A craft work by artist Yun Sang-hyeon. [Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism]
A craft work by artist Yun Sang-hyeon. [Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism]

The government plans to showcase Korean culture to international visitors arriving in Busan for the 48th UNESCO World Heritage Committee session.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Craft and Design Foundation announced Thursday that they will hold the Korean Craft Exhibition "Hwandae" (Invitation to Korean Craft) and a "Traveling Hanbok Store" at Shinsegae Department Store's Centum City branch in Busan on the sidelines of the committee session.

Running Thursday through July 30, the craft exhibition invites domestic and international visitors into a space steeped in the aesthetics and spirit of Korean craft. Twenty-nine artists working across ceramics, textiles, glass, hanji (traditional Korean paper) and lacquerware will present a total of 149 works.

The exhibition is organized into two sections: "Staying — The Craft Garden" and "Empathy — Today's Craft, Everyday Craft." The Craft Garden features stools by artist Lee Jeong-hun, who reinterprets the sculptural beauty of traditional Korean architecture in a contemporary idiom, alongside hanji lighting works by Kwon Jung-mo inspired by the latticed windows of hanok. The second section brings together 27 artists — including Yun Sang-hyeon, who renders the aesthetic of Joseon white porcelain in a modern vocabulary, and Kim Hyeon-ju, whose work explores the interplay of metal and mother-of-pearl inlay — to show how craft weaves into everyday life.

Alongside the exhibition, a pop-up shop called "Sharing — The Craft Garden" will allow visitors to browse and purchase select craft products.

A "Traveling Hanbok Store" will also run Thursday through July 22. Eight hanbok brands are taking part, including two Busan-based labels — Bunuri Ot and Hanwear — as well as Risel, Kkomakeuva by Dolsilnai, Bboppuri, Etoile, Oh My God and Omyo.

More than 100 types of products — spanning traditional hanbok, lifestyle hanbok and hanbok accessories — will be sold at discounts of up to 60 percent. Customers who make a purchase will receive a free admission ticket to "Hanbok Store," the country's largest hanbok fair, set to be held at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in August.

"This event, held in conjunction with the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, is a meaningful occasion to introduce the cultural value embedded in Korean craft and hanbok," a Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism official said. "We hope visitors from around the world will come away with a deeper understanding of Korean culture."

The UNESCO World Heritage Committee convenes in Busan from July 19 to July 29, bringing together delegations from around the world to discuss the conservation and management of cultural, natural and mixed heritage sites. This year's session is expected to draw around 3,000 participants, including delegations from 196 countries and representatives of the 21 states parties to the World Heritage Convention.


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