[INTERVIEW] Reimagining Korea’s Golden Earring of Hwango-dong for the “Dress Like a Museum Exhibit 2025”
2025-10-13The National Museum of Korea hosted the “Dress Like a Museum Exhibit 2025” contest, inviting participants to transform museum artifacts into wearable costumes. The award ceremony, held on September 27, 2025, at the museum’s Open Plaza in Seoul, recognized ten finalists. Among the finalists were creations inspired by the Stone Seated Bhaisajyaguru Buddha of the Unified Silla era, the rock-carved Gautama Buddha statue, the Gilt-bronze Seated Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, a Goryeo celadon vase, as well as reinterpretations of Korea’s folk painting ‘’Hojakdo’’ and numerous other cultural artifacts.
Kang Han-min and Kwon Hyung-soon, who together form the Golden Earring of Hwango-dong (Gyeongju) team, took first place at the “Dress Like a Museum Exhibit 2025.” Kwon Hyung-soon studied photography in the United States and now works in Korea as both a photographer and in general distribution. Kang Han-min holds a Ph.D. in landscape architecture from Korea and is currently a researcher at a landscape company.
In a Sept 29 email interview, Kwon Hyung-soon discussed their costume design and shared his thoughts on how contests like this foster a deeper connection to Korea’s cultural heritage.
When asked what drew them to the Golden Earring of Hwango-dong as their inspiration for “Dress Like a Museum Exhibit 2025,” they explained that it began with Kang Han-min’s wish to create lasting memories with his daughter. He chose the golden earring after seeing it featured in her textbook, turning it into the foundation of their project.
Kwon Hyung-soon shared the process behind turning the historic earring into a wearable costume. “I wanted it to reflect the original piece, but it also had to be wearable,” he said. “So I stuck to cosplay principles: keeping it lightweight and easy to modify. I used bubble wrap as the main material and made the earring detachable, which made it much easier to wear and move in.”
Discussing the most difficult part of the design, he admitted, “Replicating the look and texture of gold was a real challenge. I decided to use traditional Korean paper, Hanji, on the surface of the cosplay and then highlighted the details with gold lacquer to bring it to life.”
The Golden Earring of Hwango-dong costume draws its inspiration from earrings crafted in the royal palace of the Silla Kingdom in Korea during the 5th–6th centuries. With no written records from that time, excavated pieces like these provide crucial historical evidence. Despite their age, they are notable for their delicate and exquisite craftsmanship. “Through this project, I hope people can appreciate and take pride in the excellence of Korean craftsmanship.”
Reflecting on his favorite moment during the creation process, he said, “Every step was enjoyable, but the most rewarding moment came when the costume, something that once felt impossible to complete, was finally finished and truly came to life as I wore it.”
When asked how contests like this help people connect with Korea’s cultural heritage, he said, “Honestly, through creating this cosplay, I myself learned a great deal about the history of the golden earrings I was wearing, and I’ve been sharing that knowledge with those around me. I hope this experience inspires others to appreciate just how remarkable our history and cultural heritage truly are.”
Finally, when asked which museum artifact he would like to bring to life next, he said, “I’m currently intrigued by an artifact called Silla’s Smile, a roof-end tile known as ‘’Sumaksae.’’ A ‘’Sumaksae’’ is a round tile placed at the edges of wooden structures to prevent soil from washing away. From the Three Kingdoms period through the Joseon dynasty, these tiles were produced in a variety of patterns and forms, making them historically significant. As a fun side note, the design of the LG Group’s symbol mark was also inspired by a ‘’Sumaksae.”
Through their costume, Kang Han-min and Kwon Hyung-soon showed how cultural heritage can spark curiosity, pride, and joy, transforming ancient artifacts into living stories for today’s audience.
How about this article?
- Like1
- Support1
- Amazing0
- Sad0
- Curious0
- Insightful0
