to fame after launching her Objet brand in 1993, emerging as the newest star in Korean fashion. She created the most ideal business model a designer could possibly wan~ in which the designer's taste and the sensibilities of the consumers came together perfectly. Kang has since enjoyed remarkable success with her "princess-style" creations, which were the most copied items in Korean markets during the 1990s.

Demoo's Park Choon-moo also created a very popular brand with simpleline silhouettes, and recently landed on the center stage of international fashion, opening up a shop in New York's trendy SoHo district. Ego's Im Seon-ok and her avant-garde designs have made their way to Japan with much success.

There are also the established designers with well recognized, commercially successful brands who should not be overlooked. Lee Kwang-hee of Lee Kwang-hee Luxe, Gee Chun-hee of Miss Gee Collection, Haneza and Sui Yunhyuong each have a loyal following.

Park Youn-soo of All Style, Lee Sangbong and Rubina are also passionate, hardworking designers who have continued to participate in various collections and remained active on the fashion scene over the years.

In addition, several Korean designers have begun and maintained their careers overseas, like Christina Kim, whose works have been introduced in such magazines as Vcgu~ as well as KimJi Haye, and Lee Ji-min These designers all got their start in countries other than Korea, and marketing and publicity strategies geared at their specific markets have played a mapr role in their success.

Christina Kim is a Korean-American who moved to the United States at age 15 and studied painting and ait histoty at the University of Washington. Upon graduation, she took over her mothet"s women's wear brand Dossa, based in Los Angeles, with her clientele now including Nicole Kidman, Cameron Diaz,

~

~

Isabella Rosellini and other Hollywood celebrities.

Kim Ji Haye was the first Korean designer to show her works at the Paris haute couture collection under the brand Ji Haye, after working in Paris as a freelance designer for 10 years. One of the elements of her designs that caught the attention of international trendsetters was the traditional Korean sewing technique kkaekki, a method of hiding the stitching, reserved for only highly skilled artisans.

Milan-based designer Lee Ji-min graduated from Brown University with a · degree in linguistics, worked for 10 years at Hong Kong's world-renowned Joyce Boutique as director of fashion and distribution, then turned to designing herself. Another designer, Park Ilgwon, is gaining recognition through his , iRoo shop in Paris.

Much Hope for the Future Unfortunately, it does not seem likely that the next superstar of fashion design will suddenly appear in Korea and shock the entire world, at least not for the time being. Korea's cultural soil, still plagued by such problems as plagiarism and copying, seems not quite fertile enough to nurture a true genius.

Moreover, marketing infrastructure is inadequate and the influence of the local media is minimal, which makes it all the more difficult for even a phenom to succeed in the international arena. Korean fashion is still on the periphery of the glossy world of high fashion. The international fashion scene is a jungle, strictly dictated by the influence of power, based on such factors as a nation's history of fashion, cultural influence, and money. Although France and Italy are superpowers in the world of fashion thanks to their storied histories as fashion capitals, the United States leads the fashion world with the unrivaled purchasing power of its consumers. Following these big three are Britain, Japan, Belgium and Spain, to name a few.

As for the success of Kenzo or Issey Miyake, it is always pointed out that many other Japanese designers had to compromise in the wake of the brilliant careers of these two. But people frequently overlook the fact that Japan's trade and cultural exchange with the West dates back to the 18th century while Japanese painting had a notable impact on Vincent Van Gogh and the Impressionist painters. Japanese corpora· tions also contribute large sums to cul· tural organizations and events to maintain their self-made image as patrons of the arts.

As previously mentioned, fashion is a manufacturing industry, but at the same time, it is an industry that relies on image, which is why it would be difficult to expect the fashion industry to advance significantly without an upgrading of Korea's national itnage.

Still, it would be premature to sitnply give up hope. Lee Young-bee's Paris shop continues to do well, while Park Choon-moo's shop in SoHo is attracting attention on the New York fashion scene, and Lee Jeong-u's launch of her own fragrance line is also a step forward for Korean fashion. There are continuing efforts on the part of not only the established designers but also the young designers working in Korea.

These designers have their perseverance tested with each collection they stage, without any buyers interested in purchases, with all the work, including

No Senng-Eun's design for spring 2001 (right) Lee Young-hee's shop in Paris (below)

marketing and sales, falling on the designers' shoulders.

When it comes to interest in fashion and consumer fashion products, Korea is definitely as advanced as any nation.

To compare the three East Asian nations, Chinese refer to the basics of life as "eating, clothing and housing," Japanese, "housing, eating and clothing," and Koreans, "clothing, eating and housing." There is no doubt that Koreans are one of the most ardent and enthusiastic people when it comes to dressing and grooming. This general interest in fashion and the enthusiasm of the professionals can help turn fashion into an industry of strategic itnportance, based on structural planning and systematic support. •

FOCUS

New Korean Gallery at the National Museum of Asian Arts-Guimet Pierre Cam bon Chief Curator, Guimet Museum

he recent opening of the National Museum of Asian Arts-Guimet after four years of extensive renovation also saw the opening of a new Korean gallery dedicated to the art works of Korea. The Korea Foundation and Samsung Electronics in France sponsored the opening of the Korean gallery.

The exhibition area for the collection of

T

34

Korean art works, which had occupied 64 square meters in the 1980s, was expanded sixfold to 360 square meters as part of the renovation work The new location of the Korean gallery on the third floor of the museum, which looks out onto the museum's ¡inner' courtyard and faces the Eiffel Tower and the rotunda at the entrance to the.museum, is between the galleries

of Japan and China. It is therefore right along the flow of museum visitors to the third floor. Homogeneous, consistent, and dynamic, the new Korean gallery features a deliberately open space to emphasize its hat:monious arrangement and correlation with the Chinese gallery exhibiting the relics of the Ming Dy nasty, as well as the Japanese gallery, displaying artifacts of

the Kofun era and 16th-century antiquities. .This opening conforms to the objectives of Emile Guimet (1836-1918), a businessman from Lyon, who founded the Guimet Museum as a national museum in 1889, on the occasion of the Universal Exposition that took place in Paris in the same year. At the time when the Eiffel Tower revealed itself for the first time on the Parisian skyline, the very first exhibition on Korea was held at the Musee D'Ethnographie du Trocadero, with the objects that Charles Varat (1843-1893) brought back from his cultural expedition to Korea.

The objects presented at this time came to be preserved at the Guimet Museum since 1891, which Varat categorized with the help of Hong Jeong-ou (1854-1894), among the first Koreans who journeyed to Europe and the man who is thought to have assassinated Kim Ok-gyun, a reformist who sought to overthrow the Joseon Government,

in Shanghai in 1894. Based on a oneyear contract he signed with the French Ministry of Public Information and Fine Arts, Hong helped Varat open a Korean gallery within the museum for the first time, and publish a catalog of the artifacts both in Korean and French. The gallery occupied a floor area approaching the dimensions of today's Korean gallery, after which the relics Varat brought back with him from his 1888 cultural exploration of Korea continued to be exhibited in the rotunda. At the time Varat visited Korea, traveling from Seoul to Busan, he had a clear goal of introducing Korean culture to his contemporaries. As can be confirmed from the postcards available at this time,

Meditating Buddha. Three Kingdoms pepod, 6th century (left).

TI1e new Korean Gallery at the National Museum of Asian Arts-Guimet in Paris (below).

35

Korean relics had been on exhibit in the rotunda until 1919 when the museum underwent its first major renovation.

The Korean gallery at the Guimet Museum reflects the special relationship that France and Korea have maintained from the late 19th century until today.

Charles Varat was dispatched to Korea 20 years after Napoleon III sent a naval fleet to Ganghwado Island to avenge the nine martyred missionaries of la Societe des Missions Etrangeres de Paris, and the massacre of some 8,000 Korean Catholics. The purpose of Varat's mission to Korea, as part of a cultural expedition organized by the Ministry of Public Information and Fine Arts, was to understand the true identity of Korea. The first European to travel within its territory, he was assisted by Victor Collin de Plancy (1853-1922), the first diplomatic envoy of France to the ]oseon Kingdom who concluded the friendship treaty between the ]oseon monarchy and the new French Republic in 1887. Thanks to Collin de Plancy who had been posted to Seoul several months prior to his arrival, Varat could count on the ]oseon Government's assistance, which adopted a friendly posture toward Varat's cultural mission whose purpose was to prevent any misunderstanding in advance by introducing the unique characteristics of Korean culture to the Western hemisphere, in particular France.

The most important works of the Korean collection at the Guimet Museum in Paris today are the pieces that Charles Varat, with the help of the government in Seoul and Collin de Plancy, had collected, which in his eyes best represented the identity of Korea.

After the opening of the Korean gallery at the Guimet Museum, Collin de Plancy continued to forward additional artifacts that he had acquired, with a goal of supplementing the collection assembled by Varat and making it worthy of its name. From 1895 when Collin de 36

Portrait of Cho Man-young (1776-1846) by Yi Han-cheol (1808-?), 1845, ink on paper.

Purchased in 1998 (top).

Painting of Amrita Raja, Buddhist banner of Gobongsa Temple, 1755 (above).

Plancy was re-assigned to Seoul through 1906, he collected and sent furniture and Buddhist paintings that he personally liked and which he thought might satisfy Emile Guimet's curiosity about Korean culture. What might Emile Guimet have said in his 1896 letter to Collin de Plancy on the art of Korea, which the ancient chronicles of Japan

extolled and which Maurice Courant (who served as an aide to Collin de Plancy from 1890-1891) introduced simply as "humane" in the Korean Bibliography that he published in three volumes at the time?

It was during this period that the better part of the Buddhist sculptures, notably such spectacular pieces as the Seated (Iron) Statue of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva with a Thousand Hands, currently in the possession of the Guimet Museum, were collected.

Among the pieces collected at the time are the huge 18th- and 19th-century Buddhist paintings of Suguksa Temple and Geonbongsa Temple. Two dated banners based on the theme of Amrita Raja in particular provide an accurate mirror of the ]oseon society at the time.

Charles Varat and Collin de Plancy showed a highly eclectic interest in Korean culture in general, thanks to which a number of the Korean ceramics on display at the Guimet Museum today include pieces dating to the early Goryeo (918-1392) period, several pieces of buncheong, the predominant ceramic ware from around 1392 until the 1590s, characterized by an overall white slip decoration, and blue and white porcelain or white porcelain of the 18th and 19th century.

In addition, there are several folding scree ns, such as Painting of Pyeongyang and Hwajodobyeong, a screen painting of flowers and birds by Yi Han-cheol (1808-?). These two numbered folding screens, featuring Chinese calligraphy on the back, 1:emained in .their original state before the restoration work on Yi Han-cheol's Hwajodobyeong, painted in silver on a dark blue silk screen, was commenced in 1994, with the Korea Foundation's financial support. The restoration revealed a work of great beauty, original and fresh, which shows clearly that it had been produced for the royal palace. Its restoration became the point of departure for a systematic restoration policy that has been continued thereafter. The Korea

Foundation's financial support for restoration soon led the Guimet M1:1seum and the Board of National Museums (Direction des Musees Nationaux) to allocate their own resources for the restoration of Korean art works.

A large painting of Ksitigarbha, dated to the 16th century, was acquired at a time when the channels of dialogue began to open between Joseon, then an independent state, and the young French Republic. The painting was displayed at the Korean Pavilion, built at the initiative of Colliri de Plancy at the time of the Universal Exposition held in 1900 in Paris. The works displayed at , the Korean Pavilion at the time were dispersed after the exposition among several museums in Paris, including the â&#x20AC;˘ Guimet Museum.

Based on the strength of interest in Korea among the French, Edouard Chavannes led an expedition to the borders of China and Joseon in 1907, where he discovered ancient relics of the Goguryeo Kingdom (37 B.C.-A.D. 668).

Chavannes' cultural expedition team also uncovered a superb roof-end tile with a gargoyle face in relief from Tung Kou in Jilin province, China, as well as several mirrors of the Goryeo period.

It is true that exchanges between Joseon and France lost their earlier intensity from 1918, due to the end of World War I, the death of Emile Guimet, and the de facto recognition of Japanese occupation of the Korean peninsula. Nevertheless, exchanges continued steadily, if not directly as before. A key example is the visit to Korea by Joseph Hackin (1886-1941), an archeologist and director of the Guimet Museum at the time, during which he collected sev-

era! notable art works that he took back to France. Famous for his archeological excavation works in Afghanistan, Joseph Hackin visited Korea in 1932 at the invitation of S. Umehara who had been excavating a historic site in Pyeongyang. Apart from the relics thus collected, the pieces in the possession of several collectors who had been residing in Japan in the 1930s (such as the paintings owned by Ulrich Odin), were also added to the collection of Korean relics at the Guimet Museum. Further Korean art works were acquired

through Japanese antique dealers in Japan or in France.

The Korean collection at the Guimet was supplemented once more in 1945 when the pieces originally housed at the Louvre were transferred to the Guimet. In addition, the Louvre had also bought a gilt-bronze statue of Maitreya Bodhisattva in Meditation in 1903, through an auction of the collection owned by a Japanese collector Hayashi, which Charles Varat had initially discovered during his cultural expedition in 1888. Furthermore, Suweol gwaneumdo, a painting of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva gazing at the moon reflected in the water, which had been in the possession of Lord Takahashi and that Marcel Bing posthumously donated in 1921, was added to the Guimet Museum's collection of Korean art works that already included two paintings of Amitabha Buddha dating to the Goryeo period. In addition, several tea implements that Gaston Migeon collected during his 1907-1908 cultural expedition to Japan, and several relics that Koechlin donated upon his death in 1932, were also added to the buncheong ceramic ware that Charles Varat and Collin de Plancy had collected and maintained at the Guimet Museum.

The museum's archeological data on Korea were further reinforced in the 1950s with gold and silver art works of the Silla period (Arthur Sachs Donation), and a crown purchased in Tokyo by Georges Salles, chairman of the Board of National

Engraved maebyeong vase with slip decoration under celadon-glaze. Goryeo Dynasty, 12th century. Gift of Societe des Amis du Musee Guimet in 1998.

(!

8_

~

,

the consistency of its collection of Korean art, the Guimet Museum recently began to acquire some new pieces between 1990 and 2000. These included a portrait of Cho Man-yeong (1776-1846),

by Yi Han-cheol, dated 1845, and a painting of bamboo by Yi Jeong (1541-1626), which is regarded as highly as the painting of bamboo shown at the exhibition of Korean art works at the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1998.

The painting had been in the possession Homogeneous, consistent, and dynamic, the new Korean gallery features a deliberately open space to emphasize its harmonious arrangement

Bronze Silla crown with inlaid gold thread.

Three Kingdoms period, 5th...Qth century.

and correlation with the Chinese gallery exhibiting the relics of the Ming

Museums, who had been in charge of Asian relics at the Louvre during the 1930s. In the 1960s, Madame Louis Marin donated a folding screen by Kim Hongdo, in memory of her husband, an antlu·opologist who served as a cabinet minister several times and had visited Seoul in 1901.

In 1977, several exceptional pieces of Goryeo celadon that had been part of the collection donated by Michel Callmann ·further supplemented the Korean art works at the Guimet Museum. All the pieces in the Michel Calmann collection were Chinese ceramics of the Han and Sung dynasties, with the exception of the Goryeo celadon.

It is undeniable that this series of additions significantly enriched the collection of Korean art works at the Guimet Museum. Nevertheless, it was still deficient in some aspects and lacking in balance. In an effort to improve 38

Dynasty, as well as the Japanese gallery, displaying the relics of the Kofun era and 16th-century antiquities.

of Chambarcl, the French ambassador to Seoul from 1959-1969. Other newly acquired works are Goryeo and Joseon ceramics donated by Michel Duchange, Klaus Otto Preiss, and Joseph P. Caroll In 1999,Jacques Barrere donated a Buddhist votive offering, dated 1584 which is identical to the one that Charles Varat had brought back from Korea in 1888, also dated 1584, now housed in the Guimet Museum.

The Guimet Museum was completely renovated based on the design work of Henri Gaudin and Bruno Gaudin.

This remodeling process also raised the

question of how to best display Korean art at the new Guimet. The museum decided to introduce a new method of chronological display and exhibition aesthetics, to present Korea as a part of Northeast Asia on par with its neighbors China and Japan, with which it has historically shared close ties while maintaining its own unique characteristics.

In the museum's inner courtyard are stone statues of civil officials of the Joseon era, standing against a backdrop of Japanese-style stone lanterns. The granite statues are not only reminiscent of Korea's typical landscape but also help visitors gain a better understanding of how Japan later adapted such sculptures in its own gardens. Two other stone statues dating to the same period also stand at the main entrance of the Guimet Museum. Behind these.statues is the Khmer Gallery, as well as a statue of Naga, a relic of Angkor Vat. The arrangement indicates that the Korean culture ·is an important part of the cultural and art traditions of the Far East, both in name and reality.

