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Bae Hee-han

1907 – 1997

Korean carpenter (1907-1997) traditional builder

Carpenter
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About Bae Hee-han

Lived 1907 – 1997 (aged 90). Bae Hee-han was a South Korean carpenter.

Bae Hee-han (; June 19, 1907 - November 5, 1997) was a South Korean master carpenter who built hanok. He built the Donamjang house. In 1982, he was designated as the holder of Daemokjang (대목장(大木匠)), the 74th South Korean Important Intangible Cultural Property. In 1921, before quitting his studies, he had already started working as a carpenter at the Railway Bureau of the Japanese Government-General of Korea . At the age of 18, he received traditional carpentry lessons from Choi Won-shik, who was the great carpenter of the Royal palace, at the demolition site of Daejojeon Hall. He built many houses for high-ranking officials, such as the Sarangchae for Min Yeong-hwi 's house in Samcheong-dong.

In 1959, after liberation from Japanese colonial rule, he repaired Haejungjeong and Hyangwonjeong Pavilion in Gyeongbokgung Palace, and built many temple buildings. In December 1980, he was recognized as a traditional carpentry craftsman through the 《Special Extended Exhibition of Woodworking》 held at the National Folk Museum of Korea, and in 1982, he became a master of intangible cultural heritage. because he studied under Choi Won-sik, the last carpenter of the Joseon royal family. Painter Kim Byeong-jong evaluates Bae Hee-han's architecture as simple but solid and thorough. :177 Hanoks he built include the following.

1927 Kim Ik-bae Brothers House Kim Jae-eun's house in 1935 1936 Old Yuseong Villa 1939 Donamjang (Song Seong-jin's house) Choi Gi-tae's house in 1940 1942 Choi Chang-hak House 1966 Yeomburam, Gwacheon, Gyeonggi-do 1967 Long Temple, Seongbuk-dong, Seoul 1969 Guamsa Temple in Bongcheon-dong 1974 Naval Academy Patriotic History Seo Se-ok House in 1976

Disciples Go Taek-young, who learned carpentry from him, was designated as a master builder in 1997 (holder of Daemokjang (대목장(大木匠)), the 74th South Korean Important Intangible Cultural Property).

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Important facts

Birth century
Occupation
Carpenter
Nationality
Also known as
Hee-han Bae

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Bae Hee-han's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Bae Hee-han?

Korean carpenter (1907-1997) traditional builder

When was Bae Hee-han born?

Bae Hee-han was born on 19 June 1907.

When did Bae Hee-han die?

Bae Hee-han died on 5 November 1997.

What was Bae Hee-han's occupation?

Bae Hee-han was a carpenter.

What nationality was Bae Hee-han?

Bae Hee-han was South Korean.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Bae Hee-han

· Wikidata: Q93225792

· DBpedia: Bae Hee-han

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Bae Hee-han. https://biography.guide/bae-hee-han/

MLA: "Bae Hee-han." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/bae-hee-han/.

Chicago: "Bae Hee-han." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/bae-hee-han/.

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