Jeo Jip is a gallery dedicated to the art of the chopstick. The building, a pure white asymmetrical structure that recalls folded paper, is itself a work of art. The interior incorporates the harmony of earth, sky and water with a slate-black stone wall on one side, a sculpture representing clouds hanging above, and a center “water” space with chopsticks displayed on spindly-legged lily pad tables.
You'll find a range of prices and styles, ranging from traditional mother of pearl to modern bright colors, with Chinese (long and sturdy), Japanese (short and pointy) and Korean (the happy medium) traditions of chopstick-making all represented. All of the chopsticks are made with the same dedication to craft, first coated with lacquer harvested from sumac in Gangwon-do and slowly dried in rooms kept at 70% humidity for a sturdy finish. The intensity doesn't end there—each pair takes five to six months to complete.
These may be amongst the most expensive chopsticks you’ll find in Seoul, but they’re also the loveliest. Paired with pretty ceramic chopstick rests, they make excellent gifts—even the Blue House has brought Jeo Jip chopsticks as gifts on official delegations to Vietnam and Russia.