Dogabi No. 337 has the presence of a serious guardian — tall horns, gold teeth, and a gaze that suggests it has already seen the year ahead and is unfazed. Larger than the earlier Dogabi incense burners, this piece feels decidedly sculptural: a ceremonial head with pale textured horns, a central horn on the brow, and soft gray-green glaze layered with subtle color shifts. There is humor in the raised brow and the gleam of gold, but it is the calm confidence that lingers.
Created by Korean artist Hyung-Jun Kim, the maker behind Dogabi, each piece draws from the Korean dokkaebi tradition — spirited guardians that live somewhere between myth and companion. Every Dogabi is thrown on the wheel, carved, and sculpted by hand. There are no molds, no repeats. One number, one character, one piece in the world.
This burner works with both stick and cone incense. Smoke drifts through the open mouth and teeth, animating the face as it burns. Use it, or simply let it exist as an object — it holds a room either way.
A one-of-a-kind ceramic work with 23.5k gold details.
Curious where these forms come from? Read about dokkaebi in Korean folklore in our Sunday Reading.
DETAILS
Material: white porcelain ceramic
Method: wheel-thrown, sculpted, pierced decoration
Kiln temperature: 2282°F oxidation firing
Glaze firing: 1472°F
Gold: British 23.5k
Size: 195 × 130 × 260 (h) mm / approximately 7.7 × 5.1 × 10.2 (h) inches
Weight: 1315 g
USE & CARE
Burns stick or cone incense
Use on a heat-safe surface
Do not leave burning incense unattended
Keep away from children, pets, and drafts
Allow the piece to cool completely before handling
THE BRAND
Dogabi is the ceramic universe of Korean artist Hyung-Jun Kim, inspired by the dokkaebi—mischievous Korean goblins said to bring luck, laughter, and the occasional bit of chaos. Each piece is hand-formed, glazed, and given an unmistakable personality: humorous, slightly feral, deeply charming. No molds are used; every Dogabi is a one-of-a-kind character meant to live with you, watch over your space, and maybe play a few tricks along the way.