In any case, the objective of properly exhibiting the Korean collection of art works in the new gallery at the Guimet Museum involved presenting the aesthetics typical of Korea, which are just as outstanding as those of Japan and China, in order to clarify the correlation and disparities among these three key Northeast Asian countries. In order to achieve this objective, the museum decided to adopt a chronological approach for the display, b~sed on two aspects. The first Korean room offers a general introduction to Korean artifacts, from the Bronze Age to the Joseon era.

At the same time, it shows how ceramics developed from the Three Kingdoms period to the Goryeo period. The second exhibition room concentrates on the Joseon Dynasty, from the 15th to 19th century. On display in the second room are 18th- and 19th-century literati paintings, artifacts reflecting the daily life of the Joseon people, as well as all kinds of applied fine arts. It also high-

lights changes in ceramics from the 15th to 18th century, and the religious life the people practiced (Buddhism and shamanism). The third rotunda features folding screens, ceramics of the 18th and 19th century, various types of furniture, and boxes and chests.

The key concern in arranging the new Korean gallery was to reinforce the internal correlation, or the parallel relationships among the pieces on display. Another focus of interest lay in presenting a collection that offered the most pleasing visual satisfaction for the viewers coming in contact with the aes- thetics of Korea for the first time, which, surprisingly, are not well-known. , The museum thus sought to continue with the approach Charles Varat had taken, and to introduce those pieces that exemplified the quintessential Korean , identity and which are distinct from the art works of China and Japan. The museum, of course, also sought to highlight the cultural exchanges and influences among Korea, China and Japan- a root source of the rich and vibrant culture and arts of Northeast Asia. It was with this objective in mind that the "monsterface" tile dating to Goguryeo is arranged next to a sword of the Silla period, together with the lacquer ware of Lolang (Nangnang in Korean) and a stone sword of the Bronze Age, within the same showcase.

In the display case of antique ceramics are pieces representing the Three Kingdoms era (57 B.C.-AD. 668) and the Unified Silla (668-935), which replicates the Japanese room where the ceramics of the Kofun and Jomon periods are on display side by side. The showcase of gold and silver jewelry also exhibits relics from Silla to Goryeo crosswise, in chronological order. Of particular note are the gilt-bronze statues of Buddha placed next to the various kinds of precious metals and ornaments dating to the same period, to offer a visual social picture of the times, as well as the transition from one society to another based on Buddhism, and the highly refined

cultural standards of the secular society.

This particular method of display allows viewers to observe the statues of Buddha from an entirely different perspective, against the background of the social atmosphere that prevailed at the time of their production. The same method of display was also applied to the collection of Goryeo celadon pieces.

The display case of Goryeo celadon shows their diversity and development by exhibiting the most beautiful pieces among those in the possession of the Guimet Museum. In the same showcase are the early white porcelain pieces of the 9th and lOth century, the magnificent pure blue celadons of the 11th and 12th century, and sanggam ceramis ~ with inlaid designs on the surface- of the 13th a~d 14th century. The same method of exhibition was utilized in the second _Korean room to display the 15th- to 19th~cenury relics of the Joseon Kingdom. This is why distinctions were made between literati paintings, relics of 18th-century Buddhist culture, and those paintings falling under the category of minhwa, a term first used by Yanagi Soetsu in the 1920s in reference to folk paintings, while at the same time, striving to highlight the relationships between ceramics and paintings.

The 17th-century painting of bamboo

by Yi Jeong, and the 18th-century Amrita Raja, produced at Geonbongsa and enshrined .at Gukcheongsa, are both artistically superb works. Exhibiting these two paintings in the same room so that they can be compared helps to underscore the diversity of the cultural traditions of the Joseon Kingdom. It is, of course, possible for visitors coming into contact with the culture and art of Korea for the first time to become confused over the sharply contrasting qualities of the two works. The differences, however, are precisely the elements that make the Korean gallery so rich, warm, and alive.

The colored paintings on paper that Charles Varat acquired during his cultural expedition also clearly reveal

Bamboo in the Rain byYiJeong(1541- 1626), 1620. Ink on silk. Purchased in 2000.

39

the 19th-century Koreans' keen interest in colors, and the original creativity of the paintings inspited by everyday and ornamental influences. This style definitely belongs to the genre of shamanist art. Adjacent to Munjado, a folding screen of calligraphy that Charles Varat had been particularly fond of, is a folding screen showing a map of the world, dated 1860. This screen also reflects the Joseon Kingdom's relationship with China, its great interest in science, and its openness toward the Western thought that had been introduced to the kingdom through China, contrary to the perceptions of the Europeans who first traveled to the kingdom in the 19th century, who viewed Joseon as an entirely closed society. On display in the rotunda are the folding screens of the Guimet

Celadon tea bowl. Goryeo Dynasty, 12th-13th century. Bequest of Michel Calmann.

Museum, including those by Kim Hongdo (1745-1814) and Yi Han-cheol that depict the traditions of the royal court. A folding screen of paintings of Pyeongyang, based on popular themes of the 19th century, and a portrait of Cho Man-yeong are also on display.

Next to these screens is a painting of the sun, the moon and seven stars-a shamanic painting. Its graphic elements, abstractionism, magnificent colors, the modernity glimpsed in its magical qualities, and its mysterious and arresting power never fail to amaze viewers.

In planning the Korean gallery, the museum gave much consideration to help viewers better understand the relationship of cultural dynamics ¡linking the diverse traditions of Northeast Asia, and .t o redefine Korea against the backdrop of Northeast Asia. The first exhibit~on room was designed to link the relics of the Three Kingdoms era naturally with those of Japan's Kofun era. The second exhibition room displays pieces demonstrating the aesthetics that are modern yet unique to the Korean peninsula, and which link naturally with artifacts of China's Ming Dynasty and Japan's Hideyoshi period on display in the adjacent Japanese and Chinese rooms.

Among those on display in the second exhibition room are a white porcelain epitaph for Han Gye-hui (1423-1482), who served as the prime minister under King Seongjong (r.

1469-1494), an 18th-century inlaid candlestick, and a letter tray. The various masks on display also represent the human portraits of the 18th century in an elegant, yet humorous way. The buncheong ceramic ware and bowls of the 15th and 16th century exhibited in the room were those that became the ori-

gin of Japanese ceramics of the tea ceremony.

Complementing this layout is a 17th-century stone statue of a civil official in dress uniform, standing in the museum's inner courtyard and visible from the gallery rooms. The statue, which in silence gazes upon the entire museum, in effect creates an external exhibition space for the Korean gallery, simply by being there. The stone statue suggests that the Korean gallery is not limited to the inside of the museum, but extends to the outside as well. The two other stone statues of literati at the entrance to the Guimet Museum stand in front of a statue of Naga, a relic of Angkor Vat. This arrangement clearly symbolizes that the Guimet Museum intends to be the Louvre of Asian art, a museum dedicated exclusive.ly to the art of the Far East from the "Indianized" countries to Northeast Asia based on Chinese traditions, within which the culture and art of Korea are accorded the prestige they deserve .

The provisional exposition room on the lowest floor of the museum now occupies a floor area much larger than before its renovation, where special exhibitions based on specific themes of Korean att will be held in the future. The exhibitions m¡e expected to offer viewers the opportunity to satisfy their cultural curiosity, especially for those who seek to gain a deeper understanding of Korea after their initial encounter with its culture and att through the relics on display in the permanent Korean_ exhibition rooms at the Guimet Museum.

"Toward the ocean," reads a paragraph in Documents on China and on India, a work by an anonymous author dated 851, "are several islands of Silla, whose habitants are white and who send gifts to the Emperor of China because they claim it will not rain on their land otherwise. Because no one among us has ever been there, we cannot say anything about the place.

These people are said to raise white falcons ..." +

The British Museum's

Korea Foundation Gallery Jane Portal Curator, Korean Collection, British Museum

n November 8, 2000 a permanent. gallery for Korea opened at the British Museum, thanks to the gen. erosity of the Korea Foundation; thus Korea is now permanently represented in the museum in the space vacated by the British Library. Situated on the second floor, above the Hotung Gallery for the arts of China and the Indian sub-continent, and below the Japanese Gallery, the new Korea Foundation Gallery occupies a prime position in the Asian Wing of the museum and will introduce the museum's 6 million visitors a year to a culture which is still relatively unknown The gallery represents a chronological overview of the art and archaeology of Korea from the Palaeolithic period to the present day. Based primarily on the British Museum's own collection, it also includes some items on loan, from the National Museum of Korea, and from Oxford, Cambridge and the British Library. In common with most Western museum collections of Korean art, that of the British Museum is stronger in ceramics than

0

Stoneware bowl with copper red decoration under a celadon glaze. Goxyeo Dynasty, 12th centwy.

paintings or sculpture. This is perhaps because ceramics were more easily understood in the West than other media and were also more readily available to collectors in the early part of the 20th century. Highlights of the museum's collections are the very rare celadon bowl decorated in underglaze copper red, the lacquer sutra box inlaid with mother-of-pearl, and the illuminated manuscript of the Amitabha sutra, painted in gold and silver on indigo-

dyed paper. All these items date to the Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392).

A central feature of the Korea Foundation Gallery will be a reconstructed scholar's study or sarangbang, designed and built by the renowned Korean architect Shin Young-hoon. Mr. Shin and his team arrived in London on June 26 and managed to install the sarangbang in the British Museum in a record 14 days. This reproduction will serve the purpose of demonstrating traditional Korean architecture in a gallery which will also include archaeology, ceramics, metalwork, sculpture, painting, illuminated manuscripts and printed books.

Traditional houses in Korea were often situated at the foot of mountains, overlooking fields while the layout of the house reflected strict Confucian principles of separating the sexes. The man would occupy the study, or sarangbang, where he would also entertain visitors. The women, on the other hand, would be confined to the anbang, or inner room, where

Lacquer sutra box with inlaid mother-of-pearl decoration of stylized clnysanthemums.

Goxyeo Dynasty, 13th centwy.

41

they would spend much of their time sewing. The British Museum's s.:1rangbang features traditional paper-lined walls and a waxed paper flooring that would have covered the ondol underfloor heating system. The furniture has been produced especially for the museum by leading contemporary craftsmen under the directorship of Chung Yang-mo, until recently the director of the National Museum of Korea. Based on the model of the &'lrangbang in the National Museum in Seoul, it includes a writing table, bookshelf, letter rack, writing equipment and all the accoutrements of a typical joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) yangban scholar.

42

As well as receiving funding for the gallery from the Korea Foundation, a Korean nonprofit organization, the the Order of the British Museum is also fortunate in having a Korean patron, Dr. Hahn Kwang-ho, Commander of the order of the British Empire (CBE), who has donated a considerable sum for the establishment of a Purchase Fund for Korean works of art. Dr. Hahn, a businessman whose professional career involved the pharmaceutical and agro-chemical industry, has established his own museum foundation in Seoul and has accumulated a considerable collection of Asian and

Frontispiece of an illwninated manuscript of the Amitabha Sutra. Gold and silver on indigo-dyed paper. Goryeo Dynasty, dated 1341.

European art. The British Museum's Korean gallery wi ll have a section devoted to the works purchased using the Hahn Purchase Fund while Dr. Hahn is also lending some works from his own collection. The museum was delighted when he was awarded the CBE by Her Majesty the Queen during her state visit to Korea in April1999.

Since the British Museum's Korean collection is stronger in the arts of the

Goryeo Dynasty, most of the works acquired using the Hahn Purchase Fund date to the subsequent Joseon Dynasty.

One of the most interesting pieces acquired thanks to Dr. Hahn is a plain white porcelain "full-moon" jar dating to the 17th century and purchased by Bernard Leach when he visited Korea with Yanagi Soetsu in 1935. During World War II, Mr. Leach gave the jar to Lucie Rie for safekeeping in her studio and, as it turned ou~ it remained there until she died. It was photographed there by Lord Snowdon and is testimony to the great ad1i1iration of two English potters of the 20th century for .

Korean wares. It is, therefore, most fitting that it should now be displayed in the British Museum. Not only is it characteristic of the strict Confucian predilection for plain white wares during the ]oseon Dynasty, but it is also the kind of ware which was particularly appreciated in Japan by the folk craft scholars of the early 20th century.

Another recent purchase is an 18th century hunting screen acquired in Germany. In traditional Korean houses, screens performed an important ftmction as windbreaks as well as being decorative. Screens were painted with different subjects according to use, with set subjects for different occasions and places. Hunting screens were considered particularly appropriate for display in the conference rooms and quarters of military officers. The hunting screen theme derives ultimately from the Mongol hunting and encampment pictures dating back to the 13th century when the Mongols brutally occupied Korea. In fact, it is said that the Goryeo King Gongmin (r. 1351-1374), who had a much-loved Mongolian wife and was an

.

..

. ---~ .. ·..

-

·-

·;.. ... . ..,..

~

.........

·~

'•'

·•

..,

...

/

/

·~

1··-~

..

White porcelain "full moon" jar acquired by Bernard Leach in Korea in 1935.Joseon Dynasty, late 17th century. Ptrrchased with Hahn Kwang-ho Ptrrchase Fund (top).

Interior of the British Musewn's sarangbang (right).

43

accomplished artist, painted the first hunting scene. In this screen, two highranking figures bearing shields move with their entourages from the mountains to the plain, starting from the right hand side. They are preceded by a group of musicians blowing horns and beating drums and gongs, while the action of the hunting takes place mainly in panels five and six. A wounded deer, a wild boar, a tiger and a monkey are stopped from escaping by hunting dogs, while a crane is shot in flight with an arrow. The combination of ink painting for the background landscape and bright mineral colours for the figures in the foreground make this screen an interesting mixture of the scholarly ink tradition and the scr called folk painting tradition A portrait of a high-ranking official, Chong Hwi-ryang (1706-1762), purchased recently in Japan using the Hahn Purchase Fund, is comparable to that of the Prince Regent Daewongun

44

(1820-1898) in the National Museum of Korea. Chong Hwi-ryang reached the rank of high state councillor and governor of Pyeongan-do province during the reign of King Yeongjo (r. 1724-1776), to whom he was related by marriage.

Dressed in ceremonial costume, he wears an official hat with the five stripes thereon indicating that he was of the highest rank. He also carries a wooden mace of office and stands on a highly decorated woven sedge mat. This painting is of particular value because it was acquired together with two dated royal documents in the King's handwriting confirming the offices held by Chong.

nv-¡

-+¡ +

Portrait of Chong Hwi-ryang (1706-1762).

Joseon Dynasty, early 19th century.

Purchased with Hahn Kwang-ho Purchase Fund Qeft).

Hunting Screen. Joseon Dynasty, 18th century. Purchased with Hahn Kwang-ho Purchase Fund (below).

The Korea Foundation Gallery will also present a rotating display of contemporary Korean works on paper and ceramics, purchased in recent years as part of the museum's policy to build up its collection of contemporary Asian art.

The lobby of the Korean gallery will be used for this display. Contemporary Korean art is a fascinating subject and ceramics in parttcular can be well represented. Many of today's potters feel a great debt to Korea's illustrious ceramic legacy and work in ways that reflect ¡ this heritage. Kim Ik-kyung, for example, makes slab-built" white porcelain ¡ which recalls the Confucian ritual wares of the ]oseon Dynasty, while Cho , Chung-hyon works in earthenware and produces sculptural vessels influenced

by Three Kingdoms tomb pottery. In the field of ink painting, works by artists such as Suh Se-ok transform the traditional materials and techniques into completely contemporary works.

Contemporary printmaking is also represented, both the more traditional woodblock technique and the more Western-looking artists working in lithograph, etching and silk screen.

In this way, it is hoped that, thanks to

sponsorship from both the Korea Foundation and Dr. Hahn Kwang-ho, the long and unique history and culture of Korea will now receive in the British Museum the recognition it has long deserved. +

Mother and Child by 0 Yun. Woodblock . print. Contemporary (left).

White porcelain dish by Kim lk-kyung.

Contemporary (above).

45

''H

ow are you doing?" I asked Shin Youngboon. "If I remember correctly, we met at Songgwangsa Temple some ten years ago when you were in charge of reconstructing the temple.

You always look so young."

"Well, I guess it only proves my immaturity," replied Shin Shin's face beamed with an innocent smile at my simple compliment. He really does look so young and healthy for a man in his late sixties. They say that those who are in love are beautiful.

Likewise, Shin's passion for Korean culture, especially hanok (literally "Korean 46

house"), seems to leave no room for worldly hardship to cast a shadow upon his zest for life. Or, perhaps he is even too busy to take notice of the changing seasons.

