Hanbok

The hanbok () is the traditional clothing of the Korean people.

The term hanbok literally means Korean clothing in South Korea and internationally, where it is the standard term for the attire. North Koreans refer to the clothes as (). The attire is also worn by the Korean diaspora. Koryo-saram—ethnic Koreans living in the lands of the former Soviet Union—also retained a hanbok tradition.

The hanbok is fundamentally composed of a (top), (trousers), (skirt), and the ' (coat). While this core arrangement has remained consistent for a long time, its length, width, and shape have gradually changed over time.

thumb|The Hanbok of a noblewoman from 5th-century Goguryeo murals is rooted in the attire of northern nomadic peoples, featuring a separate top and bottom with an A-line skirt.

Koreans have worn hanbok since antiquity. The earliest visual depictions of hanbok can be traced back to the Three Kingdoms of Korea period (57 BCE to 668 CE) with roots in the ancestors of the Koreanic peoples of what is now northern Korea and Manchuria. The clothes are also depicted on tomb murals from the Goguryeo period (4th to 6th century CE), with the basic structure of the hanbok established since by at least this time. The ancient hanbok, like modern hanbok, consisted of a jeogori, baji, chima, and po.

Some interpretations suggest that certain elements of the hanbok, such as specific colors or patterns, were influenced by traditional folk beliefs or shamanism. For thousands of years, many Koreans have preferred white hanbok, a color considered pure and symbolizing light and the sun. In some periods, commoners () were forbidden from wearing certain colorful hanbok regularly. However, during the Joseon dynasty (1392–1897) and the Japanese occupation of Korea (1910–1945), there was also an attempt to ban white clothes and to encourage non-bleached dyed clothes, which ultimately failed.

Modern hanbok are typically patterned after the hanbok worn in the Joseon period,

Etymology

The term hanbok came into use relatively recently, beginning in the 1800s. It is connected with the historical context in which it appeared.

The term emerged in the late Joseon period, when the Empire of Japan and other western countries competed to place Korea under their own sphere of influence. The first known use of the term is in an 1881 document from the late Joseon period entitled (). There, hanbok is used to distinguish Korean clothing from Japanese and Western-style clothing. Hanbok was again used in an 1895 document to distinguish between Korean and Japanese clothing. These two usages predate the Korean Empire's popularization of the use of the hanja character () to describe the Korean people.

Beginning in 1900, Korean newspapers used the hanja character ' in words that described Korean clothing, such as (), (), and (). Hanbok was used in a 1905 newspaper article to describe the clothing of one of the righteous armies. Other words with similar meanings, such as () and (), were concurrently used.

Since the division of Korea, South Korea has preferred the term hanbok while North Korea has preferred the term . This reflects the general trend of South Korea's preference for the term and North Korea's for .

Components and design

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For women, traditional hanbok consists of the (top) and the (skirt). The ensemble is often known as . For men, hanbok consist of and loose-fitting (trousers).

There are also a variety of vests, jackets and coats on top of this ensemble. For women, there are Jangsam, Dansam, Wonsam, and more. For men, some examples are , , Danryeong-ui, Joong-chimak, Sochang-ui, Daechang-ui, etc.

Jeogori

The () is the basic upper garment of the hanbok, worn by both men and women. It covers the arms and upper part of the wearer's body.

There are various styles and types of varying in fabric, sewing technique, and shape. The basic form of a consists of gil, git, dongjeong, goreum and sleeves. Gil () is the large section of the garment on both front and back sides, and git () is a band of fabric that trims the collar. Dongjeong () is a removable white collar placed over the end of the git and is generally squared off. The goreum () are fabric-strings that tie the .

thumb|Female royal costume

Chima

Chima () refers to "skirt", and is also called sang () or gun () in hanja. The underskirt, or petticoat layer, is called sokchima. Chima-malgi is the waistband that trims the top of the chima. Chima was typically made from rectangular panels that were pleated or gathered into the chima-malgi (waistband). This waistband also had goreum strings for fastening the skirt around the body. From the Goguryeo to Joseon periods, chima have been striped, pleated, patchworked, gored

Sokchima was largely made in a traditional way until the early 20th century when shoulder straps were added, later developing into a sleeveless bodice or "reformed" petticoat called eokkaeheorichima. By the mid-20th century, some outer chima also gained a sleeveless bodice, which was then covered by the .

