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Kim Ji-myung

The writer is the chairwoman of the Korea Heritage Education Institute (K*Heritage).

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Kim Ji-myung

Constancy and change in tradition

By Kim Ji-myungIn early April, some 20 artisans of traditional Korean crafts will board a plane for Italy. Many of them are holders of the government’s Intangible Cultural Heritage title. Most have spent their lives doing the same old-fashioned handicrafts ― including ceramics, lacquer coating, wood joinery, mother-of-pearl inlay, rice paper making and hanbok clothing making.They are not on an ordinary group tour, but are flying to the other side of the globe to see their own artworks displayed at the International Exhibition in Milan. These selected master artists will also view other handicraft masterpieces at museums in Italy during their stay.Although some of these Korean artisans have already been exposed to schools and training opportunities abroad, most have done little but learning and practicing their manual skills since they were very young.It has not been long since “traditional Korean” crafts produced by these skilled artisans were first recognized as national treasures by our government and the general public.Belonging to the hereditary class of “

Mar 15, 2013By Kim Ji-myung
Kim Ji-myung

A true story of 'hanok'

By Kim Ji-myungForeigners often praise traditional Korean houses or “hanok.” Long-time residents here sometimes rue the disappearing of old “things Korean” ― villages, thatched roofs, Korean costumes, good old habits and caring relationship among people. Yes, I agree. We also miss them.Last week, taking advantage of the empty Lunar New Year’s Day city, I visited a traditional Korean house in a very old neighborhood of the city. Unbelievably, there was enough space to park in the small alley near the house.The owner, an American professor at Seoul National University, was extremely lucky to buy the small but lovely house at a bargain price, as he confessed, and to have a creative designer and a seasoned master carpenter completely restore the house inside and out.The cream of the house was some 35 windows. All were works of art, each handcrafted by a glass artist. Each clear pane had a different design embossed in white etching: birds, parts of an old map of Seoul, a lotus leaf, a page from an old book. They were taken from folk paintings and old maps. De

Feb 15, 2013By Kim Ji-myung
Kim Ji-myung

In defense of accordions

By Kim Ji-myungIn retrospect, I have kept on doing some things just for my own fun throughout my career, even if in secret. I may have seemed to others to be too busy to think about activities unrelated to my work. But between you and me, I always did things that I liked besides my serious jobs ― drawing, watercolor and oil paintings, making pottery, porcelain painting, playing a traditional Korean drum (the janggo), practicing traditional dance.  And now it is playing the accordion.  Maybe I just needed to do these things to release the pressures from work. I bought an accordion last year and found an instructor. At my first one-hour weekly lesson with him, I asked when I would be able to play the French chanson ``Sous le Ciel de Paris” (Under the Sky of Paris).  After a moment of thought ― not to disappoint me by telling me to wait too long and not to cheat me by being unrealistic ― he said, ``Two years.”  Now almost one year has passed ― with two months pause during my busiest season ― and he gave me the music

Jan 18, 2013By Kim Ji-myung
Kim Ji-myung

Intelligence test for leadership

By Kim Ji-myungThis year’s presidential election, like the many previous ones, will be remembered for its many unprecedented phenomena. On Feb. 25, 2013, when the new president gets down to business after her inauguration ceremony, I hope to see a totally new chapter of political history open in our nation.Interestingly enough, Korea is probably an exception where the level of intelligence of the presidential candidates is put to a downright public test. They must give speeches, answer odious questions and even face rude attacks by an offensive rival representing a distinct minority eye-to-eye in a studio on nationally televised debates.Rather suddenly in our terms, the vocabulary, knowledge and logic-processing ability of the candidates are exposed through all types of modern media.No matter how elaborate a political party’s pledges and policies are, a persuasive and appealing delivery by the candidate is the key to communication. The candidates explained their hopes and dreams on the three televised debates but many wondered whether they really understood the in-depth m

Dec 21, 2012By Kim Ji-myung
Kim Ji-myung

Two very special exhibitions

By Kim Ji-myungHere are two impressive episodes I recently heard about two men who helped bring Korean cultural treasures home from China and Japan, resulting in them now being on display in special exhibitions.One is about the donation made to the Seoul Baekje Museum by Prof. Lee Sang-yun of Yonsei University. He has donated some 45,000 prehistoric artifacts related to the Korean Prehistoric Age and ancient eras that were excavated from the present Chinese border areas.Prof. Lee collected these items in the belief that the cultures of China's prehistory and ancient ages ― particularly the northeast region of China where Old Joseon (Gojoseon) is thought to have developed ― were closely connected with the Dongyi race, an ethnic group considered to be one of the ancestors of modern Koreans.Of these artifacts a careful selection of approximately 120 items are now on display in the first special exhibition of the newly opened museum, until December 2, 2012.  The exhibit includes pottery and ceramic from China's Prehistoric Age to the early Wei, Jin, and Southern and Northern Dynasti

Nov 23, 2012By Kim Ji-myung
Kim Ji-myung

Live or experience a life?

