By Honorary Reporter Volga Serin Suleymanoglu from Turkiye (Turkey)
Photos = Volga Serin Suleymanoglu

With fellow Honorary Reporter Hilal Agir from Turkey, I took photos of the traditional Korean attire Hanbok in Ankara, the capital of Turkey. Kubra Rendecioglu, a Hanbok designer and another Honorary Reporter from Turkey, has worked on Hanbok designs for years and completed her designs for shooting. 

Ankara Castle is frequently visited by both foreign and Turkish tourists because of its panoramic view of the city and history. We considered this place the proper shooting venue to show the traditions and cultures of both Turkey and Korea. 

A leading gauge of change in Korean society for centuries, Hanbok has evolved over time, and to me, it represents the history of a country rather than an outfit. I think this is why Hanbok designs remain popular among Korean and global designers. For example, the K-pop groups BLACKPINK and BTS have worn modern-style Hanbok.

Fellow Honorary Reporter Hilal Agir (top) wears blue Hanbok and I am clad in a pink version.

The Hanbok I wore was a pink skirt whose design appeals to modern times and can be worn comfortably. The designer said many Hanbok designs have incorporated adaptability to daily life in Korea.

I wanted to shout "Leave your ordinary skirts and make a difference with modern Hanbok!" since mine was so comfortable and beautiful. As a photographer, I am interested in clothes that I can move around comfortably in. Going up to the castle was quite hard because of the hot weather but my comfortable Hanbok made it easier for me. 

Agir wore a traditional Hanbok design with light blue tones and tiny butterflies, attracting attention from the people around her. Her dress was relatively uncomfortable than one with a modern design, but she said she enjoyed her look for highlighting the beauty of Korean culture.

Going up to the castle was like the pursuit of my dream of going to Korea. The process is full of difficulty but while moving forward, I can make friends who have the same goal -- Korea and we can help each other overcome difficulties. This is the message I want to share through this shoot.

Going up to Ankara Castle was made easier by the comfortable Hanbok outfits we wore.

enny0611@korea.kr

*This article is written by a Korea.net Honorary Reporter. Our group of Honorary Reporters are from all around the world, and they share with Korea.net their love and passion for all things Korean.