Enjoy the Beauty of Hanbok Across Korea During “2026 Hanbok Culture Week”

- Diverse hanbok programs to be held at some 410 participating venues in Korea and abroad from October 19 to 25

- “Hanbok Day” celebration at the National Museum of Korea on October 21, featuring awards for contributors to hanbok culture, a hanbok fashion show, and celebratory performances

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (Minister CHAE Hwi-young, MCST), together with the Korea Craft & Design Foundation (President KIM Kyung-bae, KCDF), will hold “2026 Hanbok Culture Week” at major hubs in Korea and abroad from October 19 (Monday) to 25 (Sunday). Some related programs will also run before and after the event period.

Now in its ninth year, “Hanbok Culture Week” is a cultural event held every year around “Hanbok Day” on October 21. It aims to promote the beauty and value of hanbok and to encourage people to wear and enjoy hanbok in everyday life. This year, some 410 participating venues in Korea and abroad, including the National Museum of Korea and Gyeongbokgung Palace, will present the traditional value and modern appeal of hanbok through a variety of programs, such as exhibitions, hands-on experiences, and performances.

“Hanbok Day” Celebration to Be Held at the National Museum of Korea on October 21

On October 21, “Hanbok Day,” the opening ceremony of “2026 Hanbok Culture Week” will be held at the Open Plaza of the National Museum of Korea. At the ceremony, five recipients who have contributed to the preservation, development, popularization, and industrialization of hanbok culture will receive ministerial citations and award certificates. Professor Emeritus KWON Young-suk of Pusan National University will receive the Award of Merit for Hanbok Culture. LEE Hye-mi, CEO of Saimdang by Hyemi.lee, will receive the Hanbok Person of the Year Award, and JEONG Hae-jin, CEO of Songhwa by Jeong, will receive the Young Hanbok Talent Award. The Human Resources Development Service of Korea (Global Institute for Transferring Skills) will receive the Award for the Institution with the Most Hanbok Work Uniform Adoptions, and designer KIM So-yeon will receive the Grand Prize at the Hanbok Design Project Contest.

The ceremony will continue with a hanbok fashion show and celebratory performances under the theme “HANBOK, EMBRACING RADIANCE,” blending tradition and modernity. Inspired by the deep, rich colors of hanbok and by the beauty of mother-of-pearl, which shimmers in different hues depending on the light, the fashion show will offer a modern reinterpretation of the aesthetics of traditional hanbok.

The celebratory performances will open with a performance by KIM Yoon-ah, vocalist of the band Jaurim. The subsequent hanbok fashion show will feature five hanbok brands,* each presenting designs that reflect its distinctive style. Finally, the traditional performing arts group “Yeonhui Connect 2eul” will close the event with pungmul (traditional Korean percussion music), a lion dance, and a large-flag performance.

* Geumuijae (CEO PARK Ji-hyun), Seodamhwa (CEO SONG Hye-mi), Silosilk (CEO AHN Jae-sook), Orimi (CEO LEE Ye-sim), Hanboklynn (CEO KIM Min-jung)

“Hanbok Culture Week” Celebrated Across Korea and at Major Overseas Hubs

During “Hanbok Culture Week,” some 410 participating venues in Korea and abroad will offer a wide range of programs where visitors can see and experience the beauty of hanbok firsthand. At Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul, the event’s main venue, the “Campaign for Proper Hanbok Wearing” and traditional hanbok exhibitions will highlight the unique beauty of hanbok and encourage people to wear it properly. Gangneung, Jeonju, Busan, Gyeongsangbuk-do, and Jeollanam-do, which are home to local Hanbok Culture Creative Centers, will offer distinctive programs linked to each region’s cultural resources. Jeonju will host hanbok accessory-making activities and a hanbok festival, while Jeollanam-do will run exhibitions and hands-on programs featuring natural dyeing.

Specially planned programs selected through an open call will also be held nationwide. At Namsangol Hanok Village in Seoul, “Young Scholars’ Entrance Ceremony,” based on the school-entry ritual for crown princes during the Joseon Dynasty, will be held. In Daejeon, exhibitions, hands-on experiences, and educational programs will be offered under the theme “Hanbok, Crossing the Line.”

Special benefits will also be available to visitors wearing hanbok, allowing them to enjoy cultural activities and travel experiences more fully. Lotte World will offer a 50% discount on admission (October 19–31), SEOUL SKY a 35% discount (October 19–31), and the National Gugak Center a 50% discount on tickets to its Saturday Gugak Concert (October 24). Cultural and arts institutions and tourism and leisure facilities nationwide will also provide various benefits, including discounted or free admission, hands-on experiences, and special events. Through these benefits, the MCST aims to encourage people to incorporate hanbok into their everyday cultural activities and travel experiences.

“Hanbok Culture Week” will also extend overseas. Major overseas venues in countries including Canada, Japan, and Denmark will offer a variety of hanbok programs, such as hanbok try-on experiences and classes on hanbok etiquette. Programs reflecting the cultural characteristics and local conditions of each country will allow people around the world to experience the beauty of hanbok firsthand and deepen their understanding of Korean traditional culture.

“Mundahong” (short for a Korean phrase meaning “Promoting Everything About the MCST”), the MCST’s young public official influencers,* will also take part in this year’s “Hanbok Culture Week.” Mundahong will create and promote hanbok-themed content and introduce the diverse appeal of hanbok through on-site coverage and interviews, helping spread hanbok culture in everyday life.

* Young public officials who promote government policies

Detailed programs and participating venues for “2026 Hanbok Culture Week” are available on the official Hanbok Culture Week website (https://www.kcdf.or.kr/hanbokcultureweek/main).

Minister CHAE Hwi-young stated, “Hanbok is a precious cultural heritage that has long been part of our lives as well as a cultural asset that continues to evolve in new forms today.” He added, “I hope this ‘Hanbok Culture Week’ will provide an opportunity to reflect on the efforts of those who have preserved hanbok traditions and encourage more people to wear and enjoy hanbok in their daily lives.”

Attachment 1. “2026 Hanbok Culture Week” Poster