By Joel Lee
The Korean Embassy in Denmark marked the renovation of the ambassador’s residence in a traditional Danish “Rejsegilde” ceremony, uniting the two cultures in a rustic, picturesque setting.
The renovation led to a startling discovery when a long wall inside the building was torn down to make way for a reception hall. As the wooden panels covering the wall were taken down, colorful rectangular openings resembling Swiss-French architect Le Corbusier’s characteristic windows appeared.
The wall was designed by Danish architect Mogens Lassen (1901-1987), a colleague of Le Corbusier, who pioneered the country’s functionalist art trend and put Danish and Scandinavian design in the international limelight.
The Danish government, after being notified, contacted the Korean Embassy to discuss potentially registering the wall as a national treasure.
Korean Ambassador to Denmark Ma Young-sam told The Korea Herald through email that the wall would lower barriers between Danes and Koreans and bring them closer together.
The embassy, meanwhile, celebrated the Rejsegilde topping out, an old Danish tradition that commemorates the erection of a new roof. The festive gathering brings together neighbors and workers, with plenty of goodies prepared on the side. If the food is considered inadequate, the tradition goes that the workers would put marbles inside a can and hide it underneath the roof in a way that makes an irritating noise at night.
The event took place Tuesday at the envoy’s residence in Charlottenlund, a small suburban town north of Copenhagen. The Korean Embassy said it wanted to show its appreciation to the construction workers and local community, who carefully worked and patiently endured the noise.
To prevent the start of any “future noise,” the embassy prepared plenty of sausages and beer alongside traditional Korean food ― kimchi and bulgogi.
(joel@heraldcorp.com)
Danish cultural treasure discovered at Korean ambassador’s residence
