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Expat Guide Korea
Where to Find Ceramics in Korea
When you think of Korea, ceramics may not immediately come to mind, but in fact, Korea has a rich history in pottery that dates as far back as 8,000 BC. From the ancient to the modern, there are a variety of places where you can see, purchase, or even make your own ceramics. While the places on this list are primarily in or around Seoul, ceramics are available in small shops all throughout Korea. Whether you’re looking for a souvenir, a gift, or just something for yourself, below are some of the places where you can find ceramics in Korea.
1. Insadong 인사동
If there’s one place to go for traditional Korean culture in Seoul, it’s Insadong. There, you’ll find everything from handicraft shops to traditional cafes and tea houses. It is hands down the best place to pick up souvenirs, and that includes ceramics. Insadong is full of galleries that have ceramics on display, and best of all, they are typically free of charge! There are also a number of little shops throughout the area that sell them, particularly at Ssamziegil.
You can get to Insadong by taking the subway to Anguk Station and getting out at exit 6.
2. Ssamziegil Experience Workshop 쌈지길 체험공방
Photo Credit: My Korea Trip
Nestled in the center of Insadong, Ssamziegil is its own little four-story complex of stores, galleries, and workshops. Take the spiraling walkway up and peruse all four floors to your heart’s content. After that, go to the basement (B1) and visit the Ssamziegil Experience Workshop. There, you can get up close and personal with Korean ceramic design by making your own. It takes about a month before you can receive what you’ve made, but it’s well worth the experience and the handmade souvenir!
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Pricing: 20,000-30,000 won
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Website: https://www.ssamzigil.com
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Address: 44, Insadong-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
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Phone: 02-736-0088
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Operating Hours: 10 AM-8:30 PM, closed Lunar New Year and Chuseok
3. Icheon Ceramics Village 이천도예촌
Photo Credit: Outdoor Travel
Icheon’s claim to fame is the Ceramics Village, a collection of over 300 ceramics companies. More than anywhere else, this place is actively reviving the traditional methods of making ceramics. You can find these shops in the Saeum-dong and Sindun-myeon areas of the city. It’s a popular sightseeing destination among tourists, but don’t hesitate to purchase anything that catches your eye.
You can get to Icheon by taking a bus from the Seoul Express Bus Terminal. From Icheon, you can take bus number 14 from the Icheon Intercity Bus Terminal to Sindun-myeon.
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Address: 19, Gyeongchung-daero 3150beon-gil, Icheon-si, Gyeonggi-do
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Phone: 031-633-6381
4. Icheon Ceramics Festival 이천 도자기 축제
Perhaps more famous in Icheon than the Ceramics Village itself is the Ceramics Festival held there. It takes place every year in Seolbong Park and is generally open for an entire month. At the festival, you have the chance to take a look at a huge variety of traditional ceramics and also see how they are made. You can check out more information about future festival dates on their website.
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Pricing: 5,000 won
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Website: http://www.ceramic.or.kr/
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Address: Seolbong Park, Icheon, Gyeonggi-do
5. Shop Online For Korean Ceramics
If you are unable to visit a ceramics shop in person or want to view a variety of more modern ceramics, you can always turn to the internet. It’s a great alternative because you can have it shipped directly to where you live, as most of these online shops all offer delivery to other countries. There aren’t large online retailers either. These are Korean artists selling their ceramics on their own website. Some are to be put on display while others can be used for daily activities such as preparing a meal. Below are a few of the most well-regarded sites.
NR Ceramics
NR Ceramics’ core mission is to bring comfort and a variety of forms to space.
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Website: https://www.nrceramics.com
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Address: #103, 11, Sangam-ro, Gangdong-gu, Seoul
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Operating Hours: Mon-Fri: 10 AM-6 PM, closed holidays
KwangJuYo
KwangJuYo specializes in beautiful tableware.
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Website: http://en.kwangjuyo.com
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Address: Daedong Bldg. 11F, 109, Jungdae-ro, Songpa-gu, Seoul
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Phone: 02-3442-2054
H’Soban
H’Soban is well-known for its high-quality bowls.
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Website: http://www.hsoban.com
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Address: 85-1 Seokwon-dong, Bundang-gu, Seongnam, Gyeonggi-do
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Phone: 031-712-0679
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Operating Hours: Mon-Sat: 10:30 AM-6 PM
6. Exhibitions
Photo Credit: kocis
National Museum of Korea 국립중앙박물관
If your main interest is history, then the National Museum of Korea is for you. Home to over 300 different kinds of ceramics, this museum located near Ichon station has three floors for you to peruse. The first floor is where you’ll find the majority of artifacts, but it’s the third floor that houses the ceramics. There are five rooms total, including the Celadon Room, the Buncheong Ware Room, and the White Porcelain Room.
There, you can view celadon, a kind of greenware that was one of the most notable kinds of ceramics in the Goryeo Dynasty. Buncheong replaced celadon as the main type of pottery in the beginning of the Joseon dynasty, which itself lost popularity due to the creation of white porcelain, otherwise known as baekja. White porcelain is perhaps the most visually striking kind of Korean ceramics, being praised for its simplicity and adherence to the ideals of Korean Confucianism. Its most famous representative is the moon jar.
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Pricing: Free
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Address: 137 Seobinggo-ro, Yongsan-gu, Seoul
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Phone: 02-2077-9046
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Operating Hours: Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri, Sun, Holidays: 10 AM-6 PM / Wed, Sat: 10 AM-9 PM
Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art
The Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art is in fact two museums. You’ll want to go to Museum 1 where traditional Korean art is displayed. The collection of traditional ceramics includes both ancient celadon and buncheong, some of which are also a part of Korea’s officially-recognized national treasures. Unlike the National Museum of Korea, the Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art aims to merge the ancient and modern.
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Pricing: 10,000 won
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Address: 60-16 Itaewon-ro 55-gil, Yongsan-gu, Seoul
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Phone: 02-2014-6901
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Operating Hours: 10:30 AM-6 PM, closed on January 1st, Lunar New Year and Chuseok
Gyeonggi Ceramic Museum 경기도자박물관
Located in Gwangju, Gyeonggi-do Province, the Gyeonggi Ceramic Museum was built on the site where ceramics for the royal families were originally made during the Joseon dynasty. The museum not only displays traditional ceramics but also manages the excavation of such artifacts. Their goal is to preserve and study them as well as to educate the public about the traditions of the past concerning these ceramics.
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Pricing: Free
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Address: 263, Gyeongchungdae-ro 2697 Beon-gil, Icheon-si, Gyeonggi-do
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Phone: 031-631-6501
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Operating Hours: 9 AM-6 PM, closed January 1st and Mondays