Hidden behind a majestic palace in the middle of Seoul lies what is called a "Secret Garden." While called a garden, I beg to call it a place of harmony between nature and man. Within a vast forest painted with flowers, trees and chirping birds, are man made structures dotted carefully along the vast area. The structures are placed cautiously to preserve the beauty that nature inspires, and in doing so, construe the harmony between man and nature...thus, actualizing true beauty.

Every Thursday is BE.ARUM's "Ideation Day" where we select a venue or topic to explore the topic of beauty in various settings. As a brand that fully devotes to inspiring the world with beautiful jewelry, we believe it is our basic responsibility to constantly seek to understand more about what is "beautiful."

The Secret Garden is all about harmony. The pond in the photo is a symbol of the harmony between the Earth and the Heavens. The ancient Koreans believed that the Earth was in the shape of a square and the Heaven a circle, so a small island floats in the middle of square pond. Although they might have gotten the square and circle wrong, the representation of harmony inspires a sense of beauty important to us even today. 

It was a snowy day today and with snowflakes floating down onto autumn leaves that have yet to also float on down, it was the perfect day to explore the concept of beauty. 

We also took the liberty to place ourselves into the beautiful landscape of the palaces. The background is a 600 year old structure which serves as a shrine for the past Kings and Queens of Korea. Not only is it beautiful, the symbolic nature that it provides let us appreciate even more the pleasing aura of it. 

The aesthetically pleasing old Korean buildings, not only were visually beautiful but also served to mesmerize us and move us in a certain way. The sounds of our feet bouncing back from the structures, the little chirps that birds made with the cold yet soothing wind that blew gently over us really found us to be completely blown away. The bland yet somehow tranquil view coupled with the aura of the site, soothed our souls as we were struck in awe exploring the nearly 600 year old buildings. 

Although very beautiful, being outside for too long left us cold and hungry so we quickly escaped to a modern cafe right outside of the palace. A modern building overlooked an old Korean house which was renovated into a cafe. The mix between old and new and chic and warm was rather harmoniously beautiful.

With a cup of tea, we were able to warm up our bodies and truly appreciate the beauty of Korea. An eclectic mix of old and new, stimulating yet tranquil, the true beauty was that it is what it is, beautiful just the way it is. 

So we took the liberty of taking a photo of one of our bracelets using the background of an old Korean building. Just to exemplify what is "beautiful just the way it is," telling the world "넌 있는 그대로가 아름다워. 

We at BE.ARUM view jewelry as an icon of beauty in itself. We design our jewelry to be worn as a form of self expression to both the wearer herself and the world - that they are confident, strong, and simply beautiful as they are. Minimally designed and easy for everyday, our jewelry provide a subtle reminder that "넌 있는 그대로가 아름다워." or "You are beautiful as you are." 

Designing our jewelry is challenging but extremely exciting. Integrating beautiful Korean lettering as the core design of the jewelry requires careful attention to typography as well as the look and feel of the individual jewelry piece.

It's a process that usually begins with an idea. Usually that idea comes from an existing piece of jewelry or something that pops up into mind. Then it's time to sketch it all out. 

Carefully considering the shape, colors, sizing and other factors, Hyun Kyung goes through sketch after sketch in an attempt to find the perfect piece - not being too simple yet being minimal enough to be a subtle addition to your look.

넌 있는 그대로가 아름다워.

BE.ARUM

The month of October is marked, in many countries, as International Breast Cancer Awareness Month to "increase attention and support for the awareness, early detection and treatment as well as palliative care of this disease."*

According to the WHO, "breast cancer is by far the most common cancer in women worldwide, both in the developed and developing countries." It is a disease when detected early has a good chance of being cured. However, there is little knoweldge on the cause of breast cancer. 

BE.ARUM wishes to take part in raising awareness and supporting research for Breast Cancer during the month of October. In doing what we do best, and also to find purpose in what we do, we've added a touch of pink to our three of our bracelets - Modern Leather, Cheery String, and 그냥 이뻐. These bracelets will be only available for the month of October.

We are also donating part of the proceeds from all Breast Cancer Awareness bracelets sold in the month of October to support research for breast cancer. We will be donating 10% of the purchase of every Breast Cancer Awareness bracelet to select breast cancer foundations including but not limited to Breast Cancer Research Foundation (www.bcrf.org) and the Korean Beast Cancer Foundation (www.kbcf.or.kr)

Wear pink to show support for Breast Cancer survivors and patients, remember those lost to the disease and to support research and aid to end this disease. Most importantly, let them know, "넌 있는 그대로가 아름다워."

The collection can be found at http://www.bearum.kr/collections/breast-cancer-awareness-bracelets