Have you ever seen the drama “King Se-jong”, an historical drama with the Joseon Dynasty period setting? In that drama, the “Hanbok” (Korean traditional clothing) is worn. It is a beautiful dress, which harmonizes with a straight and a curved line.
In the drama “Hwang Jinni”, Ha Ji-won, a leading actress, wore a beautiful Hanbok. A showy pattern in gorgeous color was enough to capture the attention. Many people in Asia and Europe were struck by the beauty of Hanbok.
Since historical dramas have been exported to other countries, the number of people interested in the Hanbok has increased. The unprecedented flair and artistry of the Hanbok made by a master’s skilled hand and utmost sincerity has set a high value on the Hanbok. World-famous designers, such as Chanel, and western icons such as Celine and Ungaro have worn dresses motivated by the Hanbok.
We all know the beauty of Hanbok. However, how many times do we wear Hanbok during the year? There are some holidays, which give us a chance to wear Hanbok. Nevertheless, these days only a small portion of Koreans wear the Hanbok. Only people on TV seem to wear the Hanbok. I know it is a little uncomfortable to wear the Hanbok because I have worn one before. So lately, designers are changing the Hanbok to offer more comfort. Even with this effort to make the Hanbok more popular, we have no interest in wearing the Hanbok anymore. We are familiar with ready-made clothes from the West.
The Kimono, the traditional clothes of Japan, is more inconvenient to wear than Hanbok. The bottom of the Kimono is narrow, so it is not easy to walk in them. However, the Kimono is still worn by many Japanese.
The world is unifying, and becoming a global village. The boundaries between nations are fading. Maybe it is easier to forget about our own traditions. We can lose sight of the fact that if there were no traditions and history this present could not exist.
Maybe a campaign that encourages people to wear the Hanbok would be a good idea. The effort to revitalize the Hanbok is necessary. New and various designs can capture the interest of the consumer. The Kimono is designed in various ways and commercialized so many people wear Kimono style clothes. Maybe if the Hanbok were modernized, it would be a hit not only in Korea but also in the world.
In addition, entertainers are always a subject of interest, and could wear the Hanbok in award ceremonies. For example, Lee Young-ae wore a Hanbok when she went to Germany, and participated in the Berlin International Film Festival. She was so beautiful; I could not take my eyes off her.
Another example is Eom Aeng-ran, who was participating in a ceremony. She was asked why she was wearing a Hanbok and she said, “Because I’m Korean!” It should be natural that Koreans wear Korean clothes. Don’t you think so?