[Editor's note] People change jobs often these days. According to the Ministry of Data and Statistics (MODS), from 2018 to 2023 only 4 out of 10 people stayed at the same workplace. In particular, Millennials and Gen Z (born in the 1980s to 2000s) prioritize growth potential and personal values over stability and are less hesitant to move jobs. In this era, some young people have chosen to dig one well rather than move. We share stories of "artisans" who chose depth over speed and skill over trends.
"You know Duffy, the tiger character that appeared in the recently buzzed-about 'K-pop Demon Hunters,' right? These days I'm also making letter openers (paper knives) using this character. I keep trying to reinterpret traditional techniques in a modern way."
Han Jun-hyeok (33), a certified trainee of nakjuk jangdo whom we met in Gokseong County, South Jeolla, said this. Nakjuk jangdo is a traditional knife decorated with the "nakjuk (烙竹)" technique, which uses fire to etch phrases and patterns into bamboo.
Raised in a family that has passed down nakjuk jangdo for generations, Han sharpened blades and split bamboo from middle school. While peers were debating their studies and careers, around age 20 Han decided to accept this path as a calling.
Han continues to apply the nakjuk technique to everyday items rather than stopping at traditional succession. To promote nakjuk jangdo, Han runs exhibitions and hands-on programs, and launched a website in Nov. last year. The following is a Q&A with Han.
—How is nakjuk jangdo different from other knives?
"In a word, nakjuk jangdo represents the 'seonbi spirit.' On the bamboo surfaces of the scabbard and handle, phrases and patterns are etched that embody the ideal world and self-cultivation values pursued by seonbi scholars. Despite its simple appearance, a sharp blade hidden inside the scabbard can be used for self-defense. It symbolizes strength within gentleness. I take pride in it as a symbolic cultural heritage that combines traditional Korean thought, technique, and aesthetics, not a mere ornament."
—You are a rare young certified trainee.
"My grandfather was designated in 1993 as a master artisan of the national intangible heritage for nakjuk jangdo, and my father received and carried on the craft. Both always worried nakjuk jangdo might disappear. Watching that, I thought, 'This is what I must protect.'
I started around 2007 in middle school with basic tasks like sharpening blades and splitting bamboo. Since 2010, I have handled precision processes and have been active as a certified trainee. Wanting to understand the structure and system of transmission, as well as education and policy, I also earned a doctorate in cultural heritage management."
—How does the production process work?
"Preparing materials is most important. We harvest bamboo with narrow nodes that is less mature and dry it thoroughly. We then cut it to the nodes to make the scabbard and handle, and firmly set a locking mechanism so the blade does not slip out. The joint sections are reinforced with cow bone or horn. For the blade, we mix hard iron and soft iron and repeatedly hammer and flatten it to increase tensile strength (the property of resisting stretching or breaking).
We inlay pure gold into the finished blade to engrave patterns like the Big Dipper. Finally, we use a heated soldering iron to perform nakjuk, etching phrases or the Four Gentlemen motifs on the bamboo surface. When the characters are small, they can be only 2–3 mm. We finish by adding an orchid-shaped knife cord ornament."
—What work stands out in your memory?
"It is 'Nakjuk Jwajang-geom,' which I entered in the 2019 Traditional Craft Competition. It looks like a cane on the outside but conceals a blade inside. Using the nakjuk technique, I engraved phrases from Ancient Writings Anthology that contain the ideals and virtues pursued by seonbi, and the Ten Symbols of Longevity patterns wishing for health.
I also remember my first work, 'Twelve Zodiac Dagger.' I designed it so individuals could keep their birth year's zodiac sign. I took inspiration from the twelve zodiac animals on General Kim Yu-sin's tombstone."
—About how much does it cost?
"Gold is the largest share of production costs. Because we inlay pure gold into the blade, each piece uses more than one don (3.75 g). It is not plating on the surface; the gold is set deep into the blade.
As gold prices have risen recently, the sale price has jumped to 3 million won. Even excluding the gold cost, it is about 1.5 million won. I am adjusting prices within reason because I want to lower the threshold for experiencing tradition, even a little."
—What do you do at the training center?
"I receive apprenticeship-style training from my father, a holder of national intangible heritage. In the past I trained three times a week; now it is once a week. Once we start, a session usually runs about five hours straight. Along with training, the center also runs exhibitions and hands-on programs. The experience of applying the nakjuk technique to everyday items takes about one to two hours. We also have a traditional forge, so participants can try making a sickle or a shovel."
—What do you think craftsmanship is?
"It is like a marathon that never ends. Results do not appear easily in the short term, you have to keep running without rest, and you cannot give up easily. I still vividly remember when, after thousands of tries, I sawed bamboo straight and my father said, 'You've grown well.' I believe the time spent enduring in silence will someday shine. I want to become a true artisan who preserves and advances tradition with my hands and my life."