The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    Actor Yoo Ah-in appears for questioning over alleged drug use

  • 3

    ANALYSISTesla, BYD's price cuts unnerve LGES, Samsung, SK

  • 5

    Yoo Ah-in appears before police over alleged use of illegal drugs

  • 7

    Will April releases revive Korean cinema? Films to look out for in April

  • 9

    Korean crypto investors want Do Kwon punished in US

  • 11

    One of two Kazakhstanis who fled Incheon Int'l Airport nabbed

  • 13

    N. Korea fires 2 SRBMs toward East Sea; US aircraft carrier due in S. Korea for joint training

  • 15

    Nongshim plans to build plant in eastern US region

  • 17

    Right-wing Japanese support Seoul-Tokyo ties: Korean envoy to Japan

  • 19

    POSCO's 135-day Pohang plant recovery dubbed 'miracle'

  • 2

    SK chief's estranged wife sues his new partner for compensation

  • 4

    4 young Nigerian siblings killed in house fire in Ansan

  • 6

    US aircraft carrier to visit Busan amid NK provocations

  • 8

    Dreams come true: TXT mesmerizes 21,000 fans at KSPO Dome

  • 10

    Chun Doo-hwan's grandson apprehended at Incheon Int'l Airport over drug use

  • 12

    Families of foreign construction workers can receive retirement pay: court

  • 14

    Gimpo-China flights recover to pre-pandemic levels

  • 16

    Local bank stocks hit by shockwaves from SVB, CS collapses

  • 18

    Indonesian investment minister promotes EV cooperation with Korea

  • 20

    TEMPLE ADVENTURESHaedong Yonggung Temple prospers on Busan's coast

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
Wed, March 29, 2023 | 00:43
Fortune Telling
Rediscovering Nacre Lacquerware
Posted : 2009-08-05 16:38
Updated : 2009-08-05 16:38
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link
Lacquerware inlaid with mother-of-pearl, known as ``najeonchilgi,'' has long been regarded as a luxurious item symbolizing wealth and nobility both in the past and present.

Kim Sun-kap, nacre lacquerware artisan, talks to The Korea Times Tuesday at Shilla Hotel in Seoul.
/ Korea Times photo by
Shim Hyun-chul
By Chung Ah-young
Staff Reporter

Lacquerware inlaid with mother-of-pearl, known as ``najeonchilgi,'' has long been regarded as a luxurious item symbolizing wealth and nobility both in the past and present.

``Najeon'' means mother-of-pearl, and ``chilgi'' refers to lacquerware. ``Najeonchilgi'' was synonymous with wealth until the 1970s-80s. But since then, it has quickly declined as a thing of the past, as lifestyles have changed from the traditional to the Western style.

``The Korean nacre lacquerware craft is in the doldrums as it has failed to adapt itself to the new environment and social needs. Without following the change of the times, we have repeated old techniques. That's why nacre lacquerware has lagged behind,'' Kim Sun-kap, a nacre lacquerware artisan, said in an interview with The Korea Times.

Nacre-inlaid lacquerware peaked during the Goryeo Kingdom (918-1392). Goryeo ware features sparkling colors, their surfaces densely adorned with tiny, floral shapes made of sea turtle shell and mother-of-pearl. The patterns of ``najeonchilgi'' began to change as the brilliant Buddhist culture during the Goryeo period gave way to the temperate Confucian culture of the Joseon period (1392-1910).



Kim said that although there had been a great change in lifestyle from Goryeo to Joseon, Koreans' ancestors successfully passed down the traditional crafts to successive generations by reinventing the new styles and patterns.

``Currently, nacre-inlaid lacquerware needs new inspirations and styles adjusting to the modern environment. We artisans should make new attempts to renovate our traditional artwork,'' he said.

The craftsman is taking part in the ongoing exhibition titled ``Korea Nacre Exhibition of 19th century to 21st century,'' organized by Sohn Hye-won, head of the brand consulting company Crosspoint, which will run through Aug. 7 at the Emerald Hall of The Shilla Hotel in Seoul.

The exhibition presents some 200 pieces of nacre lacquerware cabinets, dressing tables, stationery chests, rectangle tables, tea and dining tables including Sohn's private collection, and cultural assets, as well as modern works by the nation's masters such as Song Bang-woong, Jeung Myung-chae, Sohn Dae-hyun, Lee Hyung-man, Han Sang-soo, Choi Jong-gwan and Kim Sun-kap.

``The exhibition offers a good opportunity for us to look back to our past practices and reinvent our traditional skills to create modern works. The exhibition is the first of its kind to shed light on not only the old cultural assets but also modern artwork,'' said Kim.

He said that during the 1960s-70s, nacre inlaid lacquerware furniture such as cabinets, dressing tables, stationery chests, and tables were popular as essential furniture for newlyweds. But such daily-use items have been pushed aside now for several decades. Even worse, from 1950 to 1970s, cheap versions of nacre-inlaid lacquerware were made available, using a substitute lacquer painting called ``cashew.''

