I remember when I was a little girl in Elementary school. My mom showed me her Hanbok (Korean traditional dress) and helped me put it on. It was beautiful. The dress was a nearly iridescent shade of white with colorful flowers and designs sewn into it. Since I was little, it didn’t quite fit properly. I remember taking the jeogori (the upper part of the hanbok) to school for show and tell. What makes the jeogori is the otgoreum, which is the ribbon that ties it together. There is a certain way to tie it. I remember my mom trying to show me how to tie it. Sadly, the day I showed it to my classmates, I could not tie it. Nevertheless, my classmates were still interested in it.
Flash forward years later when I was fully grown. I once again tried on the hanbok, but my shoulders were too broad. I could no longer wear it. Since then, I longed for a hanbok of my own. I remember researching websites where hanboks were sold. I had no idea I would ever visit South Korea, so my only option was online shopping.
The prices were expensive. The cheapest hanboks ran for $250.00. The most expensive ones were being sold for $500.00. I then realized that it would take me years to buy a hanbok of my own.
Two and a half years ago I moved to South Korea to teach English. Where I lived there were stores selling hanboks. I remember my first day in Incheon. My co-teacher and principal took me out to buy bedding. Where we went to was a small indoor market that sold not only bedding, but hanboks as well. I wanted to stop and look. They were all very beautiful with wonderful vivid colors. Time passed by and I never bought one.
My mother told me to wait until someday she visits me to buy a hanbok. I waited and waited patiently. The time never came properly. It was okay though. I knew I was going to stay here for a good amount of time and there were plenty of times where my mother could visit.
I did, however, had the opportunity to wear hanboks that were not my own during my first year of living in South Korea.
At the Bupyeong Festival trying on a hanbok for the first time in South Korea. Oh and yes, this is a picture of a picture since I don't have a scanner~ haha... (Spring, 2009)
My first Korean Lunar New Years was spent in Yeosu with my mother’s family. My mother’s family knew how much I wanted to wear a hanbok. My eldest Aunt lent me one of her’s (or maybe it was one that belonged to one of her daughters). That was the first time I officially wore a hanbok.
Wearing a hanbok for the Lunar New Years. I was on my way to my grandmother's house. My eldest Aunt lent me the hanbok. (Lunar New Years, 2010)
After the Lunar New Years, I went out with my cousin and my eldest Aunt to try on hanboks. I told the both of them I was only wanted to look and not buy. We spent some time at the hanbok store. My eldest Aunt spoke to the hankbok seamstress/owner. After a short while, I tried one on. The skirt spread out a lot wider than the one above. For the first time, I felt really pretty wearing a hanbok. Sadly, hanboks in Korea are also quite expensive. I once again told myself to keep waiting.
Around the summer time my best friend, Miranda, and I went to Insadong to buy traditional Korean gifts for our families back home. We past a place where you could get your picture taken wearing hanboks. It was very appealing, so we went for it. There were two sets of hanboks. Miranda wore the one for a queen and I wore the one worn by a princess.
Miranda and I wearing haboks in Insadong (Summer, 2010)
February 2011 rolled around. It was graduation time for the students here in South Korea. My cousin, Miseon, was graduating for the Foreign Language High School here in Incheon. I met with my Aunt Bongcha, and my Uncle who are Miseon’s parents. We drove to Miseon’s high school and watched her graduate via a TV in her classroom. Afterwards Miseon and her classmates came to the classroom to be congratulated by their friends and families. We did no stay very long, because we were going to see mine and Miseon’s Aunt in Bucheon. Our Aunt wanted to give Miseon a very nice gift from the store she works at, which turned out to be one of many expensive clothing stores here in South Korea.
I don’t know how the subject came up or how it even started. My Aunt Bongcha started to talk to my Uncle about hanboks. She first told him she wanted to give one of her’s to me as a gift. I was very surprised and happy at the same time. All I could say to my Aunt was, “Thank you.” Not too long after that, my Aunt and Uncle changed their minds and decided to take me to a hanbok store instead. Mine and Miseon’s Aunt knew of one not too far. My family then decided to go over there after lunch.
The store was small, but on along the wall were many hanboks hung up. My cousin and I were given a book with pictures of different hanboks. We looked through each page trying to decide which ones were the prettiest. The one we both agreed on was a hanbok that had bright spring colors. The top part of the hanbok was a pale yellow. The sleeves were shades of pinks, yellow, blue, and purple. It was gorgeous. Miseon and I especially loved the skirt. The color was a darker pink and the decoration of the skirt was at the bottom. There were tiny triangular openings that showed a different design. The design’s color was a purplish pink adorned with flowers sewn in. To top off the opening was a single butterfly. Once Miseon and I spotted the design we knew it was the one for me. After choosing the hanbok my Aunt and Uncle expressed their wishes to buy it for me. Okay, so given a hanbok that is passed down from a family member is truly sentimental and I would have been more happy with just that. Now my Aunt and Uncle scratched that idea and wanted to buy a hanbok for me. I didn’t knew what to think. I felt nearly speechless for the rest of the day.
After trying on a similar hanbok and getting my measurements taken the wait process began.
Two weeks later I received my hanbok, which was delivered by the seamstress herself.
Now, finally.. months later I am happy to show you my hanbok. There were many parts of it. I have only worn all of the parts that came with the hanbok once, which was when the seamstress helped me put it on. Someday, I want to get professional pictures taken or go out with one of my friends to a park and take pictures together. Maybe I will wear it for the Lunar New Years coming up next year. Either way, until then I can only show you each piece individually.
shoes, purse, and accessory
The inner skirt
The outer skirt (Chima)
The details my cousin and I fell in love with
The inner jacket
The outer jacket (Jeogori). The purple ribbon is the Otgoreum. Yes, this is a funny angle, because I accidently took the picture with the jacket laying upside down. I should have turned the box around~ haha
It came with socks! ^_^
^_^ ❤
Korean Sunrise (일출) 
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