Baji

Baji () refers to the bottom part of the men's hanbok. It is the term for "trousers" in Korean. Compared to western style pants, does not fit tightly. The roomy design is aimed at making the clothing ideal for sitting on the floor and an ethnic style that dates back to the Three Kingdoms period.

thumb|The men's Hanbok in 5th-century Goguryeo murals, rooted in northern nomadic attire, features a separate top and bottom and is worn with pants.

It functions as modern trousers do and the term is commonly used in Korea to refer to every kind of pants.

The baji-malgi is a waistband of the that has a long string of goreum.

can be unlined trousers, leather trousers, silk pants, or cotton pants, depending on the style of dress, sewing method, embroidery and so on.

Sokgot

Sokgot () is a collective noun for various types of traditional Korean undergarments. They were worn as part of a hanbok before the import of Western-style underwear. Women usually wore several layers of undergarments, the more layers they had the richer they were. Undergarments were considered very important, thus it happened that the quality and material of the underwear were better than that of the visible outer layers.

Deot-ot

Deot-ot refers to a category of outer layers worn on top of the . There are many varieties other than the ones listed here.

Po

Po () is a generic term referring to an outer robe or overcoat. There are two general types of po, the Korean type and the Chinese type. The mainstream Korean type is a common style from the Three Kingdoms of Korea period, and it is used in the modern day.

The word Durumagi in Korean means "closed all around." Originating from the clothing styles of northern peoples, it evolved from Korea's traditional Po (outer robe) system, which dates back to the Goguryeo Kingdom.

The Po of the Goguryeo era had a decorative seon (trim) and was fastened with a tti (belt), in accordance with the style of the time. In contrast, the later Durumagi has little difference except that it lacks the trim and is instead tied with chest goreum (ribbons).

The outer robes of the Paekche and Silla kingdoms were also similar to the Durumagi. Evidence of this can be seen in historical paintings, such as the depiction of a Paekche envoy in the Liang Dynasty's "Portraits of Periodical Offerings" and a Silla envoy in a mural of foreign envoys from the Tang Dynasty's Tomb of Li Xian. In these portraits, the envoys are wearing wide-sleeved robes that are slightly longer than a jeogori (upper jacket), indicating that all three kingdoms shared a similar style of garment.

Baeja refers to sleeveless outer garments that are worn on top of inner garments. It can be different lengths, short to long. Kwaeja is interchangeable with baeja, but Kwaeja often refers to men's clothing. The Chinese type consist of different types of po from mainland China.

Banbi

Banbi (, lit. 'half sleeve') are a type Hanfu that originated from the Tang dynasty. Banbi refers to a variety of short-sleeved garments worn on top of inner garments, typically the Yuanling pao (Chinese: 圓領袍, 'round collar robe'). Numerous outer half-sleeved Banbi can be seen in ancient Tang-era paintings, murals, and statues.

Magoja

Magoja () does not have a git, the band of fabric trimming the collar. Long-sleeved magoja were derived from the magwae he wore in exile because of the cold climate there. Owing to its warmth and ease of wear, magoja became popular in Korea. It is also called "deot jeogori" (literally 'an outer ') or magwae. It is a children's colorful overcoat. It was worn mostly by young boys. The clothes is also called obangjang durumagi which means "an overcoat of five directions". hogeon (peaked cloth hat with a tiger pattern) for young boys or gulle (decorative headgear) for young girls.thumb|Children in [[Washington DC wearing hanbok]]

Foreign influences in design

The clothing of Korea's rulers and aristocrats after CE 7, was influenced by both indigenous and foreign styles, including influences from various Chinese dynasties.

