One Artist’s Audacious Pursuit of Traditional Korean Hanji

A very interesting and inspiring video about Aimee Lee, an Hanji artist from New York City who is an amazing ambassador of Hanji paper, and culture, in the world.

YouTube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDM6E784Bxs

Looking back on the 20th Edition of the Jeonju Hanji Culture Festival

This year marked the 20th anniversary of the Jeonju Hanji Culture Festival.

The annual event was held from May 5 through 8, 2016, and HanjiNaty was there to celebrate Hanji paper, one of the cultural treasures of Korea.

Before writing this blog post, I took the time to re-read my observations and comments on the previous editions, in which I participated both as a visitor (see the text on the 2013 Festival), and as a vendor in the Hanji market (take a look at last year's blog post, which covers my first experience as a vendor at the Jeonju Hanji Festival).

While re-reading my previous blog posts, I quickly came to this conclusion : not much has changed. I still love and appreciate many aspects of this singular event, but the grievances and concerns I had regarding the Festival organization are still lingering. Some things have been addressed, but there are still issues that need to be improved, in order to bring to this event the notoriety and popularity it deserves.

Let's take a look at some of the great aspects of the 2016 Festival, along with the elements that would deserve to be reconsidered and reworked.

New location for the Hanji market

This year, the vendors were located closer to the main stage area, and it was a very pleasant change. There was more foot traffic, and we could all feel more excitement and enthusiasm in the air, due to the proximity of the performances, the increased number of passer-by, and the general conviviality of the festival atmosphere. 

Even if the proximity to the stage came with loudness, it was definitely more pleasant - and more profitable - for the vendors, including myself.

The market was slightly smaller this year (there were 15 vendors present for the festival this year, compared to 20 in 2015), but visitors still had the chance to purchase high-quality Hanji paper, Hanji fans, umbrellas and small objects, along with hair accessories, jewelry and deco items designed by HanjiNaty. There was also a convenience store stall and several food stands, where people could purchase snacks, cold drinks or ice cream.

A nice spread of cultural performances

During the four days of the Festival, numerous cultural performances were held on the main stage. Visitors were invited to enjoy - for free! - various dance and musical performances, including Korean traditional dancing, belly dancing, K-pop performances, opera, and even a big band concert!

Sadly, some performances were given in front of a very sparse group of festival goers. That's unfortunate for the performers, who surely spent a lot of time and energy to prepare their shows.

The afternoon dress rehearsals for the fashion show and the Costume show were more popular; people had a great time admiring the amazing garments made of Korean paper. Unfortunately, the rain chased away many spectators for the evening performances. What a shame, especially considering the amount of work and effort were poured into the creation of these amazing costumes!

How about organizing a parade in the streets surrounding the site, and even in the Hanok village? It would be a great experience for the fashion models and designers, and it will bring attention to the Festival, and hopefully attract more visitors and tourists who might not have been aware of the event.


A new website.... but where's English?

The Jeonju Hanji Festival recently redid its website, to modernize it and make it more vibrant and user friendly. You can visit it here : http://www.jhanji.or.kr/

The new hot pink titles and the colorful pictures are very attractive! I especially like the large picture banner and the fresh look of the site. Unfortunately, there is still something major missing : there is no English version! It appears especially problematic this year, as the theme of the 20th edition of the Festival was "Hanji into the world."  How can we expect foreign visitors to learn about Hanji if they can't read anything about it? It is foolish to think that the internationalization of Hanji can be done without a minimal amount of English language material available. In this digital era, an English version of a website is a obvious necessity.

I have been talking about this issue for years now (on my blog, as well as in person with some people involved in the organization of the Festival), but it seems that my message hasn't reached its target yet. I will keep on beating my Hanji drum as loudly as possible, but it is not a mission I can tackle alone.

I had the occasion to discuss and share ideas with a few members of the organizing committee; I offer my help for next year's edition, and they seem happy to hear that I wanted to get involved in the organization. I really hope they indeed contact me, so I can give a hand to this event that I sincerely love.

A team of KTV produced a TV segment on the 2016 Jeonju Hanji Festival.

HanjiNaty in the news

This year, my presence drew interest from different media outlets, including KTV, the Jeonju City blog, and the JB Life Magazine. Wow!

