This master swordsmith in Seoul spoke in detail about his collection of ancient blades from Korea, China and Japan.

Han Jeong-Wook, the owner of Knife Gallery, spoke about the difference between blades from Korea, China and Japan: "China’s iron technology goes back some 2,500 years, Korea for about 2,000 years and Japan 1,500 years. The difference among the three countries is that China has abundant iron ores, steelmaking from iron ore, we(Korea) have iron-sand smelting technology, and Korean iron sand-steel making on passed to Japan that later evolved to Tatara Steel.

Visuals from inside the gallery show impressive collections of weapons including large swords, bows and arrows, and smaller knives.

The swordsmith added: "Until around 1,200 years ago, most of (Korean) swords were straight knives. Then Mongolia has had a huge influence on mainland China. Mongolians mostly used curved swords. Those with a large curvature.

"It is said that those with curvature can cut larger area. As kitchen knives are curvaceous, for instance, people say that the blade with a curve is more advantageous for cutting.

After being asked how does it feel to make a sword, Jeong-Wook said: "There is no special sensation to it. I just make them one after another while living. It is an endless process. How can there be completion? There is no such thing."

This footage was filmed in October 2020.

INTERVIEW: KOREAN SWORDSMITH master SPEAKS about traditional SWORDS of KOREA, CHINA & JAPAN
Date: 09 OCT 2020 08:04 kst
Ref: YJD2010091l
Copyright: YangjaeJakdang
Restrictions: NONE
Duration: 00:06:34:26
Sound: NATURAL SOUND WITH KOREAN SPEECH
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STORY: HAN Jeong-Wook , a 67 year old Korean master in sword making shares his thoughts on history of Korean, Chinese and Japanese swords, iron making and sword production.

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1. 00:00:00:00 - 00:00:15:02 SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA (YANGJAEJAKDANG)

A VISITOR TO THE KNIFE FALLERY AT INSADONG IN SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA VIEWING EXHIBITS OF KOREAN ARMOURMENTS SECTION.

2. 00:00:15:03 - 00:00:27:26 SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA (YANGJAEJAKDANG)

VARIOUS BLADES OF TRADITIONAL KOREAN SWORDS FROM JOSEON DYNASTY DISPLAYED AT THE KNIFE FALLERY AT INSADONG IN SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA.

3. 00:00:27:28 - 00:00:39:27 | SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA (YANGJAEJAKDANG)

BLADE OF A TRADISIONAL KOREAN SWORD INCARVED WITH ‘사인참사검(四寅斬邪劍; INJUSTICE SLASHER SWORD PRODUCED AT THE FOUR-TIGER-TIME)’ IN CHINESE CHARACTER. ‘THE INJUSTICE SLASHERS’ ARE TRADISIONAL KOREAN SWORDS MANUFACTURED FROM THE BEGINNING OF JOSEON DYNASTY BY ROYAL AND NOBLE FAMILIES IN ORDER TO REPEL EVEL ENERGY.

4. 00:00:40:03 - 00:01:06:02 | SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA (YANGJAEJAKDANG)

TRADITIONAL KOREAN HORN BOW AND VARIOUS TYPES OF ARROWS DISPLAYED AT THE KNIFE FALLERY AT INSADONG IN SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA.

5. 00:01:06:14 - 00:01:19:04 | SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA (YANGJAEJAKDANG)

VARIOUS TYPES OF TRADITIONAL KOREAN ARROWHEAD DISPLAYED AT THE KNIFE FALLERY AT INSADONG IN SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA.

6. 00:01:19:06 - 00:01:35:04 | SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA (YANGJAEJAKDANG)

VARIOUS TYPES OF TRADITIONAL JAPANESE ARMORS AND SWORDS DISPLAYED AT THE KNIFE FALLERY AT INSADONG IN SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA.

7. 00:01:35:09 - 00:01:44:03 | SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA (YANGJAEJAKDANG)

VARIOUS TYPES OF TRADITIONAL JAPANESE ARMORS AND SWORDS DISPLAYED AT THE KNIFE FALLERY AT INSADONG IN SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA.

8. 00:01:44:12 - 00:01:53:02 | SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA (YANGJAEJAKDANG)

THE POINTS OF TRADITIONAL JAPANESE SWORDS DISPLAYED AT THE KNIFE FALLERY AT INSADONG IN SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA.


9. 00:01:53:11 - 00:02:00:25 | SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA (YANGJAEJAKDANG)

VARIOUS TYPES OF TRADITIONAL CHINESE SWORDS DISPLAYED AT THE KNIFE FALLERY AT INSADONG IN SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA.

10. 00:02:00:29 - 00:02:11:25 | SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA (YANGJAEJAKDANG)

VARIOUS TYPES OF TRADITIONAL CHINESE SWORDS DISPLAYED AT THE KNIFE FALLERY AT INSADONG IN SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA.


11. 00:02:12:08 - 00:02:20:09 | SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA (YANGJAEJAKDANG)

CROSS-GUARD OF A TRADITIONAL CHINESE SWORD DISPLAYED AT THE KNIFE FALLERY AT INSADONG IN SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA.


