Wearing Literature: A Jewelry Story Capturing the Scenes and Emotions of Korean Literature

Emotions of Korean Literature Remaining at Your Fingertips Beyond the Pages

Some books and poems leave a profound resonance in our hearts long after we have finished reading them. For the brand NAWAL, jewelry is more than just an accessory to adorn the body; it is a medium that records the unforgettable moments and emotions encountered in literary works as physical objects.

Today, we introduce four jewelry collections born from inspiration drawn from Korean literature, folktales, and poetry.

1. Leafie, and the Hope to Keep Living

Inspiration: Hwang Sun-mi's novel "The Hen Who Dreamed She Could Fly"

"Leafie’s attitude of standing by her choices until the end, and her warm maternal love"

"The Hen Who Dreamed She Could Fly" is a story that has long remained in my heart. I truly wanted to express through jewelry the attitude of Leafie—a being who followed her own path even when everyone discouraged her—and the maternal love that lay at the center of it all.

• Acacia Cloisonné Ornament: Inspired by the fact that the name 'Leafie' comes from an acacia tree, I created an acacia flower-shaped ornament. I applied cloisonné enamel techniques to add soft colors, capturing the vitality and warmth of the plant.

• Freshwater Pearls: No two freshwater pearls used in this combination are identical. This reminds me of the eggs Leafie wanted to lay and hatch. Each unique pearl holds the hope that those eggs, wherever they may be, will live on in their own way.

Rather than attempting a grand interpretation of the novel, this work is a record of the scenes and emotions that have stayed with me as a reader.

2. Day & Night Pendant

Inspiration: The Korean folktale "The Sun and Moon Siblings"

"The rope ascending to the sky and the view of the earth from the night sky"

Inspired by the folktale "The Sun and Moon Siblings," this jewelry piece captures both the siblings' journey toward the sky and the heavenly view they see after becoming the sun and moon within a single pendant.

• Day (Front) | Mother-of-Pearl: The twisted detailing surrounding the soft-glowing mother-of-pearl represents the 'rope' the siblings grabbed to ascend to the sky. It expresses the warmth of that moment when they were rising toward hope and a new beginning.

• Night (Back) | Blue Goldstone: The deep, sparkling surface of the blue goldstone reflects the siblings' gaze at the world from the deep night sky. The silver metallic accents emerging above it resemble a crescent moon just rising in the night sky.

• Rotating Mechanism: The mechanism that allows you to smoothly rotate the pendant without unclasping the chain signifies the cycle of day and night as they take turns, like sunrise and sunset. The world of day, ascended via the rope, and the world of night, viewed from the heavens, intersect naturally at your fingertips.

3. Seungmu (Monk’s Dance) Earrings

Inspiration: Poet Cho Chi-hun’s poem "Seungmu" (Published in 1939)

"Cleanly shaven head, white hood, and a blue hue as clear as a teardrop"

Cho Chi-hun's "Seungmu," published in the 1939 journal "Munjang," is a classic poem that depicts the tribulations of life and the moment of transcendence beyond them through dance. While reading it, the images that first came to mind were the white hood, the blue hue, and a quiet sense of sorrow.

• Silver Hood Setting: I was struck by the cold, clear feeling of silver from lines like "cleanly shaven head" and "lightly folded hood." I carefully crafted a silver setting that mimics the delicate shape of the hood.

• Blue Moonstone: In the center of the hood-shaped setting, I placed a blue moonstone reminiscent of a teardrop.

The harmony between the white silver and the blue moonstone conveys the serene, cool, and clear atmosphere of the poem "Seungmu" with a restrained sensibility.

4. The Sea and the Butterfly Brooch

Inspiration: Poet Kim Ki-rim’s poem "The Sea and the Butterfly"

"A wish to remain pure even while being drenched by the rough sea"

Kim Ki-rim’s modernist poem "The Sea and the Butterfly" tells the story of a young butterfly that lands on the sea, mistaking it for a field of blue radishes, only to have its wings soaked by the seawater before it returns.

• Blue Natural Stone (Sea): The raw-edged blue natural stone used in the brooch represents the dizzying, deep sea at the foot of coastal cliffs.

• Silver Butterfly and Flower (Butterfly): The silver ornament delicately perched on the blue stone symbolizes the butterfly's pure soul.

• A Heart for the Butterfly: While the butterfly in the poem was eventually hurt by the harshness of the sea, this jewelry holds the wish that the butterflies in the lives of those who wear it will never lose their purity. It is an affectionate cheer, hoping that in a world as rough as the sea, everyone's journey may bloom into a soft flower.

Closing: Stories Delivered to Your Heart

If literature comforts our hearts through words, handmade jewelry allows us to see and feel those emotions with our own hands.

Which story has left the deepest resonance in your heart? Wear these moments of literature with NAWAL today.