The talk will present early development and evolution of Korean bookbinding within the context of East Asian bookbinding history. From scrolls to side-stitched books, different styles mark subsequent stages of the evolution of Korean bookbinding, but the whole process was always more of the enrichment rather than replacement. The most representative Korean binding style, side-stitched books, evolved under the influence of China, but its uniqueness can be recognised in details of style, paper, decorations, and in printing techniques. The author will talk about fine points of the Korean binding structure, characteristics of paper and ink with examples, and also discuss conservation treatment and storage issues regarding Korean books.

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Talk is co-hosted by the Icon Book & Paper Group and Bainbridge Conservation.

Minah Song is an independent paper conservator in Washington, DC, USA. She received an MA in Conservation from Camberwell College of Arts in the UK, and an MA in East Asian Art History from the Academy of Korean Studies in Korea. Her research and publications include history of Asian papers and East Asian bookbinding, contemporary Asian paper- making and the use of Asian papers in art and conservation. Since 2013 she has taught a course on applications of Asian papers in paper conservation in Europe and the US.