Simple Beauty: The Korean Hanbok

The beautiful Korean hanbok is an indelible symbol of Korea. Hanbok literally means “Korean clothing”. It is usually characterized by simple, elegant lines without pockets and bright, vibrant colors. The styles seen today are based on the Joseon Dynasty-style formal or semi-formal wear worn in traditional celebrations or festivals. Women’s hanbok consists of the jeogori or chogori – the short jacket – and the chima – the long, wrap-around skirt. The men’s hanbok consists of a longer jeogori and baggy baji or pants. The inherent beauty of the hanbok is the abundance of material – they are not meant to be tight fitting. Curves or curved features are important in traditional design of the hanbok. To help appreciate the beauty and elegance of the Korean hanbok, here are some lovely images of Soul Edge/Calibur’s Seong Mi-Na in the hanbok.

Mi-Na is wearing an undergarment worn underneath the hanbok called sok chima. They are similar to petticoats and are sometimes layered to help give the woman’s hanbok a fuller look.

Here is Mi-Na dressed in full regalia. She is wearing the jeogori (in blue) with a goreum (in green) – coat strings attached to the breast part to tie the jeogori closed. The git (in dark blue) is the band of fabric that trims the collar with matching kkeutdong – cuffs placed at the end of the sleeves. Dongjeong or dongchong are detachable white collars placed over the end of the git to help accentuate the neckline. Her white sok chima is visible below in the breast area. The chima (in greenish yellow) is long and flowing. On her head she is wearing a gache – an elaborate wig. It is held up by a binyeo – a rod-like hairpin fastened in the back. Decorating the gache are various dwikkoji – hairpins to accessorize knotted hair.

Here is Mi-Na in another variation of the hanbok with a bright red chima. The jeogori has a floral print on it. Tied underneath her jeogori is a norigae pendant (the tasseled accessory), giving the hanbok a luxurious look. Norigae is a type of Korean macrame, popular among unmarried girls and wives alike. In traditional times, a woman showed her devotion and love to her family with her skill in embroidery and sewing.

Here Mi-Na is sporting a more clean-cut look. Her hair is simply coiffed with a binyeo in a braided bun. Her jeogori and chima are made out of sheer material – making her sok chima visible underneath – giving her hanbok a delicate look.

Here Mi-Na is wearing a sok chima that matches her outer chima, both red. Her simpler hairstyle is accented by several dwikkoji as well as the binyeo – simply exquisite.

In this image Mi-Na hair is unadorned, her bangs framing her face. Her whole hanbok is different colored, from her jeogori in lavender, the git and kkeutdong in blue, the goreum in red, and the chima in pink – very pretty.

Hanbok is made out several different materials and fabrics, depending on the weather, such as satin, silk, ramie, cotton muslin and hemp. In cooler temperatures, the hanbok were made out of heavier fabrics lined with fur while thinner fabrics were used in the summer so that the natural breeze could help cool the body. Many women would wear hanbok made from gossamer silk in the autumn because it made a rustling sound while walking – similar to walking through dry leaves.

Colors for the hanbok usually consisted of red, yellow, blue, black and white – symbolizing the five traditional elements of Far Eastern cosmology (fire, earth, water, metal and wood). Court figures and the upper class usually wore colored hanbok while commoners wore white representing purity, chastity and integrity. Natural materials such as bark or flowers were used to make the dyes to color the hanbok.

Images from: xuexueyuehua.web.infoseek.co.jp/