Since woodwork makes use of a natural, production of articles from wood, it is relatively simple. For this reason, it has been widely used in craftwork since ancient times. In Korea, the structure of the elegant, single-story, wooden houses and the custom of sitting on heated floors provided further impetus to the diverse and extensive utilization of wooden handicrafts.

Various tree-felling tools such as axes and saws indirectly attest to the existence of woodwork during the Bronze and Iron Ages. Particular examples include the wooden artifacts dating from around the first centuries B.C. or A.D. which were recently discovered along with a large basket in Daho-ri Village in Changwon.

The nature of Goguryeo furniture can be ascertained by looking at tomb murals from the period. Notably, the furniture can be distinctly divided into two categories. Depictions from the Pyongyang area show furniture influenced by Han China with many legs, while depictions of furniture from the Tung-kou region show tables and trays with horse-hoof style legs. Since the Goguryeo territory extended deeply into the Asian continent, the paintings at Tung-kou - a more central region - are thought to be more representative of the basic Goguryeo style.

The lacquered crown decorated with silver and gold that was excavated from the Baekje King Muryeong's tomb, other Silla artifacts and the existence of special government offices in charge of woodwork indicates that woodwork was not only used as burial objects but also for a diverse range of everyday objects.


During the Goryeo period, refined craftwork enjoyed its heyday. Particularly suited to aristocratic tastes, mother-of-pearl lacquerwork flourished at this time. Made by applying colorful abalone shell in designs on lacquered wood, Goryeo mother-of-pearl was used to make a diverse range of objects including boxes for sutras or Buddhist rosaries. At one point, a special government office, known as the Jeonham Joseong Dogam, was temporarily created in order to make lacquerware for the Chinese royal house. This period also saw the production of colored tortoise shell using the Daemo technique. Stylistically, this is associated with the ox-horn decorations which became popular during the Joseon period.

The representative furniture of the Joseon period is of a practical yet appealing geometrical design. With a simple beauty, the pieces of this period incorporate the natural patterns of the wood. Due to the unique aesthetic sense evident in pieces from this period, Joseon furniture is highly prized both in Korea and overseas. Furniture styles from this period were influenced by Confucianism which upheld a strict distinction between the genders, valued humility and frugality and sought a scholarly and gentile lifestyle. Furniture forms and styles of the period were largely determined by social status and use, with specific types of furniture placed in the sarangbang (reception room for male visitors) and other types used in the wife's areas such as the kitchen and anbang (bedroom). Notably, the furniture of the sarangbang was of a simple and natural construction reminiscent of the simplicity found in Joseon-era white porcelain.