Do not go gentle into that good night, old age should burn and rave at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light, though wise men at their end know dark is right, because their words had forked no lightning they, do not go gentle into that good night.
Foreign students dive into Korean craftsmanship in 2-week heritage program
The Buyeo National Museum in South Chungcheong Province unveils a new three-story building devoted solely to the Great Gilt-bronze Incense Burner of Baekje, a state-designated National Treasure. Courtesy of Buyeo National Museum
By Jhoo Dong-chan
A specialized national university has wrapped up a two-week immersive program designed to give foreign exchange students hands-on experience with Korea's traditional craftsmanship, cultural heritage and historic preservation.
The K-Heritage Field Study program, which ran from July 2-13, was organized by the K-Heritage International Center under the Korea National University of Heritage (KNUH). Now in its third year, the summer initiative pairs academic lectures with intensive fieldwork across three of the country's major historic hubs: Buyeo, Jeonju and Seoul.
To deepen the experience, organizers introduced a joint format this year, pairing eight international exchange students with four Korean peers to foster direct cultural exchange throughout the program.
The curriculum was structured around four distinct phases: material, technique, fieldwork and reflection.
At KNUH’s main campus and the Buyeo National Museum, participants studied under specialists in traditional ceramics, architecture, clothing and food, and practiced the intricate art of traditional Korean knot-tying. The students then traveled to Jeonju, where they stayed in a hanok (traditional Korean house) village to experience historical residential architecture firsthand and learn the traditional process of making kimchi by hand.
The program concluded in Seoul, where the cohort attended a class on hanok architecture at Deoksu Palace, watched a traditional music performance at the National Gugak Center and studied royal and contemporary craftsmanship at the National Palace Museum of Korea and the Seoul Museum of Craft Art.
KNUH, which operates under the Korea Heritage Service, is Korea's only special-purpose national university dedicated entirely to cultural heritage. The university has offered the K-Heritage Academy series for international students, diplomats and cultural figures since 2023.
The July field study marks the second of three specialized global programs scheduled for 2026. It follows a K-Heritage Day event hosted for foreign diplomats on May 14, and precedes a K-Heritage Leadership Program tailored for global cultural figures later this year.
This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.