- Held in COEX on Aug 10–13 with over 108 Hanbok companies from all over the nation and discounts of up to 80%

- “Wings of Dance, Hanbok,” a special exhibition featuring traditional dance costumes and traditional dances

- Free admission for Hanbok wearers or preregistrants; Ambassador SONG Ga In is also coming to the expo

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (Minister PARK Bo Gyoon, MCST), together with the Korea Craft & Design Foundation (President JANG Dong Kwang, KCDF) host the “2023 Hanbok Expo,” the only hanbok fair in Korea, from Aug 10 (Thur) to 13 (Sun) at COEX Hall D.

The “2023 Hanbok Expo,” which marks its sixth anniversary this year, will offer various novelty Hanbok products from 108 companies at discounts of up to 80%. In addition, a special exhibition on the theme of traditional dance, “Wings of Dance, Hanbok,” is also held. The Expo will feature the Business Promotion Pavilion, where you can see the winners of the “2023 Hanbok Design Project Competition” and the results of this year’s hanbok culture promotion projects, such as hanbok working uniforms and school uniforms; the Education Pavilion, where you can see the activities of universities that operate departments related to traditional costumes; the Collaboration Pavilion, where Korean intangible cultural assets content and traditional crafts are exhibited, and collaboration events are held; and the Experience Pavilion, where you can make your own hanbok accessories or take photos in hanbok to make memories.

“Hanbok in Everyday Life,” an average discount of 30%, up to 80% off

At the Sales Pavilion, in which 108 hanbok vendors participated, visitors can purchase a variety of products ranging from traditional to modernized hanbok, hanbok accessories, and pet hanbok at an average discount of 30% and up to 80% off of the cover price. Visitors can also receive various free gifts, such as norigae and lucky bags, based on their purchase amount.

Various exhibitions have been arranged, including a special exhibition on hanbok related traditional dance, winners of the hanbok design project competition, and hanbok working uniforms.

In the Special Exhibition Pavilion, the exhibition “Wings of Dance, Hanbok” is directed by an artistic director, SEO Younghee, who has directed various exhibitions that combine fashion and traditional culture. With visual artist Park Guiseop’s video “Yieum” playing in the background, 22 costumes (outfits) related to 9 traditional dances, such as Buddhist dance and mask dance is displayed to dynamically showcase the solid style and excitement of hanbok, effectively bridging the gap between tradition and modernity.

The Project Promotion Pavilion will showcase the results of various hanbok culture promotion projects conducted by MCST and KCDF. It will display 30 winners of the “Hanbok Design Project Competition” held in 2023 under the theme of “Hanbok that Breaks Gender Boundaries,” 26 hanbok working uniforms for transportation and leisure services developed in 2022, 10 traditional hanbok fabrics developed in 2022, and 100 hanbok materials. It will also promote this year’s “Hanbok Culture Week” (Oct. 16–22), which takes place around Hanbok Day (Oct. 21), and the regional hanbok culture creative spaces (three in Gangneung, Gyeongbuk, and Busan) that have been established since 2022 to revitalize regionally oriented hanbok culture.

 In addition to the creative activities prepared by universities and institutions related to traditional costumes, there are also fun activities, such as making coloring postcards with Uigwe (The Royal Protocols of the Joseon Dynasty) stamps and taking pictures at a hanbok photo zone.

The Education Pavilion runs the “Hanbok Maker Space,” which provides on-site training programs for hanbok workers and prospective hanbok designers. It will also showcase a hanbok curriculum and students’ creative activities from Dankook University Graduate School, Baewha Women’s University, and the Korea National University of Cultural Heritage, all of which have established a reputation for teaching traditional costumes to preserve and develop hanbok.

The Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation, which inherits, distributes, and utilizes the value of intangible heritage showcases ASMR[1] contents in the collaboration pavilion, including myeongju jjagi (silk weaving) and Jiseung craft [2]; furthermore, the National Intangible Cultural Heritage Association, which was established by national intangible cultural assets to continue traditional crafts, will display 11 high-quality traditional crafts such as ornamental silver knife, norigae, and gat. In addition, the crowdfunding platform “Tumblbug” and online handicraft retailer “Idus” will join forces to showcase hanbok products tailored to modern life and hold social media events.

There will be various hands-on events at the Experience Pavilion, such as coloring postcards with Uigwe stamps, making gold daenggi hairbands and norigae with traditional patterns, and a photo zone where visitors can take pictures while wearing hanbok.

Hanbok Ambassador SONG Ga In visits the event to add to the excitement on Aug 10

Hanbok Ambassador SONG Ga In visited the event to add more excitement to the 2023 Hanbok Expo. She toured the site with visitors and take commemorative photos with participants.

For more information on the “2023 Hanbok Expo,” please visit the official website (www.kcdf.or.kr/hanbokexpo) or the Hanbok Expo Secretariat (email: hanbokexpo@kcdf.kr, ☎ 02-398-1631/1634). In particular, those who wear hanbok or register in advance can enter the “2023 Hanbok Expo” for free. Preregistration is open until August 9 (Wed) at “Naver Reservation: 2023 Hanbok Expo” (https://m.booking.naver.com/booking/5/bizes/930288).