[Eye Plus] Into the world of Goryeo celadon

A rare exhibition is taking place in the country’s eastern coastal city of Gangneung, Gangwon Province. 

More than 120 exquisite celadon ceramics from the Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392), known locally as cheongja, are on display at “Celadon, the Microscopic World of Goryeo.” 

Renowned for its subtle and elegant beauty, various shapes and sizes of celadon ceramics, which get their name from their mystic blue-green glaze, trace the untold story of the kingdom that flourished in arts and culture.

The man behind this impressive collection is Ju Jae-yoon, a celadon aficionado who heads the company Celadon and is also a doctor of traditional medicine. Calling himself a “retrophile,” his fondness for the pottery and tradition started from a very young age. He actively started collecting the celadon pieces about 10 years ago. 

“Celadon has various colors, shapes, patterns and uses,” Ju told The Korea Herald. “Goryeo people’s artistic and humorous aspects are revealed in the pattern and the design. I want to show the beauty of celadon to many people and take them on a time travel to the Goryeo Dynasty.”

Adding that he finds joy in sharing what he loves with others, Ju said he hopes to build a museum dedicated to celadon in his hometown Gangneung in the future, where many visitors can get a glimpse of the craftsmanship and wisdom of those who lived during the Goryeo period. 

The exhibition runs through Oct. 20 at Myungju Art Center in Gangneung.


Photos by Park Hyun-koo

Written by Ahn Sung-mi (sahn@heraldcorp.com)