This led to the adoption of specific garments such as the , a robe for Confucian scholars, from the Song dynasty.

The gwanbok (관복 or 단령), worn by male officials was generally adopted from or influenced by the court clothing system of the Tang, Song,

While most court clothing for royal women was indigenous, foreign influence can be seen in a few specific robes. For instance, the Dangui is considered a unique Joseon garment despite its name implying Tang origins, whereas the Wonsam was more clearly adapted from Ming dynasty styles. Both, however, were transformed to fit a distinctly Joseon aesthetic.

The cheollik, which originated in Mongolia, was described in 15th century Korea as gifts from the Ming dynasty or as military uniforms.

The cultural exchange was also bilateral and Goryeo hanbok had a cultural influence on some clothing of Yuan dynasty worn by the upper class (i.e. the clothing worn by Mongol royal women's clothing and in the Yuan imperial court).

Commoners were less influenced by these foreign fashion trends, and mainly wore a style of indigenous clothing distinct from that of the upper classes.

Design and social position

thumb|233x233px|[[Hwarot, bride clothes]]

The choice of hanbok can also signal social position. Bright colors, for example, were generally worn by children and girls, and muted hues by middle-aged men and women. Unmarried women often wore yellow and red chima while matrons wore green and red, and women with sons donned navy. The upper classes wore a variety of colours. Contrastingly, commoners were required to wear white, but dressed in shades of pale pink, light green, gray and charcoal on special occasions.

The material of the hanbok also signaled status. The upper classes dressed in hanbok of closely woven ramie cloth or other high grade lightweight materials in warmer months and of plain and patterned silks throughout the remainder of the year. Commoners, in contrast, were restricted to cotton.

Patterns were embroidered on hanbok to represent the wishes of the wearer. Peonies on a wedding dress, represented a wish for honor and wealth. Lotus flowers symbolized a hope for nobility, and bats and pomegranates showed the desire for children. Dragons, phoenixes, cranes and tigers were only for royalty and high-ranking officials. In addition, special variants were made for officials and shamans. The origin of ancient hanbok can be found in the ancient clothing of what is now today's Northern Korea and Manchuria.

A prevailing theory traces the origin of the hanbok of antiquity to the nomadic clothing of the Eurasian Steppes (Iranian Scythian clothing), spanning across Siberia from western Asia to Northeast Asia, interconnected by the Steppe Route. Reflecting its nomadic origins in western and northern Asia, ancient hanbok shared structural similarities with hobok type clothing of the nomadic cultures in East Asia, designed to facilitate horse-riding and ease of movement, such as the use of trousers and jacket for male clothing and the use of left closure in its jacket.

However, although the ancient hanbok reflects some similarity with the Iranian Scythian clothing, a number of differences between the two types of clothing have also been observed which led associated professor Youngsoo Chang from the Department of Cultural Properties in Gyeongju University in 2020 to argue that the theory about Iranian Scythian clothing being the archetype of the ancient hanbok, a theory accepted as common knowledge in Korean academia, may have to be revised.

Goguryeo tomb murals exhibit different characteristics by region. Murals found in Jian, Manchuria, the earlier capital, primarily depict Goguryeo's indigenous customs, morals, and daily life. In contrast, murals from Pyongyang on the Korean Peninsula, the later capital, reflect a broader cultural interaction. While these murals are fundamentally Goguryeo in character, they also contain depictions of Chinese figures in Han dynasty-style clothing, who are presumed to be linked to the Han commanderies that governed the region at the end of the Old Chosŏn period. Furthermore, certain elements, such as the costumes of the maids in the Gamsinchong tomb, show similarities to the attire of the northern conquest dynasties of China that were contemporary with Goguryeo, specifically during the Northern and Southern, Sui, and Tang periods. Trousers, long jackets and twii (a sash-like belt) were worn by both men and women. Women wore skirts on top of their trousers. These basic structural and features of hanbok remain relatively unchanged to this day, except for the length and the ways the opening was closed as over the years.