I was thrilled to be able to talk about my craft and my passion for Hanji paper.

You can take a look at different segments and blog posts featuring HanjiNaty :

KTV segment on the Hanji Festival (HanjiNaty featured from 1:48) :
http://www.ktv.go.kr/content/view?content_id=522513

Blog post on the Jeonju City blog (in Korean) :
http://m.blog.naver.com/jeonju_city/220702781096

Blog post by "HanjiMaster" (in Korean) :
http://blog.naver.com/hanjimaster/220701844742


Thank you for your support!

Once again, taking part in the Jeonju Hanji Festival was an interesting and inspiring experience, despite certain frustrations. It is a beautiful event, and I really want to see it thrive. I am hopeful that the organization will accept my offer to give them a hand, and that this way I can contribute concretely to the development and promotion of this important event.

Finally, I want to take the time to thank all the visitors who took the time to visit my booth at the Festival, with a special thought to my dear friends who travelled to come and support me. Thank you! I also want to sincerely thank my dear husband and partner for his constant help and support.

See you next year, Jeonju!

Only a few days before the 20th Hanji Festival in Jeonju!

We are only a few days away from the annual rendezvous of the Hanji paper lovers in the South-Korean province of Jeollabuk-do!

From May 5 to May 8, you are all invited to join the 2016 Edition of the Hanji Culture Festival in Jeonju. This year marks the 20th anniversary of this important cultural event, and HanjiNaty will be there to part take in the festivities.

This year, May 6 (Friday) has exceptionally been declared 'national holiday' in Korea, so we are hoping that this nice 4-day weekend will be the occasion for many visitors and tourists to come and enjoy what the Festival has to offer!

Map of the 2016 Jeonju Hanji Festival site

This year again, the Festival will be held on the site adjacent to the Korean Cultural Center in Jeonju. The Festival site will be divided in four main sections (the HanjiNaty booth is marked by a blue star on the map) :

The main stage (section 1)

This year, many performances will take place on the 'Culture Stage'. The most important events scheduled for the Festival will be held on this main stage, including the opening and closing ceremonies, and the award ceremony for the winners of the National Hanji Craft Contest.

On Thursday night (May 5), the popular Hanji paper Fashion show will be presented. Models will be walking down the runway wearing amazing garments made of Hanji paper.

Friday evening (May 6), a show featuring numerous costumes made of Hanji will also be presented on the Festival main stage.

Throughout the Festival, many various musical and dance performances are also scheduled, including a Big Band, a belly dancing show, and traditional Korean music and dance performances.

Hands-on activities (section 2)

The second section will be dedicated to hands-on activities, featuring the star of the Festival : Hanji paper! The section located next to the Hanji Support Industry Center will be filled with activities and crafts that will enchant the little ones, and their parents as well.

The HanjiNaty is circled in red
on the Open Market map

Different booths will be set up to give the visitors the occasion to do Hanji crafts, and to create different items (lamps, dolls, pencil cases, etc.). Prices vary depending on the project you wish to tackle.

Hanji Open Market (section 3)

The Hanji Open Market will be located between the main stage and the Cultural Center this year. That's where you can find HanjiNaty!

The Hanji Open Market is the perfect place to find handmade gifts made of Hanji paper, including stationery, deco items, accessories, clothing, souvenirs, etc.

You can also purchase high-quality Hanji paper (made in Korea) in the Open Market.

Cultural Center (section 4)

In the Cultural Center building, visitors are invited to see the winners of the National Hanji Craft contest's amazing work. The exhibit is held on the 3rd floor, and is always worth a visit. Trust me!

We will be there!

HanjiNaty will be there for the four days of the Festival, to sell our handcrafted jewelry, accessories, and deco items.

In our booth, visitors will find a wide variety of handmade earrings, necklaces and brooches, along with handmade Hanji headbands, hair pins and hair ties. Other small items will also be for sale, including magnets, key chains, and phone pendants. A nice selection of coasters, pen holders and plates will also be available.

We really hope to see you there!



How to get to the Jeonju Festival :



Information in Korean : http://jhanji.or.kr/bbs/board.php?bo_table=main01_04

HanjiNaty at the 2015 Jeonju Hanji Culture Festival~!

