Functions and representations of Hanbok

A reflection of the nation's climate as well as its aesthetics

• As is true with any national costume, the hanbok is a reflection of the nation's climate as well as its aesthetics. A study of the hanbok can thus provide insight into the character of the Korean people The hanbok has subtle curves and simple lines. The sleeves of the blouse open up like wings, while the skirt flares out from the bosom and flows elegantly to the floor. The hanbok has been characterized by flowing, supple lines throughout the centuries. In tang-ui, a jacket worn by court ladies during the Choson period, the curve of the front fly reverses sharply as it meets the curve of the hem, emphasizing the beauty of reversal The sharp angle thus formed at each corner is one of the aesthetic points commonly found in all forms of Korean arts.

A reflection of gender, class, profession and social status

• In olden days, hanbok differed according to the wearer's gender, class, profession and social status, with other variations depending on individual preference and lifestyle. Whereas commoners wore primary colors mainly for seasonal festivals and ceremonial occasions such as weddings, members of the privileged classes wore them anytime. The ruling class preferred primary colors because they were flattering to the wearer. Of the five cardinal colors, yellow symbolized the emperor and empress and red, the king and queen. The color of a woman's ceremonial dress was determined by the class and position of her spouse. Young women wore red chima and yellow jeogori prior to marriage and red chima and green jeogori after the wedding when bowing to their parents-in-law and when paying respect to them upon returning from the honeymoon.

It embodies beauty and harmonisation

• With straight and curved lines, the style of dress represents one of the most visible aspects of Korean culture. Many hanboks also have beautiful geometric and floral designs embroidered around the cuffs and the neckline of the blouse as well as on the skirt. The hanbok's proportions, lines, and colors all combine to make it elegant indeed. The beauty of the hanbok is enhanced by its practical design. Since the hanbok is generally made of natural fibers, it can easily be worn year-round. For instance, a hanbok that is made of plant fibers such as ramie or hemp has good ventilation, which helps keep the wearer cool during summer, even though the hanbok covers most of the body. Other types of material help to conserve body heat, making them more suitable for winter. In an era when many of the latest styles emphasize sensuality, the hanbok is a refreshing example of beautiful and modest dress.
• The diverse aesthetic elements of the hanbok embody the Korean sense of beauty. The shape and flowing lines of the hanbok are derived from the Korean preference for natural beauty and the need to be in harmony with nature. The harmony of black and white and the combinations of primary colors, the blank spaces, and the use of symbolism grew out of the process of expressing the personal character and desires of the wearer and seem to be the result of sensible reasoning and controlled sentiments. The aesthetic framework of the hanbok is based on the Korean preference for naturalness, a desire for supernatural protection and blessings, and a Confucian-inspired dress code.

Beauty of symbolism

• The hanbok is replete with symbolism, in its colors, patterns and ornaments, a quality that is still evident in taday's hanbok. At wedding ceremonies, for example, a groom's mother always wears blue or a similar color and the bride's mother always wears pink or a similar color.
• In a traditional hanbok, the purple collar of a woman's chogori symbolized a husband and the blue cuffs, a son. If a woman could wear a chogori embellished with a purple collar and blue cuffs in her old age, she was regarded as truly blessed. The combination of green chogori and red skirt was reserved for brides. An unmarried woman wore a yellow chogori and a red skirt for seasonal festivals.
• Patterns on the fabric of a hanbok were not only decorations but also expressions of the wearer's wishes. Peonies embroidered on a bridal gown were indicative of a wish for wealth and honor. The lotus flower, symbolizing nobility, was a popular motif for embroidered folding screens to be used in a woman's room in summer. Bats and pomegranates symbolized many children. As axes represented sons, a pregnant woman would wear an axeshaped pendant in a wish to give birth to a son. The use of decorations featuring dragons, phoenixes, cranes and tigers were the reserve of the privileged classes because they symbolized royalty and civil and military officials of high rank.

A representation of its culture, identity and the nature's view towards femininity

• Along with language, religion and cultural patterns such as dance, food, housing and aesthetics, apparel plays a vital role in the preservation and expression of cultural identity. In multiethnic nations such as China and America, styles of traditional attire are diverse. However, in countries such as Korea, which are occupied by a single ethnic group, traditional dress is synonymous with national dress. For this reason, the hanbok forms a highly effective expression of Korea identity. Thus, changes in hanbok design from the past to the present parallel the nation's historical development. Moreover, hanbok's form, materials and designs provide a glimpse into the Korean lifestyle, while its colors indicate the values and world view of the Korean people.
• Hanbok reflects beauty, gracefulness, modesty and elegance. When women wear them, they seem to have embodied all these qualities in them. This somehow suggests the nations' interpretation of femininity. Since Korea is also a patriarchial society, it is inevitable that national costumes of woman do represent femininity in terms of men's gaze. The way that hanbok is designed and worn reflects the nation's ideology towards femininity as well. Women had to wear them in the past because they had no options and this was also a kind of conformity.