Colorverse - Kyujang Gak [규장각]

Colorverse - Kyujang Gak - Ink drop

Kyujang Gak is another ink in Colorverse’s Kingdom series. It’s part of the original group released in late 2022. The Kingdom inks are from volume three in the Project series. These elegant inks are inspired by aspects of Korea’s Joseon Dynasty (1392-1897).

Colorverse - Kyujang Gak - Color Range

Kyujang Gak is a beautiful, weathered, dark cherry red. The color closely matches one of the dominant colors that decorate traditional, wooden structures of Korean temples and palaces.

Ink Swatches on Cosmo Air Light and Tomoe River

Like the other inks in the series, it has an aged, pastel appearance that is very comfortable and inviting. It’s also a nice shading ink, which emphasizes the weathered look. On many papers, it has a strong, dark stroke edge that gives it great definition and a confident persona.

Shading and Stroke Edge on Cosmo Air Snow!

The name Kyujang Gak refers to the royal library established in 1776 by King Jeongjo. It was built to house the Kyujang (royal calligraphic works) and other scholarly writings and documents.

Colorverse - Kyujang Gak - Writing Samples

The overall writing experience is good. Kyujang Gak is a very consistent and reliable ink, although it’s slightly on the dry side. It isn’t overly dry, but there is a slight feel in writing. This will please some and annoy others. I didn’t find any problem with feathering or spread, and even on cheap copy paper, show-through was fairly light given the dark base color. This is a very versatile, usable ink for everyday purposes.

Colorverse - Kyujang Gak - Swatch Card

The base color, shading, and stroke edge make this a very attractive ink. Although slightly dry, it’s a nice writing ink, too. It’s beautifully packaged and comes in the 30 ml bottle. Shop around and you can find it for US$15 per bottle.

Colorverse - Kyujang Gak - Comparisons

Colorverse - Kyujang Gak - 30 ml Bottle and Box