[Korean Culture & Language] The History of Hanbok

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Following the appearance of a woman who donned 한복 (hanbok; traditional Korean dress) in the opening ceremony of the 2022 Beijing winter Olympics, the origin of 한복 has become a recent topic of interest, as well as outrage, in South Korea.

The word 한복 literally means “Korean attire” and has gone through many evolutions throughout the centuries. The hanbok style many are familiar with today, with a fitted 저고리 (jeogori) and loose 치마 (chi-ma; skirt), was first worn in the late Joseon period from 1392 to 1910. Prior to this period, hanbok was a much more loose garb, as seen below.

Photo Credit: Yong-Gok WOO

During the Goguryeo period, women wore 바지 (baji; pants) under their 치마, which were mostly pleated and multi-colored at the time. And in the following Goryeo period, wives of high-ranking officials wore wide-leg silk pants while the wives of low-ranking officials wore skirts with eight 폭 (pok; one width of clothing) that reached up to under their arms. This skirt was considered more elegant the more times it wound around the body.

The Joseon Dynasty ushered in a drastic change to the hanbok. The 저고리 became shorter and the sleeves became more tapered. And during the Gabo Reform, a significant reformation from 1894 to 1896 that abolished the traditional social class system, among many other changes, the customs of wearing 한복 were reformed as well. The 저고리 became waist length, the sleeves grew larger, and the skirt became wider. Women also no longer wore 쓰개치마 (sseugaechima), a skirt one would wear over the head, and men no longer donned 상투 (sangtu), a topknot hairstyle worn by all married men.

Over the 20th and 21st century, 한복 has continued to undergo various modifications. 개량한복 (gaeryang hanbok) is one of the first instances of 한복 in modern form. This style features plain, muted colors like black, navy, and rust, and is made of cotton rather than the usual silk, to allow for comfortable wear in everyday, casual settings.

Another style known as 생활한복 (saeng-hwal-hanbok), which translates to “everyday hanbok,” could be regarded as the most current modern style. 생활한복 ranges from shorter skirts with the traditional pleats to coats that mimic the 저고리 form.

In 2020, the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism even initiated a project through which 22 middle and high schools were selected to adopt 한복 inspired school uniforms that were designed to accommodate students’ active lifestyles. 

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Though 한복 may continue to be reinterpreted in style and design as time progresses, it’s clear that the beauty of 한복, with its array of rich colors and curved, flowing pattern that accommodates diverse body types, will remain unchanged, no matter the century.