12. 00:02:20:11 - 00:06:13:07 | SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA (YANGJAEJAKDANG)

(SOUNDBITE) (Korean) HAN JEONG-WOOK, DIRECTOR OF ‘NIFE GALLERY’ AND A MASTER SWORDSMITH OF TRADITIONAL KOREAN SWORDS, SAYING “긴 칼이나 짧은 칼이나 어느 나라던 다 있거든요. 특히 어떻게 규정된 칼의 형태나 길이를 (전통적으로) 정해주지는 않았어요. 무기라는 거는. 그때 그때마다 필요에 따라서 변해온거죠. / (English script) “In fact, there are long and short swords in every country. (Traditionally) No one prescribed a shape or length of a sword. Weapons have changed from time to time as needed.”

(00:02:39:28 - ) (SOUNDBITE) (Korean) HAN JEONG-WOOK, DIRECTOR OF ‘NIFE GALLERY’ AND A MASTER SWORDSMITH OF TRADITIONAL KOREAN SWORDS, SAYING “일본도는 길고 한국검은 짧다는 통념에 대해) 아니 그렇지 않아요. 우리 것도 긴 게 많이 남아 있어요. 일본도도 그리 길지 않아요. 대게가. 칼날이 한 60cm 밖에 되지 않으니까. 그리 긴 편은 아니죠.” / (English script) “(Regarding the common notion that Japanese swords are long and Korean swords are short) That is not true. There are many remaining long Korean swords too. Japanese swords are not exceptionally long. Mostly, the blades (of Japanese swords) are merely around 60cm in length. They are not that long.”


(00:02:48:29 - ) (SOUNDBITE) (Korean) HAN JEONG-WOOK, DIRECTOR OF ‘NIFE GALLERY’ AND A MASTER SWORDSMITH OF TRADITIONAL KOREAN SWORDS, SAYING “(제철 기술이 칼 형태나 모양에 영향을 미쳤느냐는 질문에) 아니 그렇지 않아요. 철 기술은 중국은 한 2,500년 정도 보고, 우리는 2천년 보고, 일본은 1,500년 보거든요. 이 세나라가 특성이 조금 있는 것은 중국은 철광석이 많고, 철광석 제철이 많고, 우리는 사철제철이 있고, 우리 사철제철이 일본으로 넘어가서 일본에서 다타라제철(たたら製鉄)이 되가지고 우리하고 같은 재료를 썼죠. 재료의 차이는 조금 있어요.”/(English script) “(Answering to if level of steel making technology affected form or shape of swords) No, it did not. China’s iron technology goes back some 2,500 years, Korea for about 2,000 years and Japan 1,500 years. Difference among the three countries is that China has abundant iron ores, steel making from iron ore, we(Korea) have iron-sand smelting technology, and Korean iron sand-steel making on passed to Japan that later evolved to ‘Tatara Steel(たたら製鉄)’. (Japanese) used the same material (producing swords) as us. There is some difference in ingredients.”

(00:03:19:10 - ) (SOUNDBITE) (Korean) HAN JEONG-WOOK, DIRECTOR OF ‘NIFE GALLERY’ AND A MASTER SWORDSMITH OF TRADITIONAL KOREAN SWORDS, SAYING “(한국 전통 칼이 중국과의 경쟁으로 어떤 영향을 받았나는 질문에 대해) 대개가 지금부터 한 1,200년 전까지는 거의가 직도였어요. 그런데 몽고가 많은 영향을 줬죠. 중국 대륙에. 몽고는 휜 칼(곡도)을 많이 썼어요. 곡률이 큰 거를. 그 시대 이후로 조선시대 들어오면서 우리도 칼에 좀 휨이 생겼어요. 그리고 고려 때 일본 원정을 가면서 몽고가 일본 칼들도 휨이 생겼다고 보고 있어요. 우리는 그렇게 봐요.” / (English script) (Answering to a question on how Korean swords are influenced by Chinese swords while competing against them.) “Until around 1,200 years ago, most of (Korean) swords were straight knives. Then Mongolia has had a huge influence on mainland China. Mongolians mostly used curved swords. Those with a large curvature. Since that era, as we (Korea) entered the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1897), we also started to have some flection in the swords. And we believe that during the Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392), by the Mongol invasions of Japan, Japanese swords were also started to have curves. That is my understanding.”

(00:03:53:29 - ) (SOUNDBITE) (Korean) HAN JEONG-WOOK, DIRECTOR OF ‘NIFE GALLERY’ AND A MASTER SWORDSMITH OF TRADITIONAL KOREAN SWORDS, SAYING“(직도와 곡도 간에 장단점이 있느냐는 질문에) 곡률이 있는게, 휨이 있는게 많은 부위를 벨 수 있다고 그래요. 실제로 잘라보면. 예를 들면, 부엌칼에 곡선이 있듯이 칼날에 곡선이 있는 것이 베기에 유리하다고 표현을 해요.” /(English script) “(Answering to the questions whether there are pros and cons between straight and curved swords) It is said that those with curvature can cut larger area. (It can be proved) if you cut (something with two types of knives.) As kitchen knives are curvaceous, for instance, people say that the blade with a curve is more advantageous for cutting.”.