The 2015 edition of the Jeonju Hanji Culture Festival was held in the beautiful city of Jeonju (Jeollabuk-do province) from May 2 to May 5 2015.

This year was the 19th edition of this event, and I was really looking forward to it, as last year's edition was cancelled (following the tragic accident of the Sewol ferry).

HanjiNaty was there for the 4-day event, with a booth in the market area. During the Festival, I had the occasion to meet some wonderful people, present my handmade creations to many visitors, and fraternize with my fellow Hanji artists and artisans.


New products in the HanjiNaty booth

In my booth I was offering to visitors a nice range of Hanji paper earrings, hair barrettes, and home decor items, including coasters, plates, tissue box covers and pen holders.

Handmade hair accessories, including headbands and barrettes,
were available for sale in the HanjiNaty booth.

Recently I have started to create new jewelry pieces, including brooches and necklaces. I have also added to my collection pony hair ties, that were quite popular!

Visitors seem to appreciate these latest additions, and it is giving me the desire to continue my exploration! I am planning on working on some leather bracelets with Hanji paper beads; I'll keep you posted with my progress, of course.


Meaningful encounters

One of the things I love the most about participating in festivals and craft shows is meeting customers, fellow artisans and visitors, and have the time to chat with them.

We made sure to place a sign in our booth that our visitors can expect to be served in English, Korean, French or German!

My husband and I put our linguistic skills to good use during the Festival, as we had the chance to meet visitors from France, Austria, North America, Australia, New Zealand, China, and of course, Korea.

People were generally very kind, and genuinely interested in my creative process. I had to answer the question "How did a foreigner end up doing Hanji crafts?" a few times; it is a fair inquiry, I believe I am the first Westerner to ever sell their own Hanji creations in the Jeonju Festival.


... The right site for the Festival?

This year, new brooches, pony tail ties, hair barrettes and
necklaces were available in the HanjiNaty booth.

This year the Festival site was once again set up around the Hanji Industry Support Center and the Traditional Cultural Center, a few blocks away from Jeonju City Hall. Despite the fact that these recently-erected buildings are very attractive, they remain fairly unknown to the general public.

Visitors and tourists are still naturally drawn to the Hanok Village, a popular traditional neighbourhood where you can find many art galleries, tea shops, tiny museums, etc., and where the Festival used to be held (until 2012), rather than the new Festival site.

I think the Festival is suffering from this lack of visibility, as the foot traffic wasn't as abundant as expected. I personally know several people who had difficulty finding the site, even when taking a taxi (many drivers didn't even seem to know where the Festival is located, which is quite troublesome).

It seems logical to have the Festival celebrating Hanji paper next to the Center dedicated to this sublime material, but we have to ask ourselves: is it the right location for a Festival that aims to attract large numbers of visitors? Is it the best way to host a successful event, that is appealing to the tourists, profitable for the vendors, and fruitful for the Hanji industry and community?

Odd configuration

Another thing that could be improved for the next edition of the Jeonju Hanji Festival is the configuration of the site.

This year, the Festival was spread on a wider radius, and the different zones (hands-on activities, Hanji market and stage area) were quite far from each other.

I think it would be beneficial to have the different zones closer to each other, and all grouped around the central stage area. In my opinion, it would keep the festive spirit up, and improve traffic to the different areas of the Festival, including the market, the shops inside the Cultural Center, the kids' zone, the National Contest Exhibit, as well as the hands-on activities. It would also encourage the vendors to keep their booths open later in the evenings, when the fashion shows attract visitors at night.

A great experience

Overall it was a great experience. I had a good time, met some fantastic people and did some good business. I was happy and proud to be participating in this event in Jeonju, the city where I discovered Hanji, and where I learned Hanji crafts. You can count on me for next year, especially knowing that 2016 will mark the 20th anniversary of the Jeonju Hanji Festival!

Thank you so much to my wonderful husband and partner.

Many thanks!

I want to take the time to warmly thank the people who helped and supported me throughout this adventure.

All my heartfelt gratitude to my extraordinary husband and partner, without whom I would have never succeeded the way I did.

I am also very grateful to all my friends (including my beloved Hanji teacher) who took the time to visit my booth during the Festival! I was also thrilled to see my Hanji friend Jan Coveney from Hanji Happenings, who visited Jeonju with her lovely sisters. It was wonderful to see you and feel your encouragement and support.

