Create Your Own Unique Furniture While Learning Woodworking in Gangjin, Korea

This is the Woodworking Expert Project, where you will learn various woodworking techniques to directly build one-of-a-kind, custom furniture. You will understand the value of timber as a material and experience the entire process from structural design to fabrication, infusing your personal style into every piece. Cultivate professional techniques and creative capabilities through this program. Beyond the joy and fulfillment of crafting something with your own hands, it will be a meaningful journey toward mastering specialized skills.

 

1. One-of-a-Kind Furniture Crafted by Your Own Hands

The greatest appeal of this project is bringing the furniture you’ve imagined and needed directly into reality. Starting with simple props and objets to build a solid foundation, you will gradually design furniture that reflects your personal taste and lifestyle. Experience the complete journey of raw timber transforming into a finished piece of furniture. Guided by an expert with over 10 years of experience in timber architecture and custom furniture, even complete beginners can participate safely and with ease.

We provide a systematic curriculum covering everything from understanding wood properties and safe tool usage to design principles, precise fabrication, and finishing touches. By the end of the project, you will have grown enough to craft pieces to gift to loved ones with heartfelt care or even sell directly. Infused with your own touch and dedication, each piece becomes a truly unique work of art that gains value over time.

 

2. A Specialized Program for Aspiring Studio Owners and Brand Founders

Woodworking goes beyond acquiring technical skills; it is the process of building a unique brand infused with your personal sensibility and stories. The studio hosting this project has long established its brand value by researching proprietary design philosophies and production methods. Infused with stories of nature, space, and people, furniture from this studio currently graces numerous atmosphere-rich restaurants and commercial venues, shaping sophisticated ambiances.

Students will absorb these real-world field experiences firsthand. Beyond learning techniques, observing the entire workflow through a creator's perspective offers deep insights that transcend basic woodworking. For those dreaming of opening an independent studio or launching a custom furniture brand, this project serves as a solid launchpad to turn aspirations into reality.

 

3. Natural Techniques Adding Depth to Timber: Black Wood Design

This studio stands out with its original Black Wood Design, setting itself apart from conventional solid wood furniture. Utilizing the ebonizing technique—a specialized method of darkening wood—it preserves the natural, beautiful grain of timber while achieving a calm, substantial atmosphere. The deep color tones, reminiscent of layered time, harmonize with natural textures to present an overwhelming presence that goes beyond ordinary furniture.

This technique, where the innate warmth of wood coexists with modern sophistication, is rarely encountered in standard woodworking courses. Discover an entirely new charm of timber here and complete works embedded with your own refined taste.

 

4. Efficient Craftsmanship Where Artistic Sensibility Meets Technical Precision

The studio crafts high-quality furniture by combining the delicate touch of traditional handwork with the efficiency of modern machinery. Standardized, repetitive processes are handled with precision using machinery, while the finishing touches—which dictate the details and emotions of the piece—are completed by expert hands.

This rational system drastically reduces fabrication timelines and price burdens for custom furniture while maximizing quality and craftsmanship. In this project, you will simultaneously learn the analog joy of handcrafting and efficient digital production methods. Broaden your perspective, unlock the infinite potential of modern woodworking technology, and experience an evolved approach to creation.

This is an expert course where you can learn woodworking techniques and craft your own custom furniture. We provide systematic, professional training so that even complete beginners can learn safely and easily. Through this learning process, you can design furniture embedded with your own ideas and experience the joy of completing it with your hands.

 

Project Activities

 

1) Basic Theory & Practice

- Understanding the characteristics and types of wood

- Safety education and tool usage training

- Practicing basic woodworking techniques

- Crafting small props and simple objets

 

2) Advanced Education & Design

- Understanding joinery methods and structure

- Building mini bookshelves and objets

- Understanding the ebonizing technique

- Planning your personal furniture piece

- Design sketching and drafting

 

3)Fabrication & Finishing Work

- Proceeding with personal project

- Fabricating custom-designed furniture

- Ebonizing and finishing touches

- Piece completion and exhibition

• Project activities may vary slightly depending on the participation period and duration.

