[Seoul=Newsis] Reporter Suji Lee — After more than a century, the decorative lighting fixtures from the Korean Empire era have returned to Deoksugung’s Dondeokjeon.
The Deoksugung Management Office of the National Heritage Administration will open a special exhibition titled ‘Modern Light: Lighting of the Korean Empire Royal Court’ at Dondeokjeon on the 27th.
This special exhibition highlights the efforts of the Korean Empire to modernize and reflect the changes of the times by introducing electricity and installing modern lighting fixtures in Deoksugung after the opening of ports.
The exhibition will feature around 100 modern lighting pieces, including decorative lights (chandeliers), Western-style candlesticks, oil lamps, glass lampshades, and accessories, installed both inside and outside the palace’s Western-style architecture after the opening of ports.
The ‘Yihwamun Decorative Light’, a chandelier believed to have been installed in the reception hall’s corridor at the time of Dondeokjeon’s construction around 1904, has found its place again after 100 years through this exhibition.
A separate immersive video room presents ‘Modern Age Wall’, a media facade combining the ‘Yihwamun Decorative Light’ with videos.
Part 1, ‘The Korean Empire Enters the World of Light’, chronologically showcases the process from when the ‘Edison Electric Company’ was recommended by envoy Bobingsa to light the first electric lamp at Gyeongbokgung Palace’s Geoncheonggung in 1887, leading to the establishment of Korea’s first electric company in 1898, and finally lighting the first electric lamp at Deoksugung, the imperial palace of the Korean Empire. Items like the ‘Edison Lamp’ and ‘Deoksugung Ground Plan’ are on display.
Part 2, ‘The Modern Light Blossoms’, covers the Western-style buildings and electric lamps at Deoksugung, which was a center for politics and diplomacy during the modern transition period.
Visitors can see lighting fixtures installed in Western-style buildings erected in Deoksugung following the proclamation of the Korean Empire, such as Jeonggwanheon, a place for enshrining or drawing royal portraits, and Jungmyeongjeon, the royal library.
From around 1900 to 1910, the ‘Yihwamun Decorative Light’ manufactured by ‘General Electric’, founded by Edison with the national symbol motif, was showcased. Based on gold pigment, socket-engraved brands, and newspaper materials issued at the time, it is believed to have been custom-made to decorate the reception hall corridor of Dondeokjeon around 1904.
In the hexagonal mirror room, interactive videos show the blooming Yihwamun decorations radiating light.
Part 3, ‘Illuminating the Royal Court’, presents a variety of imported British and American lighting fixtures used according to the decor and spatial characteristics within the Seokjojeon, Western-style building in Deoksugung.
A pair of ‘Brazier-type Stands’, placed in a reception space adorned with Ionic columns and classical patterns, and ‘Oil Lamps’ positioned on side tables next to beds or tables, can also be seen.
Notably, a ‘Flower-shaped Candle Holder’, likely used for Western-style banquets or receptions and reportedly cherished by Queen Victoria of England, is known as a ‘Fairy Lamp’ due to its fairy-like glow.
An interactive video experience allows visitors to blow like summoning a fairy to initiate a banquet.
Part 4, ‘Yihwamun Shines in the Palace’, showcases Deoksugung’s lighting fixtures, including the ‘Yihwamun Glass Lampshade’, after the royal family moved to Changdeokgung Palace.
You can explore the decorative lights and glass lampshades newly installed in Hamnyeongjeon and Deokhongjeon after Deoksugung’s major fire in 1904, and the ‘Spherical Glass Lampshade’ of Daehanmun and Deokhongjeon.
The Trozaier Lampshade installed in the bathroom of Changdeokgung’s Daejojeon and the central lamp of the Daecheong’s large decorative light are existing pieces from over 100 years ago, with one of each type remaining. In addition, around 40 Yihwamun glass lampshades in various colors are exhibited.
In the experience space at Dondeokjeon’s lobby, visitors can combine the various lighting fixtures installed in different parts of Deoksugung according to location and use to decorate the interior spaces and send a QR code to their smartphones.
The exhibition will run until March 3, 2025.