Have you think of creating the value of sharing and a good sense of teamwork through Korean arts and crafts? As Korean crafts and arts have become part of Hallyu, the team building with craftworks is a significant opportunity to understand Korean culture and history as well as working together with teammates towards a fun shared goal.
It is much easier to engage with people when sitting across from them, face to face. We can laugh, hear each other clearly, make a comment about something in the office or something we have seen on the way in and so forth. It is also a great way to remember Korea through the creativity among you and your teammates or friends!
Due to current pandemic situation, everyone has to stay safe and healthy untill the right time to have a memorable bleisure trip by discovering the artistic colours of Korea near future! Now, let’s explore some of the unique arts and crafts activities available in Seoul, and mark the favourite one in your company incentive trip’s planner!
(I) Korean Traditional Lacquerware Design
Did you know that Mother-of-Pearl lacquerware is one of Korea’s intangible cultural properties? It is a natural craft material made from thinly processed seashells and this ornate art has been practiced in Korea for over a thousand years.
However, recently people have been slowly rediscovering the charm of mother-of-pearl and giving it a new life in tune with the times, which can be experienced exclusively in Korea.
Mother-of-pearl or nacre is formed on the inner linings of a shell with vibrant colours, which is the design a shell bears on its body and it has infinite possibilities. The beauty of mother-of-pearl craft works should be one of the representative traditional craftworks of Korea as it takes a lot of work from processing the shells to final lacquering.
Jinjoo Shell, a mother-of-pearl showroom in Bukchon Hanok Village in central Seoul, exhibiting various sophisticated designs with mysterious colour of mother-of pearl. At the Bukchon showroom, foreign visitors and locals can have a look at the detailed mother-of-pearl craftworks and make their own unique nacre objects in hands-on workshops, where Korean traditional and modern beauty coexist!
In the mother-of-pearl craft class by master Lee Yeong-ok, you can learn about the history of this traditional art and make your own fashion accessories and souvenirs such as wooden hand mirrors, business card holders, hair pins, hair bands and brooches pendants by inlaying with the mother-of-pearl piece by piece. Craft your souvenir with any design from Korean traditional patterns to landmark and Hangeul initials!
Mizi Company, a company specialising in lacquered mother-of-pearl crafts, manufacturing modern design products and beautiful craftworks that demonstrate the beauty and life wisdom of Korea. In particular, ‘DIY Mother-of-pearl Lacquerware Making Experience’ one-day class was developed to widely promote Korean traditional mother-of-pearl crafts to the public and foreigners.
Besides making key chains and hand mirrors, this class allows you to enrich your creativity by attaching mother-of-pearl pieces on a beautiful picture. Create your own brooch, postcard, photo frame and mini jewellery box by learning Korea’s various traditional Mother-of-pearl pattern manufacturing techniques.
In Glowe, there are various types of accessories can be created according to different shapes and colours of mother-of-pearl pieces. Let’s choose a design that you favour among accessory samples designed by Glowe, and make your own personalised fashion accessories by combining the antique beauty of mother-of-pearl with modern elements.
You can decorate your ring or earrings using the shiny and vivid materials within the one-hour experience, making it truly unique and special with a Korean and antique vibe. Glowe has a photo zone where beautiful craftworks are exhibited, also a nice corner for you to take photos with your handmade mother-of-pearl accessory.
(II) Korean Style Floral Design
Have you ever tried designing a K-style flower bouquet? Korean style floral design has become a popular hobby in Korea, which is also gaining popularity around the world. Let’s become a one-day florist on a creative flower culture experience programme that runs about 2.5 hours at Yangjae Flower Market, Korea’s biggest floriculture related market and the largest flora auction market. Take a look at the market’s auction facilities, as well as the huge variety of cut flowers and potted plants.
After the market tour, you can learn how to create your Korean style floral design items such as a flower box, a flower cup or a flower card, arrange however you want. By using the fresh flowers from the flower market, you not only experience the beauty of flowers but also learn practical knowledge and information about flowers that you can make your own floral design at home. Most of all, you can feel the intangible emotions from the flower arrangement you make!
This fun and unique experience able to increase creativity, passion, teamwork and gain a sense of accomplishment through the flower market tour, mission to purchase flowers as a team to create their own designs and actual designing of an artwork with those lovely flowers. Don’t miss to taste edible flower when you participate in the flower market tour or floral design class. Enjoy the beauty of flowers with all senses!
(III) Traditional Hanji Craft Works
Korean paper or hanji, a traditional handmade paper that made from the inner bark of paper mulberry, a tree native to Korea that grows well on its rocky mountainsides, which known as dak in Korean. The hanji showcases the traditional Korean culture, where Koreans use traditional paper in their daily life.
Memorize4, a fairy tale-like workshop located in a quaint alleyway in Itaewon, offering a chance to make beautiful traditional Korean accessories with traditional Korean paper artist Sukyung Hong.
In this art and craft class, you can choose to make either one from the four types of Rosa Rugosa accessories, namely norigae (Hanbok accessory), baessi daenggi (Korean hairband), key chains or a wall decoration! Have a great time learning about and experiencing Korean beauty through the making of traditional Korean crafts.
(IV) Korean Gold Leaf Art
Have you ever seen a gold leaf in Korean traditional hanbok? Traditionally, gold leaf art was used to embroider gold patterns on Korean traditional hanbok through heat and pressure!
Geumbak, the gold design made on hanbok worn by kings and queens, which is another Korean intangible cultural property. Gold leaves are precious delicate material used to create Geumbak designs.
Let’s experience a modern re-interpretation of this centuries-old art by applying the technique to create marvellous canvas paintings, and the final artwork has a unique look that cannot be achieved with paint!
Our Drawing, a café-like and cosy workspace in the heart of Gangnam, specialising in art classes for adults. Here, you can experience how gold leaf art reinterpreted in a modern way, which is used for embroidery on Korea’s traditional hanbok.
You will be able to use materials made of 100% pure gold that are hard to come by elsewhere to create traditional Korean patterns and refreshing botanical artworks, where modern and traditional era coexist!
You also get first-hand experience of creating your own artwork using professional paints and diverse advanced art materials with the assistance of art experts who majored in painting at Hongik University, Korea’s best fine arts university. Aside from the gold leaves, you can also choose to paint charming botanical artwork using vibrant acrylic paints or watercolours.
