Chapter 5: Detailing the Doors, Windows, and Gates of Gwangju’s Mass-Produced Hanok

Influences from China, Japan, and Western culture made a lot of distinctive hanok in Gwangju and Jeonnam during the modern period. In addition, those designs survived through the 1960–70s after being selected and simplified by developers and became a standard for city hanok in Gwangju. There are two main types of 1960–70s hanok: “round type” and “square type.” Round-type models have an especially distinctive style compared to other regions, and we can say these were one of the last evolutions of hanok as normal houses in Korea.

Shamans in Korean Supernatural Thrillers

A shaman is someone able to transcend the barrier between the two worlds.

Wooden Talisman Maker in Gwangju

When asked where he got his training and inspiration from, he simply said “spirits.”

Mass-Producing Hanok Housing: Chapter 1. The Background of the Hanok in Gwangju

Even among residents of Gwangju, most don’t know the fact that this city had actually been one of the biggest hanok cities in Korea. It’s estimated that in the 1980s, there were more than 100,000 hanok in Gwangju.

Suamgol Village: The Warmth of Cheongju

Suamgol (수암골) Village, an old settlement in Cheongju City, has been revived as a community of culture and art.

Gwangju in History

From the time of the Japanese invasions in the Imjin War (1592–1598) to the May 18 Democratic Movement (1980), Gwangju has taken pride in being a “righteous” city (Uihyang), growing as a city internationally renowned for its commitment to human rights.

Making a House a Home With Hanok Restorer Kang Dongsu

Just when you thought hanok architecture had been consigned to either moldering country homes or sterile boutique spaces, a lone hanok restorer in his mid-20s emerges with a vision to not only restore traditional houses in the present but also preserve their structural designs for posterity via 3D modeling.

Sage: A Book & Music Café

Reviewed by Jana Milosavljevic. Book cafés and boardgame cafés are nothing new in Korea, and due to my love of books and boardgames, I have frequented both. However, if someone … Read More