Park Han-sol reports on Korea's financial regulators, along with fintech and insurance. She previously wrote about the art world, from biennales and exhibitions to fairs and auctions, with a focus on Seoul and the figures shaping the scene. Before joining The Korea Times, she spent a year at ABC News' Seoul bureau, contributing to coverage of major Asia-Pacific events.
Hanbok Culture Week kicks off
K-pop juggernaut BTS performs "Idol" in hanbok costume in Gyeongbokgung Palace for NBC's "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," Sept. 29, 2020. Courtesy of Hybe
By Park Han-sol
By Park Han-sol
The official poster for Hanbok Culture Week 2021 / Courtesy of Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism
Hanbok Culture Week 2021, a nationwide cultural festival designed to promote the beauty of Korean traditional clothing held since 2018, kicked off Friday and will run until April 18.
As part of the event, hosted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and organized by the Hanbok Advancement Center, three CGV branches in Seoul ― Myeongdong, Myeongdong Station Cine Library and Piccadilly 1958 ― will operate hanbok-themed theaters, where they will provide free admission to screenings of Korean movies for the first 1,000 filmgoers wearing the traditional attire.
A free exhibition, “K-pop X Hanbok,” will also be open to the public at Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) in Seoul from April 13 to 25. Twenty-five sets of 25 hanbok costumes worn by eight K-pop acts, including BTS, Oh My Girl, Zico and Chungha, in music videos and stage performances will be on display.
During a Sunday baseball game between the LG Twins and the SSG Landers at Jamsil Baseball Stadium, K-pop stars JooE and Hyebin of the girl group Momoland will wear a version of the traditional garment they co-designed with local fashion brand Hyeon to perform the ceremonial first pitch and at-bat.
A total of 23 workshops nationwide will also offer daylong classes teaching people how to make and repair hanbok. In addition to Seoul, six other cities in Gyeongsang and Jeolla provinces will host a series of programs that combine the theme of regional culture and hanbok.
These include a fashion show featuring hanbok made with local silk in Jinju-si, South Gyeongsang Province, and an event where the visitors can try on clothing from the Silla Dynasty in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province.
Meanwhile, amid China's recent controversial claims over hanbok's origin, the culture ministry is seeking ways to push ahead with projects that can introduce the traditional clothing to everyday life. The most representative cases are seen in hanbok uniforms for students and employees.
The number of schools that have introduced hanbok as their uniforms has increased in a year from 16 to 25. On March 31, the ministry has also officially designated the last Wednesday of every month as “A Good Day to Wear Hanbok.”