By Charles Audouin
Photos = Lee Jun Young

"Experience is perfect for people who do not know Korean culture at all. It is meaningful if you directly experience new culture," said Nadia Ghandi (from France and Morocco) on Aug. 9 after making a MagSafe pop socket. It was designed in Hangeul (Korean alphabet) using nacre at the Seoul Culture Lounge in Seoul's Jongno-gu District.

Run by the Korea Tourism Organization, the Seoul Culture Lounge is gaining the spotlight as a place for foreign tourists to experience Hallyu (Korean Wave) and Korean culture.

The place offers various programs that allow visitors to experience Korean culture and tradition, such as K-pop dancing, dialogue in the Korean language, Korean cosmetics and calligraphy. Among these, the nacre handicraft program is attracting much popularity.

Ghandi, who lives in Switzerland, said she has participated in all the programs offered at the Seoul Culture Lounge. Of these, she said she particularly enjoyed the nacre handicraft. She showed her pop socket that had the Korean letter for star (byeol) written on it with nacre and said, "I will cherish all the pieces I made through these programs, including the pop socket I made today."

"This will be my special memory of Korea."

Nacre handicraft is a traditional artwork in which the shells of abalones and clams are delicately processed, and turned into beautiful designs that glow slightly.

 
It involves grinding shells after thinly cutting them, and embedding them in various shapes on the surface of lacquered wood.

Visitors to the Seoul Culture Lounge can make daily items by applying nacre to key rings, pop sockets, portable mirrors and small tables using Hangeul designs.

Yun Jae Sam, who runs the programs, said, “Nacre naturally emits bright light if put on dark surfaces, so even beginners can make beautiful craftwork."

All the 16 participants of the program expressed satisfaction. "I once again felt how delicate and beautiful Korean nacre handicraft is."

"Through this program, I was able to understand traditional Korean culture in more depth and enjoy it," they said.

Lee Seoyeong, who is in charge of running the programs, said, "The programs are popular, as participants can bring home daily useful items that are symbolic of Korean culture."

"Participants become friends, so some of them spend some time together after the programs."

Eliise Viss from Estonia, who is studying in Korea, said she particularly enjoyed the program's serenity.

"As I focused on the process of laying small nacre pieces one by one and delicately pressing them, my mind was at ease as if I were meditating."

"I think I can continue to make artwork all night."

Xia Wenxi from China said, "I have seen nacre artworks in China too but it was nice to touch and directly make one myself."

The Seoul Culture Lounge is on the 11th floor of the Seoul Tourism Plaza building. About 2,500 foreign nationals have visited since the place opened on June 10.

Reservations for the programs can be made on its official website (www.seoulculturelounge.com) and more information is available on its official Instagram account (@seoulculturelounge).

caudouin@korea.kr