Two types of hwa (shoes) were used, one covering only the foot, and the other covering up to the lower knee.

During this period, the conical hat and its similar variants, sometimes adorned with long bird feathers, were worn as headgear.

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File:Goguryeo tomb mural.jpg|A Goguryeo man in a hunting attire from Capital Cities and Tombs of the Ancient Koguryo Kingdom, 5th century CE, Jilin province, China

File:Goguryeo servants.jpg|Goguryeo servants wearing a Chima (skirt) and a durumagi (over coat), Goguryeo mural paintings in Jilin province, China, 5th-century CE

File:수산리 고구려벽화.jpg|A noblewoman in traditional Goguryeo hanbok. 5th century, Detail from a mural in the Susan-ri Tomb, Pyongyang.

File:Goguryeo tomb 07.jpg|The Goguryeo jeogori was a hip-length jacket with narrow sleeves. It had a straight, crossed collar and was tied shut with a belt at the waist. The collar and cuffs were often decorated with a different colored trim.

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The Goguryeo period royal attire was known as ochaebok. The style itself was influenced by hobok(胡服), nomadic clothing from Western and Central Asia.

In Silla, the dallyeong was introduced by Muyeol of Silla in the second year of queen Jindeok of Silla.

Based on archaeological findings, it is assumed that the clothing which was brought back during Queen Jindeok rule are danryunpo and bokdu. The general public of Silla continued to wear their own traditional clothing. The influence of the Tang dynasty during this time was significant and the Tang court dress regulations were adopted in the Silla court. The clothing of the Tang dynasty introduced in Silla made the clothing attire of Silla Court extravagant, and due to the extravagance, King Heundeog enforced the Tang clothing prohibition during the year 834 CE.

Early Balhae officials wore clothing appeared to continue the Three Kingdoms period tradition. The way of wearing the top under the chima did not disappear in Goryeo and continued to coexist with the indigenous Goguryeo style of wearing of the top over skirt throughout the entire Goryeo dynasty; this Tang-style influenced fashion continued to be worn until the early Joseon dynasty.

Hanbok went through significant changes under Mongol rule. After the Goryeo dynasty signed a peace treaty with the Mongol Empire in the 13th century, Mongolian princesses who married into the Korean royal house brought with them Mongolian fashion which began to prevail in both formal and private life.

A total of seven women from the Yuan imperial family were married to the kings of Goryeo. However, this influence on the Mongol court clothing mainly occurred in the last years of the Yuan dynasty.

This cultural phenomenon is strongly associated with the rise of the Goryeo-born Empress Gi, who held significant power during the Zhizheng era (1341–1370), the period specified in the text. Her influence and the large number of Goryeo court ladies she employed are considered key factors in the popularization of Goryeoyang within the Yuan elite.

This trend, particularly prominent in the late Yuan dynasty, is vividly documented in the Chinese historical record Xu Zizhi Tongjian (Volume 214). According to the text, the presence of numerous Goryeo women in the palace, from empresses to court servants, led to a situation where acquiring a Goryeo woman became a status symbol for a noble family. The record states that as a result of their widespread presence, "clothing, boots, hats, and other goods from all regions came to be modeled after the Goryeo style, creating a craze that swept the land."

Throughout the Yuan dynasty, many people from Goryeo were forced to move into the Yuan; most of them were kongnyo (literally translated as "tribute women"), eunuchs, and war prisoners. About 2000 women from Goryeo were sent to Yuan as kongnyo against their will.

