Fan Dance (Buchaechum)

The fan dance is a modern creative form that uses vibrant fans as its central motif, yet it has come to symbolize the elegance and grace of traditional Korean dance. Although developed in contemporary times, its spirited movements and lighthearted rhythm—often set to cheerful folk melodies—blend harmoniously with Korea’s traditional aesthetic.

Dancers, clad in hanbok or ceremonial garments (dangui), hold colorful fans adorned with floral patterns or feathers in both hands. Through graceful choreography, they create a variety of striking shapes—flowers blooming, waves crashing, butterflies fluttering—transforming the stage into a living painting. The dance also gained popularity in large-scale ensemble forms, reminiscent of mass performances or military-style group displays.

The fan dance is typically accompanied by instrumental arrangements of folk songs such as “Changbu Taryeong” or “Hangangsu Taryeong,” which enhance its festive and dynamic mood.

This art form was first choreographed in 1954 by master dancer Kim Baek-bong, who envisioned it as a new martial-style dance utilizing fans in both hands to form elegant and expressive shapes. Since then, it has evolved into a brilliant showcase of coordinated motion and traditional beauty.

The allure of the fan dance lies in its visual poetry: the sweeping arc as the fans open and close, the fluid curves of the costumes in motion, the long, stretched lines of the dancer’s arms, and the rhythmic slicing of air as fans twirl and spiral. Vivid costumes and the spirited folk music bring the fan dance to life, making it a radiant expression of Korea’s artistic spirit.

In 2014, the fan dance was designated as Intangible Cultural Heritage No. 3 of South Pyongan Province, honoring its artistic and cultural significance.

Admiral Yi Sun-sin and the Turtle Ship

Admiral Yi Sun-sin, known posthumously as Chungmugong, is celebrated as a national hero who saved Korea from the brink of collapse during the Japanese invasions of the Imjin War. This conflict was an international war in which Joseon and Ming China allied to repel Japan’s invasions. Beginning in the 25th year of King Seonjo’s reign (1592), Japan launched two major invasions of Joseon, the first breaking out in the year of Imjin, hence the name Imjin War . Admiral Yi personally commanded every battle he fought, achieving an unprecedented record of consecutive victories unmatched in world naval history. His strategies are so renowned that they continue to be studied in naval academies in the United States, Britain, Japan, and beyond. So closely linked are Admiral Yi and the turtle ship ( geobukseon ) that one is often invoked in reference to the other. Even today, a turtle ship is displayed near the statue of Admiral Yi at Gwanghwamun in Seoul. Japanese soldiers once called it mekura bu...

Traditional Hanji Lantern Inspired by a Korean Folktale - Granny Red Bean Porridge and the Tiger

This year’s lantern is a traditional Hanji lantern inspired by one of the most beloved Korean folktales among children: Granny Red Bean Porridge and the Tiger . Once upon a time, deep in the mountains, there lived an old woman who cultivated red beans. She was so skilled at making red bean porridge that people called her “Granny Red Bean Porridge.” One peaceful day, a tiger the size of a house suddenly appeared and threatened to eat her. Granny pleaded, “I don’t mind dying, but if I do, who will make this delicious porridge? Come back in the snowy winter. You can enjoy the porridge then—and eat me if you still want to.” She barely managed to persuade the tiger to leave. Left with no one to turn to, the old woman wept alone. Just then, the items in her home—her carrying frame, a straw mat, an awl, some dung, an egg, and even a softshell turtle—gathered around and told her not to worry. When winter came and the tiger returned on the day of the winter solstice, Granny and her loyal “fri...

The Golden Axe and the Silver Axe

The Golden Axe and the Silver Axe is one of Aesop’s fables, and it is also known by the title Hermes and the Dishonest Woodcutter . This tale is often staged as a scene in which a mountain spirit appears and presents a golden axe and a silver axe. Long ago, in a remote village deep in the mountains, there lived a kind woodcutter. One day, while chopping wood, his hand slipped and his axe fell into a pond. As he stood there, troubled and distressed, a mountain spirit appeared and asked what had happened. After hearing the story, the spirit rewarded the honest woodcutter by giving him both a golden axe and a silver axe as gifts. When a wicked woodcutter heard the news, he came to the same pond and deliberately dropped his own axe into the water. When the mountain spirit appeared again, the wicked woodcutter lied. In the end, he could not even get back his iron axe.

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