I want to especially thank my friend Byung Tae Goo for the beautiful photos you can see in this post.

See you all next year for the 20th Edition of the Jeonju Hanji Culture Festival !

2015 Jeonju Hanji Culture Festival : We'll be there!

I am thrilled to announced that Hanji Naty will have its own booth at the 2015 Jeonju Hanji Festival!

This annual event will be held from May 2 to May 5, 2015 in the area surrounding the Hanji Industry Support Center in Jeonju (Jeollabuk-do province, South Korea).

For the 19th edition of the Festival, visitors will have once again to participate in many various activities and events, including hands-on workshops, fashion shows, exhibitions, an open-air market, etc.

The Festival is always a very festive occasion to discover the amazing work of Korean Hanji paper artists! You should be able to admire the work of the winners of the National Hanji craft contest, which is always outstanding. 

HanjiNaty will be there!

We will be there for the four days to present our latest creations to the visitors! You can expect new items in the Hanji Naty booth, including Hanji paper necklaces, hair accessories, earrings, pen holders, coasters, magnets, and more!

The Festival site is open and admission is free for all visitors. If you wish to do some hands-on crafts some fees apply, depending on the project you want to tackle.

You can access the Festival website here (in Korean only) : http://www.jhanji.or.kr/

See you all in Jeonju !

A Visit to the Jeonju Hanji Museum

A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure to meet Manuela, an energetic Brazilian gal who has a true passion for handmade paper. She is currently pursuing Graduate studies in a University in Japan, and her research focuses on traditional Japanese paper making.

Manuela had the brilliant idea to contact me via this blog before coming to Korea on a 2-week vacation, to ask me for some suggestions on how and where she could get familiarized with Hanji paper while visiting Korea. I was thrilled to hear from her!

It is always so exciting for me to meet and discuss with other paper lovers, who have a passion for traditional methods and crafts. (If it's your case, please do not hesitate to contact me!)

After exchanging a few emails, we decided to organize a little meet-up in Jeonju, where we could visit the Hanji Museum together, and pay a visit to my beloved Korean Hanji teacher.

Welcome to the Jeonju Hanji Museum

The Hanji History Hall
Jeonju Hanji Museum

The Jeonju Hanji Museum is located in the industrial complex, in the neighborhood Palbok-dong in Jeonju.

It isn't the type of museum that you can naturally stumble upon while exploring the Hanok village or downtown Jeonju; you will most likely need to take a taxi or a city bus to get there (a link with directions to the museum can be found at the bottom of this page).

The Museum is very beautifully designed, and the majority of the signage is translated in English, which is a rarity in Korean museums! It makes the visit very pleasant and informative for foreign visitors.

The Museum also offers a comprehensive English brochure, and an English version of the "History of Paper" short video (projected on a Hanji screen in the Hanji History Hall) is also available.

The Different Sections of the Museum 

The Jeonju Hanji Museum is divided in five different sections :

• The Hanji History Hall
• The Hanji Future Hall
• The Millenium Hanji Hall
• The Planning Exhibition Hall
• The Hanji Reproduction Hall

The first part of the Museum, called "Hanji History Hall", is dedicated to the history and evolution of paper, and more specifically, of Hanji paper. Some beautiful artifacts can be seen in that section, including very old Hanji boxes and pieces of furniture, antique paper scrolls, and calligraphy documents.

Clothing made of Hanji paper and fibers are on display
in the Hanji Future Hall of the Museum.

The second section, named "Hanji Future Hall", is devoted to the multiple uses and usages of Hanji.

You will have a chance to see some outstanding products made of Korean Hanji paper paper, including clothing, artistic sculptures, hair accessories, scarves, vessels, dishes, decorative boxes, shoes, ties, handkerchiefs, etc.

The range of items made with Hanji is truly amazing! The section of the Museum illustrates beautifully the multiple strengths and characteristics of this unique material.



Here are a few pictures of the different items you can see in the Hanji Future Hall :

The third section of the Museum, called "Millenium Future Hall", contains a small auditorium (for video projection) and a space for workshops, and for welcoming groups of visitors.