Usually, Shin is warm and pleasant like a s.pring breeze. Yet, he does not hesitate to reveal his indignation when Korean culture is distorted or dealt with improperly, underscoring his passionate commitment to traditional Korean culture, both as an inheritor and a guardian. And, to fulfill this "obligation," he keeps in contact with the Korean public as well as experts in this field through the mass media and an Internet homepage (www.hanok.org).

Shin does not have a car or a cellular phone, things usually considered essential for someone in his position and line of work. Perhaps he wishes not to indulge in such conveniences at the cost . of the precious freedom that being engrossed in a mission provides, such as his devotion to the Hanok Academy located in Yeoksam-dong, Seoul.

Contrary to my expectations, the academy, comprising an office and a lecture hall, looked cozy and comfortable thanks to a traditional Korean window frame prepared with hanji (traditional mulberry paper). And since the walls of the lecture hall were also covered with hanji, there were no echoes.

INTERVIEW

A

R

c

I

Resurrecting the Traditional Korean House

.•.•..... ~·

ShimJae-ryong Professor of Philosophy, Seoul National University

"If you apply hanji to walls and windows, you can enjoy indirect illumination instead of the direct sunlight you get with glass windows that can make Koreans a little uneasy," he explained when I commented on the wonderful effect such paper window could create.

How many words he has to extol the merits of the traditional Korean house!

A Korean scholar once said: "You can appreciate an object as much as you know it." I would like to rather say: ''You know an object as much as you like it."

As expected, upon my asking of his recent activities, Shin readily began to expound on the merits of hanok.

"I heard that in Europe, wooden houses of various size and design are attracting much attention because it was found that wood can lessen the harmful effects of electromagnetic waves.

Also, people have come to know that floor heating is good for your health, particularly for women and children. As you know, both are major features of hanok. So I'm quite certain that hanok will become a popular type of housing in the 21st century."

Last year, at the request of the Korea Foundation, Shin designed and supervised the construction of a sarangbang, a traditional male quarters, in the Korea Foundation Gallery of the British Museum in London. All the building materials (roof tiles, timber, and soil) were shipped from Korea, not because of any nationalistic inclination on the part of Shin but because of his architectural aesthetics. This may not be readily

understandable to those who do not have a keen sense and insight into the harmony of color and the characteristics of building materials.

"The director and all the staff members of the British Museum were very interested in the entire process of building the sarangbang," noted Shin. "The ceremony to mark its completion included much fanfare and the joy of the Korean residents in England was beyond description. Most of the Korean galleries in museums around the world are by and large too modest in size and their exhibitions. Besides, most foreigners consider Korean culture subordinate to those of China and Japan, in spite of its unique traditions. England is not an exception. I was thus very proud to restore Korea's national pride."

The first hanok that Shin constructed in a foreign countty was Baegaksanbang in the Danish National Museum in 1966.

47

The courses taught at the Hanok Academy are designed to make up for the skills training that is lacking in the current educational programs for traditional Korean architecture, which are only concerned with the history of traditional architecture while ignoring on-site field experience.

True to Shin Young-hoon's word, the natural lighting plays up the rafters ofHaksaje on Ganghwado Island.

48

Thereafter, he built Hangukjeong in a Chapultepec park in Mexico in 1967, and Goamseobang in France, a memorial hall for Lee Eung-ro, a renowned Korean painter who lived in Paris.

During last year's trip, Shin visited Baegaksanbang, which he designed, constructed and papered by himself.

"I was very excited but also worried about meeting my 'old beloved,' Baegaksanbang. What if after 34 years, she had defects! Wouldn't that be an international disgrace?"

Fortunately enough, his old beloved was still as attractive as ever. There was no serious damage or cracks. She was aging in a lovely manner.

"I was really moved and ¡almost burst into tears upon seeing her. She had,been loved by not only the Danish people but also people of neighboring countries. The museum officials had taken good care of her. Thank god .. ¡ I'm a lucky man."

Indeed, Shin is blessed. However,

this is not simply a case of good fortune. I believe his ceaseless efforts and aesthetic sense have brought him many blessings. He was born in Gaeseong, a city in North Korea, in 1935. In college, he majored in Korean literature and history. This background has enabled him to publish many works written in elegant prose. I wondered, however, how he was trained as a traditional architect.

"Field work is more important than theoretical research in the study of architectme. So all the construction-related craftsmen I have met in the last 40 years are my teachers. Among them, there were great masters. I had the good fortune to learn from them the orthodox methods of Korea's traditional architecture."

He began his career at thE; National Museum of Korea where he learned about Korean art and aesthetics from Choi Sunu and engaged in fieldwork as an assistant to the master carpenter

Yimcheon. In 1962, he supervised the restot:ation of Namdaemun (South Gate), National Treasure No. 1. Meanwhile, he learned practical skills in the field under the guidance of two great masters of traditional Korean architecture, Cho Won-je and Lee Kwang-kyu. Shin collected, analyzed, and systematized their teachings to connect the past and the present. And in doing so, he broadened his own horizons.

Since 1962, Shin has participated in the restoration or reconstruction of a number of Korean cultural relics as well as the construction of many new hanok structures. A prolific writer, he has published over 40 volumes in the last 40 years, and written countless articles and reports. He is a marvelous advocate and speaker for Korean culture.

We moved to the lecture hall to take some photographs. In front of the hall was a model of a portion of a hanok, a combination of pillars, rafters and crossbeams that resembled a complicated puzzle. Dismantling and assembling the

puzzle is the core of Shin's lecture course. The courses taught at the Hanok Academy are designed to make up for the skills training that is lacking in the current educational programs for traditional Korean architecture, which are only concerned with the history of traditional architecture while ignoring onsite field experience. Toward the end of the interview, I asked about Shin's future plans.

"I'm happy that I am doing what I want to do and I'd like to continue. I believe that I have accomplished something, but not enough. If circumstances permit, I'd like to establish a graduate school for students of traditional Korean architecture."

We met again when the new year arrived, for the second part of this interview, which was conducted at the construction site where Shin is overseeing the completion of his latest project, Haksaje.

How should hanok be built in this modern era? No matter how precious a

tradition may be, if it cannot be kept alive in today's world, then it can no longer be called a tradition. This is especially true in regard to traditional housing. The significance of tradition lies in its flexibility and ability to creatively adapt itself to the changes of a new era.

Shin Young-hoon and ProÂŁ ShimJae-ryong at the Haksaje construction site (top) The British Museum's sarangbang (above).

49

Haksaje is a yet-to-be-completed residence that centers around a bonchae, main living quarters and a sarangbang, but its dignified and elegant silhouette is readily apparent to any visitor. Built on a hill that overlooks the stretch of sea flowing between Ganghwado Island and Korea's west coast, the masterful planning has taken full advantage of the geographical features of the site. The house is in total harmony with its natural surroundings, creating an exquisite beauty that can only be found in the highest forms of art.

Standing in front of this house, one can only marvel at the tremendous influence a residence can have on a person's body and soul. And just what kind of a space do apartments, where all modern urbanites seem to live, provide for their inhabitants? Being at the Haksaje site brought on a state of awe within myself; I could not remember what other building has ever stirred up such a sense of wonder and admiration, as well as comfort, as if I was being embraced by the familiar hills of my hometown. Such intense feelings resulted from Shin's extraordinary architectural talent and his painstaking consideration of the land, the wind and the light.

Every small corner of Haksaje has been attended to by Shin's caring eyes.

In order to determine the elevation of the site, he observed the path of the sun and the prevailing wind direction and even took into consideration the noise from the seaside drive that runs alongside the site. For Shin, seeking "harmony with nature" is never just a hoped-for goal. I was also struck by how many different factors were carefully considered in the old days, when building a single house. When I climbed a few steps up the hill behind the house, I was suddenly greeted by the noise of cars passing on the road below,

Shin Young-hoon's meticulous attention to detail is evident in every aspect ofHaksajae.

50

which was not audible when I was standing in the garden.

Stepping onto the maru, the wooden-floored hall of the main quarters, I encountered a group of students from the Hanok Academy who were on a field trip for an on-site lecture. "The traditional underfloor heating, gudeul, and maru provide a highly efficient heating and cooling system that does not require mechanization. No other form of housing in the world offers such an efficient and practical system. Because the function of the living room is becoming more and more emphasized nowadays, I put in a kokul, a Koreanstyle fireplace, in the maru, so that these halls can also be used in winter."

Haksaje is a textbook on Shin's hanok design philosophy. With even a tiny wicket containing the mqster's wisdom and experience, the contents of this one house are simply too vast to be covered in this short article.

Although in the form of a house, instead of being used as a private residence, the building will be used as a showcase of traditional Korean culture at its finest. If it could serve as a guesthouse from time to time, for distinguished foreign visitors, it would be a wonderful way for them to experience Korea firsthand. For now, that is what the owner and Shin plan to do with this beautiful house. My habit of thinking of things in economic terms compelled me to ask the master what the approximate cost would be for a project such as Haksaje, wh~c led to a completely unexpected response.

"Cost? I don't know. I haven't even been involved with the money," Shin finally said after a while. "If I start to deal with the owner about the cost, I can't have my own way. That's why I don't bother myself about money. I have no idea how much it will end up costing. The owner allows me to do what I think is best. That's all."

Shin must be a blessed person indeed to work with such an exceptional owner. â&#x20AC;˘

ARTISAN

Mystic Colors of Buddhist Paintings

ParkJung-ja: Dancheong Artisan Lee Hyoung-kwon Head, Cultural Properties Research Institute

ancheong is a feast of colors

D

born of patience and perseverance. It is a rainbow of colors where cranes dance along with dragons of blue and gold which writhe through the clouds playing with wish-granting pearls. It is where a Taoist Immortal, attended by his tiger friends, lounges in the shade of pine¡ trees and where a white-robed Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva looks upon mortal beings with a benevolent smile.

Dancheong is an array of the most dazzling colors imaginable and a manifestation of religious fervor. According to legend, birds were lured to nest on the pine tree that Solgeo had painted on a wall at Hwangnyongsa Temple.

Dancheong is commonly associated with the colorful patterns painted on the woodwork of palatial or temple buildings for decoration and protection from the elements, but in truth it embraces the entire spectrum of painting that utilizes the basic five colors (red, yellow, blue, white and black) rooted in the yin-yang principles.

Including Buddhist paintings that feature images of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, dancheong is a genre of painting very much Korean.

Traditionally, dancheong paintings at temples were undertaken by monk painters who formed a time-honored society of their own. They were usually monks of devout faith and discipline because no religious painting of signifi-

ParkJnng-ja, Korea's first woman artisan of dancheong and Buddhist painting

Dancheong is commonly associated with the coloiful patterns painted on the woodwork ofpalatial or temple buildings for decoration and protection from the elements, but in truth it embraces the entire spectrum ofpainting that utilizes the basic five colors (red, yellow, blue, white and black) rooted in the yin-yang principles.

cance could be produced without a deep understanding of Buddhism.

Because they painted Buddhist icons, they were sometimes called "Bulmo" (Buddha's mother), but in fact women were never allowed to do such work, as the mere thought of a female painting such holy figures was considered sacrilege.

Nevertheless, the age-old tradition of a male-only profession is being successfully challenged by Park Jung-ja, the first female dancheong artist and Buddhist painter in Korea. In a handsome dummagi, a traditional overcoat, that she designed in dancheong colors and made herself, and with her hair neatly bundled in a traditional chignon at the nape, the soft-spoken artist seems like a good-natured, ordinary housewife who n1ight be your neighbor.

However, looks can be deceiving; hidden beneath her gentle, serene demeanor lies a fiery willpower and passionate spirit.

Before her fateful encounter with dancheong painting, Park was a mother of four children and an elementary school teacher. After working as a teacher in Naju for eight years following her graduation from Gwangju Teacher's College, she left teaching in 1965 when she moved to Seoul. An art lover whose childhood dream was to become a great painter, Park began to frequent galleries and exhibitions in Seoul and began dabbling in Korean painting. Then she came across a paint51

Park's mentor, dancheong painting master MonkManbong, changed Park's life altogether (above).

VairocanaPreaching(below).

ing that would change her life. It was a painting by Monk Manbong, the greatest dancheong artist of this era. His painting of Buddha flanked by Bodhisattvas and guarded by Four Heavenly Kings (Lokapalas) took Park's breath away. To Park, who had been steeped in the traditional painting aes-

52

thetics of blank spaces, the Buddhist painting's brilliant colors and threedimensional composition were an eyeopening discovery, a totally new world that piqued her interest.

Park immediately set out to find her way to the famed monk. Dusk was setting when she arrived at Bongwonsa Temple in Seoul's Sinchon district on that fateful day in 1970. Wind chimes were jangling in the evening breeze with the temple cradled at the foot of a hill near the center of the metropolis seeming as ponderous and foreboding as one situated on a remote mountain.

Finding Monk Manbong in his studio near the worship hall, Park pleaded: "I am enthralled by your painting. Please accept ~ me as your student."

Hi~ - eyes never leaving the painting he was working on, Monk Manbong gru~ted: "Show me how you paint."

Park plunged into rapid brushwork, the !Tlonk looking on without a word.

"Come back after a week," was all he said after watching her for a while.

That was the first encounter

Having devoted many years to painting Buddhist images, ParkJung-ja lmows that Buddhist painting is not something that can be done spontaneously or on a whim.

between Monk Manbong, the master dancheong artist designated by the government as Important Intangible Cultural Property No. 48, and Park Jungja, a housewife in her early thirties. It was a disappointing meeting for Park because she did not get the response she had hoped for. She did not wait for a week to pass but went back to Monk Manbong the very next day. The monk did not bother to hide that she was not welcome. This was not woman's work and he thought hers was a whim that would wear out in due time. His reluctance was quite understandable because he had ah¡eady seen many students, all of them men of course, whose burning enthusiasm evaporated after a couple of months of hard work Such was not the case with Park Jung-ja. Prepared to devote not just months but years to build a proper foundation in the art, she was not about to give up so easily. Monk Manbong warmed gradually to Park as he saw that her determination was genuine.

His first instruction for her was to draw lines of even width and intervals, which took Park a full three months to master.

Drawing line after line while stooped on the floor with her legs crossed in a meditative posture was as torturous as an act of penance that dedicated 54

ascetics would impose on themselves.

Lines went awry the moment her mind strayed or posture wobbled.

The next step involved the endless tracing of the designs and patterns of an original onto sheets of mulberry paper.

After tracing the same design about a thousand times, Park was allowed to move on to the next design. It took her more than 3,000 tracing sheets each to learn the basic Buddhist figures such as the Ten Kings of Hell, Four Guardian Kings, Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Ten springs came and went without her noticing as she trekked daily to the temple after an early breakfast to crouch -over the tracing paper.

Buddhist painting is tedious work requiring extraordinary patience. It was testing not only for Park but her whole family as well. It was no small challenge to devote herself to painting when she -had a husband and growing children to take care of. Although he has now become her most enthusiastic supporter, for some tin1e Park's husband was very unhappy that his wife was so wrapped up in Buddhist painting. He finally ordered "no more temple" as dust piled up in every corner of the house and the grades of their children slipped. Park fought back, threatening that she would shave her head and become a Buddhist

nun. Her strongest ally at the time was her mother-in-law. A devout Buddhist, Park's mother-in-law persuaded her son to relent, volunteering to do all the housework while her daughter-in-law worked at the temple.

Personal recognition came after 15 years of hard work when she received the presidential award at the 1986 Traditional Arts and Crafts Exhibition sponsored by the Ministry of Culture and Information for her painting "Goldfoiled Sutra of Filial Piety." The theme was a fitting choice that expressed Park's gratitude to her mentor and family. Park became even more dedicated to her chosen vocation and, as the head apprentice of Monk Manbong, eventually earned special recognition as a candidate for master craftsman in dancheong. .

Park Jung-ja, whose face has come to resemble that of a Bodhisattva after all these years of depicting Buddha with the resolve of a zealous ascetic, explains that the process of producing a Buddhist painting is far more complicated than it appears. It involves not just drawing and coloring but also tracing onto the canvas and then reinforcing it with layer after layer of cloth or paper.

After selecting a subject to paint, the artist makes a charcoal sketch on paper and outlines the sketch with black ink This is the base drawing. It should conform to the rather nebulous rules for depicting Buddha, which include 32 identifying characteristics and 80 features. For example, the lips of the Buddha should be slightly-parted in a . compassionate smile, the eyes should be wide, and the robe draped over the left shoulder.

