한국국제교류재단

One of Arumjigi’s earliest initiatives focused on jeongja trees, large-shade zelkovas traditionally found at the entrances or centers of villages or along roadsides. Much like the pavilions from which they take their Korean name, these deciduous trees provided places for rest, social gatherings and community life. Often several centuries old, their wide branches and dense foliage offered welcome relief during the summer months, long before electric fans and air conditioning became commonplace.

Yet jeongja trees were more than sources of shade. Many communities regarded them as spiritual guardians that watched over their villages’ well-being and happiness. Rituals were often held beneath their branches, while important local affairs were discussed in their shade. Over time, they became centers of village life, bearing witness to people’s joys and sorrows and standing as symbols of local identity.

Recognizing their cultural significance, Arumjigi set out to preserve both the trees and their surroundings. The project began in 2002 with the restoration of a 430-year-old zelkova tree in Wonjeong-ri, a village in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, supported by corporate sponsorship and contributions by expert volunteers. After assessing the tree’s condition, these experts treated areas of decay, supplied nutrients, and installed supports for weakened branches. Fences and benches were added to create a welcoming space for local residents. Since then, the foundation has helped preserve numerous cultural assets that might otherwise have been lost, including the over-350-year-old protected zelkova tree at Heungcheon Temple in Seoul and the celebrated 800-year-old Ginkgo Tree of Ungok, Hamyang County, South Gyeongsang Province, designated as Natural Monument No. 406.

Another long-running focus has been the care and maintenance of Korea’s royal palaces. Just as houses quickly deteriorate without occupants, historic buildings require constant attention. Since August 2003, Arumjigi has carried out seasonal conservation activities at Seoul’s Changdeok Palace, one of the royal palaces of the Joseon Dynasty (1392–1910), every spring and autumn. To encourage public participation in heritage preservation, the foundation organizes volunteer programs through which interested members and everyday citizens help clean palace buildings, remove accumulated dust and grime, and tend to the surrounding grounds. Over time, these activities expanded to include interior repairs, re-papering work, and landscape maintenance in the palace’s famous Secret Garden.

Arumjigi later extended its efforts to other royal palaces, including Deoksu Palace and Gyeongbok Palace, carrying out projects to reproduce furnishings, ornaments, and ceremonial objects once used within palace halls. Each initiative begins with extensive historical research conducted by an advisory group of experts and master artisans. The completed reproductions are arranged in accordance with historical records. Through such work, the palaces have regained much of their historical presence and vitality.

On another front, Arumjigi broadened its activities to include redesigning cultural heritage signage across the country. To achieve this, the organization assembled a team of leading domestic and international designers. The initiative grew from the recognition that civic design around heritage sites was often failing to effectively communicate their significance. Following the signing of the “One Cultural Heritage, One Guardian” agreement with the Korea Heritage Service in 2005, Arumjigi redesigned and installed information boards at Gyeongbok Palace and Changdeok Palace, later extending the project to Changgyeong Palace, Deoksu Palace, and Jongmyo Shrine. Widely regarded as a successful model of public–private cooperation, the initiative helped transform public engagement with cultural heritage.

In 2016, the foundation renovated a traditional wooden house in Hyehwa-dong, a neighborhood in Seoul’s Jongno District, and opened an exhibition and information center dedicated to the Seoul City Wall. The following year, it partnered with Seogwipo City on Jeju Island to enable visitors to better appreciate the Jusangjeolli Cliffs (Columnar Joints) at the Jungmun and Daepo Coasts, one of Korea’s most significant geological heritage sites. These projects demonstrate how thoughtful civic design can improve the visitor experience while respecting local character and traditional aesthetics. Through such efforts, Arumjigi has served as an important connection between private-sector resources and public institutions engaged in heritage preservation.

With support from Hermès Korea and the Korea Heritage Service, Arumjigi reproduced 20 historic furnishings for Sajeongjeon Hall in Gyeongbok Palace between 2021 and 2024. The hall once served as the king’s principal audience chamber.
Courtesy of the Arumjigi Foundation

Between 2005 and 2016, Arumjigi worked with the Korea Heritage Service to redesign visitor signage at Seoul’s major royal palaces and Jongmyo Shrine, and additionally published companion guidebooks.
Courtesy of the Arumjigi Foundation

Facing Yeongchumun, the western gate of Gyeongbok Palace, the Arumjigi Foundation headquarters presents an unexpected first impression. At a glance, it is difficult to tell whether the building is a residence, an office, or a cultural space. Passing through the exhibition area on the ground floor and ascending to the second level reveals the foundation’s distinctive vision of the coexistence of modernity and tradition. A stone wall from Gyeongbok Palace unfolds beyond wooden sliding doors like a folding screen, while a courtyard sits at the heart of the complex. On either side stand two contrasting structures: a modern concrete building that houses the foundation’s offices and a hanok (traditional Korean house) that serves as an exhibition venue. The hanok adopts the form and atmosphere of traditional architecture while accommodating contemporary patterns of use. Visitors can enter without removing their shoes, suggesting new possibilities for integrating traditional architecture into modern life. Exhibitions held here often focus on traditional Korean clothing, food, and housing culture, creating meaningful connections between past and present.

