Hanbok Culture Week to promote traditional dress nationwide through Sunday

Foreign travelers pass by a hanbok, traditional Korean dress, rental shop near Gyeongbok Palace in Jongno District, central Seoul, on Sunday. [NEWS1]

Hanbok Culture Week 2023, an event that promotes hanbok, or traditional Korean dress, in our daily lives, kicked off Monday.

It runs through Sunday nationwide, including Jongno District, central Seoul.

In its sixth edition, the annual event, filled with programs like exhibitions, hands-on activities and fashion shows, is organized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Craft and Design Foundation.

This year, the main venues are the Seoul Museum of Craft Art (SeMoCA) and the National Folk Museum of Korea. At the craft museum, visitors can buy hanbok garments and take a snap at its free photo booth. The folk museum focuses on participatory programs, allowing visitors to play traditional games or try on hanbok.

Programs, including dance and musical performances, will be held throughout Jongno District, including Cheongjin Park, Naminsa Madang Stage and Jongmyo Square Park. A traditional hanbok exhibition at the Blue House is also open to the public.

A fashion show featuring some 30 hanbok is scheduled to take place on Friday on the lawns of SeMoCA, with a performance by gugak, or traditional Korean music, musician Song So-hee.

The Culture Ministry began organizing Hanbok Culture Week during the week when Hanbok Day falls, which is Oct. 21.

Hanbok Day was recognized by the Culture Ministry and those working in the hanbok industry in 1996. It is dedicated to spreading and preserving the tradition of hanbok, taking a day or two every fall to celebrate the beauty and history of the garment.

October was selected as it is said to be the best month to wear hanbok due to the season's cool breeze and clear air.

For more information, visit the Korea Craft and Design Foundation website.

BY SHIN MIN-HEE [shin.minhee@joongang.co.kr]