What the moon jar is The moon jar is a large white porcelain jar made in the late Joseon dynasty, It is 41 centimeters high and about 40 centimeters wide, so its height and width are almost equal, creating the shape of a full moon. It was produced during the late 17th or early 18th century of the Joseon Dynasty. RM, the leader of BTS, famously loves and collects modern Moon Jars. Also, if you watched the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics , you might remember that the giant Olympic flame cauldron was shaped exactly like this beautiful vessel! But the Moon Jar’s global journey started long before K-pop or the Olympics. In the early 20th century, the famous British potter Bernard Leach (1887–1979) visited Seoul. He was completely captivated by the Moon Jar, purchased one, and carefully carried it all the way back to Europe. He was the very first person to introduce this quiet Korean beauty to the Western art world. Today, the exact jar he took from Seoul sits proudly on display in th...
Have you ever been to a baby’s first birthday party in Korea? If not, you’re in for a treat. Korean first birthdays are not your typical “cake and candles” kind of thing. It's a big, meaningful celebration with deep historical roots. Let me tell you why it’s so special. Baek-il (백일) So, in the past — especially before modern medicine — infant mortality was really high. Babies often didn’t survive the first few months. That’s why when a baby made it to 100 days old, called "Baek-il" in Korean, it was already considered a miracle. Families would throw a small party to celebrate, inviting relatives, neighbors, and pretty much anyone who wanted to come. It was kind of like saying, “Hey! Our baby made it this far — let’s celebrate life!” But the even bigger celebration came at the baby’s first birthday , which we call "Dol" or "Doljanchi." By that point, if the baby had reached one year, the family felt hopeful that the child would live a lo...