Najeon Crafts with History of 1,000 Years

Najeon is one of the most representative forms of Korean traditional crafts known for its exquisite patterns and illuminating beauty.

This thousand-year-old, traditional heritage is finding itself a part of modern culture. Let’s see how this movement began.

This is Korea’s first najeon crafts museum opened in Seoul in 2014. With furniture, everyday items and ornaments, it displays some 300 modern and contemporary pieces of najeon art created during the Joseon dynasty and after the Japanese occupation.

"The museum owns an array of mother-of-pearl pieces that display the cutting-technique dating back to the late Joseon dynasty. Also, it has pieces that were created during the Japanese colonial period, which are lesser-known to the public. I believe that’s what distinguishes our collection."

Najeon literally means “mother-of-pearl” in Korean, and the term refers to a traditional inlaying technique using mother-of-pearl, the iridescent layer that forms the inside the shells of mollusks.
The museum offers a myriad of najeon pieces, including those with the ten traditional symbols of longevity, landscape paintings, dragons and plum flowers, causing audiences to stand in awe of our cultural legacy.
The highlight of the exhibition, however, is “Pebbles.”
It’s a collection of stone-shaped sculptures with lacquered surfaces inlaid with mother-of-pearl. They shine like bright jewelry.

"The thin slices of mother-of-pearl are pasted onto the curved surfaces of the pebbles, creating an exquisite beauty."

This piece stays true to traditional techniques and materials, yet displays a striking influence from contemporary sculpture. Created by najeon artisan Hwang Sam-yong, it is his modern take on authentic Korean heritage.

This is Hwang’s studio in Namyangju , Gyeonggi-do Province where he creates all of his masterpieces.
The artisan cuts mother-of-pearl into thin slices, as thin as thread, and then affixes them to the work surface. It’s an ancient technique that has long been used to create geometric patterns, texts, and depth.

"The cutting technique refers to cutting mother-of-pearl into desired patterns and then filling the blanks. Also, we have to know exactly what subject will be created in the filling process, like clouds in the sky, waterfalls, or water waves."

The 0.4mm thick strips of mother-of-pearl cover the curved pebble. He then adhered the mother-of-pearl to the surface before finally varnishing it with lacquer.
The whole process is labor-intensive and time-consuming as it takes him some 300 hours just to create a small piece. What’s more, it can take over a year for a larger project.
“Pebbles” broke the conventional boundaries of Korean traditional najeon crafts. How did the artist come up with the piece?

"I combined tradition with modernity for “Pebbles.” In the past, I focused more on traditional wardrobes, stationery chests, dressing tables, jewel boxes, and so on, but I wanted to create a piece of art with a mod