A collection of Korean song lyrics compiled nearly 300 years ago is finding new life as tableware, textiles and stationery as Korea marks 100 years since the designation of Hangeul Day.
Fashion and lifestyle platform 29CM, operated by Musinsa, announced Thursday that it teamed up with the National Hangeul Museum and the Sejong Culture and Tourism Foundation to launch a line of Hangeul-themed cultural products, along with a pop-up exhibition in Seoul's Seongsu-dong.
The project draws on "Cheonggu Yeongeon," a 1728 anthology of sijo, the classical Korean verse form traditionally sung as lyrics. The book, held by the National Hangeul Museum, is designated a national treasure.
Running under the theme "Beside Every Heart, Hangeul," the collaboration looks at how the Korean alphabet has served across eras as a way to express and record thoughts and emotions.
A total of 21 brands took part. Thirteen are brands sold on 29CM, including Koyu, Gori Studio, OIMU, FF Collective, TWB and KioskKiosk. The other eight were selected through the 2026 Hangeul Cultural Products and Content Development Project.
Each brand chose one sijo from the anthology and reinterpreted its sentiment and language through its own design approach, producing home and lifestyle goods.
The exhibition will be held at Cociety in Seongsu-dong from Oct. 29 to Nov. 1. It is organized into three themed sections, guiding visitors from reading the original sijo lyrics to hands-on Hangeul activities and finally to the collaborative products.
A linked pop-up will run at 29 Home, 29CM's lifestyle select shop near Seoul Forest, from Oct. 29 to Nov. 4. The products are also available online.
29CM said it would support the products from development through distribution and sales.
"We hope this collaboration will be an opportunity to discover the value and beauty of Hangeul from a fresh perspective. 29CM will continue to reinterpret diverse cultural themes with its partner brands and expand them into products, content and offline experiences, strengthening its curation strategy so customers can discover new tastes," a 29CM official said.
yoohong@heraldcorp.com