Korean Traditional Textile

The Two Ethos of this time is a valuable project that addresses a balance between Korean traditional textiles and Italian design, art and materials. Korean traditional textiles have been only used for Hanbok, the Korean traditional cloth. In spite of its beauty and importance, trials have barely been for it to be globalized.
Since the IED is in long term international cooperation for research with KNUCH, two organizations put joint effort for this project. Students who major in fashion design at the IED, local designers and artists have concentrated on representing Korean traditions in modern ways. Having this precious opportunity, KNUCH could see its traditions with fresh eyes of distant culture, meet new possibilities and values in various angles.
It shows the ways of prosperity and globalization of Korean culture are underneath the trials breaking familiar viewpoints, combining different cultures and genres.
The Two Ethos started with an imperative question: which textile reflects the most Koreans’ DNA? Korean people have been having pioneering weaving technique from the ancient. Moreover, new techniques and textiles have been created and accumulated over time. The traditional textiles are classified into four different kinds: inherited textiles, applied textiles, restored textiles, and industrialized textiles. Firstly, the inherited textiles refer to the ones which have continuously been transmitted from the past. Secondly, the applied textiles are defined by the ones made by using the inherited weaving technique. Thirdly, the restored textiles are the ones made by using a discontinued technique through research. Lastly, the industrialized textiles refer to the ones started from the modern age undergoing a process of machine weaving. In this project, the most symbolic textiles are selected from the four sections.
For the inherited textiles, we have selected six works including two of Intangible Cultural Heritages’ and four of KNUCH students’. The work of ‘Saeng Naeng E’ by late Kim Jeom Ho, the first Intangible Cultural Heritage of Gyeongsangbuk-do regarding ‘weaving hemp fabric of Andong region’, and the work of ‘Raw Ramie silk’ by Bang Yeon Ok, the Intangible Cultural Heritage of the Republic of Korea regarding ‘weaving ramie fabric of Hansan region’ have been chosen. Bang Yeon Ok teaches transmitting education regarding traditional textile weaving in KNUCH for ten years. Students planned works implying traditional Ramie and mixture of Ramie and silk. Kwon Se Rae produced ‘Bleached Ramie fabric’ by traditionally bleaching raw Ramie. Gwon Hye Sun, Kim Soo Yeon, Shin So Young and Lim Seo Yoon created ‘striped Chun Po’ using various colored stripes with dyed threads. Park Hyun Jin made ‘Ikat Chun Po’, using pre-dyed silk threads. Finally, using Seon Ra as a motive, Jung Da Hye expressed the contradiction of various transparencies implementing different densities of weft. Concerning the restored textiles, ‘Ra’ and ‘Gold woven silk with round patterns’ have been chosen. Weaving the restored textiles comes with scientific analysis of relics, integrated research of traditional materials and weaving techniques, and restoration. ‘Ra’ is one of the most representative restorations, related studies and weaving have been continued from 2008. It is also one of the Since beloved Korean textiles which had used from the ancient to the Joseon Dynasty. The target object of restoration was Lacquered Ra of the Three Kingdom Period. ‘The Gold woven silk with round patterns’ is the one that reproduced Jikgeum (gold woven textile), forming shapes with gold thread in horizontal rows. Park Gi Chan made gold thread and wove this textile, one of the most colorful textiles among the excavated fabrics. On top of this, ‘Satin with Supplementary Mother-of- Pearl Wefts’ has been chosen as an applied textile of Jikgeum. It was a very special challenge. Keum Da Woon invented the Mother-of-Pearl thread and the textile is woven from the thread.
Regarding him implementing the technique only for making a Mother-of-Pearl Lacquerware, it can be evaluated as a very creative work. This work is considered to be highly useful not only for making Hanbok, but also for craft and design.
Regarding industrialized textiles, we put ‘Moon Sa’ and ‘Hang Ra’, the most beloved and used by Koreans for a long time, as examples. Some of the Korean textiles have been industrialized from the modern age and have been producing by using machines.
Finally, we have selected the indigo colored textile. The ‘raw silk tabbies’ have been dyed indigo color, namely the color of Korea. For natural dyeing, KNUCH students plant and harvest indigo plants every year so that they can represent various blue colors with them. Under the supervision of Professor Mun Ssang Hu, students of Kim Do Im, Kim Bo Gyung, Park Yea Bine, Bae Mi Rae, Yun Bong Soon, Lee Min Jeong, Lee Hyeon Ji, Jung
Hae Jin, Jung Hee Soo, Ha Jeong Yun and Hwang Se Ryung participated in this work.
Many precious people helped this project putting their passion.
I am deeply thanking to Kim Sung Hee, who designed this project, bridged between two institutions and led passionately the works of homage artists. I give my thank to practitioners of KNUCH, Professor Jo Sung Jun and Andrea Tossi and Irvana of IED. Also, I would love to express my thank to Professor Giovanni, who has led the works of IED students. It was very meaningful and valuable time to work with him. Finally, I admire the works and passions of students, designers and artists who have worked together.

Sim Yeon Ok
Professor, Department of Traditional Arts and Crafts,
Korea National University of Cultural Heritage