Traditional ceremonial attire

At a traditional wedding the bride wore a splendid ceremonial robe such as a wonsam or hwarot, with a jokduri or hwagwan crown on her head. The hwarot was embroidered with auspicious motifs like peonies and lotuses, wishing the couple happiness and many descendants. These were originally court or upper-class robes, but commoners are said to have been allowed to wear them for weddings.

Samo-gwandae is an official's court attire: a samo hat, a dallyeong robe and a gwandae belt. It is said that on his wedding day even an ordinary groom could dress like a government official. You can still see it at events that recreate traditional weddings.

They are called yeonji-gonji: yeonji on the cheeks and gonji on the forehead. The custom is said to come from the belief that the color red wards off evil spirits. Today they are mostly applied as decoration for traditional weddings, pyebaek ceremonies and hanbok photo shoots.

Pyebaek is a traditional ceremony after the wedding in which the couple formally greets the groom's elders for the first time. The couple wear hanbok or traditional wedding robes and bow, and the elders offer blessings and toss dates and chestnuts for the bride to catch in her skirt. Many couples now skip or simplify it.

Most couples hold weddings at wedding halls, but some choose a traditional ceremony. Certain cultural venues and events offer traditional weddings, and couples marrying a foreign spouse sometimes pick one to share Korean culture. Check with the venue or organizer for how it is run and where.

A boy's dol outfit often includes a saekdong striped jeogori and trousers with a vest or magoja, topped with an overgarment called jeonbok or kwaeja. On his head he wears a bokgeon or hogeon hood. Many families today use a simplified dol hanbok for the first-birthday party.

A girl's dol outfit often pairs a saekdong striped jeogori with a deep red skirt, sometimes with a dangui jacket layered on top. She may wear a jobawi cap and a norigae ornament as decoration. Today lighter, simpler dol hanbok are common so the baby can move comfortably.

A bokgeon is a black cloth hood that boys wore for their first birthday or holidays. A hogeon is a child's hat decorated or embroidered with a tiger face, and is said to carry the meaning that the tiger chases away evil. Both often appear in first-birthday photos.

Seolbim refers to new clothes prepared and worn for Seollal, the Lunar New Year. In the past, families often made new hanbok for children to greet the year with a fresh start. Today the word may simply mean buying new clothes for the holiday, and new clothes for Chuseok are called chuseokbim.

The traditional coming-of-age rite was gwallye for men and gyerye for women, marking adulthood with a change in hairstyle and dress. Men tied a topknot and put on a gat, while women put up their hair in a chignon with a binyeo. Reenactments are sometimes held around Coming-of-Age Day in May.

Traditional mourning clothes were made of coarse hemp cloth, expressing grief and restraint after losing a family member. The garments and mourning period depended on one's relationship to the deceased, and the chief mourner might wear a headpiece called gulgeon. Today most families wear simplified modern mourning attire.

Bereaved family members generally wear black suits or black hanbok. Male chief mourners often wear an armband, and female relatives commonly wear a white ribbon pin in their hair. Funeral halls usually rent mourning clothes, so if a loss happens suddenly, the hall staff can guide you.

There is no fixed outfit, but neat, subdued clothing is the norm. Some families dress in hanbok or a durumagi, while others wear suits or tidy everyday clothes. If you are invited to a friend's family rite, avoid loud, flashy outfits and dress neatly.

In the past, the celebrating couple typically wore hanbok at a hwangap party and received bows from their children. Today many families keep it simple with a meal, though some dress in matching hanbok for a family photo. There is no set dress code, so follow the family's style.

The gollyongpo was the robe a Joseon king wore for daily state affairs, notable for round dragon emblems embroidered on the chest, back and both shoulders. Kings are known to have worn it in red. For major rituals, a separate ceremonial robe called myeonbok was worn.

They are called hyungbae: embroidered badges on the chest and back of an official's robe that showed rank and status. Generally, civil officials used cranes and military officials used tigers. Designs and rules changed over time, so viewing them alongside museum explanations helps.

The most formal robe of a Joseon queen was the jeogui, a ceremonial garment decorated with pheasant motifs. Its form changed over time; in the Korean Empire period, for example, the empress's jeogui took a different color. Original artifacts and reproductions can be seen at museums that display royal court relics.

At the Jongmyo Jerye rite, the officiants wear ceremonial ritual robes, and the musicians and dancers performing Jongmyo Jeryeak also wear prescribed attire. The rite and its music are inscribed on UNESCO's list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. It is usually held every year, but check official sources for the date and how to attend.

In Seoul, the National Palace Museum of Korea displays royal attire and relics, and the National Folk Museum of Korea shows clothing tied to life rituals such as weddings, first birthdays and funerals. Some university and regional museums also have costume exhibitions. Displays change, so check official information before visiting.

Some hanbok rental shops and cultural experience venues let visitors rent a wonsam, hwarot or samo-gwandae for photos. There are also occasional events where you can take part in a recreated traditional wedding. Availability and conditions differ by place, so ask in advance.