By Lee Jihye, Kim Yeojin and Yoon Hee Young
Seoul
Photos and video = Kim Sunjoo and Lee Junyoung

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Hanbok Advancement Center under the Korea Craft and Design Foundation on May 27 opened an exhibition of Hanbok-inspired work attire made in collaboration with designers.

The clothing line was designed to be worn comfortably while preserving Hanbok's uniqueness to include the traditional clothes in daily life.

Korea.net staff on June 2 visited Culture Station Seoul 284 RTO in Seoul's Jung-gu District, the venue of the exhibition "Working in Hanbok."

Running through June 11, the exhibition features 64 types of Hanbok work attire with a variety of textiles and designs.

Clothes inspired by dangui (upper garment for women) and beoseonko (the front of traditional padded socks) showcase the distinct beauty of Hanbok.

Designer Yu Hyun-hwa, who participated in making the outfits in the exhibition, said, “We focused on developing textiles that show traditional Korean images on the fabric while excluding factors that could make wearers uncomfortable while working such as the git (collar)," adding, "My design took advantage of Korea's antique curves."

Yu designed a summer suit for women with an impressive baeja (vests worn on top of the jeogori, or upper garment) with curvy hems.

Another designer, Hwang Sun-tae, made a men's jacket using the vintage tteoksal (wooden rice cake) pattern and git. "I hope this modernized attire can establish a culture of displaying our tradition through people wearing Hanbok in daily life, not just on special occasions such as weddings and first birthday parties," she said.

This summer blouse for women features peony blossoms and butterflies often seen in minhwa (traditional folk painting).

Shown in the photo above is a bolero inspired by dallyeong, a daily robe worn by bureaucrats of the Goryeo and Joseon dynasties, that features a round git and pleats.

shaadiya1223@korea.kr