A Responsorium Inspired by Korean Colour Culture

1st November, 2022 / Words by Peter Harrington, Photos by Bike Makes Me Happy

At first glance, a traditional Korean Hanok house might not seem to have much in common with a stainless steel, custom-painted road racing bike. But look closer, and the beautifully detailed wooden window frames and muntins characteristic of a Hanok house reveal themselves to be similar expressions of the same spirit of creativity that flows within all works of time and patience.

When our Korean partner, Bike Makes Me Happy, was approached by a client to commission a Pegoretti Responsorium inspired by Hanok patterns and Obangseak, the traditional Korean colour spectrum, they jumped at the chance to develop a build that combined Korean culture with the customer’s love of Italian cycling.

Obangsaek’s colours of blue, red, yellow, white and black represented the perfect starting point for the Ciavete artwork, and in the Responsorium disc frame, the ideal match for the client’s riding style and routine.

To complement the Responsorium frame, Bike Makes Me Happy specced a Campagnolo Super Record drivetrain augmented with ALDHU Carbon rotors alongside Campagnolo’s Bora WTO Ultra wheels. Cockpit components include an S-Works Romin EVO 3D saddle and Mcfk seat post, paired with the German brand’s road handlebar and stem.

Once the bike was built, the team at Bike Makes Me Happy took it for a photo shoot at Gyeongbokgung Palace in northern Seoul, the main royal palace of the Joseon dynasty and a place of great inspiration for their client. Built in 1395, Gyeongbokgung is the largest of the Five Grand Palaces of the Joseon dynasty. It’s a spectacular and moving place to visit, and as these photos show, the perfect backdrop to capture a Pegoretti inspired by traditional Korean culture.

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