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오후 12:23
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These days, one item is taking Korea by storm, creating a new culture trend; it might surprise you to discover that this ‘new’ item has actually been around for hundreds of years. It is none other than Korea’s traditional clothing, hanbok. Originally only worn on special occasions such as holidays and weddings, photos of young people posing in hanbok throughout Korea have flooded social media, and tourists are now jumping on this new trend as well!
This column will follow the adventure of Kim Seung-hee, a 22-year-old who decided to rent a hanbok with a friend for a unique experience. While wearing the hanbok, she said she felt like an entirely different person. “Because we were wearing hanbok, many people seemed interested in us. Especially foreigners, they said we were pretty and asked if they could take pictures with us. For a moment, I felt like I was a celebrity, so it was a really unique experience.”
Ms. Kim recommends tourists who are visiting Korea to try hanbok for themselves, saying “hanbok is more beautiful when worn than just looked at [on a hanger].” Use our helpful guide to follow in the footsteps of Seung-hee, renting a hanbok and touring Seoul with ease while making wonderful memories of your time in Korea.
This column will follow the adventure of Kim Seung-hee, a 22-year-old who decided to rent a hanbok with a friend for a unique experience. While wearing the hanbok, she said she felt like an entirely different person. “Because we were wearing hanbok, many people seemed interested in us. Especially foreigners, they said we were pretty and asked if they could take pictures with us. For a moment, I felt like I was a celebrity, so it was a really unique experience.”
Ms. Kim recommends tourists who are visiting Korea to try hanbok for themselves, saying “hanbok is more beautiful when worn than just looked at [on a hanger].” Use our helpful guide to follow in the footsteps of Seung-hee, renting a hanbok and touring Seoul with ease while making wonderful memories of your time in Korea.
STEP 1. Select a Hanbok from a Hanbok Rental Shop!
Most hanbok rental shops are located near major tourist attractions, such as Insa-dong, Gyeongbokgung Palace, Bukchon Hanok Village and the surrounding areas. Each rental shop has individual rules and prices, but all shops require identification (passport accepted) and a deposit in cash so be sure to have these two items before you set out. The period of rental ranges from four hours to 24 hours, and accessories like headbands and norigae (tassel attached to the jacket or skirt strings) can also be rented for an extra fee.
TIP) Useful information when selecting your hanbok!
STEP 2. Admission to Seoul’s Palaces is FREE when wearing hanbok!
Photo: Inside the gates of Gyeongbokgung Palace
The best place to take photos while wearing hanbok is definitely inside traditional palaces! Even better, admission to Gyeongbokgung, Changgyeonggung, Changdeokgung and Deoksugung Palaces is free to all visitors wearing hanbok. Visiting all of the palaces would make for a very tight schedule, so we recommend selecting one or two of the palaces that fit well into your itinerary.
TIP) Know-how on taking beautiful photos at palaces
Seoul’s Palaces
- Gyeongbokgung Palace
- ☞ Address: 161, Sajik-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
- ☞ Directions: Gyeongbokgung Station (Seoul Subway Line 3), Exit 5, approx. 4min walk
- ☞ Operating hours: March-May/September-October: 09:00-18:00 (Closed Tuesdays)
* November-February: close at 17:00 / June-August: close at 18:30 - ☞ Admission: Adults (ages 19-64) 3,000 won, Children (ages 7-18) 1,500 won
* Admission is free when wearing hanbok, but visitors must get a ticket before entering. Please note free admission generally does not apply during night hours or other special events, but will be given for night hours April 30 - June 2, 2016 and during the Royal Cultural Festival (April 29 - May 8, 2016). - ☞ Website: www.royalpalace.go.kr (Korean, English)
- Changdeokgung Palace
- ☞ Address: 99, Yulgok-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
- ☞ Directions:
Jongno 3(sam)-ga Station (Seoul Subway Line 1, 3, 5), Exit 6, approx. 10min walk
Anguk Station (Seoul Subway Line 3), Exit 3, approx. 6min walk - ☞ Operating Hours: February-May/September-October: 09:00-18:00 (Closed Mondays)
* November-January: close at 17:30 / June-August: close at 18:30 - ☞ Admission: Adults (ages 19-64) 3,000 won, Children (ages 7-18) 1,500 won
* Admission is free when wearing hanbok, but visitors must get a ticket before entering. Please note free admission does not apply for huwon tours, the moonlight tour or other special events. - ☞ Website: www.cdg.go.kr (Korean, English)
- Changgyeonggung Palace
- ☞ Address: 185, Changgyeonggung-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
- ☞ Directions: Hyehwa Station (Seoul Subway Line 4), Exit 4, approx. 12min walk
- ☞ Operating hours: February-May/September-October: 09:00-18:00 (Closed Mondays)
* November-January: close at 17:30 / June-August: close at 18:30 - ☞ Admission: Adults (ages 19-64) 1,000 won, Children (ages 7-18) 500 won
* Admission is free when wearing hanbok, but visitors must get a ticket before entering. Please note free admission generally does not apply during night hours or other special events, but will be given for night hours April 30 - June 2, 2016 and during the Royal Cultural Festival (April 29 - May 8, 2016). - ☞ Website: cgg.cha.go.kr (Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese)
- Deoksugung Palace
- ☞ Address: 99, Sejong-daero, Jung-gu, Seoul
- ☞ Directions: City Hall Station (Seoul Subway Line 1, 2), Exit 1 or 12, approx. 1min walk
- ☞ Operating hours: 09:00-21:00 (Closed Mondays)
- ☞ Admission: Adults (ages 19-64) 1,000 won, Children (ages 7-18) 500 won
* Admission is free when wearing hanbok, but visitors must get a ticket before entering. - ☞ Website: www.deoksugung.go.kr (Korean, English)
- Gyeonghuigung Palace
- ☞ Address: 1, Sinmunno 2-ga, Jongno-gu, Seoul
- ☞ Directions: Seodaemun Station (Seoul Subway Line 5), Exit 4, approx. 8min walk
- ☞ Operating hours: 09:00-18:00 (Closed Mondays)
STEP 3. Take photos at Bukchon Hanok Village!
