Republic of Korea Pavilion / Pavilhão da República da Coreia

[worldfairs]

Text extracted from "Guia Expo'98"

Theme: In Harmony with the Living Sea
Area: 1 296 m2
Author: Young-Jin Jun
Tour length: 45 m.
Capacity: 600 to 800 visitors Expected visitors: 1,000 per hour
Shop: Ginseng products (teas, juices...), ceramics jewellery, handicraft, postcards, stamps and books
National Day: 30 May
Additional information: disabled persons have their own five seats in the cinema

What is the 'Turtle Ship' anyway?

A huge flower wall made of 422 ceramic panels decorates the façade. Inside, the public is confronted with the -traditional- advance of Korean shipbuilding technology through a model of the old Kobukson, the Turtle Ship, the first metal-clad ship in the world. This is followed by an area dedicated to Korean culture, highlighting the ancient arts of printing, porcelain and images of the country's monuments, some classified by Unesco as world heritage.

In a 200-seat auditorium, a three-dimensional film is projected and a traditional dance show is performed three times a day. Finally, Korea reminds visitors that, together with Japan, it is the successor to France in organising the Football World Cup - in 2002.

Titled The Pearl Sea and lasting 20 minutes, the film portrays the life of Korean pearl divers.