[Korean Culture & Language] 교복

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If you’ve ever watched a Korean drama featuring high school students, you might have noticed that they wear 교복 (kyo-bok), which are school uniforms. This tradition of wearing school uniforms can be traced all the way back to the 19th century when students were required to wear 한복 (hanbok). 

The first official school uniform however, was introduced in 1886 at Ewha Girl’s (now Women’s) University. And following the Japanese-Korea treaty of 1910 (which marked the start of Japanese rule in Korea), the uniforms more closely resembled Western clothing, with shorter skirts and longer 저고리 (jeogori, the top portion of a hanbok) for girls, boys’ uniforms that were designed akin to factory workwear, and muted black, white, and brown tones for both genders.

During prime Japanese colonial rule in the 1930s, the most common girl’s school uniform was a sailor-style uniform, in efforts to establish a more Western design as well as discourage the custom of wearing 한복. And during World War II, workwear essentially became the go-to uniform for both female and male students until Korea’s independence in 1945.

School uniforms were briefly abolished from 1983 to 1985 as a part of a policy that encouraged individualism, and returned in 1986. Since then, uniforms have continued to be made with bright colors and fashionable designs that are advertised by celebrities and K-pop idols.

A typical girl's school uniform consists of a pleated skirt, long trousers (if they choose to wear this instead of a skirt), a white button down with a bow or tie, and a blazer. Though the rules aren’t as strict as in the past, girls are still prohibited from wearing nail polish, heavy makeup, and piercings. Boys’ uniforms also consist of long trousers, a white button down with a tie, and a blazer as well as a vest. Depending on the school, students may have separate uniforms for summer and winter, for which the costs vary anywhere from 250,000 won to up to 500,000 won. 

Wearing a Korean school uniform has become somewhat of a 로망 (a Koreanized version of the word “romance” which is closer in meaning to “fantasy”), for many K-drama fans, as evidenced by the many 교복 rental shops in Seoul. At these shops, you can try on uniforms with the same designs featured in Korean dramas or worn on stage by K-pop idols and enjoy a photoshoot in the shop’s photo zone or rent them for a day.

As you can see, 교복 has truly evolved throughout the past decades and will undoubtedly continue to expand in design in the coming years.