Choi Tae-hwa, Grand Master of Korea No. 623, Najeonchilgi

Very few artisans in Korea ever rise to this honor—a lifetime devoted to lacquer and mother-of-pearl, recognized by the nation itself at the very highest rank.

Grand Master of Korea — Officially Certified by the Republic of Korea

Mother-of-pearl, set fragment by fragment into lacquer—a centuries-old discipline that only a rare few hands in Korea can still fully command.

A Tradition Entrusted to Very Few Hands Today

On September 1, 2017, the Republic of Korea named Choi Tae-hwa Grand Master of Korea No. 623—a title not bestowed, but earned.

Officially Certified Grand Master of Korea, No. 623

Portrait of Grand Master Choi Tae-hwa, Grand Master of Korea No. 623, in his najeonchilgi gallery

Since 1974, one Grand Master has devoted his life to mother-of-pearl and lacquer—a life of patience, rigor, and unhurried devotion.

A Mastery Half a Century in the Making

Portrait of Grand Master Choi Tae-hwa, Grand Master of Korea No. 623

Najeonchilgi has endured in Korea for more than a thousand years. Today, Grand Master Choi Tae-hwa carries that lineage forward, one work at a time.

A Thousand Years of Artistry

Grand Master Choi Tae-hwa

Seowoon Ssanghak - Twin Cranes Above Auspicious Clouds

$9,200.00 USD

Grand Master Choi Tae-hwa

Najeonchilgi Gyeongdae Vanity Chest - Auspicious Cranes

$6,300.00 USD

Grand Master Choi Tae-hwa

Songhakmun Najeonchilgi Chest — Pine & Crane

$4,300.00 USD

Grand Master Choi Tae-hwa

The Garden of Eternal Harmony — Hwajeopmun & Chochungdo Najeonchilgi Gyeongdae

$5,700.00 USD

Grand Master Choi Tae-hwa

Crane of a Thousand Years — Sipjangsaeng Najeonchilgi Jewelry Box

$780.00 USD

Grand Master Choi Tae-hwa

The Garden of Everlasting Bonds - Hwajodo Najeonchilgi Chest

$1,080.00 USD

Grand Master Choi Tae-hwa

Twin Phoenixes Beneath the Rising Sun

$10,000.00 USD

Grand Master Choi Tae-hwa

Garden of Shared Joy

$15,400.00 USD

A museum-scale panoramic masterpiece

Songhak Nokwondo (松鶴鹿園圖)

Large najeonchilgi mother-of-pearl lacquer panel by Grand Master Choi Tae-hwa on display

Uniting cranes, pines, and the motifs of Sipjangsaeng, the work speaks the timeless visual language through which Korean art has long conveyed longevity and auspicious blessing.

Brought to completion over nine months

A museum-scale panoramic masterpiece of Korean najeonchilgi (the art of mother-of-pearl inlaid lacquer)

Songhak Nokwondo (松鶴鹿園圖)

Dimensions 3,510 × 1,000 mm (138.19 × 39.37 in)

Songhak Nokwondo (松鶴鹿園圖), a monumental panoramic masterpiece of Korean najeonchilgi, was completed over nine months as a luminous meditation on longevity, harmony, and the natural world. Cranes ascend among venerable pines, deer wander across open meadows, and waterbirds gather at the water’s edge, while the auspicious imagery of Sipjangsaeng (十長生), the Ten Symbols of Longevity, unfolds in majesty across the entire composition.

Every iridescent passage has been shaped and inlaid by hand with exacting care, so that mother-of-pearl and natural lacquer answer the light with extraordinary depth, movement, and radiance. Rare in both scale and complexity, the work was conceived not as a decorative wall panel, but as a cultural heirloom of commanding presence—created for collectors of exceptional Korean heritage art and destined to endure across generations.

Works of this scale and depth are exceedingly rare; this piece was conceived as an heirloom-grade masterpiece for collectors who recognize the very essence of East Asian heritage art.

Beyond the atelier, in the Grand Master’s own words—the discipline, the setbacks, and the quiet conviction behind a life devoted to craft.

THE GRAND MASTER BEHIND THE MASTERPIECE

Korea Museum of Master Craftsmanship — Bundang, Gyeonggi Province, Republic of Korea

Najeonchilgi Mother-of-Pearl Wardrobe with Auspicious Phoenix and Deer Motifs

Grand Master Choi Tae-hwa’s atelier has been designated a ‘Baeknyeon Sogongin’ (Century-Old Artisan Workshop) by Korea’s Ministry of SMEs and Startups—in recognition of more than fifty years of accomplished craftsmanship and its promise to flourish for generations to come.

A Legacy Worth Carrying Forward and Preserving

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THE SIGNATURE LEGACY STANDARD

CONFIDENCE, DOCUMENTED AT EVERY STAGE

Every work is created by a nationally recognized Korean master and supported by documented authorship, detailed provenance, private collector guidance, and carefully coordinated international delivery.

VERIFIED AUTHORSHIP

RECOGNIZED MASTER ARTISANS

The master artisan’s official designation, authorship, and essential work details are carefully reviewed and recorded.

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PROTECTED IN TRANSIT

Bespoke protective packaging, trackable delivery, and insurance confirmation where coverage is available.

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PERSONAL GUIDANCE

Discreet, informed assistance before, throughout, and after your acquisition.

DOCUMENTED PROVENANCE

AN ENDURING RECORD

A signed Certificate of Authenticity and an archival provenance record, with documentary content where available.

COLLECTOR PROMISE

A LIVING HERITAGE, MADE TO ENDURE

Each work carries forward a Korean tradition refined across generations—created by a recognized master artisan and entrusted to the collector who will preserve its next chapter.

GRAND MASTER CHOI TAE-HWA

A museum-scale panoramic masterpiece of Korean najeonchilgi (the art of mother-of-pearl inlaid lacquer)

CONFIDENCE, DOCUMENTED AT EVERY STAGE

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