KAE-RYANG HANBOK

In the late 1990s, people adopted a new Hanbok style that focused on comfort design much like in the basic frame of traditional Hanbok. In this period, many Koreans deploy Hanbok as costumes in a public performance of political and national identity. This new style we called ‘Kae-ryang hanbok’, it means ‘reformed Korean clothing’. Rebecca concluded that the new hanbok styles were part of a repertoire for the performance and consumption of nationalist identity, available to all Koreans but used especially by activists. I agree with her analysis of the situation, ‘Kae-ryang hanbok’ in the ’90 style, it was popular among the older generations, they wore in a special situation strategically or to reveal their’s character. (ex. Activist Nationalism, Politician)

Korea was under the control of the Japanese emperor from 1910 until closing day of World War II, after liberation from Japanese rule we had a Korean War and then divided two country. So, historically and until now, we had so many opposition movement, called ‘un-dong’; a movement for the emancipation, nationalistic movement, a pro-democracy movement, women’s rights, the environment.. South Korea’s civil society is as young as its democracy. This original prototypical ‘un-dong’ is a postcolonial, nationalistic movement. The primary purpose of the ‘un-dong’ is to represent the spirit of the everlasting Korean folk, the common people.

The new styles of Hanbok originated in the democracy movement, were most often worn by students, artists, activists like feminists and those with 'consciousness'. Of course that not all the clothing choices an activist makes are necessarily political. In the mass-market settings, the new Hanbok major selling points are its comfort and convenience, and its capacity for reawakening Korea’s national pride. About a year later, began to replace ‘reformed’ with the term ‘lifestyle’, hence its suitability for ordinary life.