Everything About K-Culture... 'Insadong Antique & Art Fair' Kicks Off

Hosted by Jongno-gu, organized by the Insadong Traditional Culture Preservation Association ▲Tea & Craft Expo ▲Insadong Antique Fair ▲MZ x New Media Art Fair with various side events including traditional food experiences, couple Hanbok festival, and photo contest

Jongno-gu (District Mayor Jeong Munheon) will hold the 36th Insadong Traditional Culture Festival, '2023 Insadong Antique & Art Fair,' from August 31 to September 18.

Started to promote harmony and development in the area and strengthen Insadong's identity through the collaboration of local cultural artists, merchants, and citizens, this festival is now in its 36th year.

Hosted by Jongno-gu and organized by the Insadong Traditional Culture Preservation Society (President Shin Soyoon), the event will begin on the 31st with ▲an opening ceremony ▲Part 1: Tea & Craft Expo, followed by ▲Part 2: Insadong Antique Fair ▲Part 3: MZ×New Media Art Fair, continuing until the 18th.

First, from 3:20 PM to 4 PM on August 31, a modern hanbok parade and hanbok fashion show will open the festival. Designer Kwon Hyejin, CEO of Studio Hyeon, will present modern hanbok interpreting Korean beauty with a contemporary sensibility. The opening ceremony will be held at 4 PM the same day at Insacentral Museum in Annyeong Insadong (49 Insadong-gil).

Part 1, the Tea & Craft Expo, will be available from August 31 to September 4. Notably, there will be traditional tea experiences by region and a special exhibition by Master Yeonpa Shin Hyuncheol, who has devoted 40 years to researching traditional black porcelain (黑磁) from Gwangju Royal Ceramics.

Part 2, the Insadong Antique Fair, will run from September 7 to September 11. Many antique art dealers based in Insadong, as well as members of the Korea Antique Art Association, will participate to promote the charm of Korean traditional culture. Special exhibitions capturing the beauty and essence of Najeonchilgi (mother-of-pearl lacquerware) and Juchil crafts are highly anticipated.

Part 3, the MZ×New Media Art Fair, will continue from September 14 to September 18. Various galleries in Insadong and young artists from Seoul National University, Hongik University, Ewha Womans University, Sookmyung Women’s University, and Sungkyunkwan University will participate together.

Additionally, special exhibitions featuring celebrities such as Kim Changwan from Sanullim and Kang Rina from Haetbitchon, as well as webtoon artists, will be held to attract younger audiences.

Various side events designed to captivate passing citizens during the festival are also prepared. Representative examples include ‘Traditional Framing Demonstrations,’ ‘Traditional Tea & Food Experiences,’ ‘Insadong Certification Photo Taking,’ ‘Couple Hanbok Festival,’ and ‘Insadong Photo Contest.’ For more detailed information about the 2023 Insadong Antique & Art Fair, please visit the ‘Cultural District Insadong’ website or contact the Insadong Traditional Culture Preservation Society.

District Mayor Jeong Munheon stated, “I hope this festival will serve as a stepping stone for Insadong to leap forward as a true K-culture hub that embraces both tradition and modernity.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.