ISALC: ESL 382: Computer Applications

---

.	Culture Capsules: People, Places, and Processes Yoon-Han Jeon & Misa Fujita Please listen to our message.

---

Traditional Clothing in Korea : Han Bok
Yoon-Han Jeon

Every country has its own traditional clothes. These traditional clothes have been worn for a long time. Do you know what the traditional clothing is in Korea? We call it Han bok. The historical transition of Korean clothes is very interesting. A lot of meaning is bound up with Han bok(1).

The development of Korean clothes has been related to the seasonal changes of Korea. In summer, the clothes were made to avoid the hot and humid weather, and the clothes in winter were made for protecting the human body from cold wind and snow. Between China and Korea, there were lots of cultural contacts in clothes, so they influenced each other very much. As time goes on the clothes have been changing more and more.
One of the most exciting parts is the history and characteristics of Han bok. Han bok consists of a blouse named Chogori(2) and a pair of pants (for men), or a long skirt (for women). Koreans wore a coat called Doo-roo-ma-gi(3) to keep their body warm or take apart in some ceremonies. The colors, designs, and patterns of Han bok are separated by the social classes of people who wear it. For example, in the Chosun Dynasty, the king wore the yellow dress that represented the center of the Universe. In contrast, the common people wore white clothes and that is why Koreans are called “the people of white clothes”.
Nowadays, almost all Koreans have more than one Han bok because they wear their Han bok very often. They usually wear their Han bok on New Year’s, Thanksgiving, for wedding ceremonies, funerals, and 100th day celebration for babies.

Let’s see more detail about Han bok. There are several specific topics here: Han bok for women(4), Han bok for men, and Han bok for children. First, the Han bok for women consists of a chogori a kind of blouse, and a ch’ima(5) or wrap around skirt. In summer, women wear only one Chogori because the weather is hot. However, in winter they wear thick or cotton Chogori to keep their body worm. There are two kinds of Chima. One of them is long, with the back of the chima open. Another one is short, called Tong Chima. If people feel cold, they wear a coat or vest when they go out of their homes.

Second, Han bok for men consists of Chogori and Paji made of silk. In summer they wore only Chogori and Paji made of ramie fabric. However, in winter they wore Chogori and Paji made of cotton for keeping the worm bodies. They wear a coat, called Doo-roo-ma-ki, when they go out or they had to be formal.

The last topic is Han bok for children. There are two different types of Han bok between a boy and girl. A boy wears Chogori and Paji, but a girl wears Chogori and Chima. A baby is dressed in the Han bok made of very soft silk and cotton(6) when the baby is born. The baby is dressed in Chogori and Paji irrespectively until the baby become four years old. A boy around five or six years old wears many colors of Han bok and a boy around ten years old wears very gorgeous colored Han bok, such as light green or light purple. In contrast, a girl around five or six years old wears a colorful Chogori and Chima.

In brief, Han bok has been worn by Koreans for a long time. Moreover, Han bok between men and women has some differences in design. Nowadays, we are trying to develop the Han bok to be even more beautiful.

(1) http://korea.insights.co.kr/english/clothing/clos_b.html

(2) http://korea.insights.co.kr/english/clothing/clos_b.html

(3) http://korea.insights.co.kr/english/clothing/clos_b.html

(4) http://www.clickasia.co.kr/about.htm

(5) http://korea.insights.co.kr/english/clothing/clos_b.html

(6) http://korea.insights.co.kr/english/clothing/clos_b.html

Every county has traditional culture and clothes. Japanese traditional clothes include the kimono. Maybe, a lot of people know about the kimono, but just how it looks. Kimono has a long history. From Nara period 710 to 794, people wore the kimono in daily life. The old kimono was completely different from the present-day kimono. Unlike the contemporary kimono, it consisted of just one piece of cloth so it was very light and breathed well. With the passing of time, the kimono developed. A couple of years later, jyuunihitoe was invented. Still now, wedding ceremony of royal family in Japan, the princess will wear Jyuunihitoe. However, it is not popular, so I will teach you about popular kimonos in Japan.

There are various types of Kimono such as, Tomesode(1), Furisode(2), Uchikake(3) and so on. Basically, the Kimono consists of many parts. Unfortunately, people are forgetting the Japanese Kimono culture. However, Japanese women wear Kimono several times in a year, for example, Memorial Day, New Years day, Festival or Wedding ceremony and so on. In addition women wear kimonos according to the season or age of the person. When people become twenty years old, we have a coming of age ceremony. Then women wear Furisode. It has a long tamoto. It is worn on some special day such as graduation ceremony, a coming of age ceremony or wedding ceremony. Only unmarried women can wear Furisode as a guest at someone’s wedding ceremony. When women become married, they cut the tamoto of Furisode to change into it Tomesode. Tomesode is the most popular kimono in Japan. Uchikake is a really traditional kimono. You can see this kimono in a period drama or traditional style Japanese wedding ceremony. Japanese brides wear this kind of kimono. It is called Shiromuku(4). It is purity white and it has an image of pure. Uchikake is a model of Shiromuku. Wearing the Kimono is really difficult.

