[ZOOM KOREA] Master potter keeps traditional Korean craft alive at Yeoju pottery

Korean Heritage

Published: 15 Dec. 2023, 15:23

[ZOOM KOREA] Master potter keeps traditional Korean craft alive at Yeoju pottery

Kim shapes onggi by using a spinning wheel. [PARK SANG-MOON]

Koreans have long used onggi, traditional round earthenware pots, to store condiments and fermented staples such as soybean paste, red pepper paste, soy sauce and kimchi. Ancient documents show that the earthenware containers have been produced and used since the Three Kingdoms Period, which spans from 57 B.C. to A.D. 668.

Obuja Pottery, located in Yeoju, Gyeonggi, is one of only a few potteries still in operation and has stuck to the traditional way of making onggi for the past 60 years, led by master potter Kim Il-man, who is the country’s Intangible Cultural Heritage.

A work of Kim Myeong-hun, the grandson of Kim [PARK SANG-MOON]

Three traditional kilns are dotted along the slope of a mountain in Ipo-ri, Geumsan-myeon, and are also designated as Gyeonggi's tangible cultural assets. The longest kiln stretches up to 25 meters (82 feet) in length. Originally built in the late 19th century, they have remained active ever since.

Before Kim settled down in Yeoju in 1980, he grew up wandering from Anseong, Gyeonggi, to Jincheon and Eumseong in North Chungcheong by following his father, who was also a potter. At 25, Kim decided to follow in the footsteps of his father by working day and night trying to get the knack of producing onggi.

The biggest dream of people who make onggi is to become the owner of a pottery. Kim was no exception. He realized that dream when he turned 37 and started his own craft workshop business in Asan, South Chungcheong. Not long after, he had to move to another location after one of his neighbors complained about all the ashes generated from him lighting fires. He ended up settling down in Yeoju.

Master potter Kim Il-man, is an onggijang, which refers to an artisan with the skill of making earthenware. Onggijang is listed in Korea's Intangible Cultural Heritage. [PARK SANG-MOON]

Rows of huge onggi are fired inside a kiln. [PARK SANG-MOON]

There are several, detailed processes in the production of onggi. The manufacturing process also requires many different workers doing different roles. Some harvest the raw clay needed for making onggi. Then others remove the impurities from the raw clay to make it suitable for making earthenware. Before the clay is ready to be kneaded, yet another group of people go through a second round of removing impurities from the lump of clay.

The clay is kneaded into a plank or brick shape to make it easy for the master potters to give it shape. According to Kim, one assistant and two masters are the ideal team when producing a batch of traditional onggi.

A work of Jeong Young-rak, a daughter-in-law of Kim. Jeong studied onggi-making skills under Kim. [PARK SANG-MOON]

When onggi takes its final shape, the raw earthenware needs to be fired, which is arguably the most important stage.

Between two to three raw, unbaked pieces of earthenware are stacked inside the kiln. Once they are appropriately positioned inside the kiln, they are baked at a low temperature for three to four days in a row to eliminate all the humidity from the clay. Then the temperature is raised to medium heat and maintained for about another day. After that, the temperature is elevated to as high as 1,000 degrees Celsius (1,832 Fahrenheit), hot enough to melt lye, which is the liquid mixture that coats the outside of the finished onggi.

Unlike other pottery, onggi goes through one more round of firing for the final touch. Starting from the entrance of the kiln and going back to the chimney, the kiln has small holes on each side. For the final round, branches are fed through the small holes along the kiln to increase the temperature, reaching up to 1,200 degrees Celsius.

Kim poses for a photo with his sons and daughter-in-law while working on onggi. [PARK SANG-MOON]

The kilns are fired four times yearly — twice in the spring and twice in the fall. Once the kilns are activated, they are fired for five days in a row to reach up to 1,200 Celsius degrees. It then takes another 10 days to cool off the kilns. Despite all the time and effort needed to produce onggi, only between 40 to 50 percent of the end products turn out to be marketable. Nevertheless, Kim sticks to the traditional way of producing onggi.

Unlike cheongja (green celadon porcelain) and baekja (white porcelain), which are both made with fine soil, onggi is made with clay, which contains more coarse soil. The coarse earth leaves small air bubbles while they are fired at high temperatures. These pores enable air, microorganisms and yeast to penetrate the container. Thus onggi got its nickname, "breathable vessel," and is considered suitable for storing fermented food for long periods of time.

Obuja Pottery once had the 15th Chin Jukan, a Korean-Japanese potter, as its student in 1990 for 10 months. The potter runs a family pottery business in Kagoshima, Japan, and the name of Chin Jukan is passed down from generation to generation.

Despite being over 80 years old, Kim still produces onggi and has been carrying on the six-generation tradition from his ancestors who started the business in the late Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910). Now Kim’s descendants, including his four sons, a daughter-in-law and three grandsons are all participating, making them the foremost potter family in Korea.

BY PARK SANG-MOON [park.sangmun@joongang.co.kr]