By Honorary Reporter Laarni Calpo from Philippines

Photos = Laarni Calpo

This month, I was one of the 25 people randomly selected by the Korean Cultural Center in Taguig randomly to receive a traditional art kit for Seollal (Lunar New Year). Using the stuff included in the kit allowed me to experience traditional Korean arts and crafts while marking Seollal at home. The following are the items I made.

Hanji shoes
Hanji (traditional handcrafted paper) might look super thin but is durable and can last. I combined the bright and pale colors to make shoes from the paper.

Traditional fan
This was my favorite since I could use my desired colors from light to dark and dark to light. Aside from accentuating the unique and colorful design, I also got to write a short Seollal wish in Korean.

Hangeul eraser stamp
This was the hardest item in the kit since I had to use the included engraving tool. This was a soft eraser, not wood, so it tested my focus and grasp since I had to learn how to control my hands and emboss the letters correctly. The Hangeul letters I carved were na (me) and neo (you).

Mirror with pressed flowers
The real flowers included with this mirror were so pretty and colorful and handpicked by Koreans in creating a "3D mood." It was challenging, however, for me to move the pressed and flat flowers with a small stick. This nerve-wracking, hour-long experience gave me a sense of satisfaction when I was done.

enny0611@korea.kr

*This article is written by a Korea.net Honorary Reporter. Our group of Honorary Reporters are from all around the world, and they share with Korea.net their love and passion for all things Korean.