Yeonsinnae silver ring workshop with star carving: Munak

I usually wear a lot of silver rings, bracelets, and necklaces, so I wanted to try making a silver ring of my own. I joined a wax-carving workshop at Munak in Yeonsinnae, and as I carved and smoothed the wax by hand, my stray thoughts faded and I could focus on the work.

How do you get to Munak from Yeonsinnae Station, and how do you book?

Munak is on the second floor of 23 Tongil-ro 83-gil, Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul. The hours listed in the original article are daily from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

It took about eight minutes to walk from Yeonsinnae Station. Since the workshop had only recently opened at the time of my visit, I wondered whether it would be hard to find, but the orange sign made it easy to spot. I booked the “Wax Carving One-Day Workshop” through Naver Booking before visiting.

What was the workshop like inside?

When I went up to the second floor and opened the door, the first thing I noticed was a clean, comfortable space.

The interior was decorated in white and wood tones. I like that style of interior, so I also enjoyed the space itself.

Jewelry pieces were displayed along one side.

There were designs ranging from distinctive pieces to more basic styles, so I looked through them one by one. I also found some pieces I wanted to wear myself.

How did you decide on the ring design?

When you arrive, you first discuss what you want to make with the instructor. I brought reference photos of rings to explain the mood I wanted.

The photos were meant to show the feeling I wanted rather than to copy exactly. The instructor explained which designs suited wax carving and which would be more efficiently made using another method. The consultation helped clarify the direction I wanted for the ring.

In wax carving, you carve and smooth the wax yourself to create the shape, then make a plaster mold and pour silver into it to complete the piece. I was also told that the instructor would refine the details of the shape made by each participant once more.

What was it like shaping the ring with wax?

After deciding on the design, I moved to the work area.

There were many tools I had never seen before, but the instructor explained how to use them, so I followed the instructions.

First, I adjusted the size of the ring opening to fit my finger. I was told to turn the tool the same number of times clockwise and counterclockwise.

I counted the turns in my head as I adjusted the opening to the right size.

Next, I carved the outside of the wax so it would be comfortable to wear. I had to remove more wax than I expected, so it was tiring and took quite a while. I had to stay focused to create the shape I wanted, but I enjoyed that feeling of complete concentration.

I worked carefully so I would not carve away too much. Once I had adjusted the size to a certain point, I shaped the ring.

Was it difficult to engrave stars and drawings?

I wanted to add engravings to the ring, so I carved stars and several drawings.

Engraving the small ring surface was harder than I expected. Unlike carving the outside, this required a lot of delicacy.

I first drew the shapes I wanted with a permanent marker, then carved along the lines with a vibrating machine to finish the wax work.

Did you get to see the finished silver ring?

When I wrote this, I had not yet received the finished silver ring, so I had not seen the actual piece. What I enjoyed most about the experience was discussing the design and carving and engraving the wax myself.

I liked the clean space and the instructor’s friendly guidance. The work put strain on my hands and required careful attention, but that also made it possible to become absorbed without thinking about anything else. It was a good way to spend time making my own jewelry, and I could also imagine doing the experience with friends, a partner, or family.