Q PLEASE INTRODUCE JIN-HANJI FLOWER TO US.

Jin-Hanji Flower, led by a hanji artist, specializes in making hanji lamps. We don’t use the existing frames, but we make our designs to study and use hanji uniquely. Our main stage is Goyang-si, where the symbol is a flower, so we manufacture hanji lamps with Korean paintings printed on them.

Q WHAT LED YOU TO MANUFACTURE LAMPS WITH KOREAN PAINTINGS?

I was once requested to make the rims of glasses and sunglasses made with hanji. I traveled to five European countries to do market research. I didn’t have to go to an art museum to see paintings by world-famous artists, like Gustav Klimt, because they were already printed on many products, such as books, posters, and art, in every city. I then wondered, “What if I put Korean paintings on warm hanji lamps?”

Q WHY DID YOU CHOOSE RESTORED KOREAN PAINTINGS?

Paintings on hanji or silk brown quickly and are easily damaged as they’re passed down through generations. It’s also tough to find an art that fully captures the past. I heard that there was a youth startup digitally restoring those Korean paintings, and I saw one of the digitally restored artworks of Gim Hongdo. It was so dynamic, cheerful, and fascinating. That was the moment I fell in love with the charm of Korean paintings.

Q HOW DID YOU JOIN THE CONTEST?

I was making custom-ordered, bullish hanji products when the COVID-19 pandemic started, eventually reducing 90% of international orders meant to be exported as gifts. It gave me the time to do the homework that I’d put off. I improved what consumers felt uncomfortable with and turned my idea about lamps printed with Korean paintings into a reality, expediting their development. At that point, I was given the opportunity to join the 2021 Korea Tourist Souvenir Contest. The prize included spots in the places I wanted my shop to enter, so I enhanced my product’s quality to win.

Q DID YOU MAKE ANY IMPROVEMENTS THROUGH THIS CONTEST?

Lamps with a cylinder or square shape are quite big, and they pointed out that the paintings couldn’t be seen entirely. After deciding which frame could show the whole painting at once, I came up with the idea of using small frames to put on a table. And I chose the USB to DC cable to allow people worldwide to use the lamps freely, regardless of the voltage and outlet standards where they’re from.

Q ANY FUTURE PLANS?

After winning, we introduced the English translations of Korean paintings and new package designs. Beginning with the National Museum of Korea, we’re planning to expand our off-line stores. Once the “Living with COVID-19” scheme is fully implemented, we’ll recommend these lamps to our current clients—enterprises and public organizations—to promote the beauty of Korean paintings internationally. In addition, we’re launching the brand ALLGOTA (contains the honest traditions), which we’ve poured all our efforts into preparing over the last three years. We’ve also applied for three patents for the rims of glasses and sunglasses made with hanji.