Kuwentong Bangtan: Kim Namjoon and the White Porcelain Vase

Apologies and rectifications are in order.

A few days ago, last Friday, Dec.6 to be exact, I posted on my FB wall and Threads a screenshot of Joon’s profile photo on IG with my notes on kintsugi. It earned some engagements including corrections. And yes, I admit my mistake in the thread.

What I appreciated the most was the manner in which I received the correction. It was decent and kind.

How refreshing.

Following links and using image search, I have gained a deeper understanding of the vase in question as well as the online behavior of friends and fans, and my own, too. No one is exempt. No one is beyond learning and growth.

And now, for the vase.

As pointed out, the golden brown design is a rope; an underglaze on porcelain. Ah, white clay.

I have only used white clay and Japanese clay for hand building three times because stoneware is more common where I live. It costs higher, besides. Compared to stoneware, white clay is smoother, more elastic and supple. When glazed and fired on a higher temperature, the finished product is sturdier and shinier. More brilliant.

The Joseon vase, it’s a bottle, actually - as curated by the National Museum of Korea, is simple, elegant and astute. It is the rope design that makes the art piece compelling. While the porcelain stands like a Joseon nobility, the golden brown rope tethers it to the ground. It conveys being tied to something or to someone. A connection to one’s roots or heritage. An expression of loyalty. A bond. A devotion. Isn’t this sublime?

And in this, the vase mirrors Kim Namjoon himself—steadfast and grounded, yet luminous in his brilliance, embodying the kind of leadership that ties people together with wisdom, humility, and an unwavering devotion to both heritage and growth.