BodyText3
“In summer of 2019, I had a chance to visit the collection facility of the Field Museum to survey the nineteenth-century Korean textiles,” said Choi. “I was speechless when golden silk and colorful threads of fine embroideries on a boryo (horizontal seat cushion) for the last king of Joseon shined under the dim light. A finely quilted purple jeogori (shirt) worn by the king did not lose its vivid hue after a century of storage. Even a nineteenth-century red hwarot (wedding robe) that was not a part of the World’s Fair display had floral embroideries and gold-leaf stamps to represent the sophisticated traditions of nineteenth-century Korea.”
Choi hoped her research would increase awareness about the importance of Korean textile art. “What inspired me to pursue research in Korean textiles is its potential for new and original development in scholarship. While the objects are certainly in pristine condition under professional care, they often lack identification or supplementary documentation,” said Choi. “They rarely traveled outside of the collection facility since 1893, and only a few Korean scholars mentioned their existence and significance in publications. To overcome such obscurity of knowledge, I have consulted both Korean and English resources to understand and contextualize their historical significance and legacy in Korean culture.”
In 2021, Choi traveled to Seoul, South Korea, for a summer internship at Sookmyung Women’s University Museum. “It allowed me to examine East Asian embroideries that may share certain traditions and features. Simultaneously, I visited traditional fabric markets to find similar materials and designs that still survive in today’s consumer culture. In spring 2022, I communicated with modern hanbok designers and fashion archives to visualize the connection between hanbok and contemporary fashion. This incomplete and ongoing research became a part of the Korean Fashion exhibition, and I look forward to continuing the study.”