An Da-hye, third from right, the second runner-up of Miss Korea 2010, explains her "hanji" craftwork to participants in this year's Miss Korea beauty pageant at an exhibition held at the Life Sports Club, Hannam-dong, Seoul, Sunday. / Korea Times

By Kwon Mee-yoo

A beauty pageant winner is holding a traditional Korean paper-craft exhibition to celebrate the 55th anniversary of the Miss Korea beauty contest from Sunday.

An Da-hye, the second runner-up of the 2010 Miss Korea, will show about 60 pieces made with “hanji,” or traditional Korean mulberry paper, at the lobby of the Life Sports Club, Hannam-dong, Seoul.

Park Jin-yeol, president of the Hankook Ilbo, 54 candidates of 2011 Miss Korea pageant and winners of the 2009 and 2010 beauty contests attended the opening of the exhibition Sunday.

For the exhibition, An created some 60 works to fete the 55th anniversary of Korea’s largest beauty pageant and to support this year’s candidates.

The works on display include a rice container and a photo frame. A pair of shoes made from hanji symbolizes the first step as a beauty pageant participant, while the photo frame portrays memories of the 2010 Miss Korea contest.

When she was announced as one of the winners of the 2010 Miss Korea beauty pageant, she said she wants to open an atelier for Korean traditional paper craft.

“I want to promote the beauty of traditional Korean patterns and art through paper,” An said. “I will continue working on hanji, making the most of Korean charm.”