The next step is tracing the base drawing onto the painting surface with gold or ink. Tracing the face is the most important process and can only be performed after much mental and emotional preparation. Hemp, ramie, silk, or cotton is usually used for color painting, whereas gossamer silk is used for gold painting. Gossamer silk is available in

black, indigo blue, brown, yellow and various other colors but black and indigo. are the most favored since they best highlight the gold paint. The fabric is stretched over a frame and treated with a dozen coats of isinglass mixed with alum for a taut surface.

After the base design is traced onto the fabric, five to ten sheets of mulberry paper or hemp are glued to the back of the fabric, one sheet at a time to form a thick layer so that the pigments can soak in thoroughly and not fade for a long time. The thick layer not only prevents discoloration but also protects the painting from wear and tear.

The next step is to apply the 13 paint colors created by mixing the five basic pigments in accordance with yin-yang principles. After applying the colors, the painting receives a finishing touch of gold foil or gold powder. There are also paintings done entirely in gold, in which case only gold foil and gold powder are applied.

It is thanks to the infinite patience and perseverance of artists such as Park Jung-ja that the Buddhist paintings and dancheong on temple buildings still glow with their vivid colors and elegance even after hundreds of years.

Because the pigments are applied not once but countless times, they will not discolor even when scorched by a candle flame, such that when the outermost coating of pigment wears away, the layer underneath comes to life.

Park Jung-ja believes that Buddhist paintings are not something you can paint sin1ply because you want to but something you are compelled to do by some inexplicable force. Settled back in her hometown of Naju, she is busy with her painting while also working on a project to build a Buddhist painting museum that explains the history of dancheong. + Thirty-two Inaunations ofGwanse-wn (Avalakitesvara). The Bodhisattva of Mercy is

always present at the left of Amitabha Buddha.

55

occasionally find myself wondering, what kind of road would be the most wonderful road of all?

Kim Soo-keun, a distinguished archite~ claims in his book that the narrower the road, the better. In its pursuit of industrialization, Korea has always opted for wide roads for the sake of convenience, regardless of the characteristics of the regional or surrounding environment The roads in the environs of Seoul are insufficient to accommodate the daily increase in the nwnber of vehicles, as it requires astronomical sums to build new roads or expand existing ones. But once you leave the metropolitan area for rural areas where the price of land remains comparatively less expensive, you find wide roads-almost too wide for commercial efficiency or flexibility-extending in all directions, many of which¡are undergoing still further expansion even now. But those who set out on a trip to fully experience Korea's traditional lifestyle and sentiments will no doubt miss out on many of the intimate pleasures of travel due to the wide open highways. All they will see along the highways are the large signs giving them advance notice of rest areas, parking lots packed with cars, and public rest rooms.

But why does the architect Kim Sookeun believe that narrower roads are better? The answer is sin1ple. You cannot zoom along on narrow roads, and therefore, have the opportunity to closely observe the ways of the local residents, get familiar with the smells there, glimpse into their traditional way of thinking, and also appreciate how they learned to accept and adapt to their environment You will also be able to quietly contemplate during your observations. I often find refinement and grace in people whose lives are burdened by inconvenience in various ways, but do not perceive them as such. People caught under the spell of modern conveniences are often apt to be prejudiced without even realizing it, or else they carry around a sense of cultural superiority

I

that derives from this prejudice. How wotthwhile a journey it would be if you could be jolted into recognition of your prejudices and the absurdity of any superiority you might have harbored, by meeting people living in a different cultural environment whose everyday life is so vastly different from yoms. If you desire such an experience, your first priority should be picking out a comse that gives you the opportunity to see up close how these people actually live.

Luckily, there was an itinerary that allowed me to do this.

If you decide on Yeongdeok, Gyeongsangbuk-do province, as the point of departme for your trip, a fulfilling experience is all but guaranteed For many people, Yeongdeok conjures up images of large crabs, known was daege or "bamboo crabs." The crabs came to be known as Yeongdeok crabs because they are sold in Yeongdeok even though they were caught in the neighboring Ganggu Harbor. It is pretty much for the same reason that Yeonggwang of Jeollanam-do province is known for 58

Once you leave the metropolitan area for rural areas where the price of land remains comparatively less expensive, you find wide roads-almost too wide for commercial efficiency or flexibilityextending in all directions, many of which are undergoing still further expansion even now.

croakers; the croakers caught in the nearby Beopseongpo are sold in Yeonggwang, thus giving it the fame of being associated with this delectable fish.

Looking at the history of Yeongdeok,

you will find it has been known for its peaches from long ago, not crabs. If you take National Road 34 from Cheongsong in late April and drive toward Yeongdeok-gun county, along the way you will have the pleasure of drinking in the dizzying splendor and aroma of peach blossoms in bloom all around Osipcheon Creek, with valleys splashed in brilliant pinks that resemble autumn tints. The deep-red peach tree branches and pink blossoms create a truly aweinspiring panorama in early spring. The powerful colors of vivid red and pink are known to elicit intense ¡and passion. ate feelings, as many traditional Korean poems compared peach blossoms to a woman's deep yearning for her lover, or to a beautiful gisaeng, a professional female hostess who entertained guests with singing, dancing and reciting poetry.

Osipcheon Creek, crowned with radiant peach blossoms, is also home to a number of frolicking silver fish that smell strongly of fresh watermelon. Heading toward Uljin by car, you come upon a road sign for National Road 7, directing

¡ you to take a left turn in the middle of the town, but it is best to ignore this sign and iristead continue through the town, and drive straight to Ganggu, which is . located right by the sea When you live in a desolate place where even the hearts of the residents seem to have shriveled up, when you want to experience freedom and soli, tude, when you find yourself suddenly longing for the vibrant vitality of life, and for the self-affirmation of a richly profound life, the only place to go is the winter sea, which poignantly soothes all heartaches. If you wish to perceive the unique atmosphere of the East Coast, you should have the patience to journey leisurely northward toward Gangwon-do by driving along an age-old, almost forgotten, road.

When you reach Ganggu, which is lined with shops selling dried fish and Yeongdeok crabs, you will see a road sign for National Road 918 that takes you north to Gangwon-do. This is the age-old, little traveled road, which extends some 30 kilometers, linking

You can revel in the beauty of the sea while driving on the 30-kilometer-long Road 918 linking the small ports of Ganggu, Chuksan and Daejin (top).

A small pier at Chayu Village on Road 918 (above) Yeongdeok daege, or ''bamboo crabs," are caught at Ganggu Harbor nearby Yeongdeok (right).

59

Ganggu with Chuksan and Daejin. Not many travelers are aware that this road exists; almost everyone takes National Road 7, a highway of sorts along the East Coast, as indicated by the road sign in Yeongdeok. As you venture along this old road, you will come across the bustling ports of Ganggu and Ch uksan, as well as numerous small and cozy harbors such as Chayu. The houses, situated closely together like seashells along this northward A monument to bamboo crab on a hill at the port ofChayu

The houses, situated closely together like seashells along this northward road, are built so close to the sea that you cannot help wondering for a moment if the waves are not breaking onto these homes.

road, are built so close to the sea that you cannot help wondering for a moment if the waves are not breaking onto these homes. Actually, the protruding corners of the eaves are always soaked with salt, being constantly sprayed by the crashing waves.

In fall, you can also find many varieties of wild flowers, including yellow wild chrysanthemums, white and blue

Hupo Harbor is Korea's leading producer of bamboo crabs.

Siberian chrysanthemums, and violet asters, growing in clusters on the coastal cliffs. The breakwaters and sea rocks on the shore are popular fishing spots for many kinds of fish, such as speckled greenrings, surfperches, and sea bream, and -remain crowded with anglers all day long, even in winter. As you drive on, exhilarated by the breathtal<ing vista created by the harmony of the sapphire sea on one side and lush verdant mountains on the other, you will come upon a . small inlet as Chuksan Harbor becomes visible in the far distance. This inlet is Gyeongjeong 2-ri, Chuksan-myeon, also known as Chayu Village, from which the nearby Mt. Jukdosan can be seen.

The crabs caught in the village came to be called daege, or bamboo crab, because their legs resemble bamboo stalks. A monument was erected in the village in 1999, with an inscription proclaiming it to be the home of the barnboo crab. The crabs from the nearby sea

¡ are particularly tasty, with long, plump legs and thin shells. The low-fat, chewy meat is as firm as birch bark giving them the name "birch bamboo crab."

You can sample various crab dishes at affordable prices at the harbor. National Road 918 is designed to take you through Chayu Village, and then to National Road 7-the one that starts from Yeongdeok-by taking a left turn.

Again, you should ignore this main road and continue northward along the coastal road that goes all the way to Daejin Harbor. If you decide to stop at Goesiri, a village just below Daejin presided over by the head family of the Narn clan of Yeongyang, you will have a rare chance to admire some of the finest remaining examples of Joseon Dynasty architecture, and also take a brief respite from the monotony of driving. A short distance from Goesiri is Daejin Harbor. If you are lucky, you might come upon a byeolsin-gut, a shamanic rite of supplication for a bountiful catch. The residents of the East Coast, whose primary means of liveli-

hood has been fishing since ancient times, have learned to accept the formidable power of the sea and rely only on Heaven's will for the peace and wellbeing of their village and also to overcome adversity. The supplication for a plentiful sea harvest led to a common religious belief among the villagers-byeolsin-gut Byeolsin-gut is highly festive in nature and performed irregularly throughout the year. During the shamanic ritual performance, the fishermen and their families from nearby areas gather to eat and work together.

Above all, people living by the sea pray for the safety of fishermen and a bountiful catch. Residents of fishing villages, therefore, are extremely sensitive to changes in nature, and also maintain keen interest in their supplication rituals.

This is why a village rite such as byeolsin-gut came to be passed down and is still practiced today. Almost every fishing village has a Seonghwangdang Hall where the rituals are performed.

Residents of fishing villages are also more superstitious and observe more

Rows of drying squid capture the attention of visitors to Mangyang-ri, Korea's leading producer of dried squid (top).

Fishing is the primary means of livelihood of the people on the East Coast, which is why almost every village on the coast has a shrine for a tutelary deity (above).

taboos than people living inland.

Though there are slight differences according to region, there are certain taboos that all fishermen observe. They do not whistle as they head out to sea for fishing, for instance, nor do they take onboard the eggs of hens or ducks.

61

AtJangho Harbor, a long sandy beach creates a cozy ambience (top).

A scenic view of Goesiri, a village whose residents are mostly of the Nam clan of Yeongyang (above).

Mangyangjeong Pavilion (left)

62

They also do not go to a house holding a party upon returning home from fishing. These traditional customs and taboos are based on the desperate desire of the fishermen to ensure their safety, as well as an abundant catch.

After you leave Daejin behind, you have to continue north on National Road 7, because there are no other roads that offer a close-up view of the sea like the road from Ganggu to Chuksan. But you can get off National Road 7 after a while. When you reach Hupo and make a right turn, you will be back on that more scenk road again, . which allows you to drive right alongside the coastline. Hupo Harbor is Korea's leading producer of bamboo crabs. Although it is a small area, the seat of a sub-county, the residents earn such substantial incomes that they boast of supporting all the people of Uljin, which has no factories to speak of.

If you wish to enjoy scenery like that along the old road from Ganggu to Chuksan, then drive past Pyeonghae to the north, exit National Road 7 at the

· Manghyang Rest Area, and get on the winding 30-kilometer coastal road again, which will take you toward Mangyang Beach. Once on this road, the first thing you notice will be endless rows of squid drying on lines. Mangyang-ri in Giseong-myeon, Uljin-gun County, is the nation's number one producer of dried squid. Countless lines of drying squid stand densely packed along the coastline until you reach the southern boundary of Gangwon-do. The villagers have long made a living by catching squid because there is no arable land adjoining the sea. Mangyang-ri squid are popular because they are cleaned as soon as they are caught with nets, and then dried in the sea wind and sun. The squid from the East Sea are a species that live in warm currents. They follow the warm currents, migrating to the north to the seas near Jumunjin and Sokcho in Gangwon-do in July, then heading southward in August to Hupo, Ganggu and Guryongpo, and finally reaching Jejudo Island by late October.

Because of this migration you can see

the same kind of squid being dried in the sun on Korea's southernmost island When the squid-catching season arrives, the East Sea nights are ablaze with strings of fishing lights of 10,000 or 15,000 candlepower. The fishing lights are so bright it is difficult to tell where the village ends and the sea starts.

During the peak of the squid fishing season, the wharves in the harbor are never dry, due to the constant trail of water from the squid being transported from the boats to the drying areas.

The scenery unfolding along National Road 7 from Uljin to Jangho Harbor is comparable to that along the age-old coastal road. But it zigzags so severely that it could be described as a long, very rumpled up necktie. I had no time to admire the romantic lyricism outside the windows as my hands tightly gripping the wheel became slippery with sweat and my legs ached while I struggled not to veer off the crazily winding two-lane road Finally reaching Jangho Harbor, you will find an ambience quite different

from that of a typical harbor, with its twists and bends, and a long bulwark where the waves constantly break Even without the bulwark, there are many protruding rocks dotting the coastline in front of a modest-sized beach, which conveys a palpable coziness at first glance. I wanted to stop, stretch my legs, and admire the coastline for a while.

If you ·decide to spend a night at Jangho Harbor, you can also watch the sun rise ovet' this picturesque seascape.

That was exactly what I decided to do.

At about tl1e tin1e the lights on the squid boats began to blink off one after" another, I watched rays of deep red dance on the waters for some time, and then before I knew it, the sun was already halfway up the horizon. The rays of the sun instantly chased away the lingering darkness, flashed throughout the East Sea, struck the upper reaches of the Baekdudaegan mountain range extending southward, and bathed Jangho Harbor in a dazzling glow. You can, of course, watch just as magnificent a sunrise anywhere along the East Coast. • 63

MARKETS

Notable Markets ofBusan

,.

- ,...... ¡ ~ .,_ ,.

Lee Byung¡chul Business Reporter, Busan Ilbo

marketplace invariably offers a telling glimpse into the lifestyle of local residents.

Busan, the second largest city in Korea with a population of four million, and the nation's number one fishing port and harbor city, is home to numerous markets with distinct characteristics, which are closely intertwined with the lives of Busan residents.

A

~

~

Gukje Market In order to understand Busan properly, it is necessary to know of its history as a provisional capital of Korea during the Korean War (1950-1953} Gukje Market is among the most noted markets in Busan. A cornucopia of foreign products found their way into this market through the Busan Harbor with Korea's opening to Western countries near the end of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910). And until after the Korean War, it was the largest market for foreign goods.

Gukje Market developed rapidly after Koreans who h~d fled abroad returned to Korea in the wake of 65

national liberation from Japan while refugees during the Korean War set up makeshift stalls to sell whatever goods they could. In the beginning, it was known as Dottaegi Market, or "Flea Market" Gukje Market enjoyed phenomenal growth when Busan became the provisional capital during the Korean War. Following the simultaneous infusion of military supplies for U.S. army bases and rationed goods, the market turned into a black market selling virtually every commodity imaginable.

The market also served as a distribution center for all manner of items smuggled into the country through Busan Harbor, making it Korea's largest black market. This black market notoriety still remains, as evidenced by its name of Kkangtong Market, or "Can Market."

It was quite fashionable for affluent shoppers from Seoul and other parts of the nation to visit Gukje Market, at least until the 1970s, in search of clothing, fabric and cosmetics imported from foreign countries.

The market lives up to its name, which means "International Market" in Korean, welcoming for eigners and locals alike. It is within easy reach of the Jagalchi Subway Station on Busan Subway Line No. 1. The market features several shopping centers specializing in confectionery and baked products, ornaments, dishes, stationery items, bedding, hanbok (traditional Korean clothing), leather garments and bags, mountain-climbing gear, and sewing machines.

In one corner of the market is a popular "snack street," where young and old can enjoy such a variety of snacks as gimbap, rice and an assortment of vegetables and meat rolled in sea laver; noodles; sundae, sausage made of beef and l?ean curd stuffed in pig intestines; tteokbokki, a popular snack of sliced rice cakes broiled and seasoned with red pepper sauce; japchae, a sumptuous dish of stir-fried vegetables, meat and 66

3~

The Gukje Market is full of shops specializing in all kinds of things. True to its name, which means international, it abonnds with foreign shoppers.

~

~

noodles; and odeng, boiled fish cake for which Busan is famous.

Jagalchi Market Jagalchi Market is Korea's largest fish market. The market stretches some 3 kilometers from the dried fish market, located next to the Yeongdo Grand Bridge, which sells dried anchovies and sea laver, among other items, to the huge fish and shellfish marke~ and continues to the street-side tents where drinks and side dishes are sold, including fresh eel. This vibrant market embodies the unique charms of Busan.

