What to Do & see
Home>Hanji>About Hanji
- Materials provided by the Operating Committees of the Jeonju Hanji Culture Festival and
the Wonju Hanji Festival
-
Koreans have used hanji in a wide range of applications in their everyday lives, e.g. clothes, housewives’ sewing baskets, washbasins, shoes, document boxes, lamp covers and handheld fans. Jeonju and Wonju are the major sites of production of hanji that is an essential element in the lives of Koreans. These two cities, known for producing high-quality hanji from a long time ago, hold grand hanji festival every year. As of today, the Jeonju Hanji Culture Festival has already been held in May. And people are now looking forward to the Wonju Hanji Festival to be held in September. These festivals have many family visitors as it offers many programs that can be enjoyed by both children and adults.
-
Jeonju Hanji Culture Festival
Jeonju Hanji has been regarded as a synonym to the country’s traditional paper. It is said that Jeonju Hanji will be used in the production of a copy of the ‘Joseonwangjosillok (True Records of the Joseon Dynasty),’ one of the most important historic records concerning the Joseon Dynasty.
-
The festival was launched with the aim to publicize the excellence and practicality of the paper and to promote its industrial value. And in 2009, the Jeonju Hanji Culture Festival marked its 13th year. Being comprised with various programs, such as the Hanji Craftwork Contest, exhibitions, seminars and opportunities for hands-on experience, it is a regional festival visited by many tourists each year.
Hanji-making is the program that attracts the most foreign visitors. At the event, held at the Jeonju Hanok Village where there are many old-fashioned hanok houses, they take part in the process of making hanji with the help of renowned skilled professionals of Jeonju. Young children show interest in the ‘hanji craft program’ that allow them hands-on experience of making handcrafts using hanji. They make clothes for dolls or engage in the country’s traditional games such as jaegichagi (kicking shuttlecock game) and ttakjichik (flipping of origami-made cards) using hanji-made jegi or Ttakji. Kids can also take part in making hanji frames or applying hanji to the latticework of doors and windows.
-
In addition to learning about and experiencing hanji, attendees to the festival can also experience the various traditional cultures of Korea through various supplementary events, such as folk games, tea ceremonies or traditional Korean music performances.
- Held : Every May (subject to change)
Venue : Gyeonggi-jeon and Jeonju Hanok Village, Jeonju
Website : http://www.jhanji.or.kr (English website not available)
For inquiries, please contact 82-63-271-2503
- Wonju Hanji Festival
-
Wonju is also well-known as a leading site for the production of hanji. At the Hanji Culture Festival held in Bonn, Germany and Fabriano, Italy, visitors extolled the aesthetic colors and the soft touch of the Wonju Hanji. Held annually, the festival will celebrate its 11th anniversary this year. A total of some 300,000 visitors, including some 500 foreigners, visited the 10th Wonju Hanji Festival in 2008.
Like its counterpart held in Jeonju, the event in Wonju exhibits various hanji and hanji crafts through the hanji contest, and preview, and provides various hands-on experience events enjoyed by family visitors. For example, at the 60-plus booths, visitors can engage in the works of making hanji, hanji handcrafts, prints, the making of mulberry dolls or the natural dyeing of hanji. During last year’s event, a fashion show was held for hanji-made wedding dresses at the Chiak Art Gallery. The wedding dresses were sold through an auction after the fashion show.
Throughout the event, thousands of hanji craftworks made by local residents are placed here and there, creating a festive mood. Hanji pieces floating on the pond surface beside lotus flowers create a beautiful scenery. Having traditional Korean foods at a nearby market or shopping for hanji craftworks are other chances to enjoy the festival.
- Held : Every September (September 11-13, 2009)
Venue : Wonju Chiak Art Gallery and nearby places
Website : http://www.wjhanji.co.kr/festival (English website provided)
For inquiries, please contact 82-33-766-1366
