4-Day Korean Onggi Masterclass with Teacher Kwak

Learn Traditional Korean Pottery Techniques

Join us for a hands-on 4-day masterclass with Teacher Kwak, a master Onggi potter, accompanied by his three apprentices. Opportunities to learn Onggi directly from a traditionally trained master are extremely rare—even in Korea. Having access to someone with this depth of lineage, skill, and lived tradition in such an intimate, four-day masterclass is an opportunity that rarely exists anywhere in the world.

This immersive course offers an exceptional teacher-to-student ratio, ensuring personalized guidance as you learn traditional Korean pottery techniques practiced for thousands of years.

Perfect for pottery enthusiasts of all skill levels, this masterclass provides a truly uncommon opportunity to experience an authentic approach to large-scale handbuilding—taught by one of the few living practitioners carrying this lineage forward.

About Kwak Kyung-tae

A fascination with large Onggi vessels and the rough simplicity of Korean slipware led Kwak Kyung-tae to develop his own distinct voice in clay. Working exclusively in Onggi and Buncheong, he draws from the deep ceramic traditions of the Korean peninsula—particularly those of the Joseon dynasty—while reimagining them in a contemporary context. His wheel-thrown and altered forms often carry spontaneous marks and gestural brushwork, expressing the raw, elemental balance between the crude and the sublime that defines his work.

Kwak’s practice reflects an intimate, lifelong relationship with clay, resulting in work that resonates with the forms, structures, and imperfect beauty of the natural world at both large and small scales. He has exhibited widely in solo and group shows throughout East Asia and Europe, and his pieces are represented in galleries and shops across Europe, Asia, and the United States.

This workshop will kick off Kwak Kyung-tae’s upcoming U.S. tour. Following the workshop, he will present a featured art show at Hugomento and offer a live demonstration at the Asian Art Museum, providing additional opportunities to experience his work and process firsthand.

Course Details

Date: March 23 - March 26
Time: 10:00–13:00, Lunch Break, 14:30–17:30
Price: $2,000

What’s Included

• High-quality stoneware clay

• A complete tool set valued at $300:

  • 4 wooden tools

  • 2 metal ribs

  • 1 shammy tool

• Translation by one of Teacher Kwak’s apprentices

• Access to communal tools (optional to bring your own)

• Snacks, coffee, and tea throughout the day

Note: Firing service is not included; additional charges apply based on item size.

Who This Masterclass Is For

This course welcomes beginners to advanced potters. It is ideal for those who want to:

• Work with clay at a large scale

• Expand or refine handbuilding skills

• Streamline their workflow

• Explore traditional techniques in a contemporary context

Whether you have been working with clay for days or decades, you will gain valuable insights and a deeper connection to this timeless craft.

What You’ll Learn

• Regional influences on Onggi forms and techniques

• Historical and modern clay sourcing and preparation

• Coil stretching (Taryeom)

• Making and compressing the base with the pang-mang-i

• Coiling (Taryeom-jil): building height through rhythmic, efficient movements

• Paddling (Surae-jil) for shaping, thinning, and compressing the vessel

• Final shaping (Geun-gae-jil) with metal ribs

• Rim formation using the traditional shammy cloth (Jeon-tae)

• Scribing lines and motifs with historical significance

• Lifting the finished form using traditional cloth methods

• Teacher Kwak’s personal interpretation of Onggi in contemporary practice

Cancellation Policy:
Tickets are non-refundable but can be transferred to another student.