Lu Rong notes that the skirt was worn for its aesthetic appeal, creating a flared silhouette that was considered visually pleasing. The trend became so pervasive that some officials, such as Grand Secretary Wan An, wore it year-round. The text describes the fashion as "decadent and bizarre" (yao, 妖), and its popularity ultimately led to an official prohibition being enacted at the beginning of the Hongzhi era (1488–1505). This record from a Chinese source provides clear evidence of a "Joseon style" (Joseon-yang) creating a major fashion trend within Ming China's elite society.<gallery>

File:Water-Moon Avalokiteshvara (detailed view of patrons).jpg|Details of the Water-Moon Avalokiteshvara painting shows a group of nobles (possibly the donors) dress in court clothing, Goryeo painting

File:Goryeohanbok.jpg|alt=A noblewoman's attire in Water-Moon Avalokiteshvara,It were chima jeogori,it was a Goryeo dynasty painting, 1323 CE.|Chima-jeogori, a noblewoman's attire in Water-Moon Avalokiteshvara, Goryeo dynasty painting, 1323 CE

File:王宮曼荼羅図.jpg|Court ladies wearing the Tang and Song dynasty style clothing, from the painting Royal Palace Mandala, late Goryeo

File:Goryeo lady joban.jpg|Portrait of Lady Jo ban (1341–1401 CE), Goryeo dynasty

File:Korea-National.Treasure-110-Yi.Jehyung-portrait-NMK.jpg|Portrait of Yi Je-hyeon (1287–1367 CE) of the Goryeo dynasty, wearing simui

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In Goryeo Buddhist paintings, the clothing and headwear of royalty and nobles typically follow the clothing system of the Song dynasty. The Goryeo painting "Water-Moon Avalokiteshvara", for example, is a Buddhist painting which was derived from both Chinese and Central Asian pictorial references. On the other hand, the clothing worn in Yuan dynasty rarely appeared in paintings of Goryeo.

Neo-Confucianism as the ruling ideology in Joseon was established by the early Joseon dynasty kings; this led to the dictation of clothing style worn by all social classes in Joseon (including the dress of the royals, the court members, the aristocrats and commoners) in all types of occasions, which included wedding and funerals. Social values such as the integrity in men and chastity in women were also reflected in how people would dress.

Women's everyday wear

Early Joseon continued the women's fashion for baggy, loose clothing, such as those seen on the mural from the tomb of Bak Ik (1332–1398); the murals from the tomb of Bak Ik are valuable resources in Korean archaeology and art history for study of life and customs in early Joseon. the women of the lower class generally imitated the upper-class women clothing.thumb|Ordinary people's clothing, civil official.|250x250pxDuring the Joseon dynasty, the chima (skirt) adopted fuller volume, while the jeogori (upper garment) took a more tightened and shortened form, features quite distinct from the hanbok of earlier eras like Goguryeo and Goryeo, when the chima had a more natural A-line silhouette and the jeogori was baggy and long, reaching well below waist level.

thumb|233x233px|Wearing a full chima and veiled by a sseugaechima, an 18th-century Joseon woman heads to a secret, moonlit rendezvous with her lover.

In the 15th century, neo-Confucianism was very rooted in the social life of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries which led to the strict regulation of clothing (including fabric use, colours of fabric, motifs, and ornaments) based on status. Neo-Confucianism also influenced women's wearing of full-pleated chima, longer jeogori, and multiple layers of clothing in order to never reveal skin. In the 15th century, women started wearing full-pleated chima, which completely hid the body lines, and longer-length jeogori. The 15th-century style was heavily influenced by the prevailing Neo-Confucian ideology from China. The length of women's gradually shortened: it was approximately 65&nbsp;cm in the 16th century, 55&nbsp;cm in the 17th century, 45&nbsp;cm in the 18th century, and 28&nbsp;cm in the 19th century, with some as short as 14.5&nbsp;cm. As there was an excessive preference for boys in the Joseon dynasty, the deliberate exposure of breast eventually became a cultural practice and an indicator of women's pride and status symbol in having given birth to a son and thus she would "proudly bare her breasts to feed her child, deliberately provoking the envy of other women". Under the 1884's decree of King Gojong, only narrow-sleeves traditional overcoats were permitted; as such, all Koreans, regardless of their social class, age and their gender started to wear the durumagi or chaksuui or ju-ui (周衣). The gat was considered an essential aspect in a man's life. Joseon-era aristocrats also adopted a lot of hats which were introduced from China, such as the banggwan, sabanggwan, dongpagwan, waryonggwan, jeongjagwan, as well.

