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2025 Special Exhibition at Bokcheon Museum: Glass Beads – A Journey Through Time

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Busan Metropolitan City’s Bokcheon Museum, affiliated with the Busan Museum, announced that it will host a special exhibition titled Glass Beads – A Journey Through Time from September 9 to November 9, 2025, for a total of 62 days.

This exhibition, focusing on glass beads—one of the representative burial goods of ancient ruling class tombs, yet often overlooked compared to other gemstones—was planned to shed light on the chronological changes and regional characteristics of glass beads introduced to the Korean Peninsula through the Maritime Silk Road.

The exhibition is organized into four sections and illustrates the process of glass bead production and importation, as well as their chronological changes from the Samhan to the Joseon period. A total of 252 major relics from 24 institutions across the country, including two National Treasures, will be on display.

• ●[Part 1, The Journey of Glass Beads] introduces artifacts used as tools for producing glass beads, such as crucibles and molds. These include crucibles unearthed from Ssangbuk-ri, Buyeo, and molds excavated from Dogu-dong, Gochon, Busan. These relics demonstrate glass bead production techniques from the Samhan and Three Kingdoms periods.

• ●[Part 2, The Light of Prestige: Embellishing the Samhan] showcases Samhan-period glass beads, which were considered more precious than gold, silver, or silk as symbols of power and social status. The glass beads of Mahan, produced in the largest quantities, display a variety of colors such as blue, green, and reddish-brown, while those of Byeonhan and Jinhan are characterized by small and intricate blue beads.

• ●[Part 3, The Light of Authority: Speaking for the Three Kingdoms] highlights the glass beads of Baekje, Silla, and Gaya, which became symbols of authority. Numerous beads have been unearthed from the tombs of ruling elites, such as King Muryeong’s Royal Tomb and Hwangnam Daechong. Artifacts also reveal exchanges with India and Vietnam, such as multi-layered glass beads and decorated-pattern beads, which represent the luxurious glass bead culture of the Three Kingdoms period.

• ●[Part 4, The Light of Aspiration: Flowing Through the Ages] examines how the purpose and meaning of glass beads evolved from the Unified Silla to the Goryeo and Joseon dynasties. Influenced by Buddhism, beads were used not only as burial goods but also as ritual objects such as reliquaries and divination tools. Later, they transitioned into secular decorative uses, with new forms such as gourd-shaped and coiled beads appearing. This section allows visitors to trace how the functions, meanings, and styles of glass beads transformed over time.

Key exhibits include a necklace excavated from Yangdong-ri, Gimhae, which best exemplifies the characteristics and beauty of Byeonhan necklaces in combination with transparent quartz, and a hat string made of bamboo and amber glass beads belonging to the renowned militia general Gwak Jae-woo, celebrated as the “Red-Clad General” during the Imjin War. Two of these artifacts have been designated as National Treasures.

Other notable artifacts include gold earrings from Gye-seong, Changnyeong, decorated with colorful glass beads for added brilliance; glass beads unearthed from King Muryeong’s Royal Tomb, Hwangnam Daechong, and Cheonmachong, noted for their vibrant yellow, red, green, and blue tones; a Goryeo-period glass bead necklace consisting solely of green droplet-shaped beads from Manboksa Temple Site, Namwon; and a total of 252 rare glass beads submitted by institutions nationwide.

At the entrance, stained glass samples created by contemporary glass artist Kim Heon-chul enhance visual enjoyment with their vivid colors, offering a new exhibition feature that enables visitors to appreciate both traditional and modern glass art together. Toward the end of the exhibition, a photo zone utilizing a folding screen with a floral-and-bird mirror painting has been set up.

Admission is free. The museum is closed on Mondays, but will remain open during the Chuseok holiday period. A series of participatory events will also be held in connection with the exhibition, including hands-on craft activities and lectures.

• ●[September 26] Adult craft workshop: One-Day Glass Studio at Bokcheon (glass sun catcher making)

• ●[September 27] Family workshop: Busy-Busy Bokcheon Workshop (polymer clay bead making)

• ●[October 16–17] Special lecture series: Archaeology for Citizens

For inquiries, please contact the Bokcheon Museum Exhibition and Education Division at 051-550-0331 or 051-550-0336.

Director Seong Hyeon-ju of Bokcheon Museum stated, “Glass beads delight the eye with their diverse colors, patterns, and forms depending on the era, region, production techniques, and combinations with other gemstones. Following the journey of time encapsulated within these small beads, visitors will be able to experience the cultural identity passed down from ancient times as well as the exceptional aesthetic sensibility of the people of that era.”