Somok sobok
Song-i Kim
작가 소개
Crafted stories of everyday joy, delicately inlaid in wood.
Somok Sobok, created by artist Song-i Kim, reinterprets familiar scenes from everyday life through the warmth of natural wood and the refined beauty of mother-of-pearl inlay. Each piece transforms ordinary objects—cabinets, boxes, incense holders, and coasters—into poetic narratives that blend practicality with quiet emotion.
Her works draw inspiration from small yet meaningful moments: freshwater fish drifting gently among reeds, lucky pouches carrying wishes of good fortune, beloved animals resting atop a keepsake box, a girl swimming alongside sea creatures, or swimmers gliding across a patterned surface. These motifs are rendered with delicate mother-of-pearl details, lending the works a luminous, dreamlike quality.
While the forms remain simple and functional, the inlaid scenes create a world of gentle storytelling, inviting viewers to pause and rediscover the beauty within everyday rhythms. Somok Sobok’s objects serve not only as practical items but also as companions—pieces that hold memory, warmth, and a touch of whimsy.
Through her craft, Song-i Kim offers a contemporary interpretation of Korean decorative traditions, creating wooden objects that bring small but meaningful joy into daily life.
Main activity genre
Wood & Lacquerware
Category
Craft
ARTWORKS
This sliding-door cabinet was inspired by an aquarium.
On the front panels of the doors, various native freshwater fish are depicted leisurely swimming among aquatic plants.
The cabinet is composed of two tiers, and the mother-of-pearl inlay on the doors connects seamlessly from the upper to the lower section, adding an element of visual delight.
Production Year: 2025
Production Technique: Punching method (Tabalbeop), Woodcraft / Inlay
This small octagonal box was inspired by the traditional Korean bokjumeoni (fortune pouch).
While preserving the pouch’s original meaning of “bringing good fortune,” the piece is reinterpreted as a functional wooden box, adding practicality to its symbolic significance.
Production Year: 2025
Production Technique: Pleating, Woodcraft / Inlay
This round box features a handle shaped like a small dog or cat crafted from mother-of-pearl, placed charmingly atop the lid.
The adorable forms of these companion animals are enough to bring a smile to anyone who sees them.
Production Year: 2025
Production Technique: Pleating, Woodcraft / Inlay
This incense holder, part of the Ilsang Soboksa series, depicts a girl swimming leisurely alongside adorable sea creatures, with a small pebble—used to hold the incense stick—imagined as a tiny rocky island.
Production Year: 2025
Production Technique: Pleating, Woodcrat/ Inlay
This holder is inspired by swimming pool lanes.
On the two-part lid—designed to hold papers—mother-of-pearl inlay depicts people swimming with delicate, refined detail.
It can be used to display items such as business cards or small photographs, while also providing storage space inside the box.
Production Year: 2025
Production Technique: Pleating, Woodcrat/ Inlay
This coaster features a pattern of swimmers, delicately rendered in mother-of-pearl and arranged in continuous rows.
As additional coasters are placed beside one another, the pattern connects seamlessly, creating a playful and visually engaging effect.
Production Year: 2025
Production Technique: Pleating, Woodcraft/ Inlay