Tradition meets modernity in youthful takes on makgeolli, hanok

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Tradition meets modernity in youthful takes on makgeolli, hanok

Posted : 2018-11-27 20:33

Updated : 2018-11-29 14:35

Boksoondoga makgeolli at J.Hidden House in Seoul during a gala event hosted by Young YEOL, the 20s-30s program of Yeol Korean Heritage Preservation Society. Courtesy of Young YEOL

Yeol Korean Heritage Preservation Society's 20s-30s group hosts annual benefit gala with Boksoondoga, J.Hidden House.

By Lee Hyo-won

About a dozen young women and men clad in "hanbok" were spotted near Dongdaemun on Saturday. While it has become common to see selfie stick-waving tourists swathed in colorful silks around historical sites, one seldom sees thoroughly traditional Korean garb such as a costume drama-worthy "nambawi" winter headpiece or vintage men's "dopo" overcoat.

"My twin brother and I got our father to lend us his dopo that he got tailor made for marrying our mother over 30 years ago," university student Hans Lee said at the annual gala dinner for Young Yeol, the 20s-30s chapter of Yeol Korean Preservation Society, a nonprofit under the auspices of the Cultural Heritage Administration.

Lee's brother Joon added: "Our father's never worn it since his wedding, so we thought it was meaningful to make use of it for a fun occasion like this."

Lee Hwi-won, a doctor in her 30s, also showed off a classic look complete with a quilted "baeja" vest by hanbok designer Cho Kyung-sun. "The designer tells me it is becoming increasingly rare to see authentic designs these days. I wanted to wear something more traditional."

Yet, a handful of women showcased more modern spinoffs, such as a leopard-print shirt paired with ankle-bearing "chima" more befitting a ballerina than a lady of the 1392-1910 Joseon Kingdom. "Yeol embraces not only centuries-old traditions but also modernity," said Kim Young M'Young, chair of Yeol. "Because traditions are passed down from one generation to the next, Young Yeol plays an important role for the future of Korean heritage and arts."

Comprising of over 100 supporters, Young Yeol regularly organizes events spotlighting contemporary interpretations of tradition. For the gala, it teamed up with Boksoondoga, a makgeolli brewery based in Ulsan, and J.Hidden House, a traditional "hanok" home-turned-cafe in downtown Seoul.

Members of Young YEOL wearing hanbok with Kim Minkyu, CEO of Boksoondoga brewery, center left, and Grace Jun, proprietor of J.Hidden House, center right. Photo courtesy of Young YEOL

Kim Min-kyu, the 36-year-old CEO of Boksoondoga, studied architecture in New York before turning his eyes to a traditional family recipe for makgeolli, an alcoholic beverage. His younger brother, Min-kook, made use of his math major to bring scientific precision to the fermentation process. Dubbed "the champagne of the makgeolli world," it went on to be chosen as the official alcoholic beverage for the 2012 Nuclear Summit, 2013 Blue House Presidential Banquet in Seoul and the opening of the 2014 Expo Milano in Italy.

"It was all the more meaningful to lecture on what I call fermentation architecture, or turning the brewery into a place for thinking, at a modern hanok," said Kim.

J.Hidden House features two hanok buildings over a century old, registered in 1915. At the one-time family home antique wooden skis with bamboo poles and other heirlooms that belonged to the grandparents of the proprietor can be found on display. These are shown alongside other Instagram-worthy props and furniture for serving local craft beers and Jeju-inspired French croissants.

"Our establishment is a fusion of our country's traditional heritage and dynamic modernization by coupling a cutting-edge modernity within the protected, mindful walls of a hidden hanok that was built before the Korean War and has stood the test of time," said Grace Jun, proprietor of J.Hidden House.

Yeol holds free English lectures at Seoul Museum of History every first Monday of the month. Visit yeol.org to learn more about Yeol and its events. More information about Boksoondoga can be found on boksoondoga.com and J.Hidden House is online at jhiddenhouse.com.

A former staff reporter for The Korea Times, the writer previously served as Korea bureau chief of fine arts media company Blouin Artinfo. She is currently a correspondent for Monocle and The Hollywood Reporter and is president of Young Yeol.