By Xu Aiying and Yoon Sojung

■ "The history of Hanbok from the past to today" (Salwa El-Zeini and Esra El-Zeini)
■ "Changes in Korean fashion through the ages" (Reem Al-Hakim)

In the fifth week of last month, two Arabic-language articles written by Honorary Reporters from Egypt ranked among the five most read in the category, with the others written in Japanese, Russian and English.

The most read story was "The history of Hanbok from the past to today" by Salwa El-Zeini and Esra El-Zeini. Finishing fifth was "Changes in Korean fashion through the ages" by Reem Al-Hakim.

The Hanbok article introduced the evolution of the traditional Korean attire by explaining the historical background, cultural phenomena and economic indexes from the Joseon Dynasty to today.

The writers said, "Hanbok is the best choice to endure summer and winter as it uses fabrics such as hemp, cotton, ramie fabric and silk."

"The addition of a simple hairstyle and make-up helps create a gentle and elegant look overall."

The other article by Reem Al-Hakim discussed K-pop's impact on 1990s fashion and culture in Korea. The writer said the first-generation K-pop group Seo Taeji and Boys led fashion in Korea by showcasing rap and hip-hop music to the masses.

■ "Mixing two Korean instant noodles is delicious!" (Karin Matsuda from Japan)

An article on Korean instant noodles was second. 

It began with "jjapaguri" or "ramdon" dish made famous in the hit film "Parasite," which won four Oscars last year. The writer said mixing two or more Korean brands of instant noodles creates a delicious combination. She cited her experience of cooking "buldak-ghetti," a combination of buldak (spicy chicken) noodle and Chappaghetti, saying mixing the sauces from both noodles creates a perfect harmony.

■ Honorary consul boosts Korea-Ukraine cooperation (Petr Pak from Ukraine)

The No. 3 spot went to a Russian-language article by Petr Pak on Ukrainian Honorary Consul Rtishchev Vladislav, who has served at his post at the Korean honorary consulate in Lviv that opened in 2015.

"Since opening in 2015, the honorary consulate has hosted more than 100 events related to Korea and Ukraine," he said. He added that he hopes to bolster bilateral cooperation in various areas and support ethnic Korean residents of Ukraine.

The article also mentioned his projects to promote cooperation in various sectors.

■ Indonesian jewelry designer launches 2 Korea-influenced collections (Monthi Rosselini)

A piece on Korea-inspired jewelry collection was No. 4. The writer, Indonesian jewelry designer Monthi Rosselini, introduced her "Munhwa Jewelry" collection inspired by bojagi (traditional wrapping cloth) and saekdong, or traditional five-color patterns traditionally used to design Hanbok.

Rosselini said, "My concept is to create jewelry that integrates traditional Korean elements with modern designs to retain the traditional cultural spirit and promote Korean culture through these products." She described the overall process of designing her collection, ranging from explaining the concept to drafting designs.

"My hope is that Munhwa Jewelry promotes higher awareness of Korean culture both in Korea and the world," she added.

xuaiy@korea.kr