Se Ri on Exhibit at The Smithsonian

[bangkokbobby]

---Wow. What an honor. And it just goes to show, like the Korea at 50 Time Magazine cover picture, just how much Se Ri means to Koreans and how much she represents Korean pride. Man, a permanent display at The Smithsonian...I'm definitely going to this exhibit next time I'm in DC!! :D :D

Pak Se-ri to Be Featured at the Smithsonian

A picture of the Korean pro-golfer Pak Se-ri will go on permanent display at the Smithsonian Institution?s National Museum of Natural History in Washington on May 23. The picture shows Pak smiling while holding a winning trophy in her hands, and her success story will be given with the press of a button. Four Koreans will be featured in a room dedicated to Korean culture.


Korean pro golfer Pak Se-ri, whose picture will go on display at the Smithsonian Institution?s National Museum of Natural History

Besides Pak they are the late Cho Chang-ho, a lieutenant who was captured during the Korean War and escaped North Korea 43 years later, Y. David Chung, an artist working in the U.S. and the late Michael Kim, also an artist who has worked in Kazakhstan. The National Folk Museum of Korea, which helped the Smithsonian put together the display, said the Korea exhibition room aims to exhibit Korean culture, but the display related to Cho may ?make it seem like a political issue.? It will make a final decision after talking to the Smithsonian.


National Museum of Natural History

The Smithsonian Institution?s National Museum of Natural History has some 4,000 items related to Korea and the Korea Foundation supported US$1.25 million for construction of the room.

(englishnews@chosun.com )

[bangkokbobby]

[quote above capsule: When I play in a tournament today, I put a Korean flag on my bag and shoes because I'm so proud of my country. It's so small but it's accomplished so much.]

Korea Gallery opens on the Mall

By Randolph E. Schmid
ASSOCIATED PRESS
June 9, 2007

A tall wooden pole with carved ducks atop greets visitors to the new Korea Gallery at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History. It's known as a sotdae, used in ancient Korean tradition and still today to offer protection against calamities and disasters.

"Welcome to Korea, where the past is always present and traditions inspire the future," is the greeting to visitors at the gallery, which opened yesterday.

The permanent exhibit is the first section of a planned Hall of Asian Cultures and seeks to touch on many aspects of Korean life and culture.

Though the country has long been divided in two, the common cultural identity is stressed rather than the political differences. Those come through, though, as in a satellite photo of the Korean peninsula at night showing the glittering bright lights of the cities of South Korea in sharp contrast with the general darkness of the North. Yet a few feet away, a satellite photo taken in daytime seems to wash away the differences, displaying the mountains and valleys common to both parts of the country.



The 1,800-square-foot exhibition includes sections on Korean ceramics; Hangeul, the phonetic Korean writing system; family; landscapes; and Koreans living overseas.

Among the featured items are traditional wedding clothes for the bride and groom, a "semi-lunar" knife once used to gather rice, examples of calligraphy, wooden furniture, stone and wooden sculptures, and paintings.

Many of the items on display are from the collection in the museum's anthropology department, and others were donated for the exhibit. The gallery was supported by the Korea Foundation, with additional support from Korean Air and other donors.