The obi(5) is a kind of belt, and there are a variety of types. First, we can divide obi into two types: formal type(6) and casual type(7). The formal type is the traditional type. Those are made of silk that are woven or embroidered and, in addition, the design is really a complicated pattern, but it is so beautiful. On the other hand, casual obi is a little narrower than the formal one. And the big different point is texture. Unlike the formal obi, the casual obi is made of synthetic fiber such as, satin, nylon, and so on. And the design is also different. The casual obi’s design is simple. Both of these types of obis play an important part because the business of the obi is keeping the kimono together. If we wear kimono without the obi, kimono will come undone in a moment. There are clasps that go with the obi: Koshi-Himo(8), Date-Jime(9) and Obi-Jime(10). These are necessary when we tie the obi. Tying the obi is really difficult.

Nowadays, unfortunately, traditional culture is getting forgotten not only in Japan, but also all over the world. Especially, most all-Japanese people wear western style clothes, so it is difficult to find a person who is wearing a Kimono. However, the kimono is a part of Japanese culture and should not be forgotten.

(1) http://www.http://www.shibuihome.com/

(2) http://www.http://www.shibuihome.com/

(3) http://www.http://www.shibuihome.com/

(4) http://www.csuohio.edu/history/japan/japan10.html

(5) http://www.http://www.shibuihome.com/

(6)http://www.japanesekimono.com/obi_belts.htm

(7)http://www.japanesekimono.com/obi_belts.htm

(8)http://www.japanesekimono.com/obi_belts.htm

(9)http://www.japanesekimono.com/obi_belts.htm

(10)http://www.japanesekimono.com/obi_belts.htm

Have you ever heard about two treasures, which are beautiful and valuable in Asia? They are traditional clothes in Korea and Japan. The traditional clothing in Korea is called “Han Bok,” and the traditional clothing in Japan is called “Kimono.” Both of them are very delicate. Also they have their own long histories. As you know, Korea and Japan are located together in Asia very closely, and are related in many ways. As a result, clothing between Korea and Japan has several similarities such as composition of the clothing or the reasons why people wear the traditional clothes. In contrast, they have their specific personalities such as detailed shape of the clothes or their colors. Although they have some similarities, Korea and Japan also have their own specific characteristics in clothing.

First, both Han Bok and Kimono consist of two pieces of clothes, trousers and upper garments. In Korea, Han bok for women consists of a blouse named Chogori and a long skirt named Chima. Han bok for men also consists of Chogori and a pair of pants called Paji. In Japan, Kimono also consists of Hadajyuban and kimono {tomesode, utikake, and furisode}.
Second, the purpose of wearing Han bok and Kimono is very similar. The main reason is to protect the body. In summer, in Korea, people wear Han Bok to keep their body cool from hot and humid weather, and in winter they wear Han Bok to keep their body warm from cold wind and snow.
The last similarity between Han Bok and Kimono is the period in which Han Bok and Kimono are worn. In Korea, Han bok is worn on special days such as New Year’s, Thanksgiving, for wedding ceremonies, funerals, and 100th day celebration for babies. In Japan, the Kimono is worn at graduation ceremonies, festivals, New Year’s, and Memorial Day. In a word, these are the three main similarities between Hanbok in Korea and Kimono in Japan.

In contrast, there are some different points between Kimono and Han Bok. One of those is that a belt named obi fastens Kimono, but Han Bok doesn’t have a belt. Obi plays an important part to keep the Kimono from getting out of shape. If we wear Kimono without the obi, Kimono will get out of shape in a moment.
The next different point is color. Han Bok is very colorful. For example, a boy around 5 or 6 years old may wear many colors of Han bok and a boy around 10 years old wear very gorgeously colored Han bok such as the light green or light purple. Unlike Han Bok, Kimono is simple. Most Kimonos consist of only two colors such as black and white.
The last difference between Han Bok and Kimono is the existence of the clothing in each country. In Korea, many people still have their own Han Bok, and they usually wear it. Most Koreans have more than one Han Bok. However, in Japan the existence of the Kimono is disappearing now. A few people have their own Kimono, and they wear it very rarely. This is a serious problem in Japan because the loss of the Kimono signals a loss of traditional Japanese culture.

In brief, there are some similarities between Han Bok in Korea and Kimono in Japan because the two countries are located very closely in Asia, and they also have similar cultural histories. Although they are very similar and Han Bok and Kimono have several similarities, they also have their own specific personalities.

Return to top.
Return to Culture Capsules Master Page