Korea’s government is expanding efforts to preserve traditional arts as some of its designated “living national treasures” age. The Korea Heritage Service (KHS) announced the publication of three comprehensive biographical volumes that document the lives, philosophies, and working methods of government-designated masters. The new books profile Kim Chun-sik, a master craftsman of “soban,” hand-carved wooden dining tables native to the Naju region, and two virtuosos of “pansori,” Kim Il-ku and Jeong Sun-im, a traditional Korean operatic narrative singing form.
The publications are part of a broader, systematic multimedia preservation project that began in 1995. The KHS frames the initiative as a response to changes driven by hypermodernization and a shift toward global and digital media, which could affect the continued transmission of skills that for generations depended on close master-to-apprentice instruction. By recording details of each artist’s techniques and approach, the state aims to keep these cultural lineages accessible for future generations.
