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Introduce
Numerous topics related to Korean culture and art are mentioned in middle and high school national history textbooks, but most of them are briefly described by era, making it difficult to understand their concepts, transition processes, and characteristics.
<Culture & Art Stories from Korean History> produces and provides video materials based on expert commentary on the flow, change process, characteristics and characteristics of each major topic in the field of culture and art in Korean history.
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Scenario

Andong Hahoe Village, where much of traditional Korean culture is preserved.
Moments after lighting the agungi...
Like the woman said, the room warms up.
Yes, this secret technology is none other than the ondol.

Foreigners who traveled to the old Joseon Kingdom were awe-struck by the ondol technology.
The ondol, Korea’s unique heating system that is loved by all and still used today. Let’s take a look at the history and science behind it.

Warming a Room with a Creeping Heat, the Science Behind the Ondol

The native Korean heating system, the ondol. In pure Korean, it is called “gudeul.”
While the west uses in-room fireplaces to heat the air directly with convection heat, the ondol is a heating system that uses radiant heat to heat the floors and warm the air.

The key component in ondol technology are the “gorae.”

The gorae are air ducts through which the warm air passes as it moves from the agungi to exit out the gulttuk, or chimney. The longer heat is stored in the gorae, the longer a room stays warm. This is why, as our ancestors laid down the gudeul, they added a few more parts.

“The most important part is the gorae gaejari. It’s a trap that keeps the cold air out and warm air in. You use it when you light a fire. It keeps the heat in and pushes the cooler air down. This is an outstanding aspect of the gudeul.” Kim Junbong / Korean Ondol Society, President

How the ondol’s key component, the gorae, was laid varied greatly.

Depending on if the gorae ducts were laid out in a single or double straight lanes, if they fanned out, or if they were randomly scattered in all directions, the heating efficiency varied according to the shape of the gorae.

We can see the ruins of old ondol throughout the country.
Of them, the most extensive set of ondol ruins can be found at the Hoeamsa Temple Site in Yangji, Gyeonggi-do.

“If you had to pick the best place to see an ondol, Seoseongdang (Western Monks Hall) in zone 6 at the Hoeamsa Temple site excavation would be it. At Seoseungdang, there is a rather protruding flat-top gudeul in the shape of an “E.” With two of these arranged so as to face each other, the scale of the ondol was quite large. It’s estimated it was able to provide long periods of warmth to many people.” Choi Seokhyun, Researcher / Hoeamsa Museum of Yangju City

We can also find remnants of this uniquely constructed ondol with E-shaped gorae at Chilbulsa Temple in Hadong, which has a similar design.

At Chilbulsa Temple in Hadong, Gyeongsangnam-do, there is a meditation called the “Ajabang” that is in the shape of the Chinese character “Ah”(亞).

It is said that once a fire is lit in this ondol, it can heat the room for 49 days and maintain its warmth for 100 days. According to results from excavating and scrutinizing the ondol, it is thought that the key to this phenomenon is its dual-ondol structure. We look forward to the day when the door to that secret is unlocked.

Our ancestors designed and utilized numerous methods for trapping and using the heat in a gorae once a fire was lit. This Korean cultural asset is an example of the exceptional scientific wisdom of our ancestors.

2,000 Years of Ondol Culture – Origins and Transmission of the Ondol

Ondol, the traditional Korean heating system!
When was the ondol first used in Korea?

The origins of the ondol go back 2,000 years to the Northern Okjeo. It is said that ondol technology, which originated in Northern Okjeo, entered the Goguryeo kingdom in the northern part of the Korean peninsula and from there moved to the central region, while another branch spread southward.

Early ondol looked completely different from the type used today. They were called jjokgudeul. The agungi was inside the room and, depending on the walls, the gudeul was either straight or bent at a 90-degree angle.

“The people typically sleep on beds of dirt. They dig into the earth to create a jjokgudeul to lie upon. Goryeo winters are bitterly cold and padded clothing is scarce.” - Xu Jing, Xuanhe fengshi gaoli (Xuanhe Commissioner’s Illustrated Account of Goryeo)

The ongudeul, which was a gudeul that covered the entire floor, was developed in the Goryeo period, and by the Joseon period it was used throughout the country. At the beginning of the Joseon period, the ondol was mainly used in wealthier homes or temples. In upper-class families, one or two were set aside exclusively for elders or sick family members.

“Many elders say, ‘When you look at the large houses of the nobility from a hundred years ago, the ondol in the center was only one or two bays long. These were for the old or those in poor health. The rest of the family slept on wooden planks.’” - Yi Ik, Seongho saseol (Miscellaneous Explanations of Seongho Yi Ik)

Not until the late Joseon period did members of all social classes have an ondol.

“All of the bedrooms have ondol. There are walls on all four sides, and the windows differ from those of China.” - Hong Daeyong, Damheon seooejip (Supplemental Works of Damheon Hong Daeyong) (湛軒書外集)

The ondol was introduced to the royal palaces in the late Joseon period.

Juhamnu Pavilion. Built in 1776, the first year of the reign of King Jeongjo.
The two-story Juhamnu Pavilion, which was constructed to store the king’s writings, had an ondol in its first-floor library called the Gyujanggak.

The Amisan chimneys of Gyeongbokgung Palace’s Gyotaejeon Hall, which served as the queen’s chambers, and the Sipjangsaeng chimney of Jagyeongjeon Hall, which served as the queen dowager’s chambers. With their beauty, both of these structures add to the awe and admiration for the ondol. In the Hyangwonjeong Pavilion, a unique donut-shaped gudeul was discovered.

“Due to weight issues with the ondol, all structures that originally had two or three floors were converted into single-story structures. Also, because the ondol required people to spend their time on the floor, Korean culture fully transformed into a one. Prior to the Joseon period, one can find Koreans typically sitting in chairs. The influence of the ondol floor had a tremendous impact on daily life, causing the use of chairs to completely disappear and ushering in the use of small floor tables called soban. ” Prof. Song Giho / Seoul National University, Dept. of Korean History

Ondol, a shining example of our ancestors’ traditional technology for beating the cold. The ondol, with its 2,000-year history, has had a huge impact on the lives of Koreans. It remains a thriving part of society.

[Epilogue]
Must-Know Facts on Culture and Art in Korean History

1.The main components of the ondol are the agungi, gorae, and the guldduk.
2. Ondol originated in the northern part of the Korean Peninsula.
3. The old jjokgudeul which heated only a part of the room, transformed into the ongudeul, which could heat the entire room.

Ondol, Korea's Underfloor Heating System