It is the quintessential place to enjoy sliced raw fish, live octopus, sea squirts, whale meat, and sea cucumbers, accompanied by soju, Korea's indigenous distilled alcohol, amid the sounds of breaking waves and ship whistle ~. Visitors can glean some of the earthy characteristics of Busan from the conversations, mixed with the occasional rowdy and shrill shouts of sailors starting their shore leave and women merchants buying fish straight from arriving boats.

A majority of these women merchants ended up in Busan as refugees during the Korean War. Upon arrival, they settled on Yeongdo Island, right across from the Jagalchi Market, where they assembled makeshift shelters with planks and crates discarded by U.S. troops. They then began to peddle fish to earn a living. Called Jagalchi Ladies, they all share a hardship-filled past of toiling and scrimping for the money to provide an education for their children, while shuttling daily between Yeongdo . Island and Jagalchi Market aboard a small ferryboat Today, this fenyboat operates as a sea taxi for tourists, and dating couples, with the promise of enjoying an unobstructed view of Busan Harbor.

Jagalchi Market is also the site of the Busan Jagalchi Festival, a noted annual event held in mid-October. The festival celebrates its sixth anniversary this year. Its major events include competitions of catching live fish with your bare hands and correctly guessing the

weight of certain quantities of sliced raw fish, an eel relay race, a cooking contest for overseas visitors, and instruction on how to prepare Korean seafood dishes such as raw fish. There is also a demonstration by women merchants of their unique skills in skinning eel and slicing raw fish. Last year, the festival attracted 2 million visitors, including at least 6,000 from overseas.

The Busan International Film Festival, Asia's largest film festival, also takes place around this time.

Next to the Gukje Market in the neighborhood of Gwangbok-dong is a street of restaurants specializing in ham hocks, all of which are noted for their cleanliness and reasonable prices.

Bupyeong Market offers all kinds of daily necessities, in addition to a number of porridge restaurants where sweet , red bean porridge and pumpkin porridge are available, as well as Busan odeng, whose original flavor can only be enjoyed in Busan.

People weary with market hopping

Jagalchi Market is always bustling with shoppers (above).

The strident calls of the women hawkers are as irresistible as the sparkling fish fresh off the fishing boats (right, below).

can ride an escalator to the summit of the nearby Mt. Yongdusan in Seomyeon and take in the panorama of Busan Harbor.

Shops selling herbal medicine line the street from the Jagalchi Dried Fish Market to Yeongdo Grand Bridge, adjacent to the site of the former city hall.

Called Yeongdo Bridge Native Medicinal Herb Street, it originally began with street stalls that opened some 70 years ago. Today, 35 shops selling herbal medicine are in operation along with ginseng vendors and roadside stands concentrated in four areas.

The market sells at least a thousand different kinds of herbal medicines and a wide range of animal-based remedies, made from such animals as weasels and hedgehogs. The market attracts merchants from as far away as Seoul. Many of the shops have been in business for several decades. The market is now facing likely relocation, however, due to the construction of the 107-story Lotte World Building nearby.

Busanjin Market Textiles and footwear were the key industries that propelled Busan's economic development from the period of Japanese colonial rule until the early 1980s. The Busan-based company Joseon Textile (1917-1968), which once produced the textiles that satisfied the majority of domestic demand, also helped promote the development of Busanjin Market. The company occupied a land area of 132,000 square meters, which included 54 factory buildings and a workforce of some 3,200 employees (based on 1920s data).

The origin of Busanjin Market dates back to the Joseon era when it operated regularly as an every-fifth-day market.

In the past, the residents of the Nampodong and Gwangbok-dong districts nearby Gukje Market were mo?tly Japanese, whereas the residents living around Busanjin Market were predominantly Koreans. Busanjin Market, now modernized, has been in operation for 88 years.

Q_

=>

<J>

> '-"=

-

"¡

~

-'

Lm Ct STORES ATIIIIMOUIL FLOR~

P\JSA'\IN MARKET

Started with products made by Joseon Textile, "a Busan-based company, the Busanjin Market was modernized in 1988 to specialize in marriage-related items (top, above).

The bedding shops in the underground mall of the Busanjin Market are a favorite of thrifty shoppers (below).

The market is one of the few in Korea that specializes in marriage-related items. It is the ideal shopping place for for brides- and grooms-to-be, as a wide variety of hanbok fabrics, linen and cotton items, ready-made clothing, bedding, modern versions of ready-made hanbok, dishes and pots and pans are available.

The entire first floor of the market building is devoted to hanbok wares, with exquisite hanbok fabrics glowing radiantly under the light from fluorescent lamps. The market is always bustling with women ordering hanbok for weddings. This is the place to go to glimpse the colors particularly favored

by Koreans. Shops selling bedspreads and bedclothes, dishes, and kitchen utensils that are produced in all parts of the .nation occupy the basement level.

Adjacent to the market is a number of_small factories producing and selling ready-made clothing, which were opened to complement Joseon Textile.

The diverse and inexpensive items of women's clothi~g these factories turn out are popular in the market. The proximity of the clothing factories also led to the opening of a clothing materials market, where one can find all manner of fabrics, lining materials, and buttons.

With eating being an integral aspect

of shopping, shoppers can satisfy their hunger in a number of traditional Japanese restaurants nearby, which are well known throughout Busan.

JayuMarket Up until the early 1980s, Busan was renowned as a global center for footwear production. The majority of shoes carrying world-known brands, such as Nike and Reebok, were produced in Busan. As a reminder of this fame, Jayu Market is still recognized as the nation's number one wholesale shoe market. Although shoes produced by small and medium-sized companies outnumber the well-known brands, the merchants vouch for their quality since these shoes are manufactured by the same producers as the brand-name items.

On the third floor of the market building are flower shops where all kinds of real and artificial flowers, wreaths, and flower baskets are available at bargain prices. The market also overflows with Christmas tree ornaments from late November. Around Jayu Market are more than 20 restaurants that have specialized in pork soup and rice for 30 years. Jobang Octopus Street, with restaurants specializing in octopus and vegetables broiled in red pepper sauce, is also situated nearby.

Next to Jayu Market is a street of abotlt 400 precious metal shops and about 100 related factories are located nearby.

Jwacheon-dong Furniture Street Jwacheon-dong Furniture Street is within a five-minute walk of Jayu Market. About 120 furniture stores and show rooms are located along this street, which has a history of some 40 years. A diverse variety of furniture is offered, including traditional lacquer ware inlaid with mother-of-pearl, a specialty of Korea's southeastern region.

In the past, Busanjin Market, together with the precious metals and furniture streets, functioned as a center for wed68

ding-related goods in Busan. The district lost much of its prominence, however, with the emergence of modern distribution centers, including depcutment stores.

Other Markets Gupo Market is an open-air market that opens every fifth day in the area from Gupo Station to Deokcheon Rotary in the heart of Busan. The market is wotth a visit, as it is the distribution center for agricultural products from the areas around Busan such as Yangsan, Gimhae, Miryang and Samyangjin, as well as freshwater items from the vicini- ty of the Nakdonggang River. It is easy to tell when the market is open because of the constant barking of dogs. A livestock market also opens until 7 a.m, during which all types of animals from dogs and ducks to rabbits, hens, and doves cu¡e , sold. At around 9 p.m., grain, including rarer varieties such as kaoliang, wheat, barley, red beans, and foxtail millet, cu¡e available for sale. Shoppers can also buy freshwater fish caught from the Nakdonggang, including vcu¡ious kinds of carp and tiny clams, at reasonable prices.

It is also possible to buy virtually every kind of fresh agricultural and marine product at Bujeon Market, located near Seomyeon, a newly developed downtown district in Busan. Farmers from areas around Busan take the Donghae South Line to Bujeon Station, which is next to the market, to sell all kinds of produce freshly picked from fields and paddies, as well as processed food, fruits and poultry.

Many housewives in Busan come to this market during the holidays to buy the food for preparing offerings for ancestral rituals and for family gettogethers. Bujeon Market is also renowned for its ginseng street.

Previously, there were about 30 ginseng wholesale outlets, but it is now being steadily transformed into a medicinal herb street, with farmers from Ulsan and Gijang taking the Donghae South Line to the market to sell their homegrown medicinal herbs. +

At the Jayu Market, where people can buy and sell clothing and other items at reasonable prices, a herbal merchant displays a variety of medicinal remedies (top, above).

69

CUISINE

Ssam Koo Chun-sur Director, World Food Research Institute

sam is closely associated with the Chinese word pao. Pao

means "to encircle or hold something," and thus can be applied to eating something that is wrapped Many countries have a custom of using one type of food to wrap or enclose another, something which appears to have been adopted after man began to farm and to prepare fcxx:lstuff from ground grain. Although the specifics of wrapping food differ from

one counuy to another, there is no major distinction in its fundamental nature.

One of the most well-known examples is the Chinese jiaozi bun stuffed with bean paste or seasoned meat and vegetables. Others include Argentina's beef "empanadas and India's samosa, a small pasu¡y turnover filled with a potato mixture, which are very similar. Wheat flo'ur is the most common ingredient for malting the dough wrapper or skin, but flour made from ground corn or buckwheat is used in areas depending upon

their availability. In short, this type of fcxx:l usually involves wrapping a filling of cooked meat, vegetables or fruit with a sldn or wrapper made of a grain-based dough.

The custom of using leaves to wrap cooked grain, usually rice, is also prevalent in the Middle East The people of the Middle East, including Israelis, use steamed vine leaves to wrap fried rice.

Malaysians and Indonesians also steam rice wrapped in leaves, although they do not eat the leaves.

Ssam refers to the eating of cooked food with green peppers, garlic and sauce wrapped in the leaves of fresh vegetables such as lettuce, cabbage, and perilla leaves.

70

All the food items mentioned thus far involve cooked fillings and cooked wrappings. In other words, they are a type of cooked food Another method of eating wrapped food involves the wrapping of cooked food in an uncooked wrapper of which Korea's ssam is an excellent example.

The most common type of ssam conswned in Korea is the simple wrapping of cooked rice in vegetable leaves such as lettuce and sesame. A closer study shows that it is not so sin1ple, however.

This is because it is customary to wrap not only rice in the vegetable - leaves, but also meat along with soybean or red pepper paste. Nowadays, a new , type of "ssam sauce," which is a combination of soybean paste and red pepper paste, is increasingly being used.

Come spring, women in rural areas , painstakingly prepare the bean and red pepper pastes for eating with ssam. Firs~ a small amount of red pepper paste is !llixed with aged soybean paste, wild rocambole and shepherd's purse, and then stewed in a small earthenware pot Beef or pork fat can be added, while sesame oil can be used to impart fragrance and luster to the paste.

Each household uses a different ratio of bean paste and red pepper paste, but most mix them at a ratio of 2:1 As the addition of wild rocambole sweetens the paste, the amount that is added is determined by one's taste preference. It is customai-y, however, to mix sin1ilar quantities of wild rocambole and shepherd's purse, with their combined quantity being less than the entire sauce. Some households add a small amount of chopped hot chili pepper as well. Red pepper paste makes the sauce spicy, wild rocambole eliminates the smell unique to homemade bean paste and also sweetens the sauce, while shepherd's purse enhances the a1·oma.

S&w1 sauce used to be very salty and spicy in Korea's southern regions, and rather bland in the northern regions.

However, this regional difference is fast disappeming.

The greatest vittue of ssam is that its basic ingredients include vegetables commonly grown in farming a1·eas, the variety of herbs and plants that sprout in the mountains and fields after winter, as well as nutritious spring greens. Koreans are known to use more than 300 ingredients for ssam, but this number has declined dramatically with the advance of industrialization and introduction of vmious kinds of food from abroad.

In addition to lettuce leaves, Chinese cabbage, dandelion leaves, fragrant edible wild aster leaves, young wild vine leaves and wild mulberry leaves are used for ssam. A variety of flower petals, such as balsam, lotus, nasturtium and magnolia, are occasionally used as well.

Another benefit of ssam is that compared to o}her forms of food that requit·e cooking it enables the full nutritional value of_raw vegetables to be preserved without sacrificing flavor.

Some people refuse to eat the flowers oi· leaves of nasturtium and plantain lilies due to theit· grassy smell. However, the fermented soybean paste and red pepper paste help to eliminate these smells, just as chili pepper helps to eliminate the smell of pork, thereby giving ingredients which may otherwise be difficult to eat a highly pleasing taste.

Although rare today, elderly farmers with extensive experience occasionally take only cooked rice and bean and red

A spoonful of rice, slices of garlic and green pepper, a bit of ssamjang all wrapped in a fresh vegetable leaf is a mouth-watering food for Koreans (above).

Ssamjang, a mixture of doenjang (fermented bean paste) and guchujang(fermented red pepper paste), is an essential ingredient for ssam, with the proportion of the two differing from household to household (left).

71

pepper paste with them when they leave for work in the fields and moun- tains as they can find vegetables growing in the wild to eat with their ssam.

The fermented soybean paste is a major reason for the development of such a dietary culture. Another reason is the frequent foreign invasions-more than 500 in all-that Korea has endured over its lengthy history. During difficult times, Koreans were impelled to adjust their dietary habits by wisely and rationally using the many nutritious vegetables growing in the wild as a means of sustenance.

Although rice and meat are the basic ingredients of ssam, fermented fish, and thinly sliced garlic and green peppers are also often used Nowadays, finely sliced radish is also used in addition to lettuce and sesame leaves to wrap various ingredients.

Seaweed, which failed to attract the interest of Westerners in the past, is becoming increasingly popular as a ssam wrapper. One variation of ssam based on seaweed is gimbap.

Gim, or laver, is a type of seaweed cultivated along coastal areas. Gim is harvested from the sea, dried by the sun, and then formed into thin sheets that resemble paper. The dried gim is used to wrap rolls of rice and various kinds of vegetables, strips of fried egg and chopped meat. Gimbap is an essential item for Korean picnics, comparable to sandwiches in Europe. Although gimbap originated in Korea, the Japanese have become so fond of it that Japan now produces its own gun instead of ilnpotting it from Korea as in the past.

There are many variations of gimbap.

In one, for instance, only meat and strips of fried egg-without rice-are rolled up in gim. Sliced mushrooms or radish are also used, and sometimes rice fried in the form.'of thin pancakes is used for wrapping.

Vietnam, whose dietary culture is silnilat: to Korea's, uses rice paper to wrap vegetables. And like Korea, Vietnam has also suffered from frequent foreign invasions throug~ its history. The rice paper is made of very finely ground rice, which is first soaked in water, then pressed in a mold and dried Vietnamese use rice paper to wrap various kinds of vegetables, and dip them in nuoc mam, a fermented fish sauce comparable to Japan's shoyu (soy sauce) and Korea's aekjeot (fermented fish sauce). They also eat spring rolls-meat or noodles wrapped in rice paper and fried in oil.

Strictly speaking, it is difficult to classify ssam as either a salad or a cooked main dish. But in Seoul or other Korean cities, one can find an unexpectedly large number of restaurants specializing in ssam. ,In order to gain a better understanding of a country, it is necessary to eat the food that its people enjoy in theit¡ everyday life.

In a way, ssam is a kind of food that has failed to find a proper place in Korean cuisine. Even so, it is a dish unique to Korea, the likes of which are extremely rare in other countries.

Ssam is a highly versatile food that has helped Koreans survive during

Bossam, a kind of ssam in which slices of cooked meat are rolled in bossam kimchi, is palate pleasing (above).

times of hardship. Ssam, together with kimchi, has played and continues to play an important role in contributing to the wholesome diet of the Korean people. +

LIVING

Traditional Papercrafts - Handicrafts of Ordinary People Kim Sam-ki Curator, The National Folk Museum of Korea

raditional scholars of the Orient referred to paper as a receptacle for storing wisdom, and a vessel for distilling politics. Meanwhile, their Occidental counterparts extolled it as the creator of new knowledge that also keeps old knowledge alive. Paper, in a broad sense, refers both to hanji, Korea's . traditional handmade mulberry paper, and the Western-style paper in universal use today.

T

A Treasure oi Fanners Hanji is one of the four traditional writing materials-paper, brush, ink stick, and ink stone. It was also regarded as one of the three treasures of farming , households, together with lacquer and hemp cloth. Hanji was highly valued by Koreans in the past for its versatility. It was used as a window covering, wallpaper and also floor covering, as well as a craft material for producing a variety of items used in everyday life.

Japan has its own traditional paper called washi. There is little discernible difference between hanji and washi, at least superficially, since they are both made from mulberry.

Hanji is much more durable than Western paper because its mulberry fibers are longer than the fibers of typical Western paper. Because hanji consists entirely of natural materials, it is free of synthetic chemicals. It has been

Hanji is so versatile that it can be found everywhere in Korean daily life, on the latticed windows of a f.urnhouse or on the walls of a living room.

scientifically proven that hanji produces almost no chemical reaction, which is why it is often used to wrap food. In this regard, it is fundamentally different from the Western paper widely used today.

