Namwon City Recruiting Students for 'Ottchil and Gari Craft Training' Until the 9th

Nurturing New Talent in Woodcraft
Preserving and Advancing Traditional Techniques

Namyangju City in North Jeolla Province is recruiting a total of 50 students for the '2025 Namwon Ottchil and Gari Training' until the 9th.

According to the city on the 1st, the Ottchil and Gari training is a specialized traditional cultural arts education program unique to Namwon, operated since 2014 to foster new talent in woodcraft and to preserve and develop traditional techniques.

Namwon City is recruiting a total of 50 students for the 'Lacquer Coating and Repair Education' course until the 9th. Photo by Namwon City

This is the only specialized Ottchil woodcraft training program run by a local government in Korea, and it receives a great response each year, often reaching capacity early.

Recently, the range of students has expanded beyond the Jeollabuk-do region to include Gwangju, Jeonnam, Gyeongnam, and Gyeongbuk regions.

This year's training will be held from next month until November at the Namwon Ottchil Craft Center and the Gabangtteul Ottchil Craft Training Center, among other venues.

The training program consists of two fields: Ottchil and Gari. The Ottchil field is divided into three classes: beginner, intermediate, and advanced; the Gari field into two classes: basic and advanced.

The recruitment quota is 12 students per class for Ottchil and 7 students per class for Gari, and the program is designed as a customized professional training according to skill level and stage.

For detailed course content and schedule, please refer to the official announcement and syllabus.

All classes are free of charge (however, students must pay for materials). Anyone can apply for the beginner and basic classes, while only those who have completed the previous level or possess equivalent qualifications can apply for the intermediate, advanced, and intensive classes.

Applicants wishing to enroll should use the application form available in the notices section of the Namwon City website and submit it in person to the Culture and Arts Division at City Hall or via email.

Meanwhile, the city is promoting the construction of the 'Namwon Modern Ottchil Woodcraft Center' in Hampau Art Valley, aiming for completion in 2027, to further establish Namwon as the representative city of Ottchil woodcraft in Korea and to develop it into a cultural landmark symbolizing Namwon.