By Kim Ji-myung Recently I stayed one night at Seongyojang Manor ― the best remaining example of a hanok house that once belonged to a family of nobility during the Joseon Kingdom. Designated as Important Cultural Asset No. 5, the compound includes a main building, an ancestral shrine, pavilions and a garden with a lotus pond and pine forest. An exhibition hall will soon open to display some 8,000 artifacts, including artwork and clothes, of this family that has a 300-year history. And yet, it was quite surprising to see the changes taking place at this historic manor. Probably to take care of the 300,000 annual visitors, new buildings and facilities to service guests are being built, supported by the local government. “Experience” is a keyword in their promotional efforts. It is necessary for people to have access to places where they can experience and learn something which they cannot find in ordinary life. In this rare environment, they want to eat, drink tea, get some rest and buy some souvenirs. And the house will probably need additional funding to run the

Oct 26, 2012By Kim Ji-myung
Kim Ji-myung

Where is tradition?

By Kim Ji-myung What comes to your mind when you hear the term “Korean traditions”? What are the keywords of traditional Korean culture? As we are celebrating the traditional thanksgiving holidays of Chuseok, these questions come to my mind once again. According to the official website of the Korean government, Korean-style houses (hanok) with their floor heating system called ondol, Korean food (hansik) represented by kimchi and green tea, Korean paper (hanji) and Korean clothing (hanbok) are the quintessential elements of Korean culture. And most of all, there is the Korean alphabet Hangeul, the pride of the people. Yes! We really have distinctive and superb cultural assets. Last year I had a chance to conduct a brief survey on what image foreigners have in their minds about Korea. Of some 120 participants in an international symposium, some 80 experts and scholars of Korean Studies responded. It was not a scheduled survey but an on-the-spot questionnaire that asked them to write down the words that came to mind when they think about “Korea.” The answers were not ent

Sep 28, 2012By Kim Ji-myung
Kim Ji-myung

Restoring piece of Korean Empire

By Kim Ji-myung Although I never studied at Harvard, I heard many years ago that every Harvard student learns two simple but useful questions among other things. Question 1: The owner of a house or a building knows it better than anybody else. That means if s/he sells it, the purchaser may be ignorant to the property’s defects. In this relationship, the purchaser is in a disadvantageous position. As a result, why do people purchase a house or building? Question 2: When their parents die, their offspring must divide the money and valuables. This could include expensive jewelry, art, porcelain tableware, silver cutlery, etc. However, if there are three or more children, how can the inheritance be shared fairly so that no one complains? If you know the answers, you are unusually wise, and probably adept at finding solutions to everyday problems. A recent report detailing the purchase of Korea’s first diplomatic building some 102 years after it was taken by Japan and then sold to an American reminds me of the first question. The Korean government recently agreed to buy

Aug 31, 2012By Kim Ji-myung
Kim Ji-myung

Serious turn for ‘hallyu 3.0’

By Kim Ji-myung We know that the recent media buzz about ``Korean culture conquering Europe” through a few young Korean pop groups is quite an exaggeration. Nonetheless, I find it surprising and also fun to see so many European and American youngsters dance and sing in unison with Korean tunes (in Korean!) on the streets and in parks. Did they practice these group dances for the Korean media? It reminds me of the old days when we girls thought there were no decent or appealing Korean songs for us and instead sang Western pop songs in English. Young fans of K-pop may be enjoying themselves without even knowing or caring much about the country of origin of the music. They like Korean songs with repetitive simple melodies and ``light” verses. These idolized singers look and sound naïve and innocent, untainted by the dirty tint of sex, violence, drugs or crime. I cannot disagree when my foreign friends say Koreans are too nationalistic in their interpretation of a success story when Koreans are involved. And of course, it is only the success stories that get the atten

Aug 3, 2012By Kim Ji-myung
Kim Ji-myung

'Matjip' — gourmets’ eateries

By Kim Ji-myung Among the incredible diversity of traditional Korean cuisine, I am particularly amazed at the variety and sophistication of rice cakes (tteok) and noodles. One cannot help but admire the materials and methods used, the varying shapes and colors, the differing usages, meanings and stories involved, and of course the unique tastes. Koreans have long enjoyed these two foods not only at special occasions but in everyday life but now they are being viewed in a new light. These days, television seems almost overrun by food-related programs _ shows on the history of unique local foods, cooking techniques, food tours, gourmet restaurants, stories related to food, old documents on food and living masters of traditional cooking among others. Food really has become a favorite topic for most people. Personally my palate is not refined enough as to notice the subtle distinctions in gourmet cuisine. To be frank, eating in my life has often been a mechanical act of sustenance, a means to prepare myself for the next load of work. And that has often been ru

Jul 6, 2012By Kim Ji-myung
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