Statement
Korean Paper Jewelry
Jiseung Jewelry
"These characteristics of 'Hanji' came to me as a very suitable material to freely express the volume of jewelry without the restriction of weight."
I have long held a deep interest in traditional Korean crafts. Over the years, I have sought out masters in various disciplines—metalwork, Gyubang craft(traditional women’s needlework), Korean knots, natural dyeing, wancho craft(woven sedge craft), and Hanji(Korean 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 Hanji and the technique of Jiseung.
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. Hanji gave me extensive freedom in creation.
My jewelry is crafted with Hanji as the primary material, using the traditional Korean craft of Jiseung. Jiseung refers to the cords created by twisting long, thin strips of Hanji, and Jiseung craft refers to the technique of weaving or constructing objects from those 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 use. This desire naturally led me to create Jiseungjewelry—expanding the craft beyond its traditional confines and offering a new expressive form of Hanji and Jiseung. Thanks to Hanji’s lightness and flexibility, I was able to experiment with bold designs and pursue creative innovation unbound by conventional forms. This impulse led me deeper into the world of contemporary art jewelry, where the artist’s unique concept and expressive values are paramount. Although my Jiseung jewelry has a modern aesthetic, it is rooted in traditional Korean craft techniques, which gives it a distinctive aura. I believe this contrast carries a special appeal.
The process of making Jiseung jewelry begins with transforming paper into thread. I cut Hanji into 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 form is established, I apply thin layers of glutinous rice paste two to three times for coating and finishing. From raw material to final finish, all components are natural, and the unbroken repetition of cutting, connecting, and weaving calms and centers me—much like becoming one with nature .For me, my work is a form of realizing the nature within. Just as new buds sprout from branches and flowers bloom effortlessly, my longing to see something of my own naturally emerge from my fingertips always leads me to create.
When finished with glutinous rice paste, the pieces made from Hanji slowly transform over time into a hue called “Sosaek,” a color closest to nature. Sunlight gently adds its tint, and as air and time gradually settle in, the change unfolds quietly and softly. At first, the change is so subtle that it goes unnoticed, but one day, when you look again, you find the color deepened and the texture grown more earthy and humble. This change mirrors the slow but certain cycles of the seasons and the gradual ripening of human growth. Even after leaving my hands, the pieces continue to breathe, live, and change—becoming part of nature in their own right. Through my work, I hope that the nature within me will resonate with the nature within others, softly inviting the dormant naturalness within them to awaken.