[Editor's note] Job-hopping is common today. 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–2000s) prioritize growth potential and personal values over stability and are less hesitant to change jobs. In this era, there are young people who chose to dig one well rather than move. We share stories of "masters" who chose depth over speed and skill over trend.
"It is the work of completing the dignity of a space by applying five-directional color patterns on the wood of a dancheong (丹靑) building. It adds beauty with color while also being a traditional technique that has protected buildings from wind, humidity and sunlight."
Kim Gyeong-yeol, an apprentice under a dancheongjang (master of dancheong) whom we met in Paju, Gyeonggi, described the meaning of dancheong this way. Born in 1980, Kim is in the 22nd year of working in dancheong. Kim currently works as a responsible dancheong technician and is guarding sites while receiving apprentice training under a national intangible heritage dancheongjang.
Kim said, "I want to be a master who stays on site for a long time rather than becoming famous," adding, "I approach every moment of dancheong work with the mindset that 'it seems it will be finished with just a little more.'"
But on sites, there are deep concerns about a shortage of dancheong workers. Making dancheong a profession means living on site away from home for long periods and repeatedly doing coloring work with a brush on scaffolding. The physical burden is heavy and the work periods are long. Kim said, "Recently, through K-pop and popular culture content, the beauty and aesthetics of dancheong are being rediscovered, but the number of people actually taking up the brush is decreasing, which worries me." The following is a Q&A with Kim.
— It is an unfamiliar path for so-called "Millennials and Gen Z." How did you get started?
"I started dancheong work in 2003. I majored in industrial design in college. At the end of 2002, while doing a 'cultural product design' assignment, I researched traditional patterns and first learned about dancheong. After that, I visited Gyeongbokgung and Deoksugung to see dancheong with my own eyes. When I learned that people had gone up and colored it by hand, I thought, 'If I go and seek it out, I can learn.' That's how I entered this path."
— The work process doesn't look easy.
"Dancheong is not simply painting. It protects the wood and layers aesthetics on top. When we arrive on site, we set up scaffolding to the working height. First, we do 'surface cleaning,' sanding to tidy up the existing patterns. When preparations are done, we begin 'chulcho.' It is the process of drawing underdrawings, by component, of the patterns to be used in dancheong on initial paper. Then we do 'cheoncho,' pricking small holes with a needle in the underdrawing. Depending on the pattern, we make densely spaced holes.
Next, we do 'base surface sizing,' applying adhesive to the wood base so the paint penetrates well and lasts. We then go through 'tabun,' tapping powder over the perforated underdrawing to transfer the pattern's outline in dotted form. Once the outline appears, we color with pigments to match the colors for each pattern. When all coloring is finished, we do 'dancheong surface sizing' again, applying adhesive. That way the colors do not peel and are preserved for a long time."
— Do you remember your first site?
"Of course. My first job was at Deungmyeongnakgasa in Gangneung, Gangwon. It's a temple next to National Route 7 near Jumunjin, where you can see the horizon. I joined as the junior hand for the dancheong of the iljumun (the one-pillar gate at a temple entrance) and worked for two to three months. I took on almost all the hard work, from setting up scaffolding and carrying pipes to surface cleaning and tabun. People tend to think only of coloring with dancheong, but on actual sites, there is far more body work."
— How did your connection with master dancheongjang instructor Choi Mun-jeong begin?
"Ahead of a job, I went to seek advice on pattern replication and met my current teacher, master dancheongjang instructor Choi Mun-jeong. There, I was asked, 'Do you have a teacher?' and when I said no, there was surprise. Through that connection, I officially registered as an apprentice. It has been about a year.
Apprentice training consists of three regular sessions a month. There are weekly topics, and there is much time not only for dancheong techniques but also for sharing concerns. More than simply learning techniques, the process of discussing together, pointing out shortcomings and receiving guidance feels more important."
— I heard you recently worked together on Jogyesa as well.
"Although it hasn't been long since we established the apprentice relationship, even in 2025 alone we worked together on site about twice. We jointly took on the dancheong for the newly built Chilseonggak at Jogyesa in Jongno, Seoul, and it took about 15 days. The building was not large, but the pattern density was high, so it needed a lot of time. Through that site, I was able to learn up close not just technique but also the standards and judgment in approaching work. Also, at my teacher's suggestion, I took part in an exhibition for the first time this year. The preparation process itself was a great study and became an opportunity to broaden my view, which had been confined to job sites."
— Why is dancheong difficult?
"There is a lot of irregularity. Dancheong work locations are not fixed and change every time. There are many trips to the provinces. Because we work in outdoor environments, summer and winter are understandably taxing. With climate change, spring and fall feel like just about a month each. Even so, if you have pride in dancheong, it is bearable."
— What are your goals going forward?
"Rather than becoming more famous, I want to remain on site for a long time. I like finishing a day's work, having a beer with the team and heading back to the site the next day. Becoming a holder of intangible heritage will follow the system in due course, but that in itself is not the goal. I think if I keep guarding the sites as I do now, I will naturally get there. In the end, what matters is guarding the sites as I do now."