Korean mother-of-pearl lacquerware exhibition draws 16,000 visitors overseas

The Seoul Museum of Craft Art’s exhibition on Korean mother-of-pearl lacquerware concluded its international tour Saturday after drawing more than 16,000 visitors across the United States, Canada and Japan. Stops in Los Angeles, Ottawa, Tokyo and Osaka featured designs, tools and works by six modern and contemporary masters. Organizers adapted the displays for each destination and offered lectures, demonstrations and discussions about the craft.

The museum counted 7,556 visitors in North America and 8,427 in Japan.

More than 90 percent of respondents to visitor satisfaction surveys said the exhibition offered an opportunity to discover the beauty and depth of Korean traditional crafts.

The exhibition explores najeonchilgi, the Korean art of decorating lacquerware with thin pieces of iridescent mother-of-pearl.

The six featured masters were Jeon Seong-gyu, Kim Bong-ryong, Song Ju-an, Sim Bu-gil, Min Jong-tae and Kim Tae-hee.

The exhibition was first presented at the Seoul Museum of Craft Art in 2023.

Published Oct 28, 2026 12:15 pm KST

Visitors explore Korean mother-of-pearl lacquerware and archival materials during an international tour at the Osaka Korean Cultural Center in Japan. Courtesy of Seoul Museum of Craft Art

An exhibition exploring the intricate designs and techniques behind Korea’s mother-of-pearl lacquerware has drawn more than 16,000 visitors during a two-year international tour across the United States, Canada and Japan, introducing audiences abroad to a traditional craft shaped by generations of artisans.

The Seoul Museum of Craft Art said Wednesday that its special exhibition, “The Design Room of Najeon Masters,” concluded its overseas run Saturday after stops in Los Angeles, Ottawa, Tokyo and Osaka in 2025 and 2026.

The exhibition attracted 7,556 visitors in North America and 8,427 in Japan, according to the museum, with more than 90 percent of respondents to visitor satisfaction surveys describing it as an opportunity to discover the beauty and depth of Korean traditional crafts.

The exhibition examines "najeonchilgi," the Korean art of decorating lacquerware with thin pieces of iridescent mother-of-pearl, through designs, tools and finished works by six modern and contemporary masters: Jeon Seong-gyu, Kim Bong-ryong, Song Ju-an, Sim Bu-gil, Min Jong-tae and Kim Tae-hee.

Originally presented at the Seoul museum in 2023, the exhibition highlights the patterns used as blueprints for crafting lacquerware, tracing the process from initial design to finished object.

Organizers adapted the exhibition for each destination, adding works by six later-generation artisans for the North American tour and exploring historical exchanges between Korean lacquerware and Japanese lacquer traditions in Tokyo and Osaka.

Public programs included lectures, demonstrations and discussions, allowing visitors to learn about the craft’s history and techniques directly from specialists and artisans.

In Japan, Choi Sang-hoon, a holder of Korea’s National Intangible Heritage designation for "najeonjang," and apprentice Nam Jin-woo demonstrated techniques for cutting and attaching mother-of-pearl.

“This overseas touring exhibition was a meaningful opportunity to demonstrate the global competitiveness and development potential of Korean traditional crafts and archival materials,” Park Sang-bin, director of Seoul Museum of Craft Art, said.

“Building on the cooperation and international networks established in North America and Japan, we will continue to expand exhibitions and exchanges that promote K-craft,” Park added.

This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.

首尔工艺美术馆举办的韩国珍珠漆器展于周六结束了其国际巡展，该展览在美国、加拿大和日本共吸引了超过16000名观众。在洛杉矶、渥太华、东京和大阪的展览中，展出了六位现代及当代大师的设计作品、工具和实物。主办方根据每个目的地的具体情况调整了展览内容，并举办了关于珍珠漆器的讲座、演示和讨论会。

该博物馆在北美接待了 7,556 名游客，在日本接待了 8,427 名游客。

超过 90% 的游客满意度调查受访者表示，此次展览提供了一个发现韩国传统工艺之美和深度的机会。

本次展览探索了罗笠漆器，这是一种用薄薄的、闪着虹彩光泽的珍珠母贝片装饰韩国漆器的艺术。

六位特邀大师分别是全成奎、金奉龙、宋柱安、沈富吉、闵钟泰和金泰熙。

该展览于 2023 年在首尔工艺美术馆首次展出。

发布于2026年10月28日下午12:15（韩国标准时间）

在日本大阪韩国文化中心，参观者们正在参加国际巡回展，欣赏韩国珍珠漆器和相关历史资料。图片由首尔工艺美术馆提供。

一场探索韩国珍珠漆器复杂设计和工艺的展览，在为期两年的国际巡回展中，先后在美国、加拿大和日本展出，吸引了超过 16,000 名参观者，向海外观众介绍了这项由几代工匠塑造的传统工艺。

首尔工艺美术馆周三表示，其特别展览“罗田大师的设计室”在2025年和2026年先后在洛杉矶、渥太华、东京和大阪展出后，于周六结束了海外巡展。

据博物馆称，此次展览在北美吸引了 7,556 名参观者，在日本吸引了 8,427 名参观者，超过 90% 的参观者满意度调查受访者表示，这是一次发现韩国传统工艺之美和深度的机会。

本次展览通过六位现代和当代大师——全成圭、金奉龙、宋柱安、沈富吉、闵钟泰和金泰熙——的设计、工具和成品，探讨了韩国漆器装饰艺术“罗笠漆器”（najeonchilgi），即用薄薄的珠光珍珠母装饰漆器的艺术。

该展览最初于 2023 年在首尔博物馆展出，重点展示了用作漆器制作蓝图的图案，追溯了从最初设计到成品的整个过程。

组织者根据每个目的地调整了展览内容，在北美巡展中增加了六位后辈工匠的作品，并在东京和大阪探索了韩国漆器和日本漆器传统之间的历史交流。

公共活动包括讲座、演示和讨论，让参观者可以直接向专家和工匠了解该工艺的历史和技术。

在日本，韩国国家非物质文化遗产“罗笠酱”的持有者崔相勋和他的学徒南镇宇演示了切割和镶嵌珍珠母的技巧。

首尔工艺美术馆馆长朴相彬表示：“此次海外巡回展览为展示韩国传统工艺和档案资料的全球竞争力和发展潜力提供了有意义的机会。”

朴先生补充道：“我们将依托在北美和日本建立的合作和国际网络，继续扩大展览和交流活动，以推广韩国工艺品。”

本文由生成式人工智能协助发布，并由《韩国时报》编辑。