Hanbok expo highlights shift toward everyday wear
Rolls of silk in deep blue, pale jade and translucent pink covered one corner of Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) on Friday, as merchants unspooled the fabric across their tables and walked visitors through the differences in weight and weave. A few steps away hung cropped tweed jackets, button-front skirts, jeans, mini bags and jewelry, all of them drawing inspiration from hanbok, or traditional…
Silks of various colors, ranging from deep blue to translucent pink, adorned one section of Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) on Friday. Merchants meticulously displayed silk fabric, guiding visitors through the variations in weight and weave. Adjacent to the silk lay modern interpretations of traditional hanbok, featuring cropped tweed jackets, button-front skirts, jeans, mini bags, and jewelry.
None of these contemporary pieces appeared tailored for weddings or special occasions typically linked to hanbok wear. The 2026 Hanbok Expo commenced on Thursday at DDP Art Hall in central Seoul and would run for four days until Sunday. The event, organized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Craft and Design Foundation, marked its ninth edition with participation from 149 hanbok businesses and institutions.
The chosen timing was intentional, as hanbok lifestyle, or Hanbok saenghwal, was officially recognized as a National Intangible Heritage in July 2022. A campaign backed by the ministry is striving to attain a UNESCO Intangible Heritage listing by 2030. A booth situated near the entrance collected visitor signatures.
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- Hanbok expo highlights shift toward everyday wear koreatimes.co.kr
