Two crafts, centuries apart, meeting in a single vessel held between two hands.
The Seoljungmae (설중매, Plum Blossom in Snow) Cup Set is a collaboration between the Anseong Machum Yugi Workshop — keepers of National Intangible Cultural Heritage No. 77 — and Ottmidam's lacquer atelier. The Yugi body is 78% copper and 22% tin, hammered by the last practitioners of this craft into a form both weightful and resonant. Ottmidam then applies Ottchil (옻칠), natural lacquer, in six to eight layered coats, sanding between each pass until the surface achieves its characteristic depth. The Maehwa (매화) plum blossom is painted last, by hand, in coloured lacquer — a flower in full bloom against a winter surface. This is a K-Ribbon Selection, recognised as a premium cultural product of Korea. Optional Bojagi wrapping is available.
These cups lend themselves to ceremony: the first sip of the evening carried by their weight, a ritual elevated beyond the ordinary. Laid on a ceremonial tray for tea or a pour of spirits, the vessels become the gesture itself. Arriving in traditional Bojagi silk cloth wrapping, they carry a layer of cultural intention that no tissue paper can replicate.
Hand wash only; avoid dishwashers, microwaves, and direct heat to preserve the lacquer finish. Crafted by Ottmidam x Anseong Machum Yugi Workshop. Handcrafted in South Korea, in the tradition of Korea's last Yugi masters.