Owing to the influence of Neo-Confucianism, it was compulsory for women throughout the entire society to wear headdresses (nae-oe-seugae) to avoid exposing their faces when going outside. Those headdresses may include suegaechima (a headdress that looked like a chima but was narrower and shorter in style, worn by the upper-class women and later by all classes of people in late Joseon), the jang-ot, and the neoul (which was only permitted for court ladies and noblewomen).

Later development

Modern hanbok is the direct descendant of hanbok patterned after those worn by aristocratic women or by the people who were at least from the middle-class in the Joseon period, specifically the late 19th century. Hanbok had gone through various changes and fashion fads during the five hundred years under the reigns of Joseon kings and eventually evolved to what is now considered typical hanbok.

Beginning in the late 19th century, hanbok was largely replaced by new Western imports like the Western suit and dress. Today, formal and casual wear are usually based on Western styles. However, hanbok is still worn for traditional occasions, and is reserved for celebrations like weddings, the Lunar New Year, annual ancestral rites, or the birth of a child.

Modern usage

Hanbok was featured in international haute couture; on the catwalk, in 2015 when Karl Lagerfeld dressed Korean models for Chanel, and during Paris Fashion Week in photography by Phil Oh. It has also been worn by international celebrities, such as Britney Spears and Jessica Alba, and athletes, such as tennis player Venus Williams and football player Hines Ward.

Hanbok is also popular among Asian-American celebrities, such as Lisa Ling and Miss Asia 2014, Eriko Lee Katayama. It has also made appearances on the red carpet, and was worn by Sandra Oh at the SAG Awards, and by Sandra Oh's mother who made fashion history in 2018 for wearing a hanbok to the Emmy Awards.

South Korea

The South Korean government has supported the resurgence of interest in hanbok by sponsoring fashion designers. Domestically, hanbok has become trendy in street fashion and music videos. It has been worn by prominent K-pop artists like Blackpink and BTS, notably in their music videos for "How You Like That" and "Idol."

In Seoul, tourist's wearing of hanbok makes their visit to the Five Grand Palaces (Changdeokgung, Changgyeonggung, Deoksugung, Gyeongbokgung and Gyeonghuigung) free of charge.

In Busan, the APEC South Korea 2005 provided hanbok for delegates of the 21 member economies of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation.

North Korea

Hanbok is also worn in present-day North Korea where it is known as (). The thus highlights the identity of the Korean ethnic and has been more actively promoted under the rule of Kim Jong Un. and when North Koreans celebrate the 60th, 70th, and 80th birthdays of their parents.

