Gyeryongsan Ceramics Village

In Sangsin-ri, Banpo-myeon, on the northern slopes of Gyeryongsan in Gongju, Gyeryongsan Ceramics Village is a small community of working potters. It was founded in 1993 when 18 young ceramicists moved in together, and its members have since worked to revive the iron-painted buncheong ware fired in the kilns at the foot of Gyeryongsan in the 15th century. Each studio has its own style, so the pleasure lies in wandering slowly along the village lanes.

What "Gyeryongsan buncheong" means

West of the mountain, around Hakbong-ri, lie a group of early Joseon kiln sites. These kilns were busy from the early 15th to the first half of the 16th century, firing buncheong stoneware and white porcelain, and thousands of shards were recorded during a colonial-era survey in 1927 and a second excavation by the National Museum of Korea and the Hoam Art Museum in 1992. The most famous product is iron-painted buncheong. Potters brushed white slip over the whole vessel with a coarse brush, then painted fish or plants in iron-oxide pigment with quick, loose strokes, which gives the ware its relaxed, lively look. That is why such pieces are often simply called "Gyeryongsan buncheong".

Some shards from Hakbong-ri carry the names of royal and government offices, such as Yebin, Naejasi and Naeseomsi, showing that bowls from these modest mountain kilns also supplied the state. The National Museum of Korea has even held a themed exhibition, "Gyeryongsan Buncheong Ware", bringing together finds from the 1927 and 1992 excavations.

A village built by potters

This is not an old pottery hamlet. It is a community created by potters in their thirties and early forties, all university-trained in ceramics, who moved in at the same time. Being planned from the start as a potters' village sets it apart from other ceramics villages in Korea, and today around 12 potters live and work here. Together they have tried to carry the techniques and spirit of Gyeryongsan iron-painted ware into modern pieces, and they have long run pottery camps and hands-on programmes.

What to see

• The village entrance: a wall decorated with ceramic fragments and tiles marks the start of the village, and large jar-shaped sculptures stand along the road.
• Studios and showrooms: most potters combine a workshop with a small showroom, so if the door is open you can look around and buy directly. Styles range from iron-painted bowls to everyday tableware and sculptural pieces.
• Pottery classes: several studios let you throw or hand-build your own piece. Each studio runs things differently, and you need to book in advance.
• Sangsin-ri flagpole supports: a few minutes' walk from the village stand the stone pillars that once held a banner pole in front of an old temple. Combine them with a stroll through the lanes of Sangsin-ri at the foot of Gyeryongsan.

Tripto tips

• Time needed: about 1 hour for a stroll and a few studios, 2–3 hours with a class.
• Booking: the studios are working spaces and are not always open. If you want a class or a visit, contact the studio beforehand to fix a date.
• Getting there: the address is 71-25 Doyechon-gil, Banpo-myeon, Gongju. Parking is possible, but the lanes are narrow, so leave the car near the entrance and walk. Buses are infrequent, so a car is the practical choice.
• When to go: May–June for fresh green on the mountain, and late October to early November for autumn colour.
• Combine with: the temples of Donghaksa and Gapsa nearby, or a hike in Gyeryongsan National Park, for a full day.