Young Ok Kim: Hanjicraft — Revival of a Joseon Dynasty Artform

Young Ok Kim was born in North Korea and emigrated to Busan, South Korea prior to the start of the Korean War before she came to the US in the 1970s. Throughout this time remaining devoted to her cultural heritage. After she retired, she learned about hanjicraft, a traditional Korean art form using mulberry tree pulp and natural dyes to create intricate works both large and small. This solo exhibition includes hanjicraft works ranging from tabletop items to furniture. Thanks to Guest Curator, Phoibe Purcell.

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Young Ok Kim was born in North Korea and emigrated to Busan, South Korea, just before the Korean War broke out. She earned her pharmacy degree from Duk Sung University and went on to run her own pharmacy in Seoul before eventually moving to the United States. Arriving in the U.S. in the 1970s, Young faced a strong societal push for assimilation, but she remained deeply proud of her Korean heritage, which she shared with her children, friends, and colleagues.

It was with this same spirit of cultural pride that she discovered and began to teach traditional Korean hanjicraft — a delicate paper craft that uses mulberry bark paper to create everyday items. Young first encountered the art form after retiring, and for nearly two decades, she has taught workshops and classes, passing on her knowledge to others.

For Young Ok, creating hanjicraft involves a process of observation, learning the fundamental techniques, and then adapting them into her own designs. The repetitive motions involved in the craft help to build muscle memory and facilitate a more fluid creative process. The intricate, multi-layered paper cuts are time-consuming, but for Young Ok, cutting the patterns is a meditative experience. Her color choices and patterns blend traditional Korean motifs with her personal interpretations, often inspired by photographs and found images.

Hanjicraft, a tradition that dates back to the Joseon Dynasty, is being reintroduced to global audiences through the resurgence of Korean historical dramas, such as Under the Queen’s Umbrella, which feature intricate furniture and accessories from daily palace life. Inspired by this growing appreciation of Korean culture, Young Ok hopes to share her love for creating functional art that honors the rich history of her homeland.