Culture Pass Report # 1

Soonie Kim

Korean Cultural Society of Boston Monthly Symposium (April)

On April 6th- the Korean Cultural Society of Boston held a Online Symposium exploring

the cultural significance of Korean Onggis- a special type of Korean ceramic jar that dates back

to medieval times. A key point of the presentation was an exploration of Onggis not only as a

technical/functional marvel as a means to store and ferment food- but as a medium for art. The

meaning of Onggi as a form of expression is prevalent in its design and material- which are

shown to be uniquely characterized by the region the jar was made. An Onggi from once

province will surely look different from an Onggi from another province. The craft of an Onggi

is highly respected by artists around the world as well- one artist was highlighted in the

presentation through his ability to mold giant onggis in a matter of 1-2 hours.

The presentation also highlighted the historical relevance of Onggis- which were a

regular, common staple back in earlier times for Korean families. Onggis were used to ferment

and store food that was and still is essential to the Korean diet- such as kimchi and soybean

paste. One point that particularly stood out to me was the section on kimchi making and

fermentation- which seems like a lost art to many Korean American families that I know-

including my own. Back home in my grandmother’s home you can find a variety of onggis that

she regularly utilizes to make her own kimchi. ( I might be biased but I believe her kimchi is the

best) My mom has tried multiple times to replicate the taste herself, but it always comes out kind

of…not great. One possible reason could be that she doesn’t use an onggi. Most

Korean-Americans I know tend to just buy kimchi at the market now- but this emphasizes a point

in the symposium that resonated with. If careful effort and commitment to preserving and sharing
aspects of our Korean roots- relying solely on automation and convenience to get what we need-

we may lose it altogether.