This is the official poster for this year's Hanbok Expo to run from Aug. 13-16 at Art Hall of Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul's Jung-gu District. (Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism)

By Aisylu Akhmetzianova

The country's largest trade show for Hanbok (traditional clothing) returns on Aug. 13.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Craft and Design Foundation on Aug. 11 announced their joint hosting of this year's Hanbok Expo from Aug. 13-16 at Art Hall of Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) in Seoul's Jung-gu District.

Now in its ninth year, the event will feature 149 Hanbok brands.

An exhibition featuring Gwangjang Market's Hanbok and Fabric Market, whose history exceeds 120 years, will highlight the market's role as a hub for Hanbok production and distribution and showcase the process of making Hanbok.

In a first for the expo, a business matchmaking event will stimulate B2B transactions to help Hanbok companies widen their domestic and overseas sales channels and create new business opportunities.

Interactive programs for visitors will include the Hanbok Expo Festival of Style featuring modern reinterpretations of outfits and a program for making customized Hanbok in collaboration with Gwangjang Market.

More information is on the expo's official website (kcdf.or.kr/hanbokexpo) in Korean only.

The ministry said, "We expect the Hanbok Expo to serve as a cultural festival where visitors can experience Hanbok up close and where related businesses can meet domestic and foreign distributors to open new sales channels."

aisylu@korea.kr