From royal seals to water droppers: Korea's museum cosplay contest finale thrills onlookers
A giant golden royal seal swayed down a red carpet to pounding music, along with two women — one dressed in a Western-style uniform from the Great Korean Empire period, the other in a green Joseon era official’s robe and sunglasses. “Where did the state seal go?” they called out as thousands of spectators cheered at the National Museum of Korea’s open plaza in Seoul on Saturday afternoon. The…
A majestic golden royal seal glided along a red carpet to enthusiastic music, accompanied by two women — one clad in a Western-style uniform from the Great Korean Empire era, the other in a green robe representing the Joseon period and sporting sunglasses. "Where did the state seal go?" they exclaimed as tens of thousands of spectators cheered at the National Museum of Korea's open plaza in Seoul on a Saturday afternoon.
The seal, fashioned from an exhaust hood of a barbecue restaurant and a large box painted gold, represented Jegojibo, the royal seal utilized for imperial decrees. Stolen and brought to Japan in 1911 during the colonial period, the seal returned to its homeland decades after Korea's liberation. Their entrance heralded the climax of "Dress Like a Museum Exhibit," the National Museum of Korea's increasingly popular artifact cosplay contest.
What began as a modest program in 2024 has blossomed into a nationwide heritage fan event, attracting 275 teams and 643 participants this year — a threefold increase from last year's 83 entries. Over 2,000 individuals pre-registered to attend.
Written by urgent.news from The Korea Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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