The different types of Hanji paper are also on display, and the visitors are invited to touch the diverse kinds of Hanji, to feel and see the differences between them.

It is very instructive, but unfortunately the indications on the different types of Hanji paper are only available in Korean.

The fourth section of the Museum is an exhibition Hall that welcomes temporary exhibits. When I visited the Museum back in September 2014, an exhibition of drawings by local university art students was there for us to admire. The students drew portraits on Hanji paper, and the results were truly beautiful! A lovely selection of complimentary postcards was also available for the visitors for the duration of the exhibition.

To reach the fifth and last section of the Museum, called "Hanji Reproduction Hall", the visitors are invited to go down a "green house" staircase, under which different plants are happily growing. Visitors can see the beautiful green mulberry plants, the raw material at the very base of the fabrication of traditional Hanji paper! I felt that this brief walk in a very green and lively environment was a very nice touch in the Museum visit.

In the "Hanji Reproduction Hall", visitors have a chance to see and touch the raw material used to make Hanji paper. Every step of the paper making process is well explained and documented, and you can see the tools, raw materials and instruments used to make the paper.

At the end of the path, the visitors are invited to make their own sheet of Hanji paper, using traditional techniques. The Museum staff is very kind and helpful, and the hands-on experience is very pleasant! The visitors can keep their own sheet of Hanji paper as a souvenir.

When the visit of the Museum is over, you can also browse in the nice Hanji Museum gift shops, where you can find a good selection of Hanji paper (sheets), as well as Hanji paper products: socks, fans, dolls, decorative objects, etc. The products offered in the Museum are of high-quality, and are reasonably priced.


A great visit... and a new friend!

I had a great time at the Hanji Museum; the visit was interesting, instructive and fun. The whole visit took about an hour, and it was definitely worth it!

I was thrilled to share my passion for Hanji paper with my new "paper friend", Manuela! It was very interesting and resourcing to spend time with someone who shares my passion and interest for traditional paper, and I walked out of the Museum reinvigorated and full of new ideas!

Thank you so much, Manuela! I cannot wait for our next adventure... wherever that might be!

Manuela and Natalie at the Jeonju Hanji Museum

More information on the Jeonju Hanji Museum

➯ Official website (in Korean only) : hanjimuseum.co.kr
➯ Information and directions (in English): http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_1_1_1.jsp?cid=268162
➯ Visiting Hours : 9am to 5pm, Tue-Sun (closed on Monday)
➯ Admission : Free

The 2014 Seoul Hanji Culture Festival (First Edition)

While taking part in the Hanji Festival in Wonju last week, I found out that a brand-new Hanji Festival will be held in Seoul on October 9-11, 2014.

The theme of this first edition of the Seoul Hanji Culture Festival is "Hanji, emit its light"; this event wishes to communicate and promote the multiple qualities of Hanji paper, and its importance in Korea, as well as everywhere else in the world.

The 3-day event will occur at the Seoul City Hall Plaza, from October 9 (Thu) to October 11 (Sat). The opening ceremony, which will include a dance performance and a Hanji fashion show, will be held Thursday night. An open-air market, where visitors will be able to see and purchase a wide variety of Hanji-related items, will be held on Friday (10am-7pm) and on Saturday (10am-5pm).

I was hoping to participate myself in the Hanji market, but my work schedule prohibits me from taking part into the event this year. What a shame! Despite this disappointment, I will surely go to Seoul on Saturday to check out the market and visit the Festival site. 

I don't have much information about the Festival; you can check the official website (http://seoulhanjifestival.co.kr/), but I have to warn you that the site has been unstable for the last few days, and the contents of the pages is solely in Korean. 

Once again, it frustrates and puzzles me to see that an organization that aims for the international promotion of Hanji can't provide basic information in English (or any other foreign languages, for that matter) on their website... Doesn't it defeat the purpose?

The only information in English I was able to gather is from a Korea Time article published a few days ago : http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/culture/2014/09/135_165042.html

There is also a Facebook for the event (but the contents is only in Korean) : 

https://www.facebook.com/seoulhanjifestival

I will keep you informed if I can gather more information on the Festival !! If you happen to have any useful info, please do not hesitate to leave a comment below!

Watch out! The Hanji Web is expanding...!