History in North Korea

The 1950s and 1960s also saw women from the upper-class wear made out of rayon while a black-and-white consisting of a black long-length and white were used in the 1950s and 1960s where it was generally worn by women; this style can, however, be traced to a typical clothing style used in the Joseon period. and since the 2002, North Korea have held their own fashion show in Pyongyang every spring. People of the ethnic group are not recent immigrants to China, but have a long history having lived in China for generations. They share the same ethnic identity as the ethnic Korean people in both North and South Korea, but are counted as Chinese citizens by nationality under the Constitution of China. Their traditions are not entirely the same due to their unique historical experiences, geographical location and mixed identities. In the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture, where most reside, due to the isolation for about 50 years from both North and South Korea. In 2022, a girl from the ethnic group wore a on the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics opening ceremony leading to an uproar from South Koreans who accused China of cultural appropriation.) and gender through the many types, components, and characteristics. Although the modern hanbok does not express a person's status or social position, hanbok was an important element of distinguishment especially in the Goryeo and Joseon dynasties. Popular embroidered patterns on were lotuses, phoenixes, butterflies, and the ten traditional symbols of longevity: the sun; mountains; water; clouds; rocks/stone; pine trees; the mushroom of immortality; turtles; white cranes, and deer. Each pattern represented a different role within society, for example: a dragon represented an emperor while a phoenix represented a queen; floral patterns represented a princess and a king's daughter by a concubine, and clouds and cranes represented high ranking court officials. The Wonsam was also adopted from China and is believed to have been one of the costumes from the Tang dynasty which was bestowed in the Unified Three Kingdoms period. The came in many colors, but yellow and/or green were most common. However the emperor wore purple , and the queen wore red. Myeonbok was composed of Myeonryu-Gwan () and Gujang-bok (). The empress wore purple-red colored Jeokui, the queen wore pink, and the crown princess wore deep blue.

left|thumb|The Cheollik, a practical military robe (po) of the Joseon Dynasty, was designed for horsemanship and combat.

The cheollik, unlike other forms of Korean clothing, is an amalgamation of a blouse with a kilt into a single item of clothing. The flexibility of the clothing allowed easy horsemanship and archery. During the Joseon dynasty, they continued to be worn by the king, and military officials for such activities. It was usually worn as a military uniform, but by the end of the Joseon dynasty, it had begun to be worn in more casual situations. A unique characteristic allowed the detachment of the cheollik's sleeves which could be used as a bandage if the wearer was injured in combat.

Aengsam

Aengsam was the formal clothing for students during the national government exam and governmental ceremonies. It was typically yellow, but for the student who scored the highest in the exam, they were rewarded with the ability to wear green Aengsam.

Accessories

thumb|Hanbok accessories

Binyeo

Binyeo was a traditional ornamental hairpin, and it had a different-shaped tip again depending on social status. As a result, it was possible to determine the social status of the person by looking at the binyeo. Women in the royal family had dragon or phoenix-shaped binyeo while ordinary women had trees or plum blossoms. Binyeo was a proof of marriage and considered a woman's expression of chastity and decency.

Daenggi

Daenggi is a traditional Korean cloth ribbon used to tie and decorate braided hair.

thumb|Hanbok with Multiple Norigae|350x350px

Norigae

Norigae was a typical traditional accessory for women; it was worn by all women regardless of social ranks. However, the social rank of the wearer determined the size and material of the norigae. Danghye were decorated with trees bearing grapes, pomegranates, chrysanthemums, or peonies: these were symbols of longevity.

Danghye for a woman in the royal family were known as kunghye (), and they were usually patterned with flowers.

In the case of jeogori, there are more than 10 types of general materials such as silk, jade, and general wool, and they use ramie or hemp in summer, and silk or Gapsa, Hangra, and Guksa cloth in spring and autumn.

The material used evenly throughout the four seasons was sesame, and silk, both ends, and silk were often used in the durumagi for adult men.

In the case of silk, which is one of the most widely used materials due to differences in lining and outer material, most of the silk jeogori was lined with silk, and if it was not possible, only the inside of the collar, the tip, and the sap were lined with silk. If this situation did not work out like this, the fine-grained cotton was used. In fact, more than half of the materials identified in the jeogori study were silk, followed by cotton and hemp. In some cases, silk and cotton were lined with a mixture. When the jeogori was torn or broken, most of them were sewn with the same fabric, and a large piece was added to the elbow and sewn. Main misconception about hanbok is that hanbok has chima which resembled cloth for pregnant woman. This chima is not traditional hanbok. At about 1920, new chima was made to cover chest. This chima had strings which could be worn on the shoulder. So this chima looked like that it started from over upper waist, almost from chest. This chima looked like cloth for pregnant woman. This chima did not exist in hanbok before about 1920. Traditional hanbok did not have this kind of chima before about 1920. Original hanbok chima was worn with being tied around waist.

