A festival for traditional Korean paper, known as "hanji," opened in Sydney on Monday for a two-week run to introduce its beauty and attraction to Australian visitors.

The "2016 Hanji Culture Festival in Sydney" opened at the Korean Cultural Center, where hanji fashion shows, workshops and other related events are being held.

A Korean traditional dance was performed at the opening ceremony, with 10 Australian models appearing in a fashion show wearing 50 hanji ensembles for some 250 attendees.

The festival was co-organized by the Korean Cultural Center in Sydney and the Jeonju Hanji Forum in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province. Jeonju, 243 kilometers south of Seoul, is an ancient city famous for its rich cultural legacy.

Some 60 hanji crafts including dolls and bamboo fans are currently on display at the exhibition hall of the cultural center.

Hanji is traditional Korean paper that is handmade by processing the bark of the mulberry plant. Before modern times, hanji was the only paper used in Korea. Today, it is used for handicrafts and costumes.

Starting in Shanghai in 2007, hanji culture festivals have been held in Germany, the Czech Republic, Canada, Russia and Turkey. (Yonhap)