2025 Craft Week Opens with 112 Events Nationwide

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced on May 16 that it will host the '2025 Craft Week' together with the Korea Craft and Design Foundation (KCDF) from May 16 to 25.

Now in its eighth year, Craft Week will be held under the theme of 'Symbiosis and Joy in Craft (共生工樂)'. Through a variety of events including exhibitions, hands-on experiences, sales, and lectures, the event aims to promote the beauty and value of crafts and to spread craft culture. Craft studios, galleries, and cultural and artistic organizations from across the country will participate in Craft Week, with a total of 112 events taking place nationwide.

The opening ceremony for the 2025 Craft Week will be held on May 16 at the KCDF Gallery in Jongno-gu, Seoul, as well as in the hub cities of Goseong, Buan, and Jeonju.

At the KCDF Gallery, the opening event will be accompanied by the 'Future Craft' exhibition, which will showcase various aspects of contemporary craft creation and suggest future directions for the craft industry. At Culture Station Seoul 284 (RTO), there will be screenings of videos featuring the craft-making process and activities in connection with the 'Future Craft' exhibition, as well as academic events aimed at forming discourse on the future of craft and exploring practical strategies.

In Goseong, the opening ceremony at Dalhol Culture Center will kick off eco-friendly exhibitions that connect marine ecology with craft, as well as hands-on programs utilizing local tourism resources. At Seorojai, visitors can enjoy the harmony of crafts and tea culture, while at Kensington Beach, they can try making crafts using recycled marine waste. At Haeshelter, the 'Yeongdong Hanaro Craft Mart' will bring together works by artists from the Yeongdong region, including Goseong, Sokcho, Yangyang, and Gangneung.

In Buan, unique events will be held utilizing celadon, the region's craft cultural heritage. On the first day of Craft Week, May 16, the exhibition 'Symbiosis and Joy: Tools of Craftspeople' will open, and on May 17, there will be a kiln-firing experience where participants write their wishes and place them in the kiln. In addition, programs connecting local history and craft?such as tours of celadon excavation sites and kilns?will be offered, along with hands-on craft experiences in everyday spaces like cafes and guesthouses.

In Jeonju, exhibitions, hands-on experiences, markets, and travel programs will be centered around the city's iconic Hanok Village. Starting with an opening performance at the Jeonju Craft Exhibition Hall courtyard, there will be special craft exhibitions and a 'stamp tour' themed on Jeonju's representative crafts, Hanji and Jiwoosan umbrellas, as well as 'Craft Excursion: Three Days Together', where residents and tourists can visit the workshops of Jeonju's master artisans, offering unique opportunities to experience local craft culture.

In addition, a variety of events will be held nationwide, providing opportunities to experience new craft cultures. At Namsangol Hanok Village in Seoul, there will be exhibitions of both traditional and contemporary crafts themed on the home. In Chuncheon, the woodworking experience event 'Everyone Is a Carpenter' and the 'Chuncheon Carpenter Market', where wooden products are exhibited and sold, will take place. In Incheon, traveling craft experience programs will be offered for residents of the five West Sea islands, who typically have fewer opportunities to experience culture and the arts. Other events include 'Gilsangjeon: Healing with Blessings and Amulet Craft Therapy' in Gangneung, which introduces the culture of wishing for blessings and warding off misfortune; '2025 Festival of Light: Connecting in Gwangju', a participatory festival with young artists in Gwangju; and '2025 Southeast Craft Festa: Craft Bridge', featuring exhibitions, hands-on experiences, and sales programs with artists from Busan, Ulsan, and Gyeongnam, all awaiting the participation of visitors.

Seven Craft Creation Support Centers will also participate in Craft Week. The Cheongju Craft Creation Support Center will host the 'Sonmat Market', featuring exhibitions by resident artists, talk concerts, glass craft demonstrations, and hands-on experiences in metal, ceramics, and textile crafts. The Jinju Craft Creation Support Center will run 'Walking Along the Grain of Jinju Craft', where visitors can visit local craft studios, converse with artists, and experience craftmaking firsthand. The Craft Creation Support Centers in Gyeonggi, Naju, Jeongeup, Asan, and Gimhae will also hold a variety of craft events.

Details on major events by region and date, as well as information on how to participate in 'Craft Week', can be found on the official website.

An official from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism stated, "Craft Week is a festival that connects daily life and art through craft, bringing together regions and generations," and added, "The Ministry will strive to expand the foundation of the craft culture industry based on the unique craft resources and creative capacities of each region."