In the last few months I had the pleasure to make meaningful contacts with other Hanji lovers and craftspeople from different parts of the globe!

It's a thrill and an honor for me when people take the time to send me a message, asking questions or simply encouraging me to pursuit my work.

It seems that the global "Hanji spider web" is expanding! ... and that's awesome news, needless to say!

✔ In the last few months I have received emails from two different people (one lady from Germany, and one young expat who now lives in Seoul, Korea) asking specific questions about Hanji craft and techniques. I really hope that my advice was useful to them, and that they will let me know how their projects are going! ☺

✔ At the end of March, I had the great pleasure to meet a group of Hanji craftspeople up in Seoul, when Hanji artist Jan Coveney was in town and gave a very interesting talk titled "Hanji after Korea";

✔ A Facebook group was recently created by some Hanji lovers in the U.A.E. to give a forum to all the Hanji paper craftspeople out there! (If you wish to join, contact me!)

✔ I received this morning a lovely e-mail from an American young lady who is going to teach a Hanji art program for teens in a public library in the Los Angeles area and who wishes to use some pictures of my work in her promotional flyer. What a thrill!

Watch out ! The gorgeous Hanji paper Web is getting bigger and wider.... you might get caught sooner than you think! ☺

HanjiNaty at the Jeonju Hanji Culture Festival 2014!

 

What a thrill to announce that Hanji Naty will be participating in the 18th Edition of the Jeonju Hanji Culture Festival !

The Festival will be held for four days, from May 3 to May 6, 2014, in the area surrounding the Hanji Industry Support Center in the city of Jeonju, Jeollabuk-do province.

In the past editions, the Hanji Festival was held from Thursday to Sunday; this year, the Festival has decided to make the event coincide with a nice 4-day weekend, made possible by the alignment of the stars and the national Holidays! Children's Day being on May 5 (Monday) and Buddha's birthday on May 6 (Tuesday), Korean citizens will enjoy a long weekend at the beginning of May, when the weather is usually the finest on the peninsula.

From Visitor to Seller

I have been an enthusiastic visitor of the Hanji Festival for many years. I would never miss it for the world! (You can read here my blog post on the 2013 Edition of the Festival). This year I have decided to take a leap of faith and take part in the Festival as a Hanji Seller! It is a gigantic challenge for me, but I am ready to do everything it takes to be successful !

In my booth I plan on selling a wide range of Hanji creations, including earrings, hair accessories, plates, boxes, chests, tissue cases, coasters, magnets, etc.

I am very curious and excited to see what the Korean visitors will think of my work, as it is quite unusual and different from the traditional Hanji crafts you can see in Korea. Will they like the bold colors and the daring designs? Will they find my Hanji jewelry and accessories attractive, or simply weird?

A foreign gal in a very Korean Festival

I won't lie : I'm pretty nervous about the whole adventure. I wouldn't be surprised to hear that I will be most likely the only non-Korean person having a seller's booth at the Festival this year and, quite possibly, ever! I expect to draw a lot of attention, and let's hope it will be for my craft and my creations rather than for my Western face!

One thing that worries me is the fact that my Korean language skills are not good enough to fully explain my crafts to my potential customers and visitors. I am also very concerned about the fact that Korean visitors might feel shy, embarrassed or even scared to approach my booth because they don't feel confident enough with their own English skills! I am hoping to have some help from dear Korean friends who could spend a little time with me in my booth and help me communicate better with my visitors and possible customers!

I am also expecting to be photographed and filmed quite a bit! As a foreigner in South Korea (especially when you are out of metropolitan centers such as Seoul or Busan) I am already used to have my picture taken when I attend any kind of festival or event... But I know that this time it will most likely be a bigger deal, and I can expect to end up in the newspaper or in a news spot on Korean TV!... I will make sure to wear my brightest smile (and a decent outfit!) for the four days of the Festival!

Getting ready for the big Weekend!

Ever since I received the confirmation that I will have my own booth at the Festival, I have been working quite hard to prepare this big 4-day event. I honestly don't know what to expect, and I want to be as well prepared as possible! In the next few weeks I will be sharing my process (and my progress!) with you! Don't worry : I'll make sure to keep you posted!

