Soonja Hwang

Knot Master, Hwangsil Cultural Foundation

Practice

Hwang Sun-ja works in maedeup, traditional Korean knotting, a discipline historically distinct from surface ornamentation techniques such as inlay or lacquer, operating instead through cord, tension, and structural knotting alone. She trained from 1982 under the late Kim Ju-hyeon, with further formation in traditional sewing and netting techniques under separate masters, before founding the Korea Knot Craft Association in 1984, which she subsequently chaired.

In 2008, she was recognized as a research fellow in modern cultural heritage craft by the Cultural Heritage Administration and designated a Master (Myeongin) by the Hwangsil Cultural Foundation, a private institution distinct from Korea's state intangible heritage system. Her exhibition record includes presentations at the 104th Paris International Fair (2008) and the Korean Cultural Centre, London (2009), placing her practice within direct contact with European exhibition contexts rather than domestic circulation alone.

Lineage

1982 | began training under Kim Ju-hyeon. 1984 | founded, and later chaired, the Korea Knot Craft Association. 1988 | organized the 4th International Knot Exhibition, Seoul, establishing the exhibition line that extended to the 11th International Knot Exhibition, Kyoto Cultural Museum, Japan. 2008 | research fellow designation, Cultural Heritage Administration, modern cultural heritage craft field; presentation, 104th Paris International Fair, France. 2009 | exhibition, Korean Cultural Centre, London, United Kingdom. 2010 | Craft Transmission Award, Cultural Heritage Administration, for a reinterpretation of the 108-bead Buddhist rosary in traditional knotting technique.