The secret to hanji's durability lies in the natural fibers of mulberry bark Hanji is produced by beating mulberry bark into pulp with wooden mallets,

which helps to maintain the wood's natural properties to a large extent, in particular its long fibers. This production technique is different from that used in China, which uses a millstone to grind the tree bark Japan's papermaking techniques also differ from those of China and Korea, the key difference being in the structure of the woven mold used to scoop out the sheets of paper. To produce hanji, long mulberry fibers are first mixed with mulberry glue and water. A mold is used to extract sheets from a vat of liquid mulberry pulp. The mold is moved forward and backward as well as sideways to collect the liquid pulp, which gives the paper a grain in all directions. On the other hand, for Japan's washi, the mold is moved forward and backward only, giving the paper a grain in mainly one direction.

As a result of this structural difference, washi is far less durable than hanji.

Apart from such production differences, historical records also attest to hanji's superiority. A paragraph in Bomanjaechongseo, written by Seo Myeong-eung (1716-1787) during the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), reads: "The people of Sung, in discussing the quality of paper from various countries, unfailingly considered Goryeo paper to be the best... Our country's paper is the sturdiest, which is made smooth and glossy by pounding the pulp with a 73

stick, but the paper from other countries is not." A Ming Chinese scholar, Tulong, also lauded the exceptional quality of hanji in his book Gobanyeosa "The paper of Goryeo is made from the fiber from silkworms. It is white in color and as strong and durable as silk. ink written on this paper glows with a beautiful color. It is a rare commodity, one that is not produced in China."

A 1,3oo-year-old Mystery October 13, 1966 marked an important day for Korea, and indeed for the whole world, as on this day a relic was discovered which necessitated a correction of the history of human civilization.

Bulguksa is a renowned Buddhist temple in Gyeongju, once the capital of the ancient Silla Kingdom (57 B.C.-A.D. 935).

According to Samgukyusa (Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms), Gim Dae-seong (700-774), a chief minister during the reign of King Gyeongdeokwang of Silla, built Bulguksa to honor the parents of his current life, and the Seokguram grotto shrine to honor the parents of his previous life. The Seokgatap and Dabotap pagodas standing in front of the temple's

Hanji is much stronger than Western paper because the fibers making up its surface are longer than the fibers of Western paper. Because hanji consists entirely of natural materials, it is

Diamond Sutra, that was discovered in a stone chamber in Dunhuang Grottoes.

The discovery of the Korean scroll, confirmed as the world's oldest woodblock print, is evidence of the cultural advancement attained by ancient Korea'.

The scroll is believed to have been printed in A.D. 704, almost 1,300 years ago. It is indeed incredible that the hanji on which it is printed has essentially maintained its original form even after some 1,300 years.

chemically neutral.

Diamond Hall are masterpieces of Buddhist architecture. It was during restoration work on Seokgatap that a gilFbi'onze sarira reliquary and hanji paper scroll of the Pure Light Dharani (Mystic Spell) Sutra were discovered in its second tier on October 13, 1%6. The Buddhist scroll is now recognized as the world's oldest ~odblck printed text.

More specifically, the sutra was produced 20 years earlier than Japan's oldest Buddhist sutra Hyalwmanto DJm¡ani,

.'/

Made of mulberry hark beaten to a pulp, hanji's long fibers make it exceptionally durable.

74

and 118 years before China's Vajra Prajna Paramita Sutra, otherwise called the

Jeonji, Women's Papercrafts Hanji is used for two categories of traditional papercrafts: jeonji which involves the use of many sheets of various colored hanji, and jiseung which involves twisting hanji into ~o rds and then weaving them into a broad variety of household goods, including kitchen items. These two types of papercraft are still practiced today. Hanji is used for many other handicrafts, from fans to umbrellas and from kites to artificial flowers; however, this article focuses on jeonji and jiseung, the mainstream of Korea's traditional papercrafts.

Jeonji involves pasting mulitple layers of paper onto a framework made of bamboo, bush clover or wood to produce a chest or storage box for household articles, which is adorned with colorful patterns.

The most common papercraft item would be the ches~ some having frames which were covered with paper, and others not having an original paper cov. ering. As the frames made of woven strips of bamboo or wood became worn and frayed, the outside surface would be pasted over with paper to extend their useful life. Usually, scraps of paper or pages of old books were used. There was nothing special about the process; scraps of paper were situply pasted on in multiple layers. The advantages of these chests included theit¡ light weight and durability, as well as the economy of recycling.

75

These ancient books made ofhanji have retained their original form over the passage of time (top).

Boxes and other containers woven with paper cords are surprisingly durable (above).

Hanji's soft texture exudes a gentle warmth. Because of this, items made from hanji were popular among women, which also explains why the majority of these were household goods used by women. A paper sewing box, which a new bride would bring 76

with her for stoi¡ing rulers, scissors, needles, thread and thimbles, is an exquisite example of Korean papercraft, resplendent in the rainbow colors of hanji.

In traditional Korean society, women lived under severe restrictions. Living as they did in a social environment that allowed them so little freedom to pursue their personal interests or hobbies, they turned to papercrafts that required only basic skills but were capable of producing beautiful works. Among the different kinds of papercrafts, jeonji was the most widely practiced.

Despite its use of vivid colors, jeonji conveys a noticeable gentleness, highlighted by hanji's distinct tones and texture. Jeonji making became a part of women's daily routine, with the vivid colors and graceful forms being used to express their hopes and desires.

Jeonji is a creative art form in which colors play a patticularly in1portant role.

Because items a~.¡e typically finished with patterns using the five basic colors of red, blue, yellow, white and black, jeonji

is also often referred to as five-color jeonji papercraft. The five colors symbolize the five cardinal points that eatne to be widely known due to the influence of the Oriental ideology of eumyang ohaengseol, which includes references to the dual negative and positive forces of the cosmos, and the Five Elements (metal, wood, water, fire, earth). Folk religions also associated the five cardinal points with colors: east (blue); west (white); south (red); north (black); and center (yellow). The obang sinjanggi, banners of five colors used as symbols in shamanic rituals, are also grounded in this Oriental ideology. In five-color jeonji, the five colors are used only as a basic conep~ however, as a far more diverse range of colors is actually used.

Papercrafts predominantly consist of household items mainly used by women. Paper wardrobes, decorated with colored paper pasted on the exterior surface, are among the larger items. The most popular papercraft item is a lidded box that encloses three or five smaller lidded boxes, all made of thick paper, and decorated with various patterns such as the taegeuk, (the symbol of yin and yang), bats, butterflies, chrysanthemums, and Chinese characters.

Another paper item women used every day was a holder made of oiled paper for their combs and pins. Fans are another excellent example which highlights the beauty of colored papercrafts.

Five-color jeonji incorporates symbolic patterns to signify auspicious mean. ings, such as mandarin ducks representing the love between married couples, bats symbolizing hopes for the prosperity of future generations, and the Chinese characters -., for long life, and m ~ , for good luck

Hanji Used ÂŁor Armor

]igap, another type of papercraft, refers to armor made from specially treated paper that was worn for annual state events during the joseon Dynasty.

The exact process involved in making this papercraft is no longer known.

Although the production of jigap was complex and the armor was susceptible to being eaten by moths, it was lightweight and warm, and thus favored by its users. In his book Seonghosaseol , Yi Ik (pen name Seongho; 1681-1763) noted: "Paper is soft and thin, yet why do ¡ arrows, which can pass throu- gh metal and leather, fail to pene, trate paper? No matter how thin the paper, an arrow loses its force as it passes through layer after layer of the paper making , up the armor." He called for this theory to be tested on soldiers.

The Annals of King Sejong notes that sheets of paper were folded to make ¡ scale-like pieces which were then strung together with deer hide and painted black to make jigap. Jigap was more of a ceremonial protective attire worn to greet foreign envoys than something used in actual combat.

Jeonji items decorated with auspicipus symbols and other designs

cate, for_larger items they are woven with overlapping layers for added strength. Mats, bags and sacks are woven with paper cords only, without any frames.

Although hanji itself is not so strong, items produced using jiseung techniques are highly durable. They will last even longer when painted or varnished with lacquer. One disadvantage of ji-

seung handicrafts is their vulnerability to water. Items such as trays that might come into contact with water frequently are, therefore, varnished with lacquer to improve their durability.

Requiring much time and efor~ jiseung papercraft was used to produce a variety of items, including quivers, powder-flasks, trays, sacks, and even dippers and footwear. We can only marvel at the ingenuity of the people of Joseon who thought to use paper cords to make water dippers, varnished with lacquer of course, as well as shoes.

Hanji is facing a new challenge from modern society. It is already hard pressed to find new outlets for its continued use, having steadily lost its place in Korean society since the introduction of Western-style paper in 1884. It is fortunate indeed that efforts are now underway in various sectors of society to revive hanji crafts in recognition of the precious value of Korea's traditional heritage, but these are still far from adequate. +

Jiseung Papercrait Jiseung, a technique of weaving twisted paper cords into a variety of household items, is also referred to as jino, jinyeom, nonakkeun, and noyeokgae. No refers to thin cords made by twisting thread, paper, or hemp. Jiseung crafts were produced by ordinary people with no special training. The people twisted scraps of paper or old books into cords during their spare time, which were then woven into all kinds of items.

Two methods of production are generally involved in jiseung making.

In one, paper cords are woven to cover the surface of pre-made frames, while in the other, only the paper cords are used to produce an item.

Because the cords are extremely deliT7

'-.-roadways. It is at this time that from the deep snow high up the mountainside the flowers of the Adonis plant bloom All of this is stirred to life by the sun's golden rays.

Gustav Mahlet S third symphony in D minor is dedicated to nature and the earth. This can be seen in the third movement of the symphony "The Flower's Minuet" and in the title, chosen

by Mahler hin1Self, ''What the words of the flowers of the field tell me." In one segment, an oboe, violin and flute ensemble beautifully captures the vibrant radiance of the flowers of the 0

Norugwi (Hepatica asiatica acutiloba) (above).

Corydalis speciosa Maxim have cosmos-like ¡leaves and bunches of tongue-shaped yellow flowers (below).

80

field as they flutter gently in the breeze.

A poet once declared: ''If I knew all of your names I would already be in heaven!" How true indeed! Familiarity with the names of the flowers met in the forest or along a path through the fields allows us to appreciate the passion of the people who gave each and every flower its name in the distant past Wildflowers are the most beautiful gems, each created by the eatth itself.

Around the time the flowers of the cinquefoil, bommaji (Androsace umbellata), bom guseulbongi, chamkkotmari (Trigonotis Nakaii), aegittongpul (Chelidonium majus var. asiatium), violet and Ajuga multiflora (Arthraxon hispidus var. breviseta) begin to open in the field, the flowers of the forest quickly bloom before the shadows fall. When the ice begins to thaw, the sound of t~ichng bunches of flowers breaking through the cracks of rocky gorges and from amid piles of fallen leaves is heard, while: the flowers begin to frolic upon the ground from which they have long been absent. The Adonis plant, eoleji (Erythronium japonicum), and norugwi (Hepatica asiatica acutiloba) are among

the first flowering harbingers of the coming of another spring. When the norugwi blooms its stem becomes covered with dty white hairs resembling the ear of a roe deer and hence its name norugw~ or "roe deet S eat¡." Its flower is small and blooms only briefly. The plant is known more for the striking patterns of its leaves, which resemble a deer's mottled skin, than for its blossoms.

In the cool dampness of the valley's shade, the frail ldcwanguilxucun blooms, looking as if it might take flight at the slightest whisper. Its generic name is Anemone, which means "daughter of the wind." It is said to have appeared from the blood of Adonis, Aphrodite's lover, as he lay dying after being gored by a wild boar. Lilce the youthful death of Adonis in the myth, the frail petals of the kkwanguibaram flower .fleetingly, wither and fall away.

What can be the source of these myriad colors in the evening forest shrouded by shadows? There are more than 10 varieties of the hyeonhosaek (Corydalis turtschaninovii), a flower of the poppy family whose colorful blossoms vary from deep blue to light purple. In the 0

¡evening along a dark forest trail the colors of these flowers present a unique scene, drawing the eyes away from the trail momentarily and awakening in the viewer an unexplained melancholy.

Another member of the hyeonhosaek family is the sangoebuljumeoni (Corydalis speciosa), which has leaves similar to the cosmos flower and blooms in small groups of yellow flowers. When planted on the side of a road or in a flowerbed, it will flourish with blossoms that can be enjoyed from early spring until the beginning of sununer.

In the fores~ clusters of small gaebye-ol (Pseudostellmia heterophylla) flowers with their distinctive star-like shape ere, ate their own Milky Way. Each flower has five petals with ten stamens, each with deep maroon anthers at the end of the strands which make the flower look ¡like a young bride made up for her wed' ding.

Unlike gaebyeol, baram (Oenanthe stolonifera family) and hyeonhosaek rarely grow in large groups like plant flowers. You are lucky indeed if, off the beaten path, you happen to come across these flowers in the deep forest. Of

these flowers, the jokdori (Asarum sieboldii) is the most common. Between its two leaves pricked up like a rabbit's ears, its head appears shyly above the ground like a babe catching its first glimpse of the earth with squinting eyes.

The body of the jokdori plant is bent such that the nose of the flower touches the ground and thus it is hard to see the flower unless one lies on fallen leaves on the forest floor. Appearing as a small dark purple ball on the ground, like the low resonance of a bronze bell calling worshippers to evening prayer, or a nipple brought low to meet the earth's lips, it reveals its joy only to those willing to bow low to see it This joy is the special pleasure that only viewing wildflowers can provide. Indeed, the jokdori flower signifies a rebirth.

Hepatica asiatica grow as tall as 30 centimeters (left above).

Corydalis spedosa, which stretches along the ground, is commonly called "spring virgin" (left).

It is easy to miss the flowers of the Asarum sieboldii Miq, which grows low on the forest floor (below).

81

Like someone alone in the shadows of a remote corner of the forest, their spine straight and posture upright as they raise their head to the heavens in prayer, such is the stem of the horabi (Chlorandws japonicus). It is an erect and lonely flower with a cool heart. My memory of the first time I saw this flower never fails to pick me up and reassure me whenever I feel down or troubled The junguimurut (Gagea ]urea) and sanjago (Tulipa edulis bak), both of the illy family, resemble each other in several ways. From their scaly underground stems and spear-shaped leaves to the way in which their stems become less rigid as their star-shaped flowers bloom, these plants have much in common.

They grow almost lying on the ground and like most plants of the .illy family are used as a food and herbal supplement The junguimurut breaks through the ice of early spring and is known as jeongbinghwa, or "ice head flower," while the sanjago has been called "spring virgin" We are most familiar with the violet, which is without a doubt the truest reflection of the spirit of spring. Korea is home to 60 varieties of violets. These include the violets commonly seen in fields and the kong violets as well as mo~t a in violets such as gokkal, Namsan, norang, and allok (spotted) violets, the hardy jolbang which can grow to 30 centimeters in height, the large norangjebi that thrive on the slopes of Bukhansan Mountain, and other varieties, each of which vividly ¡ reminds us of the plenitude of nature.

Violets appear to be meditative while greeting you with slightly bowed heads, thus conveying a sense of tranquility. Indeed, violets appear to be beckoning us to "think about them."

The entire violet is used as medicine and the young leaves are eaten. Greece is fortunate to have designated the violet as its national flower.

There are curious little fellows that catch the eye as they break through the 82

piles of fallen leaves when withered early spring plants such as the solbut and th@aeginorangbut (Iris nertschinnskia family) shake off their petals. They do not even appear to be plants, these strange little creatures that fester above the early spring soil, neither fungi nor mushroom What are these strange specimens? The cheonnamsong (Arisaema amurense vm: serratum) has an animallike appearance. Like the bird-headed god Horus from Egyptian myth, the cheonnamsong has a body like a green onion with leaves surrounding a bulb and flowering top. Insects make good - use of the plant's stalk and trumpet-like flower for shelter. A memorable scene in a recent documentary showed two small insects (horibyeongbeol; Eumenes decoIatus) creating a wall and furnishing a bridal suite in one of these light green , flowers.

While cheonnamsong grow in bunches through'out the forest and appear to compete for space, the pinamul (Hylomecon vemale Maxim) also spreads out in bunches, eagerly taking over any available space in the forest.

The pinamul, which is also called

no1angmaemi (Coreanomecon hylomeonoides), has a slender stem that when cut bleeds a milky orange liquid, for which it is named "orange cicada flower." As with all members of the poppy family, the pinamul is poisonous and bears the common name hylomecon, meaning "poppy growing in the forest." The pinnamul is rightly thought of as the "spring butterfly," since when in bloom, its blossoms attract so many butterflies it is as if the whole mountain is covered by butterflies.

