Making Mini Lanterns with a Dancheong Pattern

Join us for a craft workshop exploring Korea’s Dancheong through mini lanterns. We'll delve into the history of this traditional craft and offer a hands-on experience of this cultural treasure.

Dancheong

Dancheong refers to traditional colouring on wooden buildings and artifacts in Korea for decoration and style that can be traced back to the period of the Three Kingdoms of Korea (57 BCE to 668 CE).

For centuries, this art has been used in architecture, painting, sculpture and assorted crafts. Its usual function was to cover design defects and prevent cracks in wooden buildings, in addition to repelling pests and protecting buildings from the elements. Sacred places like temples or palaces adopted a variety of dancheong patterns and radiant colours to accentuate their designs.

Dancheong utilises blue, red, yellow, white and black, the five cardinal colours that represent wood, fire, earth, metal and water, respectively, based on yin and yang and the Five Elements Theory. As Daniel Tribouillard, CEO of the French fashion brand Leonard, said, “The bold combination of vivid pink, blue green, yellow and purple is something I’ve never seen in any other part of the world.” Thus the colours used in dancheong is unparalleled. In addition, dark red pillars, green leaves, white and black stripes, and repetitive red and blue geometric shapes combine and contrast the principles of nature and art.

The K-Creative Sessions provide a fun and engaging way to explore traditional Korean culture through hands-on activities.

Event Details

• Date: 27 March 2026, 6-8:30pm
• Venue: Korean Cultural Centre UK
• Free admission, RSVP required
  
  

Photographs, videos and press photography

This event will be video recorded with photographs taken throughout the venue. By entering and by your presence here, you consent to being photographed and filmed. Footage may be used for social media posts.