(00:04:09:29 - ) (SOUNDBITE) (Korean) HAN JEONG-WOOK, DIRECTOR OF ‘NIFE GALLERY’ AND A MASTER SWORDSMITH OF TRADITIONAL KOREAN SWORDS, SAYING“(티벳, 동남아시아 칼 형태에 관한 질문에) 그거는 그 나라가 가지고 있는 고유의 디자인이에요. 아프리카는 아프리카 디자인을 갖고 있고, 유럽은 전쟁을 같이 겪으니까 무기가 비슷하고, 체계가. 그런 식으로 자기 스타일이 발달한 거죠. 우리가 흔히 보는 일본에서 온 일본도 타입이 네팔에서는 낫처럼 생겼고, 예를 들어 말레이시아나 이런 쪽에 가면 ‘크리스’라고 해가지고 꾸불꾸불한 칼들이 있고. 그게 다 그 나라 고유 디자인이에요. 영향을 받지 않은 (고유한) 디자인이죠.” /(English script)“(Answering to the question on various shapes of knives such as Tibetan or Southeast Asian swords) They are (results of) unique designs of each country. Africa has (various) designs of Africans, Europeans, as they went through war together, had similar weapon system. In such way, they developed their own (unique) style. Japanese swords, that we commonly come across, takes shape of sickles (‘kukri’) in Nepal, and in Malaysia, for example, there are serpentine swords called ‘kris’. They all unique designs of each country. Unaffected (unique) designs.”

(00:04:48:11 - ) (SOUNDBITE) (Korean) HAN JEONG-WOOK, DIRECTOR OF ‘NIFE GALLERY’ AND A MASTER SWORDSMITH OF TRADITIONAL KOREAN SWORDS, SAYING“(어느 특정 나라의 칼이 더 우월하다는 생각에 대해) 아니요. 병기는 우월한 병기라는 것은 없어요. 예를 들자면 거리가 멀면 활이 주로 쓰였고, 거리가 가까우면, 적당한 거리에서는 창이 우세했고, 근접전에서는 칼이 우세하고. 그렇게 보시면 돼요. 그런데 그 병기들이 어느 게 더 우세하냐고 하면, 각 나라의 병기들이 더 우세한 것은 없었어요. 거의 없었어요. 역사에. 상대적입니다.” / (English script) “(To the belief that that swords of a certain country are superior to others) No. There is no such thing as a superior weapon. For example, when in long distance bows were mainly used, when in close range, at the proper distances, spears prevailed, and in close quarter combat, swords were the weapon of choice. That should be the way to understand (the issue). But if you are asked which weapons are more superior to others, there was no such thing as superior weapon of a country to others. Almost never. In history. It is matter of relativity.”

(00:05:15:14 - ) (SOUNDBITE) (Korean) HAN JEONG-WOOK, DIRECTOR OF ‘NIFE GALLERY’ AND A MASTER SWORDSMITH OF TRADITIONAL KOREAN SWORDS, SAYING“철이라는 것은, 제철 자체가 힘들어요. 칼을 만드는 것이 힘든 것이 아니라 철을 만드는 과정이 힘든 거죠. 그러니까 그 과정에 노력을 기울이는 거죠. 칼을 만드는 과정은 우리나라나 일본이나 중국이나 약간 닮은꼴들이 있어요. 아주 특별하진 않아요. 그 당시에는 그렇게 만든 철들이 품위가 않좋으니까, 접쇠를 해서, 쇠를 접어서 야무지게 만들려고 했죠.”/(English script) “For iron, iron making itself is strenuous job. It is not the making of a sword, but the process of manufacturing iron is difficult part. That is why you put your effort into the process. The process of making swords in Korea, Japan and China is somewhat similar. There is nothing much special to it. In the old days, the quality of irons produced were not that good, so they tried to make it firmer by folding it multiple times.

(00:05:54:07 - ) (SOUNDBITE) (Korean) HAN JEONG-WOOK, DIRECTOR OF ‘NIFE GALLERY’ AND A MASTER SWORDSMITH OF TRADITIONAL KOREAN SWORDS, SAYING“(칼을 완성했을 떄 느낌에 대해) 특별한 느낌은 없어요. 그냥 하나씩 하나씩 사는 날 동안 만드는 거죠. 그냥 끝이 없는 과정이죠. 완성이 어떻게 있어요. 원래 없어요.”/(English script)(Answering to the questions what does he feel after completing a sword) “There is no special sensation to it. I just make them one after another while living. It is an endless process. How can there be completion? There is no such a thing.

13. 00:06:13:17 - 00:06:34:26 | SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA (20 SEP 2020) (YANGJAEJAKDANG)

IMAGE OF HAN JEONG-WOOK’S ‘MASTER CERTIFICATE IN SWORD MAKING’ ISSUED BY THE FEDERATION OF ARTISTIC & CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS OF KOREA


INTERVIEW: KOREAN SWORDSMITH master SPEAKS about traditional SWORDS of KOREA, CHINA & JAPAN on 9 Oct 2020.