Seoul Tower Hwatu

Published January 05, 2017 Updated April 26, 2022

This special ‘Hwatu’ card set has all the traditional 48 flower cards given a modern graphic treatment.

2008 KoreaArt & DesignMiracle FishHwatu

Seoul Tower Hwatu published by Miracle Fish ©2008

Tradition and Modernity are not contradictory or exclusive. The question is: “which traditions live and change, and which do not?”

Both the deck and the game have now become part of Korean tradition, with new ‘branded’ or ‘themed’ versions being devised. This unique ‘Hwatu’ card set has all the traditional 48 flower cards given a modern graphic treatment - which also extends to the Jokers and extra cards. In addition, the suits are given symbolic meanings which are printed on each card. The set is presented in a special plastic case, inside a draw-string bag, inside a nice cardboard box, all superbly customised by ‘Miraclefish’ and ‘The Bang’, and made in Korea.

See also: Diamond HwatuWaddamda HwatuRoyal Hwatu.

Seoul Tower Hwatu published by Miracle Fish ©2008 Seoul Tower Hwatu published by Miracle Fish ©2008 Seoul Tower Hwatu published by Miracle Fish ©2008 Seoul Tower Hwatu published by Miracle Fish ©2008

Above: Seoul Tower Hwatu playing cards published by Miraclefish, 2008. 48 cards + 3 Jokers + 4 extra cards, presented in a special plastic case, inside a draw-string bag, inside a customised cardboard box. Cards sourced by Adam Wintle & Jinny Puprasert.

avatar
1,498 Articles

By Simon Wintle

Spain • Member since February 01, 1996

I am the founder of The World of Playing Cards (est. 1996), a website dedicated to the history, artistry and cultural significance of playing cards and tarot. Over the years I have researched various areas of the subject, acquired and traded collections and contributed as a committee member of the IPCS and graphics editor of The Playing-Card journal. Having lived in Chile, England, Wales, and now Spain, these experiences have shaped my work and passion for playing cards. Amongst my achievements is producing a limited-edition replica of a 17th-century English pack using woodblocks and stencils—a labour of love. Today, the World of Playing Cards is a global collaborative project, with my son Adam serving as the technical driving force behind its development. His innovative efforts have helped shape the site into the thriving hub it is today. You are warmly invited to become a contributor and share your enthusiasm.

Activity for Seoul Tower Hwatu

Sign in to comment or save this article.


Related Articles

2000 The ACA Liège Game

The ACA Liège Game

A curious art-game from the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of Liège, issued in 2000.

1990 Ases de la pintura / Masters of painting

Ases de la pintura / Masters of painting

Ases de la pintura / Masters of painting playing cards made by Naipes Comas, Spain, c.1990.

1942 Lidia Schöffer art-deco playing cards

Lidia Schöffer art-deco playing cards

A prize winning design from The Netherlands

1949 Classique

Classique

“Classique” by Draeger Frères, Paris, c.1949 with designs reminiscent of early French cards.

51: Some modern variations

51: Some modern variations

A brief survey of some current variations in the standard English pattern.

2015 Giffgaff

Giffgaff

Giffgaff mobile network playing cards, 2015.

Modern Aces of Spades

Modern Aces of Spades

Many modern aces of spades are anonymous so that, in the absence of any other information, the colle...

1958 Öbergs ‘Comedia’

Öbergs ‘Comedia’

Öbergs “Comedia” playing cards designed by Stig Lindberg from Sweden, c.1958

Anonymous Dutch deck, 1940s

Anonymous Dutch deck, 1940s

Anonymous Dutch deck, 1940s

19: 19th Century Breaks with Tradition - Unusual versions of the Standard English Pattern

19: 19th Century Breaks with Tradition - Unusual versions of the Standard English Pattern

The centuries-long tradition of English court cards was subject to misinterpretation and in some cas...

2012 Korean Hwatu

Korean Hwatu

Hwatu (화투) cards originally came about because gambling with four-suited decks was outlawed. This ba...

Vaivorykste (The Rainbow)

Vaivorykste (The Rainbow)

Vaivorykštė ('the Rainbow') playing cards manufactured in Lithuania by Spindulys, 1930s. The deck ha...

Hwatu

Hwatu

Hwatu - Korean Flower Cards. The cards are printed on thick, red plastic, instead of the laminated b...

Korea

Korea

The game of Hanafunda was introduced into Korea by the Japanese and modified somewhat by the Koreans...

2000Pips Transformation Pack

2000Pips Transformation Pack

2000Pips Transformation Pack

Balázs Pál Nagy's Playing Cards

Balázs Pál Nagy's Playing Cards

Balázs Pál Nagy's Playing Cards

The History of Playing Cards

The History of Playing Cards

Playing cards appear in European records in the late 14th century, but their earlier history lies fu...

Queen of Hearts

Queen of Hearts

“Queen of Hearts” by Josie Callipari, winner of the Brian Tucker Accounting Desert Fantasia Award 20...

About Shelley Fowles

About Shelley Fowles

Shelley Fowles was born in South Africa but has lived in the United Kingdom since 1979. She trained ...


Sign in with Google