Understanding Korean Heritage:

Hanbok (한복)

Hanbok (한복), directly translated to ‘Korean clothing,’ is a traditional Korean garment that has a history of over 2,000 years. While hanbok has evolved many times throughout the years, the most widely recognized style originates from the Joseon Dynasty (late 14^th– early 20^th century). Still worn on many occasions, including marriage ceremonies and Seollal (Lunar New Year), the hanbok continues to be a widely appreciated and adorned garment in Korean society.

Class Division

While silk hanboks are easily accessible today, only the royal family and the elite had access to the finest silk hanboks. Made with different colors, materials, and patterns, you could easily identify the wealthy from the poor. Lower-class families produced their own clothing at home with cheaper materials such as cotton and used naturally occurring dyes to color them.

Hanbok worn by the Queen of the Royal Family

What a hanbok looked like for most Korean women

Dissection

The female hanbok is made up of two parts: a skirt and a top. The top, either classified as a jacket or shirt, is called jeogori (저고리). The jeogori is tied together by two strings called the goreum (고름). The skirt (치마) is a puffy skirt that is tied tightly around the chest, the length usually reaching the ankle.

Accessories

One of the most popular traditional accessories is the norigae (노리개). Norigae’s are often described as a pendant or ornament that is tied on the goreum or at the waist of the skirt. Created through the art of Korean knotting (매듭), this accessory was also commonly used as a good luck charm.

Another major accessory is binyeo (비녀), a hair stick or hairpin. Used to keep a woman’s hair bun in place, binyeo was often seen as a coming-of-age symbol for women. Depending on wealth and social status, binyeos can be made from a range of materials such as wood to even jade.

Modern Hanbok

Modern adaptations of the hanbok have become very popular among the youth in South Korea. Made up of a jeogori and an A-line skirt that ends as the shins, the modern hanbok has made waves through the K-Pop and fashion industry. Modern hanboks boast a slimmer silhouette and often come in muted colors that are appropriate for everyday wear.