KOREAN TRADITIONAL HANBOK AND TOURISM

With a history spanning back to the Three Kingdoms period, the hanbok - Korea’s traditional dress - is a rather important emblem of national cultural identity. Meant originally for beauty and utility, the hanbok has changed over centuries while still retaining its basic beauty. The historical evolution of hanbok and its resurrection as a cultural symbol in contemporary South Korea - especially in the context of tourism - is investigated in this paper. Prominent people including former President Park Geunhye, who often wore hanbok during foreign events, have aided to raise its worldwide awareness. The emergence of hanbok-inspired patterns in international fashion shows and the rising demand for updated models among Korean youth show a rising tendency of fusing tradition with modern preferences. Moreover, the worldwide spread of Korean Wave (Hallyu), especially via K-pop and K-drama, has greatly increased worldwide curiosity in Korean fashion and traditional culture. Using hanbok as a prism, this study explores how these cultural forces combine to boost Korea’s soft power and support cultural tourism.