``Historically, lacquerware inlaid with mother-of-pearl was one of the most sought-after items as part of the noble and high-end culture among wealthy families. They are works of art, not just simple furniture. But so many cheap products using chemical paints downgrade the overall quality of the crafts,'' he said.



To make a piece of the ware requires the three basic materials ― mother-of-pearl (or seashells), lacquer and wood. The process involves approximately 45 time-consuming stages, the first of which is to make a basic frame using various woods. Once the frame is finely polished, then it can be coated evenly with ``saengot,'' or fresh lacquer. Then lacquer paste, or ``chiljuk,'' has to be applied to any corners or cracks. The surface of the object is then covered with a hemp cloth, which is also lacquered on. Then the process of drying and coating is repeated before the inlaying of the mother-of-pearl designs begins. The last step is grinding, lacquering and polishing over and over again.

Kim emphasized that no paint can replace lacquer, which is resistant to heat, acid and humidity and thus lasts for thousands of years. ``The ware coated with other chemical paints is not traditional. Lacquer is very nature-friendly and good for human health,'' he said.

However, he insisted that while keeping the basic traditional principles, new and creative ideas are necessary in shaping the designs and patterns and diversifying the uses of the ware.

In the exhibition, visitors can see aluminum lacquer tables decorated with inlaid mother-of-pearl for the first time. ``It's very innovative. The aluminum can successfully replace wood, which warps over time. The lacquer can be coated on any kind of material. Given its durability and strength, the aluminum nacre lacquerware is a successful attempt to follow modern trends,'' he said.

In the exhibition, Kim's works are marked by pictorial patterns. ``I just wanted to make the works appealing to people all over the world. So I learned Western painting as well as the Korean traditional black-and-white drawing and folk painting to curry favor with various customers,'' he said.

Kim, who has spent 42 years making the ware, said that through the exhibition, many people will become interested in nacre lacquerware.

Sohn, CEO of Crosspoint, who over the last 20 years has created numerous hit brands such as Tromm, Hillstate, Chamisul and Cheoumcheorum, began collecting nacre lacquerware three years ago.

Now, she owns more than 200 pieces of the lacquerware inlaid with mother-of-pearl. ``I just want to promote our excellent traditional crafts to the world as the high-end Korean brand. It was a pity to see that Korean people don't pay attention to our precious artwork. So I am trying to make them aware of the beauty of them,'' said Sohn.

She said that she will hold an exhibition every year and is planning to present other innovative items next year.

``I will bring modernized nacre lacquerware to world furniture expos next year. I think we have our strong competitive edge and it will work,'' she said.

chungay@koreatimes.co.kr
 
Top 10 Stories
1Clock ticks for China's massive repatriation of North Korean defectorsClock ticks for China's massive repatriation of North Korean defectors
2Ramsar wetland in Han River cleaned up for protected birdlife Ramsar wetland in Han River cleaned up for protected birdlife
3Revised Japanese textbooks distort wartime forced labor, catching Korea off guardRevised Japanese textbooks distort wartime forced labor, catching Korea off guard
4CJ CheilJedang sees chicken as next big seller after frozen dumplingCJ CheilJedang sees chicken as next big seller after frozen dumpling
5Jeju seaways get busy with cruise ships, new trade route to Qingdao Jeju seaways get busy with cruise ships, new trade route to Qingdao
6Civic groups in Gwangju await meeting with Chun Doo-hwan's grandson Civic groups in Gwangju await meeting with Chun Doo-hwan's grandson
7BMW launches new XM BMW launches new XM
8Gold price nears all-time high amid financial jitters Gold price nears all-time high amid financial jitters
9North Korea unveils tactical nuclear warheadNorth Korea unveils tactical nuclear warhead
102024 budget to focus on tackling low birthrate2024 budget to focus on tackling low birthrate
Top 5 Entertainment News
1Will April releases revive Korean cinema? Films to look out for in April Will April releases revive Korean cinema? Films to look out for in April
2Dreams come true: TXT mesmerizes 21,000 fans at KSPO Dome Dreams come true: TXT mesmerizes 21,000 fans at KSPO Dome
3'My ID is Gangnam Beauty' to be adapted into live action series in Thailand 'My ID is Gangnam Beauty' to be adapted into live action series in Thailand
4[INTERVIEW] Choi Min-sik, Lee Dong-hwi on creating Korean-style noir with 'Big Bet' INTERVIEWChoi Min-sik, Lee Dong-hwi on creating Korean-style noir with 'Big Bet'
5Ra Mi-ran, Lee Re to lead fantasy drama 'The Mysterious Candy Store' Ra Mi-ran, Lee Re to lead fantasy drama 'The Mysterious Candy Store'
DARKROOM
  • Turkey-Syria earthquake

    Turkey-Syria earthquake

  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group