Korean Job Discussion Forums

[itaewonguy]

so Im walking about isadong and al I ever here from this venders is ohh this is 200 year old painting ohh this statue is 200 years old..
im thinking.. emm ok buddy! so why do you have this 200 year old painting sitting on the ground not even protected?
why do you have this 200 year old mask or wooded statue just siting arond your store where it can be easily broken???

ummm if somthing was 200 years old, shouldnt it be in a museum????

like 250.000 won for a 5" wooded stutue becuase its 200 years old, but he manages to have like 20 of them!!
or paintings cost 2million won.. becuase its 200 years old, but 4 guys down the street have it!!

hahahahaha so im like you mean its 200 year old design or its made 200 years ago???

they are like made 200 years agio... ummmmm I c so you treat it like your dogs toys, and just throwing them in a box or a on the floor...
yeah ok...

anyway got in thing to say about this??
what you think??

[periwinkle]

I used to go antiquing (sp?) a bit back home, and the dealers didn't always know the history (including the date) behind many of the items they were selling. Some of them were outright liars, or at the very least, clueless. Anyway, I think some items are copies and made to look old and authentic (some items I've seen in Itaewon I'm VERY skeptical about- one woman wanted 100,000 won for a Buddha head, and I don't think it was even an antique).. Of course, there are authentic items, but getting around to my point (I'm a bit out of it today- damned antihistamines...) you should do some research before you purchase anything.

[Smee]

especially in a tourist area like that. If anything is lucky enough to survive the last 60 years, to say nothing of the last 200, chances are it won't be for sale to every Tom, Dick, and Minsu.

[skdragon]

Ask to see the government documentation for it being an antique.
If it does have the documentation, then you may not be able to take it out of country (since it is an historical cultural asset) ... at least that is what I was told when I was looking at real antique items in Korea.

[brento1138]

Those old underwater helmet-things are totally cool. Bring over a chick to your place and show her that. You'll be getting the ladies!

[rippa]

I went to Itaewon on Sunday, and saw 85%+ reproductions, many being sold as 'antiques'... Most prices were very high.

I did see some nicer things - Kim's Antique Gallery (124-7 Itaewon-dong) had various things they'd made, labeled as such, some with very elegant designs; probably possible to negotiate reasonable prices.

I bought a small Chinese table / stool, a bit beat and un-reconditioned, that the dealer dissed -- and sold for 30,000 won. I'm very happy with it, as it is nice, and also just the size to raise my laptop to another level on my desk, to work standing (my new exercise regime...)

[bluelake]

I bought some nice, authentic antiques in Insa-dong, but that was many years ago, before they "beautified" the area. Now, a great deal of what they have are reproductions.

A place where they used to have nice antiques at reasonable prices was In (인/人). The last time I saw them, they were overpriced and didn't have a great selection.

[the_beaver]

[RACETRAITOR]

[bobbyhanlon]

i'm leaving korea soon, and i'd like to buy a painting, wood-carving or some other ornamental thingy before i go. since i wholeheartedly agree with the insadong con-artist theory, where should i go to get the real deal? thanks..