Korean earthenware extensively used as tableware and storage containers in Korea. The earliest known painted representations of onggi ware from 1781, in a scene on the panel of A Pictorial Biography of Gimchi Yi-san, exhibited at the National Museum of Korea. The origin of onggi dates to around 4000 to 5000 BC.
The two types of earthenware include: patternless, mumun, and a red and black variety. The patternless earthenware is made with lumps of clay and fine sand. Korean pottery: “There are three kilns that make the yellow onggi in Chogye-gun and Jinju-mok, Gyeongsang Province”. Korean word for “pottery” and refers to the form of the bowl. Pottery has been used on the Korean peninsula since prehistoric times for food storage. In the Three Kingdoms period, images of large and small pottery appear on the murals of Anak Tomb No.
3 in Goguryeo, and in Baekje, and Silla. Onggi has a more microporous structure than porcelain, and has been found to help the fermentation process. Korea has always been known for fermented foods. Goguryeo people have a custom of making fermented foods”. The abundance of soybeans, which grow naturally in Korea, fresh resources from the sea surrounding the Korean Peninsula, and a proper climate for microbial development all play a significant factor in the importance and usage of fermentation for food processing.
As a result, the shape, size, and manufacturing method of onggi vary from region to region. Nevertheless, onggi types share similarities: biodegradability, porosity, resistance to rot, as well as firmness or “vertebration”. When heated to high temperature, the wall of the pottery vessel discharges the crystal water it contains, generating pores that allow the air to flow between the inside and the outside. For this reason, Onggi has been recognized as a breathable vessel from an ancient period of time. The pores in the pottery wall push out impurities formed on the inner surface, allowing a longer storage duration without decay.
The most significant characteristic of Korean cuisine is its use of fermented food, utilizing onggi pots for the fermentation process. Other foods and items can also be stored in containers originally meant for fermentation, such as tobacco, candlesticks, and cooked rice. Since the materials to make Onggi can be easily and cheaply obtained, Onggi has traditionally retailed at a low price, making it obtainable for the lower and middle class. Before firing, the onggijang master glazes its surface. This glaze plays a key role in providing a waterproof surface and preventing leaks.