Wrap · Gifts
Dumpling knot
An all-purpose holiday gift wrap gathered into a plump dumpling shape, suited to boxes or odd-shaped items.
- For
- Holiday gifts; any shape of object
- Wraps
- Box or any shape
- Cloth
- laid as a diamond
- Closed with
- Double-tie (square knot by two ties)
- Level
- Moderate
The cafe guide says it suits any shape. 만두 매듭 is also a stock option at a Seoul wrapping workshop (보자기사랑), and Lee Hyo-jae's knots are described as shaped like 'dumplings, flowers or topknots' (JoongAng Daily).
- 1Set the box on the cloth.
- 2Tie two opposite corners together twice.
- 3Spread the four tails out in four directions.
- 4Gather all four tails into a round bundle at the centre.
- 5Wrap the lowest tail around the bundle.
- 6Tuck its end under on the opposite side.
- 7Tidy the remaining cloth with a chopstick.
History & tradition
Modern Korea; named by Lee Hyo-jae, about 2008-2010
Named for its resemblance to a pleated mandu dumpling. It is one of the four shape-named knots in hanbok designer Lee Hyo-jae's gift-wrapping, which JoongAng Daily in 2010 described as knots like 'dumplings, blooming flowers and topknots'. Her guide recommends it for contents of any shape. It is a modern decorative wrap rather than a documented historical one.
Offered as a standard finish by Seoul wrapping workshops and shared in holiday-gift guides.
Researched with medium confidence.