choeunhee

I have long held a deep interest in traditional Korean crafts. Over the years, I have sought out masters in various disciplines—metalwork, gyubang(traditional women’s needlework), Korean knots, natural dyeing, wancho(woven sedge craft), and hanji(traditional handmade paper)—to learn their techniques and reinterpret them through contemporary jewelry. It was through this journey of exploring materiality and tradition that I encountered hanjiand the technique of jiseung, or paper-twining.

Hanji, made from the inner bark of the mulberry tree using time-honored Korean methods, is breathable, strong, and highly durable. When twisted into cords and woven into forms, it becomes remarkably sturdy—even retaining its shape when wet—yet remains astonishingly light. This unique combination of qualities allowed me to explore scale and volume in jewelry without the limitations of weight. Hanjigave me new freedom in creation.

My jewelry is crafted using jiseung, a traditional Korean technique in which hanjiis cut into long, narrow strips and twisted into cords. This practice, which dates back to the Joseon Dynasty, was often performed by scholars who repurposed the pages of finished books into elegant woven objects. In a time when materials were precious, these paper-crafted items were treasured by the upper classes as refined lifestyle objects. I found it disheartening that such beautiful works now live only as museum relics. I wanted to breathe new life into them and return them to daily existence.

This desire naturally led me to expand jiseunginto the realm of contemporary jewelry—challenging its traditional confines and presenting hanjiand jiseungin a new expressive language. Thanks to the flexibility and lightness of hanji, I was able to experiment with bold forms and explore creative freedom beyond fixed frames. This exploration ultimately guided me toward the world of contemporary art jewelry, where artistic concept and personal expression are integral.

Though my jiseungjewelry is contemporary in form, it carries within it the quiet wisdom of traditional craft. This contrast, I believe, holds a unique appeal—inviting viewers to reconsider the relationship between the past and the present.

The process of making jiseungjewelry begins with transforming paper into thread. I cut hanjiinto long, slender strips and twist them with my fingers into single cords. Two single cords are then twisted together into double cords, which I weave by hand, intersecting them rhythmically as warp and weft to create form. Once the shape is complete, I coat the piece with a thin layer of rice paste two to three times, using only natural materials from start to finish.

The repetitive act of cutting, twisting, and weaving—without break or interruption—returns me to a quiet and natural state. It is as if I am becoming one with nature. For me, making is a way of embodying the nature within myself. Just as new buds sprout from branches and flowers bloom without instruction, I am led by the urge to let what is mine naturally emerge from my hands.

The pieces I create—crafted from mulberry paper and finished with rice paste—gradually transform over time, taking on a color known as "Sosaek", the soft, muted tone closest to nature. This shift, like all changes in nature, is not sudden but unfolds quietly—tinted slowly by sunlight, marked gently by air and time. At first, the change is barely perceptible. But one day, looking closely, you see that the hue has deepened and the texture has softened.

This transformation resembles the slow yet certain rhythm of the changing seasons, much like the way human emotions ripen over time. Even after leaving my hands, the pieces continue to breathe, live, and evolve—becoming part of nature itself.

Through my work, I hope the nature within me resonates with the nature within others—gently awakening something quiet, something forgotten, something deeply human.