Cultural transformation behind lacquerware of Korea, China, and Japan

A recent visit to the special exhibition of “Lacquerware of East Asia (Korea, Japan and China)” at the National Museum of Korea was a fascinating journey into the unique development of these three cultures. The originality of lacquerware, created from the 14th century up to the 19th century, may surprise you, making it hard to believe that they share a common cultural origin.

The way the three countries have evolved the uniqueness of lacquerware clearly shows how much it matters to take a further step from emulating prototypes to interpreting and originally transforming them. In this light, Director Makoto Fujimura of the Tokyo National Museum says in this special exhibition brochure that the three countries’ original perspectives of the same material have given birth to a variety of lacquerware techniques and design styles.

This insightful observation is not merely confined to traditional culture. Korean pop artists, who grew up watching “Weekends’ Cinema” and VHS tapes, have recently made a significant impact in the global content industry. Their success lies in their ability to ensure cultural transformation by infusing Korea-specific realities into universal themes of humanity. For instance, movie director Bong Joon-ho’s “Parasite” uses Korea-specific elements to portray the universality of social division from an interesting angle, a testament to the global influence of Korean pop culture.

K-movies have slumped since the endemic hit the globe. Although the growth of OTT media and screen monopoly are partly to blame, critics also argue that Korean films today have a lower cinematic quality than before, considering that the 2024 Cannes Film Festival in May did not invite any K-film to the list of those in competition. It is highly hoped that the power of cultural transformation will be revived to leave another mark just as it has driven the uniqueness of lacquerware among the three countries.