 

Additional Information

• Safety training is mandatory prior to woodworking practice and operation.
• Tools and safety equipment required for training and work (safety glasses, earplugs, masks, etc.) will be provided by the studio.
• No separate advance preparation is required, but please wear comfortable and safe work attire that is not overly loose or baggy.
• Intensive training sessions are held 2 to 3 times a week. On non-class days, you are free to use the workshop studio for practice and hands-on work.
• If you have a specific piece of furniture or project you wish to make, you can discuss and proceed with a woodworking expert.
• Additional material costs may occur depending on the furniture or project you wish to craft.
• Completed objets and furniture may be exhibited using spaces like gallery cafes in Gangjin, though this is subject to change depending on venue circumstances.

Detailed Support Items

 

■ Project Activities

• Systematic orientation
• A reliable project manager
• 24-hour support!  A 24-hour emergency contact network for immediate help in urgent situations
• Helpful Gangjin travel tips for daily life there

 

■ Certificate and Recommendation Letter 

• Certificate of completion issued by the institution
  
  

Exclusions

• Round-trip transportation
• Other local living expenses (meals, transportation, etc)
• Train station/airport pick up fees

 

This is a woodworking studio where you can learn everything from woodworking basics to practical, real-world skills. Operated by a head craftsman with a background as a traditional Hanok carpenter, the studio uses deep woodworking techniques to create furniture and objets that harmoniously combine the natural beauty of wood with modern design.

Beyond a simple manufacturing space, it is a creative hub where the unique characteristics and potential of timber are researched, and new designs and production methods are constantly tested. The studio is particularly recognized for its original black wood furniture crafted through ebonizing—a technique that highlights the natural grain of the wood while achieving a deep black finish. Perfected through long-term research and steady experimentation, this proprietary black color recipe sets the studio apart in the woodworking field and receives great love from many.

With this technical mastery and competitive design edge, the studio actually manufactures and supplies black furniture to various spaces such as cafes and restaurants. Here, you can directly learn professional woodworking skills and design processes, and build pieces infused with your own unique ideas.

We arrange shared accommodation or a guesthouse so you can stay comfortably during the program. Basic living facilities are provided for your convenience.

 

*Local guesthouse/shared accommodation; actual appearance may differ from images.

■ Location: Gangjin

Gangjin is a place where beautiful nature and diverse culture come together. Away from the busy city, you can live at a relaxed pace, naturally interact with local residents, and experience the region's way of life and deep culture. It’s also a place where celadon culture and tea culture have flourished, offering everyday cultural experiences amid various arts and culture spaces and beautiful natural scenery.

 

1. Gangjin Bay Ecological Park
This is a well-known destination famous for its wide reed fields and beautiful wetland scenery. You can enjoy nature's changing scenery through the seasons, and take a relaxing walk along the trails. Especially at sunset, the sky turning red leaves visitors with lasting memories.

 

2. Goryeo Celadon Museum

The Goryeo Celadon Museum is a space where you can explore the thousand-year history and production process of Goryeo celadon. Through various exhibitions and hands-on programs, you can experience the beauty of traditional craftsmanship and naturally understand the meaning of work infused with a craftsman's spirit. Exhibits and artifacts also let you appreciate the excellence and artistic value of Goryeo celadon on a deeper level. 

3. Baekundong Garden

This beautiful garden, representative of traditional Korean garden culture, is notable for its natural blend of valley, forest, and pond. You can take a quiet walk and feel nature up close, experiencing a calm that's hard to find in the busy city. It's a healing space where you can rest your tired body and mind.

■ This project can start on any day of the week you prefer.

 

■ The minimum participation period is 12 weeks.

 

■ Target Participant and Eligibility 

• Passionate about woodworking and eager to learn it in a systematic and professional manner
• Interested in crafting original furniture based on personal ideas
• Aspiring to open a woodworking studio or launch an independent furniture brand
• Enthusiastic about handcrafting and building things by hand
• Eager to learn efficient furniture production techniques and effective branding strategies
• Looking to stay long-term in Gangjin and experience an inspiring new lifestyle

1. Refunds are not available due to participants’ personal reasons after the project has been confirmed.

 

2. Participants are deemed to have agreed to the refund policy at the time of project application.

 

3. This project is subject to a <strict> refund policy. If you cancel before your project participation is confirmed, we will refund 100% of the project fee. 

 

4. The project schedule and content may vary depending on local conditions (such as transportation and weather changes) or the circumstances of local authorities, and may be shortened or modified if unavoidable.

 

5. This project is one that is actually operated by the project management organization partnered with us. Therefore, responsibility for actual operation lies with the local project organization.

 

6. Please make your transportation reservation only after you have received the final confirmation of your participation in the project. After your participation is confirmed, we will provide individual guidance regarding the schedule.