Korea Life
Korea has four distinct seasons, is surrounded by the sea on three sides, and has a natural environment with more mountains than plains. In this environment, Koreans have developed an excellent and unique culture of food, clothing, and shelter. In order to survive the cold winter and hot summer, we developed various clothing materials, made our own clothes, and prepared food with the mindset that 'health comes from eating.'
As they adapted to the natural environment, they also developed a unique style of housing called Hanok. Currently, Korea's unique traditional way of life is rapidly spreading around the world.
Clothing and Fashion
Hanbok refers to Korea's traditional clothing. In the past, Koreans used materials such as cloth, silk, hemp, and ramie to create clothing suited to the four distinct seasons of the Korean Peninsula. Hanbok consists of a jeogori (jeogori) that covers the arms and torso, a skirt or pants, and a durumagi (durumagi) used as outerwear. The loose fit and soft lines create an overall elegant look.
In the past, Korean people tended to prefer simple, white clothing, so they were often referred to as the ‘white people.’ However, depending on the time, situation, and situation, they would wear more extravagant clothes with colorful colors and designs. Clothing mainly uses five colors: white, black, blue, red, and yellow, collectively known as the five directions (obangsaek).
Today, hanbok is more often worn on special occasions than everyday wear, such as weddings, children's first birthday parties, Lunar New Year's Day, and seasonal holidays such as Chuseok.
As K-pop stars such as BTS and Blackpink showed off various styles inspired by hanbok in their music videos, hanbok began to receive global attention for its charm and beauty. Interest in hanbok has increased further with the popularity of the Korean period dramas 'Kingdom' and 'The King's Love', which were released through global streaming video services. Young Koreans have also rediscovered the charm of Hanbok. Visiting tourist attractions such as Gyeongbokgung Palace, Changdeokgung Palace, Changgyeonggung Palace, Deoksugung Palace, old palaces in Seoul, Hanok Village in Jeonju, and Hwangridan Street in Gyeongju, wearing hanbok at rental shops has become one of the most popular tourist attractions. Activities for Korean youth. In addition, many fashion brands are introducing casual clothing designed with Hanbok to suit modern lifestyles, and some schools have chosen clothes with Hanbok as their school uniform.
In July 2022, the Cultural Heritage Administration designated the traditional ‘Hanbok lifestyle’ as an intangible cultural heritage representing Korean identity and values.