Traditional Craft Blossoms at the Seoul Living Design Fair
Masterful Hands Bridge Generations to the Present
Jinju Somok, based in Jinju, South Gyeongsang Province, showcased the competitiveness of wooden furniture crafts that combine tradition and modernity at the Seoul Living Design Fair, the largest living exhibition in Korea. This event brought together master artisans and young woodcraft artists, demonstrating not only the passing down of skills across generations but also the potential for traditional crafts to be utilized in modern daily life.
From February 25 to March 1, Jinju City participated in the Seoul Living Design Fair held at COEX in Seoul, operating the 'WOOD INSIGHT - Jinju Somok' promotional booth. The city exhibited a total of 42 pieces, including eight pieces of furniture such as bookshelves, three-tier cabinets, and consoles, as well as 34 lifestyle accessories.
Celebrating its 31st edition this year, the Seoul Living Design Fair is Korea's largest living and design exhibition, first launched in 1994. It covers the entire lifestyle industry, including furniture, interior design, and lifestyle accessories, and attracts approximately 230,000 visitors each year as a leading design event.
This exhibition featured 10 artists, including holders and trainees of national and Gyeongnam intangible cultural assets. The works, created using Jinju Somok’s unique production techniques such as traditional joinery without nails, lacquerware, and white copper ornamentation, demonstrated both traditional beauty and practicality.
Notably, the participation of both first-generation master artisans and second-generation young woodcraft artists, as well as family teams, provided a direct illustration of generational succession, drawing attention from visitors and design industry professionals alike.
Through this participation, Jinju City confirmed increased brand recognition for Jinju Somok and the potential for expanding the traditional craft industry. The city plans to further strengthen the brand’s competitiveness through participation in domestic and international exhibitions and the implementation of industrial development policies.
Jinju Mayor Cho Kyuil stated, “This exhibition served as an opportunity to promote the artistic and commercial value of Jinju Somok nationwide,” adding, “We will continue to provide policy support so that traditional crafts can expand into the industrial, tourism, and cultural content sectors.”
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