This article is by Lee Jian and read by an artificial voice.



History came alive - literally - on Saturday at the National Museum of Korea in Yongsan District, central Seoul.

Human embodiments of ancient Korean artifacts, such as pottery, jewelry, Buddha statues and paintings, strutted down a red-carpet runway in styles true to their original forms - gliding, scuttling or crawling on all fours - as thousands cheered from the museum's outdoor plaza steps.



"I thought it was hilariously creative, and the fact that these are all made by regular people is amazing as well," said U.S. tourist Hilary Mann, 63, who was in the audience. "Seeing them walk around like that kind of reminded me of a scene from 'Beauty and the Beast.'"

Out of 83 submissions to this year's "Dress Like a Museum Exhibit" contest, 10 finalists took to Saturday's stage. The event, hosted by the National Museum of Korea, debuted under its current title this year after a smaller pilot last year, and is now set to become an annual tradition.



The grand prize went to two men dressed as a pair of Silla Dynasty (57 B.C.-A.D. 935) gold earrings: Kang Han-min as the "left earring" and his cousin, Kwon Hyung-soon, as the "right." The duo, perfectly synchronized, crabwalked down the runway as human-sized earrings. They received 1 million won ($709) and a certificate from the Director of the National Museum of Korea, You Hong-june.

"You can say this is what happens when a dad and an uncle get too into things," Kang said with a sheepish smile, pointing at his costume. "It all started with my daughter, who's in fifth grade. We entered the contest for her, but somewhere along the way, the two of us got more into it than she did. We ended up creating multiple versions until we finally made this one."



The Gold Earrings of Hwango-dong from Gyeongju - the artifact that inspired them - is a national treasure that represents the social hierarchy and aesthetic sensibilities of the early 6th century. Kang and Kwon's replica was made from bubble wrap, wires and hanji (traditional Korean paper), coated with clear lacquer.

Also taking the stage were four mothers from Changwon, South Gyeongsang, garbed as the Gold Crown from Seobongchong Tumulus.

"All our kids are between the ages of 6 and 9, and they're starting to feel shy and experience failure and defeat. As mothers, we wanted to take part in this contest to show our kids confidence," said team member Kang Hyo-jeong. Their runway performance included an enthusiastic - if not pitch-perfect - rendition of "Golden," the soaring anthem from Netflix's hit animation "KPop Demon Hunters."



Another standout was Kim Jae-in, dazzlingly costumed as the Gilt-bronze Seated Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva from the Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392). With her golden gown flowing in the wind, a tall crown and a veil, Kim looked strikingly close to the actual statue. She and her teammate Park Han-sol, a makeup artist, won the second-highest prize. Kim, a hanbok (traditional Korean clothes) photographer, said, "It's such a well-preserved artifact, and we thought it would be a fun challenge to recreate it while doing something different from our usual work."



The museum's director You underscored the youthful vibrancy that the "Dress Like a Museum Exhibit" contest brought to the National Museum of Korea.

"Museums are often thought of as solemn places," he said Saturday. "But in reality, they are alive. The National Museum of Korea is showing the world what a 'living museum' can be - where the building and its relics come alive through visitors."

The National Museum anticipates surpassing 5 million annual visitors this year, marking a record for the institution. Some 6,000 people attended Saturday's ceremony, per the institution.



Other finalists included Jang Min, dressed as a Goryeo celadon vase, who maintained her poise even when her silk headpiece blew away, and Ahn Ji-yeon, with her son in elementary school, who presented a cardboard version of a Silla earth...