It is at this time that the eunbangul, Solomon's seal, yunpan, fairy bell, and other plants of the lily family are in bloom These flowers mature with the season, giving way as they age to the shady greens of early summer.

Light green spring as clem¡ as spring water Rippling through my heart

As the names of so many beautiful spring flowers Echo through my ears Wildflowers, the flowers of April-a new crop placid and refreshing, showing us the bright side of the face of nature.

Swayed by the gentle breath of wind flowing between aged trees, their leaves virtuous and flowers light and colrfu~ plants of silence and clarity. Bent low lying on their side, we realize the coarseness of om words and actions and dullness of om silence. It is these early spring flowers, clear, unpretentious, harmonizing, that must be woven into the pages of my life.

The right timing is essential to fully enjoy Korea's spring wildflowers. The best time is from late March through early May. It should be remembered that wildflowers bloom at different times in different regions so it is always a good idea to visit nearby places regularly.

Three days to a week is appropriate for

Arisaema amurense var. seiTiltmn have flow-

ers resembling the bird-headed god Horus from Egyptian myth (opposite).

When the Hepatica asiatica Nakai blooms, soft white hairs cover its stems (above).

leismely viewing. It is possible to enjoy Korean wildflowers in the many forests and mountainous areas all over the country. However, it is better to choose regions with numerous varieties of flowering plants and little pollution: In the capital area, Mt. Cheonmasan in Namyangju, Mt. Cheonggyesan in Uiwang-si, and Mt. Surisan in Gunpo-si are all popular locations to experience wildflowers. For groups of ten or less, it is also enjoyable to walk through the Jokyeongdong and Jindong valleys of Gangwon-do. Spending several days trekking about these forests and valleys at leisme while enjoying the wildflowers along the way is sme to be a truly memorable and fulfilling experience. + 83

NATIONAL TREASURE

Stone Pagoda of Bunhwangsa Temple LeeWon-bok Art Director, The National Museum of Korea

Oince its arrival on the Korean peninsula in the late 4th century, Buddhism has had a great impact on Korea and its people.

Its influence was not limited to the religious beliefs of people but crucial to the formation of ancient states and the unification of the three kingdoms of Goguryeo, Baekje and Silla as well. Buddhism pervaded the political, economic, social, cultural and all other spheres of Korean life. As the oft-quoted phrase, "great temples in great places," suggests, all across the country Buddhist temples can be found on the slopes of mountains and hills amid exceptional scenic beauty. Buddhism's contributions to the development of Korean art, including painting, sculpture, metallurgy and architecture, are indeed unparalleled, as the granite pagodas with sarira reliquaries that stand in every nook of the mountains and valleys of the country, the lavishly elegant Buddhist paintings of the Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392) and the temple bells of a style unique to Korea all so eloquently testify.

As alluded to in its name, "Temple of Royal Scent," Bunhwangsa was founded in 634 by Queen Seondeok (r.

632-649), the 27th ruler of the Silla Kingdom (57 B.C.-A.D. 935). Located to the north of the site in Guhwang-dong, Gyeongju where the Hwangnyongsa

S

84

The stone brick pagoda ofBwiliwangsa Temple

Temple once stood, it is now affiliated with Bulguksa Temple. Bunhwangsa was home to Monk Jajang (cir. 590-658) for some time after he was appointed national preceptor upon his return from seven years of study in Tang China. It is also where Monk Wonhyo (617-686) penned many of his writings including a summary of the Avatamsaka sutra. In his poem "A Hundred Scenes from a Hundred Temples," the modern poet Park Hi-jin laments: "Bunhwangsa, Bunhwangsa. Ancient temple once honored by Jajang and Wonhyo. Nothing remains but an imitation-brick pagoda, pieces of the stele to Monk Hwajeong

and the well of Three Dragons. Only stone works survive..." This pagoda built with brick-shaped stone~ , is valued today because it can be accurately dated.

On October 9-10, 1999 the Gyeongju city government hosted an academic seminar entitled "Bunhwangsa Temple Re-lit" to heighten public awareness about the history of this time-honored temple. The 12 papers presented focused on various aspects of Bunhwangsa including the political and economic background of the temple's founding, its art works including architecture and sculptures, and its restora-

tion. The papers were later compiled in an anthology titled "Papers Presented at the Silla Cultural Properties Seminar" (Silla Culture Promotion Society, Vol. 20, August 30, 1999). According to these papers, no less than 24 temples were built during the reign of Queen Seond eok Of these, the roya l house funded the construction work for the Bunhwangsa and. Yeongmyosa temples.

Behind their construction was an aspiration to receive Buddha's protection of the nation as well as a political motive of serving to justify and solidify the queen's reign. The development of iron production and smelting skills in addition to material afflu ence also contributed to their construction.

Only three stories, some 9.3 meters in height, remain of the stone pagoda of Bunhwangsa , d esignated Na tional , Treasure No. 30. It stands on a square ¡one-step base with sides measuring 6.5 meters made from granite slabs placed at the center of a natural granite foun¡dation 13 meters in width and 1.1 meters in height. The pagoda itself is built of charcoal-gray andesite cut crudely into bricks 30-45 centimeters wide and 4.5-9 centimeters thick, resembling a brick pagoda. Some claim that it is built of the . same kind of stone as the stu pas in Sanchi, India. The Japanese colonial government restored three stories of the ,pagod a in 1915. A carved stone lion crouches at each corner of the foundation. There is a doorway complete with a stone lintel, threshold, doorjamb and two doors on each side of the first level.

A pair of stone Vajrapani, guardians of Buddhism, stand sentinel at each doorway.

The style of the pagoda seems to be the result of the transmission of Indian stupa styles through China rather than a direct imitation of Chinese brick pagodas. So me say that the o riginal Bunhwangsa pagoda was seven stories and others that it was nine stories. A nine-story pagoda and a seven-story pagoda are carved in relief alongside a group of Buddhist images on a cliff in

Tapgok Valley on Mt. Namsan. Those who believ e that the Bunh wangsa pagoda was a seven-story stru cture claim that the nine-story pagoda represents the nine-story w ooden pagoda that stood o n the gro unds o f Hwangnyongsa w hile the seven-story ca rving symbolizes the Bunhwangsa pagoda. Others contend that it was originally nine stories judging from the pago-

Buddhism's contributions to the development of Korean art, including paint~g,

sculpture, met-

allurgy. and architecture, are i_ndeed unparalleled, as the granite pagodas with sarira reliquaries that stand in every nook of the mountains and valleys of the country, the lavishly elegant Buddhist paintings of the Goryeo Dynasty(918-1392)and the temple bells of a style unique to Korea all so eloquently testify.

da's foundation and first three stories.

The Korean word for pagoda, tappa or tap, is derived from the Chinese pronunciation of "stupa," the Indian word for a structure built to enshrine the remains of Sakyamuni after cremation.

Large stupas were built in India before th e advent of Bud d hist images.

Different countries built pagodas from different materials; those in China are

built of brick, Japan wood and Korea stone. Beca use Buddhism was introduced through China, Korean pagodas originated as multi-story pavilion-like wooden structures but wood soon gave way to the granite that w~s ubiquitous in the country. Traditionally, a large pagoda stood in front of the main hall of a temple during the Three Kingdoms period (1st century B.C-A.D. 7th century) but this convention was changed during the Unified Silla period (668-935) to erect two smaller pagodas instead of a single large one. A three-story stone pagoda atop a two-stepped foundation emerged as the representative Koreanstyle pagoda.

The Bunhwangsa pagoda is the oldest known stone pagoda of Silla origin.

Together with the nine-story wooden pagoda of Hwangnyongsa, it was built to supplicate for Buddha's protection of th e natio n and th e qu een's reign, although it later came to be associated with the Yaksayeorae (Bhaisajyaguru) cult. The eight figures of Vajrapani, the o nl y sto ne works o n th e temple ground s that were produ ced at the same time as the pagoda, are the only Va jra pani statu es from the Three Kingdoms period w hose date of origin is known. They are each about 120 centimeters in height and, though they are proportioned like children, their powerful characteristics are dynamically sculptured. These are evidence of Silla's mastery of the hard-to-work granite as early as in the mid-7th century. As the presentation of the flowing lines and folds of garments clearly reveal, Silla artisans had already developed a sculptural style of their own.

The stone lions at the corners of the foundation seem to have been added in later years, probably recovered from a royal to mb. Seo Geo-jeong (1420-1488), a literati-official of the earl y Joseo n pe riod (1392-1910), referred to Bunhwangsa as a "w hite pagoda" in one of his poems, and in fact there are traces of white plaster on the surface of the pagoda. + 85

JAr t

Rev i e w 1

King Jeongio and his Reign of Culture Kim Moon-sik Curator (Research Fellow), Kyujanggak Archives, Seoul National University

o commemorate the 200th anniversary of the death of King Jeongjo (r. 1776-1800), an exhibition entitled "The Times and Culture Under Jeongjo's Rule" was recently held at Seoul National University 's Kyujanggak Archives.

Organized by the Kyunjanggak Archives, it was a special showcase of the king's life and in particular the culture and arts ¡ that flourished under his rule. The archives have their origins in the royal library of the same name that Jeongjo established in 1776, which is why they are now home to the most extensive collection of material on the Jeongjo era.

Coinciding with the Kyujanggak exhibition were two other events dealing with the same historical period: a painting display at the Gansong Museum of two representative artists of Jeongjo's time, Kin1 Hong-do and Sin Yun-bok; and an exhibition of ink rubbings of stone monument epigraphs from the same era at Hanshin

T

KingJeongjo's personal signature on a royal missive to ChaeJe-gong, mayor ofSuwon, 1793 86

University. Together, these events provided a unique opportunity to re-examine the multi-faceted characteristics of Korean culture and arts in the late 18th cc:_ritury, recognized as the "renaissance period of the Joseon Dynasty."

Jeongjo, the 22nd king of the Joseon Dynasty, was a distinguished scholar and driving force in the political and academic movements of his era. The second son of the ill-fated Crown Prince Jangheon and Lady Hyegyeonggung Hong,Jeongjo witnessed his father cruelly put to death by order of King Yeongjo, his grandfather, when he was only 11 years old. He spent the following 14 years as the Crown Prince and the king's eldest grandson, focusing on his studies while his political enemies constantly threatened his life. When he was crowned king in 1776, the 25-year-old Jeongjo was already a scholar of the highest esteem, who constantly refined the kingdom's cultural brilliance during his 24-year reign. Jeongjo also left an indelible mark as a scholar in his own right, including the Hongjaejeonseo, a 184-volume collection of his own writings, and personally supervising the Kyujanggak's publication of some 4,000 copies of 153 titles.

The Kyujanggak institution was established by Jeongjo for the purpose of promoting culture-oriented government and nurturing new scholarly talent. It was

first set up in the back garden of Changdeokgung Palace as a royal library and academic research body, but when a system of recommending candidates directly to the king for government appointments was introduced in 1780, Kyujanggak soon emerged as a training ground for elite literati. Kyujanggak officials who had received official appointments later went on to form a clique of Jeongjo's most ardently loyal followers who implemented the various reforms that the king had endorsed. At the same time, Kyujanggak developed into a political body that drafted Jeongjo's numerous policy initiatives and provided academic support.

The late 18th century was a time of great changes for all of society during which jeongjo aggressively pursued these dynamic shifts through a wide range of reform efforts. He firmly supported Joseon's loyalty to Ming China, which had come to its aid during the Japanese invasion of 1592. He also took pride in the fact that Joseon was the only East Asian country that still maintained a Confucian culture, even after the fall of Ming China, which, he believed, was proof of the consummate nature of Joseon's culture. In order to build a firm foundation for a cultured nation, he promoted scholarly pursuits while investing much effort in tracking down men of distinguished capabilities who had been expelled as dissidents and forced to live in exile. Binheungnok

(A Comprehensive Record of the Civil Service Examination) is a book that illustrates the depth and breadth of Jeongjo's efforts to discover and nurture talented scholars.

Jeongjo's public policy focused on identifying and resolving the people's most serious hardships. When journeying to the royal tombs, he responded directly to appeals from people he ran into along the way, while for regions where he did not go himself, he dispatched undercover emissaries to see how things really were and to check on local officials. He also showed spe-

cia! interest in agriculture, in recognition of its being the foundation for all economic production, and thus introduced the latest farming methods to villages countrywide. In response to the urbanization and commercialization of Seoul and other major prefectures, he offered to guarantee unprecedented freedom in regard to commercial enterprise.

Along with growing economic prosperity, King Jeongjo's rule was also marked by a blossoming of culture and the arts, reflecting a trend toward realism at its peak-a new way of perceiving and expressing of the country's landscape and culture that held sway in literature, calligraphy and painting. The trends that emerged during this era included the landscape poetry movement, which dealt with the country's hist01y and natural surroundings; the donggukjinche movement that established a calligraphy style which was unique to ]oseon; and a new genre of realistic landscape painting called jingyeongsansu that involved an artist traveling to a location and then paintmg exactly what he saw. Another notable occurrence was that illegitimate offspring and the rniddle¡dass, pariahs of the art scene until then, came to form their own independent schools of poetry, thereby broadening cultural diversity. In the process of such changes, people's quality of life improved. In fact, everyday life improved to such an extent that

¡ -

,

¡

""

r

regulatory measures were imposed to curtail excessive extravagance.

Moreover, the greatest cultural achievement during Jeongjo's rule involved remarkable advances in printing and publishing. The king himself, well known as a prolific writer, left behind a significant number of books while the scholars who conducted research at Kyujanggak are also credited for their substantial contributions.

Kyujanggak also functioned as a publishing house, with a wide range of books published under its imprint. To support the printing projects, Jeongjo commissioned five new castings of movable type, which involved some 1 million pieces of type. The Imjin type type style, both based style and J~ongyu on the Gabin type style, featured large fonts, and thus were used for printing Confuci ~ m texts or history books; the Imin type style, based on the style of renowned calligrapher Han Gu, was especially" elegant and favored for poetry collections. Books from the Jeongjo era were also characterized by the distinctive designs of their front matter and imprint stamps. The front matter,

Buljeongdae Rock and Yujeomsa Temple by Jeong Seon. Scenes from Mt. Geumgangsan painted on silk.

comprising the title of the book, the year of publication and name of the publisher, was printed in design motifs that reflected the book's character, in blue or red print to distinguish the pages from the main text. Then in the final step, a special stamp was used to mark the completion of the book's production and also to highlight its artistic value. The stamp was carved in a size that matched the book and with a design which suited the subject matter.

In private, Jeongjo faced an unending series of hardships and obstacles. During the 24 years of his reign, he focused soleI I ly on overseeing state affairs and spent whatever leisure time he had furthering his scholarly pursuits. His grandmother Queen Jeongsun, who spent many years by his side, said: "His mind was always on his studies, his hands always holding a book, and he went to sleep only The type used to print Hongjaejeonseo, a collection ofKingJeongjo's writings edited when the daily curfew passed. and printed by Kyujanggakin 1814.

Always with a shadow of cha-

Jeongjo's public policy focused on identifying and resolving the people's most serious hardships. When journeying to the royal tombs, he responded directly to appeals from people he ran into along the way, while for regions where he did not go himself, he dispatched undercover emissaries to see how things really were and

**:-

{ y:J,

1

b IAv ---.1(J }~'-t

-

/.·

- - -, 7j p

J;X

-1 t

--+- ..l-ID

I ~F

*fit

J I ]~j

---

;,; zl:r:: ~ ~ ~ -lt- jR- A~ ~ ~ It /J (-;.~ ~

.!l( k,_! p ~

-Z_.3i ~

7

to check on local officials.

*li *

! '-' I

I "\

: 1 1-~ 7L '-EJ ~~ f mA-: I ~ ~ ~ 1:. ¥ · r 1 ~ -r *t--·5\.1.

1

1~ r- 1 - ~z · l .z ffiztw /i~ ~ ~ ~ ~1 ~ ,lipt e l ~

il .li ~ :tk~ l A.

!11L i>t ;llj ~ / :qJ -t 00 ~ k l 't

aJ:@;

~ i ~ ~ ]3 r -t + YA 1tl jf 1

i

:ti ~

'

z3i

-

!'m

@] $ {jt l ' .; ~ 7

J:S!

-.:;n

!it'.~

oo 1ll k.n ~

*!*t ~

I

i~,

)Z_ - !Jilj\.IBW

H !:ItiD ' !la:WIifjJwmt?.~

il:>.!' ~ s~

!lf~e:mDJ

l4i

Yeokhakgyemongjipjseon, a comprehensive collection of Chinese and Korean commentaries on Yeokhakgyemong (Divination Education) by Seo Myeong-eung, KingJeongjo's tutor when he was Crown Prince, 1772.

