Hanbok, the traditional Korean costume, has mostly lost its role as daily attire in modern Korea.
Traditional holidays are perhaps among the few occasions when people dress in hanbok. But for young Koreans, the attire has become mostly irrelevant, even for such occasions.
According to a recent survey, 84.7 percent of Koreans in their 20s and 30s do not wear hanbok during the Seollal or Chuseok holidays.
Seo Kyoung-duk, Korea publicist and professor at Sungshin Women's University, surveyed 300 Koreans in this age group who live in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province.
Respondents cited reasons as hanbok being “uncomfortable,” “expensive,” “difficult to take care of” and “unfashionable.”
To have people wear hanbok, they said, “designs would have to be modernized,” “the costume would have to become more comfortable to wear” and “hanbok rental services would have to become more accessible.”
Seo is launching a campaign this Seollal on social media promoting hanbok.