Restoring palatial treasures in Korea

Hermès has been supporting the restoration of furniture in the royal complexes of Seoul since 2015. These sites are emblematic of Korea’s cultural heritage and showcase the nation’s exceptional craftsmanship. 

Among the five palaces built in the Korean capital under the Joseon dynasty, Deoksugung was the first to benefit from the 'One Protector for One Cultural Heritage' programme from 2015 to 2020, on which Hermès Korea worked alongside the Cultural Heritage Administration. Attention was then turned to Gyeongbokgung Palace in early 2021.

While most of the royal buildings have been restored, the atmosphere of court life at the time of the Korean emperors still needed to be recreated. This involved repairing or recreating objects that represented everyday life at court – a project supported by Hermès, who is particularly committed to passing down know-how from one generation to the next. The decor and furniture on display in the palaces bear witness to the longevity and excellence of Korean craftsmanship. This is the case for an assortment of objects — a long scroll embellished with Chinese characters, a portable bed, a chair, a desk, a calligraphy set, an oil lamp and a silver candlestick — that have been returned to the study of Emperor Gojong in Jeukjodang Hall within Deoksugung Palace. Experts in artisan crafts, identified with the help of the Arumjigi Culture Keepers Foundation, have helped to restore these pieces to their original condition. Committed to supporting Korean cultural heritage since it arrived in the country in 1997, Hermès has also created a prize dedicated to contemporary art.

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