Yongsan Craft Center Gwangyanggung Market Special Invitation Exhibition Online Exhibition

VR Exhibition Hall Established on Yongsan Craft Center Website... Over 200 Bow Craft Items Including Pyeonjeon, Soenoe, and Gyeokseo Displayed

[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] Yongsan-gu (Mayor Seongjanghyun) has established an online virtual reality (VR) exhibition hall for the Yongsan Craft Center.

This initiative aims to achieve both the prevention of the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) and the enhancement of cultural life for district residents.

The VR exhibition hall is located in the ‘Exhibition Guide (Special Exhibition)’ section on the Yongsan Craft Center website. It can be accessed anytime and anywhere with just a computer or smartphone connected to the internet. Shortcut links have also been provided on the Craft Center’s social networking services (SNS) such as Facebook and blogs.

The first online exhibition is the ‘Sijak (矢作) Gwangyang Gungsijang Special Invitation Exhibition.’ This is part of the ‘Paldo Craft Relay Planning Exhibition’ that the district has been continuing since early this year.

Gungsijang refers to the craft and the artisans who make bows and arrows. Bows have been used since the Paleolithic era for war, hunting, and royal court banquets, and have now become a popular sport.

In particular, in Gwangyang, located near the naval battle victory sites of Admiral Yi Sun-sin, traditional Korean archery (Gukgung) has flourished, naturally leading to the production of high-quality bows and arrows.

The exhibition features over 200 bow (Gung, 弓) craft items including Pyeonjeon, Chongtongjeon, Soenoejeon, Gyeokseojeon, Daewujeon, Yukryangjeon, Singijeon, Yuyeopjeon, Hwajeon, bows, Heukgakgung, Juksi, Yeongjeon, Jeontong, and Tong-a. The works are arranged to provide a comprehensive view of the traditional bow-making world.

The exhibition is organized by the Gwangyang Gungsijang Transmission Education Center (Director Kim Gi), located in Gwangyang-eup, Gwangyang City. The center conducts transmission education to preserve the tradition of Korean bows and arrows and operates various experience programs for citizens and tourists.

A district official said, “Due to the COVID-19 situation, the exhibition originally planned for May is now being presented. Visitors will be able to experience an almost real viewing through VR.”

The Yongsan Craft Center is located in Hannam-dong (274 Itaewon-ro). It opened in 2018 with three basement floors and four above-ground floors, covering a total floor area of 2,800 square meters. It includes a craft product sales area on the first floor, a ceramics and hanbok experience center on the second floor, a craft learning center and workshop on the third floor, and a multipurpose room and outdoor performance hall on the fourth floor.

The Craft Center has received positive responses from visitors through the sale of high-quality craft products, various educational programs, and high-level planned exhibitions. Starting with the Bamboo Craft Exhibition in February, it plans to continue the Paldo Craft Planning Exhibitions six times through the end of the year.

The Craft Center’s operating hours are from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday, but currently, due to the COVID-19 situation, outside visitors are not allowed.

Yongsan-gu Mayor Seongjanghyun said, “We prepared the Gwangyang Gungsijang invitation exhibition as part of the 2020 Special Craft Exhibition for Jeollanam-do. Although it is in an online format, it will be sufficient to understand the world of traditional Korean archery.”