88

grin and discontent hanging over him, for the over twenty years that he was king, he never seemed happy, but rather like a destitute man with nowhere to turn." King Jeongjo once wrote: "The sun is setting but I still have far to go." As his words and deeds indicate, he was a scholar and a ruler who strived endlessly to be a wise and noble king, and because of his ceaseless efforts, the kingdom of Joseon achieved a golden Renaissance under his rule.

In this era of globalization, with the walls between nations being lowered every day with advancements in transportation and communications, tradition. al cultures that reveal the indigenous characteristics of a nation and its people are now more appreciated than ever before. During King Jeongjo's rule, some of the most outstanding works of Korean traditional culture were created, works that confirm "that which is the most indigenous is the most universal."

Today, these works remind us of the obligation that we have inherited, to carry on and perpetuate these traditions long into the future. +

\Art Review 1

The Joseon Dynasty's Last Great Painter

Jang Seung¡eop JinJun-hyeon Curator, Seoul National University Museum

putting off the appointment He so incitmong the outstanding pained the king's ire that he ended up facing ters of the Joseon Dynasty heavy punishment, but Min Yeong(1392-1910), Jang Seung-eop hwan (1861-1905), a minister and patriot (1843-1897; pen name Owon) of the late ]oseon Dynasty, intervened is regarded as one of the four on his behalf. In the end, Jang did the great masters, a distinction he shares with work, but when he received his payAn Gyeon of the early Joseon period as ment, he deposited it with a tavern well as Kim Hong-do and Jeong Seon of owner without even counting it When the late Joseon period Although he lived the tavern proprietor informed him that . during the difficult times prior to the his money had run out, Jang retorted: demise of the 500-year-old Joseon Dynasty, he distinguished himself as an ¡ 'just serve me liquor. Why ask about money?' He is .said to have painted best artist of extraordinary talent capable of when cheerfully drunk with a beautiful painting just about any subject in a style teeming with dynamism. He was also young lady sitting next to him to keep his glass filled. From time to time, he known for his eccentric lifestyle and would get completely drunl<: and throw rejection of secular values. whatever painting he was doing onto Orphaned at a young age, Jang had a difficult youth. But with the help of Yi the floor, and after sobering up, would Eung-heon (1838-?), an official court show little interest in finishing it Jang is translator, his painting talent was discovsaid to have died in 1897 at the age of 55, ered-a fortuitous event that enabled but no one knows for certain where or how. Regarding death, he is said to have him to become one of the most significommented: "Birth and death are like a cant painters of the late ]oseon period.

Jang's only interests were art and liquor, floating cloud, so it is best to find a beautiful spot to ,hide oneself. What's the the latter as a source of artistic inspirapoint in making such a fuss with loud tion, as for everything else, he had no suffering, death and funerals?" Such a interest whatsoever. This unworldly attiview of life and death amply demontude is readily evident from an incident in which he even refused to comply strates the attitude of this happy-go-lucky with an order issued by King Gojong. artist who devoted his entire life to paintHearing of Jang's talent, Gojong called him to the palace and requested that he paint a ten-panel folding screen.Jang, preThe seventh panel from a ten-panel screen ferring his carefree life and love of liquor painting of mountains, water, birds and animals. to celebrity as a palace painter, kept

A

rr

.ÂŁ .

.

-~

. . .J f. }.

_r,

. [al) 89

ing. It was this sort of disdain for such worldly values as power, fame, fortLme, and even his own works that enabled him to attain an artistic spirit characterized by purity and naturalness. From a conventional point of view, Jang was a failure, but from an artistic perspective, he achieved an immottal vitality.

A relatively large number of Jang's works have survived to the present clay.

They cover the entire gamut of the genres of his time: landscapes, portraits, flower paintings, animal paintings, and still lifes of tableware and cut flowers.

Jang especially favored the latter two.

His paintings, involving a variety of themes and embodying a refined elegance, along with occasional force and vigor, delighted his contemporaries.

They earned the highest praise possible, being referred to as "divine works full of vitality."

Jang painted a large number of folding screens. At the time, folding screens were used to block the drafts conm1on in traditional Korean wooden houses.

Screens usually comprised eight to twelve panels painted with birds such as eagles, falcons, geese, cranes and white herons; animals such as deer, cats, dogs, fish and crabs; and various tableware and vessels, flowers and fruit Jang is said to have always carried around a brush and paints so that he could paint whenever he was so inspired The birds, animals and flowers that he painted are very diverse in nature, but very precisely rendered with notable vibrancy.

Among Jang's works, landscapes and portraits are relatively scarce. Jang excelled in painting landscapes in the Chinese palatial style as well as landscapes in the literati style of seonyeombeop in which water is applied to the canvas and then painted over before it dries. The content of Jang's landscapes is also very diverse. He created beautiful idyllic scenes that exemplified traditional Asian landscapes. In his pictures of people,Jang generally preferred Chinese-style content, and due to this, he was sometimes criticized for lacking originality.

00

Painting of mountains, water and people.

Color on silk, 30.9 x 23.8 em. Seoul National University Musewn.

However, the Chinese inclination of Jang's portraits is limited to external aspects. As for internal aspects, the paintings expettly convey the spiritual attainment of an unworldly man of freedom, an ideal pursued since classical times in East Asia. In other words, through his portrait works, Jang expressed inner spiritual freedom-a traditional value of East Asia; and this, in turn, was an expression of the truth that he realized through his art In spite of the fact that Jang Seungeop is regarded as one of the four great masters of the Joseon Dynasty, to date there have been only two exhibitions dedicated to his works, both held at the Gansong Gallery. Moreover, there has been only limited public awareness of the artist, while few scholarly writings shed light on his exceptional work This goes to show that although Korea has achieved considerable economic success, it still lags behind the advanced nations of the West when it comes to a proper appreciation of culture and art. This being the case, the Ministry of Culture designated jang Seung-eop as the cultural figure for December 2000. In addition, the Seoul University Museum took this opportunity to present a special exploratory exhibition on Jang Seungeop in order to make his works more widely known to the public and at the same tin1e prepare the groundwork for a reappraisal of his art from the perspec-

tive of Korean art history. Because the museum houses more of Jang's works than any other institution, and I have been collecting materials on Jang ever since I wrote my maste~ dissertation on him, the museum was able to undertake this task Moreover, since Professor Yi Song-mi of the Academy of Korean Studies had planned to hold an academic conference on Jang, the two institutions decided to work cooperatively, presenting the two events at the lecture hall of the Seoul University Museum on December 16. The exhibition and conference opened together, bringing together both practice and theory.

At this special exhibition of Jang's works, over 6o items and more than 90 paintings from the National Museum of Korea, Hoam Art Gallery, Sunmoon University Museum and other college museums and private collections were displayed. This exhibition was the largest showing of Jang's works ever undettaken. Over half of the works on display were shown to the public for the first time. The show was very successful: In spite of the cold winter weather and somewhat remote location on the edge of the city, over 9,000 people viewed the exhibition that ran for 30 days from November 16 to December 20.

Jang Seung-eop was a truly distinguished Korean painter of the 19th century.¡ Along with Zhao Zhiqian, Ren Bonian and Wu Changsoo who were active in Shanghai, he created the aesthetics now associated with East Asian painting.

As Korea leaves behind the tragedies of the late 19th and early 20th century and leaps forward to become an advanced nation, it must uneattl1 its traditional aesthetics and properly promote them. The reappraisal of Jang's work is tremendously significant as a step forward in this process. In the future, we can only hope to delve fmtl1er into the diverse beauty of Jang Seung-eop's painting to discover more of the artistic value of his works, and to stage an even larger exhibition. +

JOURNEYS IN KOREAN LITERATURE

Kim Yoo-jung

-Kim Yoo-jung and his Works }eon Shin-.Jae Professor of Korean Literature, Hallym University

hen Kim Yoo-jung (1908 -1937) died at the young age of 29, he left behind 30 works of fiction, 13 essays and 2 translations of novels. His fiction was for the most part shott stories, except for one uncompleted novel. Among the 30 works, 15 take place in mountain villages in Gangwondo province, Korea's most mountainous region, while the setting for the other 15 is Seoul, Korea:s largest city. But even in the stories set in Seoul, the characters are usually people who have moved there from rural villages. . Kim Yoo-jung's debut work, "The Visitor" takes place in a mountain village in Gangwon-do with the main character being a 29-year-old bachelor who is so poor he cannot afford to get married He finally weds a beggar pretending to be a traveler, but the morning after the wedding, the woman runs away, making off with the groom's clothes. The beggar woman was already married and needed some clothes for her ailing husband Although it involves deception,¡ the marriage ceremony in "The Visto~' is the only wedding scene in all of Kim's works.

"The Scorching Heat" (1937), Kim's last published work, is set in Seoul with the story revolving around a middleaged couple. The husband offers to sell his sick wife to a research hospital. But his proposition is rejected because his wife does not have a rare disease that requires research; she suffered a miscarriage and will not survive another week without remedial surgery. The couple

W

92

eventually gives up hope of having the operation and decides to accept death, under the scorching heat of the unfamiliar city. "The Scorching Heat" is the only one of Kim's works in which a married person is faced with death. Kim passed away a month after the story was published A review of Kiln's stories in chronological order will reveal that they reflect the process of farmers being overwhelmed by oppressive poverty. The extremely dire situation of Korea during Japanese colonial rule in the 1930s led to families and farming communities being torn apart. More often than not, farmers had to resort to tenant

Among Kim's 30 works, 15 take place in mountain villages in Gangwon-do province, Korea's most mountainous region, while the setting for the other 15 is Seoul, Korea's largest city. But even in the stories set in Seoul, the characters are usually people who have moved there from rural villages.

farming after losing their land, but soon even that work was not possible as mounting debt drove them out of their home villages. Thereafter, their attempt to start a new life in another village would fail and after months or years of drifting, they ended up in the city where they met death. In this contex~ "Spring, Spring'' (1935) falls somewhere (1933) and "The between "The Visto~' Scorching Heat" (1937). The character in this stoty tries to settle down in an unfamiliar village after his family breaks up, but in the end, fails.

However, Kim's characters do not despair even in situations of great adversity. In "Wife" (1935), a married couple is forever quarreling as though they were archenemies, but they share a love that keeps them from breaking up. Kim's "Autumn'' (1936) tells of a husband suffering from poverty and debt who -sells off his wife, who has been working for him like an ox, to a cattle vendor to pay off his debt, and then when the couple meet up again later they run away to a place where no one knows them. And a poor miner working inside a mine gashes open his own foot with a rock to hide gold nuggets inside the wound, and then gets carried out of the underground shaft on a coworket ~ s back, pretending to have been wounded in an accident in "Gold" (1935).

A wife supporting a husband through prostitution is a recurring motif in Kim's stories, but this never causes couples to break up. Prostitution is merely a means to survive from day to day, with no powerful force or great suffering,

except for death, being able to separate a married couple in "The Summer Showe1)' (1935), "Pot" (1935), and ''Virginity'' (1936).

The spirit that runs through Kim's works can be summalized as "a passionate longing for life" and "a trust in the innocence innate to all human beings."

Meanwhile, the humorous elements that are abundant in Kim's stories are never intended to simply provoke laughter. They are a means to relieve . the pain of reality, by creating a distance from and objectifying the source of suf- fering. Laughter as a counterpoint to sorrow is a mechanism that is often found in classic Korean literature.

In terms of style, it is notable that Kim Yoo-jung's prose is much closer to spoken language than a more literary, written language. In his fiction, even : expository passages are written in colloquial language. If ;.ve define literature as a language art, and categorize recorded literature as a literature of the written language and orally transmitted literature as that of spoken language, Kim's short stories are comprised of written language, but their essence is closer to literature rooted in oral tradition He has captured the language that the villagers in his hometown on the outskirts of Chuncheon spoke in their everyday lives in the 1930s in his fiction He paid no heed to standardized grammar or spelling while writing out dialogue based on the way that country folk talked and what he heard So in a way, the letters that he used were more like pronunciation symbols used to re-create the sound of spoken words, rather than "letters." His manuscripts contain no Chinese characters, only hangeul, the Korean alphabet, which is why when we read his works, we feel as if we are listening to a voluble country farmer. If his stories were told in standard Korean or translated into another language, they would lose their linguistic vibrancy and intimacy.

I

â&#x20AC;˘

'\ ,;Jlio '''

,,

/

,!,

It

I

I

d

II

IJL!

I

,,,

II

Here, we can see the difference between spoken language and written language. Whereas the former is direct, the latter is indrec~ the former is auditory whereas the latter is visual. In the culture of the spoken language, people come into direct contact, whereas in the culture of the written language, people remain within their own world.

Auditory stimulation reaches deep inside people, whereas the visual function allows you to sense only what is on the surface. Spoken language connects people with one another, while written language can do so only in-

directly. The language that Kim Yoojung uses - a language unpolluted by civilization, still basic and unrefinedenables us to travel to a past world And there, we encounter people who are truly humane, which makes for a pleasurable journey.

Kim Yoo-jung captured the Korean emotions exquisitely, and expressed them through a language that is "alive."

He was a writer who has proven that what is the most local is the most ethnic.

And now we are faced with the task of proving that what is the most ethnic, is the most universaL + 93

Support fo Programs Abroa The Korea Foundation offers financial assistance to universities, research institutes and libraries as well as individual scholars abroad in their efforts to promote the study and unders ta nding of subjects related to Korea.

Projects submitted for consideration must be in the fields of the humanities, social sciences or atts. Please refer to the following programs and related Foundation · teams:

Korean Studies Support Team • Establishment or Expansion of Korean Studies Courses and Faculty • Visiting Professorships • Suppon for Research Institutes Overseas

Tel: 82-2-3463-56 12 Fax: 82-2-3463-6025 e-mail: stu dies @kf. or.kr

Fellowship Program Team • • • • •

Korean Studies Fellowship Korean Language Training Fellowship Graduate Scholarships for Korean Studies Publication Grant Program Publication Subsidy Program

Tel: 82-2-3463-5614 Fax: 82-2-3463-6075 e-mail: scholar@ kf.or.kr •' · ~

Publication and Reference Materials Team • Reference Materials Distribution Program • Supp01t for Overseas Libraries

Tel: 82-2-3463-5684 Fax: 82-2-3463-6086 e-mai l: publication @kf. or.kr For application forms, program guidelines or funher information, please ont-aer-the respective teams or visit the Foundation homepage: <www. kf or. kr>

The

Ko~ea

Foundation

Seocho P.O. Box 227, Seoul Korea Diplomatic Center Building, 1376-1 Seocho 2-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul137-072, Korea

KOREA FOCUS In addition to KOREANA, the Korea Foundation publishes Korea Focus as patt of its effott to infom1 the world conm1unity about Korea and to enhance international understanding in this era of globalization.

Korea Focus offers a comprehensive view of contemporaty Korea in a wide-ranging selection of informative articles on Korea's current affairs. In this bin1onthly, you will find timely essays and commentaries on Korea's politics, economy, society and culture, opinions on world affairs, and a chronology of recent events in Korea.

Its articles are selected from leading publications in Korea, including major daily newspapers, newsmagazines and academic joumals.

For subscription or further information, please conta ct the Publication and Reference Materials Team of the Korea Foundation.

HOAEA FOCUS~

I

_·

I .-· ·

~ ~-

,

-

'f

--· ·· -·-'--'-'-··

---o_ '

fSA KNOX

Wrinkle Decline W i!h Medimi n A

'"~firs/

numt' ;., bcuury Aging

S p ecia l

ISA KNOX Wrinkle Decline Wrinkle Decline with Medimin A, Feel it, and See it, to Believe it.

VISIT KOREA YEAR lOOt Landscape graced with majestic mountains and scenic valleys adorned with the treasures of Korea's fascinating cultural heritage.

Modern cities pulsating with exciting nightlife, exotic cuisine and great bargain shopping.

A colorful variety of festivals will be held throughout Korea all year long.

Meet the faces' that smile with love and care.

Come to Fantastic Korea!

~ \. \ I I'

,_ "' I?

"0. , /

11ÂŽ il~

¡ / ~ ~ VISIT KOREA :: YEAR 2001

'

Emblem "Chongsachorong"

Ministry of Culture & Tourism The Organizing Committee for Visit Korea Year 2001 10, Ta-dong , Chung-gu, Seoul100-180, Korea Tel: +82-2-319-8006 - 7 Fax: +82-2-318-6005 http://www.2001 visitkorea.com

Mascot "Chorong-i and Saektong-i"