Schoolchildren dressed in hanbok practice “sebae” during a manners training at Samjeon Green Nursery School in Songpa-gu, Seoul, Feb. 5, ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, Feb. 9 (Korea Bizwire) –In a spirited move to celebrate the Lunar New Year, Seo Kyoung-duk, a professor at Sungshin Women’s University known for his social activism, has taken to social media to initiate a “Hanbok Challenge.”
This comes after his successful advertisement campaign for hanbok, the traditional Korean attire, in New York’s Times Square.
Professor Seo’s hanbok advertisement on a billboard in Times Square in New York City. (Image provided by Prof. Seo)
According to Seo, the Hanbok Challenge encourages individuals to share photos and videos of themselves in various styles of hanbok, such as those worn in childhood, at weddings, or during traditional holidays, on their favorite social media platforms.
This initiative aims to correct misconceptions and counter claims like China’s “hanbok appropriation,” by showcasing the rich tradition and beauty of Korean hanbok to a global audience.
Employees of the Punghyang-dong Administrative Welfare Center in Buk-gu, Gwangju, dressed in hanbok, and children from a nearby daycare center carry gift packages they made themselves to greet the elderly at the center’s senior center on Feb. 7, two days before the Lunar New Year holiday.
Participants are encouraged to use hashtags like “#Hanbok,” “#Korea,” and “#HanbokFromKorea” to highlight hanbok’s roots in Korean culture.
“Rather than just being upset about China’s appropriation of the Korean hanbok, I wanted to use the collective promotional power of Korean netizens to spread the word about hanbok as a traditional Korean garment worldwide,” said Seo.
Local people dressed in hanbok learn to make the traditional New Year’s bow or greeting called “sebae” during a Lunar New Year cultural experience at the Korean Cultural Center of South Africa in Pretoria on Feb. 9 (local time). (Image provided by the Korean Cultural Center of South Africa)
He added, “With over ten thousand participants so far, this movement has become a significant online cultural preservation effort. It has even inspired people to bring out their hanbok from storage and wear them, at least during the holidays.”
Seo also emphasized the importance of participation from Koreans living abroad, including expatriates and students, believing that their involvement could significantly boost global awareness of hanbok. He also hopes for the engagement of K-pop stars and celebrities from various fields.
Seo has been active in promoting hanbok internationally, and in addition to the hanbok ads in Times Square, he has also produced multilingual videos on the history of hanbok, shared widely on YouTube and various social media platforms.
Last year, K-pop group NewJeans, dressed in traditional hanbok attire for Chuseok, conveyed their Chuseok greetings through their official social media, showcasing the elegance of their attire. (Image courtesy of NewJeans SNS channel)
Ashley Song (ashley@koreabizwire.com)
