Soban: Korean Traditional Portable Dining Table

Chapter 1. General Introduction
What is Soban?
Names of Soban
History of Soban
Types of Soban
Characteristic Features of Soban

Chapter 2. Finding Soban
Soban, Classical Example of Traditional Meal Tables
Use of Soban
Usage of Soban across classes
Characteristics of Soban Originated from Villages

Chapter 3. Soban Masters and Their Works
Light but Sturdy Structure and Carving

Chapter 4. Revival of Soban
Rendezvous between Past and Present
Organic Nature Kept to a Minimum - Choi Byunghoon
Small Architecture for the Monks - Seung Hyosang
Minimalist Reinterpretation of Soban - Baek Eun
Portable Table for the Overturning of Thinking - Ha Jihoon

Panel Discussion
Old Tables Are Our Teachers

Appendix
List of Masters
Craft & Design Map
List of Illustrations
Bibliography
Advisory Persons and Organizations
Index

The tradition of using the Soban in Korea underwent significant changes together with the culinary heritage during the Japanese occupation (1910-1945) and the subsequent Korean War (1950-1953), resulting in a gradual decline in the use of Soban and the master artisans of Soban making. While some of the best known traditional tray tables, such as Najuban, Tongyeongban and Haejuban, continued to be made even after this turbulent period of modern Korean history, these new products began to be made with plywood and chemical paints rather than the traditional natural materials, resulting in a degeneration of their quality.

Chapter 1. General Introduction

The Soban is a type of kitchen ware used as a personal dining table. The object’s first impression is so important. To find the right item it is necessary to break with the modern tendency to believe that the prettier the better. For Korean families in the past, the Soban was an essential household item that they used on a daily basis, guiding Soban manufacturers to do their utmost to create the most comfortable form for use. To that end, they regarded the user’s physical condition as the most important factor in producing their products, which explains why the table has maintained almost the same form and structure for many hundreds of years, including the size of the tabletop and the height of the legs.

Chapter 2. Finding Soban

There are currently three artisans designated as Sobanjang (National Intangible Cultural Heritage), or Yi Inse (specialized in Haejuban), Kim Chunsik (Najuban) and Chu Yongho (Tongyeongban). Of the three masters, Kim Chunsik specialized in the manufacturing Najuban is most active today. Najuban is one of the most widely used traditional tray tables whose original form and structure had been well preserved until the 1950s. The following section describes Soban making process in detail for the production of a Naju Soban.

Chapter 3. Soban Masters and Their Works