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Feature

Renewal of the Korean Empire Gallery

By Im So-yeon

The National Palace Museum, an affiliated organization under the Cultural Heritage Administration, has undertaken a refurbishment of the Korean Empire Gallery in commemoration of the 120th anniversary of the declaration of the Korean Empire (1897–1910). The renewed gallery was opened to the public on February 28 of this year. A permanent exhibition hall dedicated to the Korean Empire was initially installed at the museum in 2007 as a showcase for the history and culture of the first imperial—and first modern—state in Korean history. It remains the only such space in the country.

A recreation of the interior of the
imperial palace


A postcard of Gyeongungung Palace
(Deoksugung Palace) before the 1904 fire

Renovated Display Space for the Korean Empire

In 1897, Gojong, the 26th monarch of the Joseon Dynasty, proclaimed the Korean Empire. After designating the seat of the new empire as Gyeongungung Palace (currently known as Deoksugung Palace), Emperor Gojong pushed ahead with a diverse range of reforms and modernizations geared toward the establishment of a more powerful and prosperous modern state. He reorganized governance systems for the administrative, military, and financial sectors, and renovated urban areas. Modern infrastructure such as electricity, streetcars, and railways were introduced, and public parks were installed. The imperial palace of Gyeongungung was refurbished with Western buildings standing alongside traditional Korean structures, adding to the dignity of the imperial court and materializing the fervent aspirations toward modernization.

The renewed exhibition hall showcases some 270 exhibits designed to help visitors better appreciate the establishment of the Korean Empire and the regal authority of the imperial court, as well as a representation of the interior of Gyeongungung, the birthplace of the empire and a witness to both its glories and its painful decline.




A representation of a banquet hall

On Display

Daerye uigwe (The Protocols of Grand Rites),
a detailed account of the enthronement of
Emperor Gojong

Alongside newspapers and other innovations of the day, the first section of the exhibition displays items that help explain the establishment and development process of the Korean Empire. They include Daerye uigwe (The Protocols of Grand Rites, designated as Treasure No. 1901-3), which recounts the preparation process of the state rites and ceremonies associated with the proclamation of the Korean Empire; Hwangjejibo (Treasure No. 1618-2), or the “seal of the emperor,” fashioned on the occasion of Gojong’s enthronement as emperor and used afterwards to stamp letters of appointment for officials; and the gold seal of Myeongseong used in her investiture as empress. Gojong’s enthronement ceremony at Hwangudan Altar has been reproduced in a video clip that is shown to visitors to improve their appreciation of the exhibition.

In the second section, the modern aspects of the imperial palace of Gyeongungung are delivered through representations of its interior. Alongside the name plaque of the palace inscribed with Chinese characters reading “Gyeongungung” is Gyeongungung junggeon dogam uigwe (The Protocols of the Office of the Reconstruction of Gyeongungung, Treasure 1901-3), a record on the rebuilding of the palace after a fire in 1904. The modernization process for Korean palaces can also be observed through such exhibits as a map marking the location of the water pipes laid out at Changdeokgung Palace, one of the Joseon royal residences, and glass lampshades that were installed over the lights in the ceilings of palace buildings.

A state seal for the Korean Empire, called
Hwangjejibo


A wave-shaped bathing pitcher used by
the imperial family

The third segment of the exhibition enables visitors to enjoy a lively experience of the imperial family’s lifestyle, which broadly incorporated many modern Western elements. On display are furnishings, utensils, and accessories used by the imperial family, as well as Western costumes such as a ceremonial robe for Yeongchinwang, Gojong’s seventh son and the last crown prince of the Korean Empire, and a reproduction of the imperial banquet hall. One of the additions to the exhibition after the remodeling is a formal outfit for literary officials that has been lavishly adorned with gold-colored roses of Sharon, one of the symbolic motifs of the Korean Empire. The literary officials’ uniform, which encourages visitors to envision vivid images of an official event of the era, has been reproduced as a costume for officials of the first rank based on records from the 1900 imperial edict Rules on the Costumes for Literary Officials.

Refurbished Display Facilities

A table for the imperial family

The exhibition environment has been greatly improved for the benefit of both visitors and the artifacts on exhibit. The National Palace Museum is housed in an older building with relatively low ceilings, a structural issue which can impede the exhibition of large-scale objects. In this regard, the museum has been making continuous renovation efforts to ensure that even in low-ceilinged rooms visitors can enjoy wide views and large exhibits can be successfully displayed.

In particular, the first floor of the museum building where the Korean Empire room is housed has the lowest ceilings in the museum. The lights in the room have a history of flickering and undermining the visitor experience. To compensate for the low ceiling and to eliminate the flickering while ensuring safe artifact management, a new display case system has been introduced in the Korean Empire gallery. The front pane of the display cabinet is rendered in the maximum possible size using low-reflective glass. A state-of-the-art lighting system based on organic light emitting diodes (OLED) was selected for their minimal heat production, lack of ultraviolet light, and adjustable




A childhood ceremonial suit for Yeongchinwang, the last crown prince of the Korean Empire

brightness according to the needs of the artifacts. These efforts at furthering both artifact conservation and visitor satisfaction have made a significant contribution to improving the appreciation of the importance of the exhibited objects.




The interior of the renewed Korean Empire Gallery

Associated Programs

In the newly opened Korean Empire gallery, interpretation services are regularly provided six times per day in Korean and twice each in English, Japanese, and Chinese. The museum offers diverse educational programs on the Korean Empire, including the Dreams of the Emperor of Korea for families with elementary-school age children that is operated in association with the field education program at Deoksugung Palace. Programs for all adults (May–June) and for teachers (August) will be introduced this year. An academic symposium on the significance of the Korean Empire artifacts as material evidence of the era’s modernization efforts and historical importance will be scheduled for October.

Although lasting for only 13 years until the Japanese annexation of Korea in 1910, the Korean Empire has a significant place in Korean history as the first imperial and modern state. It is also notable that the death of Emperor Gojong in 1919 sparked a popular cry for independence that developed into the nationwide March 1 Independence Movement. It is true that the period of the Korean Empire has been adversely perceived in association with the subsequent Japanese colonial era (1910– 1945), but hopefully, people can take advantage of the opportunity of the empire’s 120th anniversary this year to pay a visit to the refurbished Korean Empire gallery and discover the cultural and historical value of the first Korean imperial state.




Visitors in the renovated Korean Empire Gallery