* * * * *

To learn more about the Festival :

★ Official Website (in Korean only) : 
http://jhanji.or.kr/

★ Korea Tourism Association page on the Festival : 
http://bit.ly/KaS1FB

★ Festival Facebook Event page : 
https://www.facebook.com/events/191179781002235/

My Meaningful Hanji Trip to Seoul : Discoveries, Connections, and Projects!

Yesterday, I had the great joy and pleasure to go on a very special "business trip" to the Capital city of Korea : Seoul!

My day started with a visit to the crafty neighborhood of Insadong (인사동), where you can find many Hanji and calligraphy shops, as well as numerous tea shops, art galleries and antique shops.

A tiny Hanji shop in Insadong, Seoul.

I got my fill of gorgeous papers and art supplies, and I purchased quite a few sheets of unique Hanji paper.

I usually buy my Hanji paper in my favorite shop in Jeonju (Jeollabuk-do province). It was a nice change for me to visit some of Seoul's shops, to see what they have to offer! I quickly noticed that the price of each sheet is higher than in Jeonju (Insadong is a famous tourist attraction, so the prices are crafted with the tourists and foreign visitors in mind!) but I didn't mind paying a little more for some exquisitely different patterned and textured papers.

After lunch, I headed over to NamDaeMoon Market (남대문시장) to purchase some more supplies, along with wrapping and packaging material. I made a mandatory stop at Alpha, a massive 5-floor stationery and art supply paradise where you can find anything and everything for craft and paper lovers : art supplies, stationery, tools, office supplies, paper of all kinds, stickers, toys, etc.!

"Hanji, after Korea"

Afterwards I took the subway to Itaewon, the most cosmopolitan neighborhood in Seoul. At 4 in the afternoon, I had the great chance to meet some craft lovers in a tiny art space called "Jankura Art Space".

I attended a talk titled "Hanji, after Korea" given by Jan Coveney, a very talented and experienced Hanji artist who now lives and teaches Hanji crafts in the United Arab Emirats (U.A.E.). Jan and I had been in contact for the last year or so via blogs and social media sites, but it was the first time we actually met. She was visiting Korea with a few of her Hanji students and friends, and there was no way I would pass on the opportunity to spend a little bit of time with them !

Hanji paper is easily accessible in Korea, but can
be quite hard to find in other countries. 

In her lecture, Jan talked about the challenges that she encountered when she left Korea; she wanted to continue doing her crafts, but was facing some problems : where to get actual Hanji paper? How to find the proper tools, adhesives and supplies? What are the available alternatives if you just cannot find what you are looking for?

Jan gave us some useful tips to find supplies, or suitable alternatives that can be purchased in most Western countries. She also shared her story with us, from the moment she started doing Hanji in Korea over a decade ago, all the way to the establishment of her own Hanji studio in the U.A.E.. We also talked about her future projects, of course!

Connecting with other Hanji craft aficionados

This encounter was extremely meaningful to me. I was thrilled to be sitting there, surrounded by enthusiastic craft lovers who share my excitement for Hanji, and everything it has to offer. There were about a dozen of us, sitting together and talking about our passion, ideas, struggles, challenges and questions, and it was wonderful to be a part of it. What an energizing experience!

You need to know that, most of the time, I am alone with my Hanji. Alone with my designs, my glue, my joys, my doubts, and my mountains of paper. Of course I am surrounded by loving people who care about me and my craft, but I hadn't had a chance (before yesterday!) to meet and chat with other Hanji lovers who understand and share my passion for this craft. What a wonderful moment!

Jan Coveney (Hanji Happenings)
and Natalie Thibault (HanjiNaty)

After the talk I had a chance to continue my conversation with Jan, Anna, Trish and their loving family members over food and drinks. It was unbelievably exciting to talk about our journeys, as expats, teachers, and Hanji craft artists! We quickly discovered how much we have in common, and how much we can share and learn from each other's experiences abroad.

I feel privileged to have met such wonderful people, who are now not only like-minded Hanji lovers and creators, but now dear like-minded friends.




Ready for our next gathering!

We were even dreaming and planning our next meet-up! How about a "Korean Hanji Tour", where we could gather and visit some important places in Korea (Hanji paper factories and workshops, museums, etc.), go on Hanji shopping sprees and, why not, do some crafts together! I am ready, Ladies!