Photo: Bukchon Hanok Village’s Scenic Attraction No. 5
After exploring the palace, head to the surrounding neighborhood of Bukchon Hanok Village, Seoul’s representative traditional village. Here, one can experience the charm and lifestyle of the Joseon Dynasty. Relatives of the royal family lived in this neighborhood, as is evidenced by the beautiful hanoks. While exploring the many alleys that make up Bukchon Hanok Village, there are eight sites that must not be missed. These attractions present a strong feeling of the village and are great locations to take photos while wearing hanbok for that extra bit of culture.
- ☞ Address: 37, Gyedong-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
- ☞ Directions: Anguk Station (Seoul Subway Line 3), Exit 2, approx. 7min walk
- ☞ Website: bukchon.seoul.go.kr (Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese)
STEP 4. Sightseeing in Insa-dong!
Photo: Souvenir-shopping along Insadong-gil Street
Insa-dong is one of Korea’s more popular traditional cultural streets, visited by hundreds of tourists every day. Korea’s traditional clothing fits right in with the art galleries, craft shops, traditional furniture stores and more that line the streets of Insa-dong. Enjoy taking photos and exploring Korea’s traditional culture. Insa-dong is also a great place to purchase a craft or piece of artwork as a souvenir.
Photo: Insa-dong’s popular Ssamziegil
If you come to Insa-dong, you can’t leave without first stopping at Ssamziegil! This unique building is connected from an underground level all the way up four floors through a single, wrap-around street. You can take some interesting photos with hanbok before this outstanding scene.
- ☞ Address: 62, Insadong-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
- ☞ Directions (Ssamziegil): Anguk Station (Seoul Subway Line 3), Exit 6, approx. 4min walk
STEP 5. Take part in a tea ceremony at Namsangol Hanok Village!
Photo: Setting for a tea ceremony at Yoon’s Tearoom
The next place you should visit after renting a hanbok is Namsangol Hanok Village. The village has reproduced five traditional houses of different social classes that were originally located in various locations throughout the capital. Photos taken here in hanbok will look like snapshots of daily life around the house, recreated hundreds of years later.
Photo: Participating in a tea ceremony
Of the five hanoks here, a must-visit is the Yoon household. As of March 2016, the house is now operating a tea ceremony program, called Yoon’s Tearoom. This hanok was originally only available for viewing from the outside, but with the installment of this new experience, visitors have the opportunity to learn about Korea’s tea culture with the fresh scent of tea filling the interior of the hanok, creating a cozy ambience.
Yoon’s Tearoom (Tea ceremony program)
- ☞ Address: 28, Toegye-ro 34-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul
- ☞ Directions: Chungmuro Station (Seoul Subway Line 3, 4), Exit 4, approx. 1min walk
- ☞ Program period: March 3 – October 30, 2016
- ☞ Program hours: Thursday-Sunday 10:30-17:00 (Last admission at 16:30)
- ☞ Program fee: 7,000 won per person
- ☞ Inquiries: +82-2-2261-0517 (Korean, English, Chinese)
- ☞ Website: https://www.hanokmaeul.or.kr/ (Korean only)
VOX) International Tourists Lose Themselves into the Charm of Hanbok!
It’s time to hear from the tourists who have gone on a tour of Seoul wearing hanbok! Read on to learn their reasons for renting hanbok and how they felt about the experience.
Photo: Visiting Namsangol Hanok Village
Wang Pei Pei and Cai Ai Rong, two 30-year-old tourists from Taiwan, were visiting Korea for fourteen days. The two stated that they were very interested in hanbok and were curious to see the types of hanbok that were available for rental. Of course, the dresses they picked were selected for their beautiful colors and variety of designs! Pei Pei was extremely satisfied with her hanbok, saying “when I took photos wearing hanbok, my face came out prettier.” Their daily itinerary wearing hanbok started off by participating in the tea ceremony at Namsangol Hanok Village and ended with watching the Changing of the Guards ceremony in front of Gyeongbokgung Palace.
Photo: Posing before doors at Bukchon Hanok Village
We met Ma Yong Shi and her friend at Bukchon Hanok Village’s Scenic Attraction 5. The two came from Hong Kong so of course they themselves were tourists, but they experienced a lot of attention from other tourists thanks to their hanbok costumes; other tourists were asking them to take pictures together! Choosing to rent hanbok for their bright colors, Ma Yong Shi stated “I made a lot of great memories of my trip to Korea with my friend through the hanbok experience. I’m going to remember this trip for a long time.” We think it’s safe to say that she had a great time!
Photo: Sitting pretty for a photo at Changdeokgung Palace
Meet Huang Ni Ni, a Chinese tourist who chose to rent hanbok to create special memories with her friends. She also mentioned “I felt like I was a star the whole time I was wearing the hanbok.” On the day you wear hanbok, it’s common that more photos are taken by other people than by yourself. Huang Ni Ni believes “my friends and I will remember this trip for a long time.” She continued “If I get the chance again, I’d definitely like to enjoy this experience a second time.”
More Info
- ☞ Recommended course: Seoul’s palaces (select 1) → Bukchon Hanok Village → Insa-dong → Namsangol Hanok Village
- ☞ Website: Seoul Metropolitan Government www.seoul.go.kr (Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese, Spanish, French)
- ☞ 1330 Korea Travel Hotline: +82-2-1330 (Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese)
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