Korean heritage finds new life through style and innovation
Published: 16 May. 2025, 17:07
Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI
Kang Hye-ran
The author is a senior reporter on culture at the JoongAng Ilbo.
At a recent performance at the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo in Japan, pansori master Shin Young-hee reflected on the past. “In the 1970s, we performed multiple times in Osaka and Tokyo. It coincided with presidential visits and had diplomatic meaning. Casual conversations with Japanese artists — those were the beginnings of cultural exchange,” she said after performing alongside other Korean intangible heritage holders such as seungmu (monk's dance) master Chae Sang-muk and geomungo (six-string zither) master Lee Jae-hwa.
The event, held during Korea Week in celebration of the 60th anniversary of Korea-Japan diplomatic relations, brought together veteran performers who improvised traditional Korean music and dance on a 300-seat stage. Their decades of experience, built through eras of political, economic and cultural transformation, were vividly on display.
![Pastel-toned miniatures of the Baekje (18 B.C. to A.D. 660) gilt-bronze incense burner are displayed at the MU:DS promotional booth set up for “Korea Week” at the Osaka-Kansai Expo. [KANG HYE-RAN]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/05/16/0f9783de-b8a0-4a32-b00e-36e052249828.jpg)
This shift in cultural perception is also reflected in the growing popularity of Korean traditional merchandise. At the product exhibition area, pastel-toned miniature models of Baekje (18 B.C. to A.D. 660) gilt-bronze incense burners caught visitors’ attention. Developed by the National Museum Cultural Foundation, these goods are part of the MU:DS (a blend of “museum” and “goods”) brand. Last year, MU:DS recorded approximately 21.3 billion won in sales, a 465.9 percent increase from 2020.
Although BTS member RM’s well-known interest in Korean heritage — such as his purchase of a model of the “Pensive Bodhisattva” — has boosted visibility, the brand’s growth also derives from its creativity. Items like embroidered celadon pouches and keyrings shaped like blue and white porcelain appeal to not only domestic audiences, but also international consumers. Thirty-eight MU:DS products are set to be sold at U.S. museums during the upcoming Lee Kun-hee collection tour in November, and partnerships are in the works with Japan’s Nara National Museum and France’s Musee Guimet (National Museum of Asian Arts).
“Young people and foreigners are not immediately drawn to traditional performances or relics,” said Jung Yong-seok, head of the National Museum Cultural Foundation, who attended the Osaka event. “MU:DS serves as a stylish gateway to expand global interest from K-culture to K-heritage.”
At the booth, a Japanese visitor named Kono paused at a display of key chains inspired by Korean porcelain. “I came in because the items looked pretty. I realized later they were based on Korean traditions,” she said. What initially caught her eye wasn’t the origin but the aesthetic. At the performance, U.S. visitor Ella remarked, “Colorful and wonderful — and different from our culture, which made it interesting.” That “wonder” extended to the performers’ refined hanbok (traditional Korean clothing) and the high-tech digital visuals that framed the stage.
Just as trendy “palace vacations” in Korea have sparked a desire for “royal experiences” on social media, traditional culture today is surviving and evolving not by clinging to the past, but by embracing new forms of presentation. Style and spectacle are reshaping how tradition is consumed.
Kim Mi-kyung, a product designer at the foundation, emphasized this approach: “We want tradition to feel more accessible, so we make items like the Pensive Bodhisattva character goods — but with the highest attention to design and quality. Cool, stylish goods elevate the value of heritage.”
In today’s marketplace, even the most precious traditions must remain relevant to survive. What is hip sells, and what sells stays alive. Supporting this evolution — and generational shift — is how heritage continues.
Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
The author is a senior reporter on culture at the JoongAng Ilbo.
At a recent performance at the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo in Japan, pansori master Shin Young-hee reflected on the past. “In the 1970s, we performed multiple times in Osaka and Tokyo. It coincided with presidential visits and had diplomatic meaning. Casual conversations with Japanese artists — those were the beginnings of cultural exchange,” she said after performing alongside other Korean intangible heritage holders such as seungmu (monk's dance) master Chae Sang-muk and geomungo (six-string zither) master Lee Jae-hwa.
The event, held during Korea Week in celebration of the 60th anniversary of Korea-Japan diplomatic relations, brought together veteran performers who improvised traditional Korean music and dance on a 300-seat stage. Their decades of experience, built through eras of political, economic and cultural transformation, were vividly on display.
Pastel-toned miniatures of the Baekje (18 B.C. to A.D. 660) gilt-bronze incense burner are displayed at the MU:DS promotional booth set up for “Korea Week” at the Osaka-Kansai Expo. [KANG HYE-RAN]
Although BTS member RM’s well-known interest in Korean heritage — such as his purchase of a model of the “Pensive Bodhisattva” — has boosted visibility, the brand’s growth also derives from its creativity. Items like embroidered celadon pouches and keyrings shaped like blue and white porcelain appeal to not only domestic audiences, but also international consumers. Thirty-eight MU:DS products are set to be sold at U.S. museums during the upcoming Lee Kun-hee collection tour in November, and partnerships are in the works with Japan’s Nara National Museum and France’s Musee Guimet (National Museum of Asian Arts).
“Young people and foreigners are not immediately drawn to traditional performances or relics,” said Jung Yong-seok, head of the National Museum Cultural Foundation, who attended the Osaka event. “MU:DS serves as a stylish gateway to expand global interest from K-culture to K-heritage.”
At the booth, a Japanese visitor named Kono paused at a display of key chains inspired by Korean porcelain. “I came in because the items looked pretty. I realized later they were based on Korean traditions,” she said. What initially caught her eye wasn’t the origin but the aesthetic. At the performance, U.S. visitor Ella remarked, “Colorful and wonderful — and different from our culture, which made it interesting.” That “wonder” extended to the performers’ refined hanbok (traditional Korean clothing) and the high-tech digital visuals that framed the stage.
Just as trendy “palace vacations” in Korea have sparked a desire for “royal experiences” on social media, traditional culture today is surviving and evolving not by clinging to the past, but by embracing new forms of presentation. Style and spectacle are reshaping how tradition is consumed.
Kim Mi-kyung, a product designer at the foundation, emphasized this approach: “We want tradition to feel more accessible, so we make items like the Pensive Bodhisattva character goods — but with the highest attention to design and quality. Cool, stylish goods elevate the value of heritage.”
In today’s marketplace, even the most precious traditions must remain relevant to survive. What is hip sells, and what sells stays alive. Supporting this evolution — and generational shift — is how heritage continues.
Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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