The World of Playing Cards Logo

Seoul Tower Hwatu

Published January 05, 2017 Updated April 26, 2022

This special ‘Hwatu’ card set has all the traditional 48 flower cards given a modern graphic treatment.

2008 Korea Miracle Fish Art & Design Hwatu

Seoul Tower Hwatu published by Miracle Fish ©2008

Tradition and Modernity are not contradictory or exclusive. The question is: “which traditions live and change, and which do not?”

Both the deck and the game have now become part of Korean tradition, with new ‘branded’ or ‘themed’ versions being devised. This unique ‘Hwatu’ card set has all the traditional 48 flower cards given a modern graphic treatment - which also extends to the Jokers and extra cards. In addition, the suits are given symbolic meanings which are printed on each card. The set is presented in a special plastic case, inside a draw-string bag, inside a nice cardboard box, all superbly customised by ‘Miraclefish’ and ‘The Bang’, and made in Korea.

See also: Diamond HwatuWaddamda HwatuRoyal Hwatu.

Seoul Tower Hwatu published by Miracle Fish ©2008 Seoul Tower Hwatu published by Miracle Fish ©2008 Seoul Tower Hwatu published by Miracle Fish ©2008 Seoul Tower Hwatu published by Miracle Fish ©2008

Above: Seoul Tower Hwatu playing cards published by Miraclefish, 2008. 48 cards + 3 Jokers + 4 extra cards, presented in a special plastic case, inside a draw-string bag, inside a customised cardboard box. Cards sourced by Adam Wintle & Jinny Puprasert.

avatar
1,475 Articles

By Simon Wintle

Member since February 01, 1996

Founder and editor of the World of Playing Cards since 1996. He is a former committee member of the IPCS and was graphics editor of The Playing-Card journal for many years. He has lived at various times in Chile, England and Wales and is currently living in Extremadura, Spain. Simon's first limited edition pack of playing cards was a replica of a seventeenth century traditional English pack, which he produced from woodblocks and stencils.

Related Articles

2024 Queen of Arts

Queen of Arts

A wide variety of women artists celebrated on cards with illustrations by Laura Callaghan.

2015 Fredericks & Mae playing cards

Fredericks & Mae playing cards

A rainbow pack from the design team of Fredericks & Mae and Benjamin English.

1798 Pam is the Knave of Clubs

Pam is the Knave of Clubs

Playing cards as metaphors in 18th century art - from fate, chance and social hierarchy t...

1990 Leadmill playing cards

Leadmill playing cards

Promotional pack for an arts centre in Sheffield with designs by Martin F. Bedford.

2010 Typographic Playing Cards

Typographic Playing Cards

Typographic Playing Cards designed by Jim Sutherland, c.2010.

2022 Damn! Fools by Moon

Damn! Fools by Moon

Damn! Fools playing cards designed by Leo Scherfig, 2022.

1980 Crown Hill playing cards

Crown Hill playing cards

Crown Hill playing cards with illustrations by Corrine Guiney, USA,

Heathen Divinities

Heathen Divinities

Handmade playing cards from the British Museum depicting classical Greek and Roman gods and goddesse...

Portrait Playing Cards

Portrait Playing Cards

Portrait playing cards, featuring realistic drawings of people on the court cards instead of traditi...

1985 Paco Lobo

Paco Lobo

Highly original and striking designs by Paco Lobo for the fashion house of the same name.

1962 Jeu Boléro

Jeu Boléro

Sweeping, semi-abstract designs by J.L. Jolin in red and black only.

1968 Knoll International

Knoll International

Geometric designs by the French artist Jean Garçon for Knoll International, the furniture company.

1973 Marcello Morandini

Marcello Morandini

Modern designs by Italian artist Marcello Morandini using the simplest of forms and colours.

1997 Claude Weisbuch

Claude Weisbuch

Free reinterpretation of the traditional Paris pattern courts by the artist Claude Weisbuch.

2010 El Niño de las Pinturas

El Niño de las Pinturas

Forty-nine distinctive works by Spanish graffiti artist Raúl Ruiz.

2019 Pendleton playing cards

Pendleton playing cards

Pendleton playing cards inspired by indigenous American artwork, USA, 2019.