By Lee Jihae
U.S. Rep. Marilyn Strickland (Democrat-Washington), who is of Korean descent, and singer-actor Jun Hyo-seong are among those honored by the Korean government for promoting abroad the traditional Korean attire Hanbok.
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Hanbok Advancement Center on April 12 held a ceremony at Seoul's Dongdaemun Design Plaza to award a certificate of "Hanbok appreciation" to the six recipients.
Rep. Strickland wore Hanbok at her inauguration in January. Jun and the apparel company Lakai Korea on March 1 posted a billboard ad featuring the attire at New York's Times Square to commemorate the 102nd anniversary of the March First Independence Movement.
The other recipients were Korean American graffiti artist Royyal Dog (Chris Chanyang Shim), who has drawn many pictures of Black women wearing Hanbok and the theme of Hangeul; Kwon Yoo-jin and Chae Kyung-hwa, the costume designers for the hit K-drama "Kingdom"; Riot Games, a company that held a noncontact (online) Hanbok exhibition; and Gangjin Jakcheon Middle School in Gangjin-gun County, Jeollanam-do Province, the first school in the country to adopt Hanbok uniforms.
Lakai Korea CEO Shin Jeong-Hyun, Jun and Kwon attended the ceremony in person, while Rep. Strickland sent a video message.
Vice Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Oh Young-woo said, "In March, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism designated the last Wednesday of every month a 'good day for wearing Hanbok,' and is at the forefront of efforts to incorporate Hanbok into everyday life."
"To make Hanbok permeate our daily lives, we will further expand the distribution of Hanbok school uniforms and the setup of regional hubs for Hanbok culture."
jihlee08@korea.kr