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file:Hyewon-Yeonso.dapcheong.jpg|Young people's outgoing, 19th century

file:Danwon-Jari.jjagi.jpg|Weaving a mat, 18th century

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Hanbok Wave

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of South Korea, in partnership with the Korea Craft Design and Culture Promotion Agency, launched the Hanbok Wave initiative in 2020 to promote hanbok globally. In a statement, the ministry stated: "The interest in hanbok is rising around the world. Through collaborations with top Korean entertainers and artists who can showcase hanbok<nowiki/>'s traditional beauty and modern sensibility, we hope to make Korea’s traditional costume and hanbok-themed content more accessible and attractive." The government will select four Korean hanbok makers to create designs inspired by the year's Hallyu Cultural Artist (muse). Once completed, the ministry will fund promotional campaigns, which will be featured on electronic billboards in Seoul and major cities abroad. Previous campaigns were held in cities such as New York, Paris and Milan.

thumb|Actor [[Park Bo-gum, 2025's Hallyu Cultural Artist, wearing a hanbok-inspired suit]]

In 2025, the ministry appointed actor Park Bo-gum as the year's Hallyu Cultural Artist becoming the first male muse of the initiative. The photos were unveiled during Chuseok with electronic billboards displayed in Myeongdong in Seoul, Times Square in Manhattan, Piazza del Duomo in Milan, Shinjuku in Tokyo, and Citadium Caumartin in Paris on October 6, 2025. Harper's Bazaar Korea released four special edition covers featuring Park containing a 40-page pictorial of the actor wearing hanbok pieces designed by Dada Hanbok, OneOrigin, Mooroot, and Hanbok Moon.

Hallyu Cultural Artists

• 2022: Yuna Kim, figure-skater
• 2023: Bae Suzy, singer/actress
• 2024: Kim Tae-ri, actress
• 2025: Park Bo-gum, actor

See also

• List of Korean clothing
• Hanbok Party
• Hanfu - traditional Chinese clothing
• Việt phục - traditional Vietnamese clothing
• Wafuku - traditional Japanese clothing

References

References

• An, Myung Sook (안명숙); Kim, Yong Ser (김용서) 1998. Hanʼguk poksiksa (한국복식사). Seoul. Yehaksa (예학사)
• Kim, Ki Sun (김기선). 2005. Information about Mongolian pigtail 몽골의 辮髮에 대하여 . The Institute of Asian Ethno-Forms and Culture. v. 5, 81–97
• Kim, Moon Ja , 2004. A study on the Source of Hanbok in ancient times and the position of Hanbok on the Globalism (고대 한복의 원류 및 세계화 속의 한복의 위치), Society of Korean Traditional Costume, v. 7.1, 7–15
• Lee, Kyung-Ja (이경자) , 2003, Uri ot ŭi chŏnt'ong yangsik (우리옷의 전통양식 The Traditional Style of Korean Clothes) Ewha Womans University Press.
• McCallion, Aleasha; Condra, Jill. 2008. The Greenwood Encyclopedia of Clothing Through World History. Greenwood Publishing Group. p.&nbsp;221 – 228,
• Nelson, Sarah. 1993. The archaeology of Korea. Cambridge University Press.
• You, Soon Lye (유순례) 2006, Comparative Research on the Costume Aesthetic Korean & Mongolia (몽골과 한국의 전통복식 미의식 비교에 대한 연구), Society of Korean Traditional Costume, v. 6, 183–185

External links

• History of Hanbok
• Information about Hanbok
• Traditional Korean Clothing - Life in Korea
• Official Korea Tourism Organization - Hanbok Clothing