Director Youngsuk Jang explains the philosophy behind these exhibitions: “The guiding idea behind all our exhibitions is to explore the essence of traditional culture, bring it into the present, and carry its value into the future. We seek to bring together elements that speak to life today, lesser-known stories from traditional culture, and creative reinterpretations of that tradition for contemporary audiences and future generations.”

In keeping with this approach, Arumjigi regularly presents exhibitions that place traditional Korean crafts in dialogue with the work of contemporary artists.

Jang notes that the foundation is particularly interested in reviving traditional practices that have received relatively little attention. “As Korean cuisine gains global recognition, we might ask what should accompany it at the table. Wine is one possibility, but traditional Korean alcoholic beverages offer another. We hope to bring such questions into public conversation through our exhibitions.”

At the heart of this approach lies a simple goal: to ensure that traditional culture becomes part of everyday life rather than remaining the preserve of a select few. The 2006 exhibition Korean Food Vessels and Table Settings once again reaffirmed this objective. It featured tea tables (chatsang), dining tables (bansang), and first-birthday tables (dolsang) arranged with rustic everyday bowls (maksabal) of potter Min Young-gi, the white porcelain of Lee Gee-jo, and the celadon vessels of Yi Yoon-shin.

“I believe the exhibition helped popularize a beautiful, modest, and meaningful way of celebrating a baby’s first birthday with a traditional table setting,” Jang says. “Since then, many related businesses have emerged, from companies that rent out dolsang to those that sell rice-cake kits for the occasion.”

The foundation’s hanbok (traditional garment) exhibition, Couture Korea, held at the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco in 2017, demonstrated the growing international appeal of traditional Korean culture, both in scale and in the attention it received.

Jang recalls, “We had many opportunities to meet members of the Korean community in San Francisco and could sense the pride they felt in what the exhibition represented. It was also a truly valuable opportunity that allowed us to collaborate with cultural institutions outside Korea and organize large-scale exhibitions abroad.”

Installation view of the 2023 exhibition Blurring Boundaries: Hanbok Revisited at Arumjigi. Christina Kim and the Onjium Clothing Studio reinterpreted Joseon dress through contemporary hanbok design.
Courtesy of the Arumjigi Foundation

Each spring, at the height of the season, the Arumjigi Foundation opens its headquarters to visitors. The first open house, held in 2022, introduced the public to its 2018 project to restore and illuminate the lighting fixtures in Huijeongdang and Daejojeon, the king’s office and the king and queen’s living quarters within Changdeok Palace, for the first time in a century. Through this annual event, Arumjigi shares its major initiatives with the public while drawing renewed attention to the importance of carrying tradition forward. Visitors can participate in a range of hands-on programs, including opportunities to try on hanbok and traditional ornaments, and enjoy pop-up stores designed to encourage engagement.

As the foundation’s activities continue to expand, fundraising has become an increasingly important part of its mission. Since its launch in 2010, the Arumjigi Bazaar has attracted growing public attention through the participation of prominent cultural figures and celebrities.

At the center of this effort is Young Friends, Arumjigi’s network of next-generation support¬ers. Established to broaden participation, raise funds, and strengthen the foundation’s activities both within and beyond Korea, Young Friends plays a leading role in organizing fundraising events and promoting meaningful forms of cul¬tural patronage. In recent years, the bazaar has expanded beyond brands associated with tradi¬tional culture to include businesses that empha¬size sustainability, environmental responsibility, and fair trade.

Since J. Kathryn Hong became the foundation’s new chairperson last year, Arumjigi has placed even greater emphasis on introducing traditional Korean culture to international audiences. This year marks the foundation’s 25th anniversary. As it enters its next chapter, Arumjigi remains guided by the belief that preserving cultural heritage and reinterpreting it for future generations are not pursuits removed from everyday life but shared responsibilities that anyone can embrace through contemporary language, experience, and sensibility.

Installation view of the 2018 exhibition Gagarye: Ancestral Rites for Modern Times, exploring the changing role of ancestral rituals in contemporary life.
Courtesy of the Arumjigi Foundation