Women's hanbok is comprised of a wrap-around skirt and a
jacket. It is often called chima-jeogori, 'chima' being the Korean
word for skirt and 'jeogori' the word for jacket. Men's hanbok
consists of a short jacket and pants, called 'baji', that are roomy
and bound at the ankles. Both ensembles may be topped by a long coat
of a similar cut called 'durumagi'.
today are patterned after those worn during the Confucian-oriented
Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910). Yangban, a hereditary aristocratic class
based on scholarship and official position rather than on wealth, wore
brightly colored hanbok of plain and patterned silk in cold weather
and closely woven ramie cloth or other high-grade, light weight
materials in warm weather. Commoners, on the other hand, were
restricted by law as well as finances to bleached hemp and cotton and
could only wear white, pale pink, light green, gray or charcoal
The early Joseon Dynasty kings made neo-Confucianism the ruling
ideology. Its emphasis on formality and etiquette dictated the style
of dress for the royal family and the aristocrats and commoners for
all types of occasions including weddings, and funerals. Integrity in
men and chastity in women became the foremost social values and was
reflected in the way people dressed.
The Beauty of Hanbok
The beauty of hankbok lies in the harmony of its colors and its
bold, simple lines. Most 'jeogori' have a snap tie ribbons on the
inside to hold them closed. The long ribbons of the jacket are tied to
form the otgoreum. The 'otgoreum' is very important because it is one
of three things by which the beauty and quality of hanbok is judged.
The other two are the curve of the sleeves, 'baerae' and the way the 'git',
a band of fabric that trims the collar and front of the jeogori, is
terminated. The ends of the git are generally squared off and a
removable white collar called the dongjeong is placed over the git.
The regular pleats of the chima stretch downward from the high waist
and increase in width as they reach the lower end of the traditional
skirt, creating a sense of gracefulness.
The durumagi is a traditional overcoat worn on special occasions over
the traditional jacket and pants.
Baji refers to the lower part of the men's hanbok. Compared to western
style pants, it does not fit tightly. The roomy nature of the cloth is
due to a design aimed at making the cloth ideal for sitting on the
The kkotsin refers to silk shoes on which flower patterns are
embroidered. They play an important role in completing the graceful
line of the lower rim of the chima.
Jeogori The jeogori makes up the upper part of hanbok. Men's jeogori are
larger and simplistic while women's jeogori are rather short and
characterized by curved lines and delicate decorations.
The dongjeong refers to a white collar attached along the rim of the
neckline. It contrasts and harmonizes with the overall curve of the
Otgoreum (Cloth Strings)
The otgoreum is a women's ornamental piece, which hangs vertically
across the front of the chima (women's skirt).
Baerae (Jeogori Sleeve)
The baerae refers to the lower lines of the sleeve of either the
jeogori (traditional jacket), or the magoja (outer jacket). It
features a circular line which is naturally curved, similar to the
line of the eaves of the traditional Korean house.
The chima is the women's outer skirt. There are different kinds of
chima: single-layered, double-layered, and quilted. Pul-chima refers
to a chima with a separated back, whereas a tong-chima has a seamed
Traditional patterns graceful lines and color combinations enhance the
beauty of hanbok. Plant, animal, or other natural patterns are added
to the rim of chima, the areas surrounding the outer collar shoulders.
The beoseon corresponds to a pair of contemporary socks. Although the
shape of the beoseon does not reflect any difference in the gender of
its users, men's beoseon are characterized by a straight seam.
Kinds of Hanbok
The various kinds of hanbok are classified according to the social
status, class, gender, and age of those who wear them. Today, hanbok
is worn mostly on special occasions, and is divided into categories
based on its function. These include, but are not limited to,
weddings, 61st birthdays, first birthdays and holidays.
Koreans traditionally show their respect to their parents early in the
morning on the first day of the New Year by bowing deeply.
Customarily, both parents and children wore hanbok. Children's hanbok
usually consists of a rainbow-striped jeogori (jacket) and either a
chima (girls' skirt) or a baji (boys' pants).
The first birthday of a child, the dol, is traditionally celebrated
with wishes for longevity and health. Children wear the dol-hanbok or
dol-ot on this special day. A boy usually wears a pinkish jeogori
(jacket) with a long blue goreum (cloth strings). Girls usually wear a
rainbow-striped jeogori for special occasions. Currently, the trend is
for girls to war a dangui, a kind of ceremonial coat.
Hoegabyeon is when children throw a party to celebrate the 61st
birthday of either parent and wish for their longevity. Men who turn
61 wear a geumgwanjobok, while women wear a dangui, a kind of
ceremonial dress for special occasions.
Hollyebok (Wedding Hanbok)
Unlike hanbok for daily use, hanbok worn as a traditional wedding
costume is marked by its bright appearance. The bridegroom wears the
baji (pants), the jeogori (a jacket), the joggi (a vest), the magoja
(an overcoat), and the durumagi (an overall coat). The bride wears a
green chima (a skirt), a yellow jeogori (a short jacket), and a wonsam
(a bride's long overcoat). Her hair is prepared using a jokduri (a
special head ornament).
The use of rational hanbok follows complex rules, and requires
meticulous attention. Because of this, a simplified version of hanbok
has been introduced for daily use which incorporates simplicity and
convenience. An increasing number of people want to express their
individuality by wearing something that combines traditional beauty
and modern simplicity. The modern version comes in a wide variety of
styles and fabrics.