Detail

Following the postage rate hike in September 2021, Korea Post issued three types of newly designed definitive postage stamps that reflect the respective adjusted basic rates and fees for ordinary post, large post and registered post in accordance with the regulated postal rates. Additionally, Korea Post is issuing newly designed definitive postage stamps in three monetary units (KRW 10, KRW 50, KRW 100). On the KRW 10 stamp is the large copper (Lycaena dispar), an internationally endangered species. The large copper is known to live in cold regions. However, they are widespread from the midland of Korea to the warm southern provinces, which is estimated to be related with climate change. From May to October, they can be found near water, around rice fields, at forest edges, or in grass on low mountains. They mainly flock around daisy fleabane, hemistepta lyrata, tickseed, and knotweed. They spread their wings on clear, sunny days while frolicking and basking in the sun. Their wingspan measures 26 to 41 mm. From the side, when their wings are closed, it is difficult to differentiate between male and female, but it is easy when they are open. Male wings are simply orange, except for the front and outside edges. On the other hand, female wings have a row of dots from the middle of their front wings to the edge, and the back wings are patterned with orange on the edge. Featured on this stamp is a male large copper. On the KRW 50 stamp is the traditional Korean confectionery yugwa. Unlike Western confectionery, which is mostly made of flour and oven baked, yugwa is mainly made of rice. The first syllable of its name derives from the Chinese character for oil due to it being deep fried in oil. Various types of yugwa comprise gangjeong, sanja, gwajul, yeonsagwa, bingsagwa, and more, which are called according to the manner in which the pounded rice cake dough is cut. Ones that are cut into big slices are sanja, while ones cut into bite-sized pieces are gangjeong. Ones cut into red bean sized pieces, dried, fried, mixed with taffy to stick together, and cut into angular pieces are called bingsagwa. In Goryeosajeolyo (Essentials of Goryeo History) written by early Joseon scholars, it details how yugwa was forbidden for a time because each piece had to be made painstakingly by hand and contained expensive ingredients. However, in Dongguk Sesigi (A Record of Seasonal Customs in Korea) and Yeolyang Sesigi (Seasonal Festive Customs in the Capital), we can see yugwa was recorded as a gourmet food that was essential for ancestral rites and guests. Featured on this stamp is a delectably mouthwatering sweet rice yugwa. On the KRW 100 stamp is the black paradise flycatcher (Terpsiphone atrocaudata), a summer migratory bird found on the Korean Peninsula. In the past, it was called “samgwangjo,” according to the Japanese name, but now is called the “ginkkorittaksae”—“gin” meaning long, “kkori” meaning tail, and “ddaksae” meaning small bird—to reflect the male black paradise flycatcher’s tail being more than three times longer than its female counterpart’s. It has been chosen to be featured on the stamp for the purpose of promoting its name change. The black paradise flycatcher originally could be seen all over Korea from the beginning of May to the beginning of August. They were also found in Japan, Primorsky Krai in Russia, southeastern China, Taiwan, Sumatra, and the Malaysian Peninsula, but its population has been decreasing worldwide. This bird is an endangered species in need of international protection. The male black paradise flycatcher’s body is about 44 cm long, and the female is about 18 cm long. The reason why the male black paradise flycatcher’s tail is long is because females prefer males with long tails and they developed shorter tails. From the head to the chest, this bird is black, and the back is a dark gray. The chest and from the edge of the belly are white. On their heads, they have a small tuft, and the rim of the eye and the beak are blue. Featured on this stamp is a male black paradise flycatcher.