Wearing Hanbok

Why everyone wears hanbok

Korea’s traditional dress, hanbok, has become one of the most popular tourist experiences in Seoul — for two big reasons:

1. The photos are stunning, especially against palace and hanok-village backdrops
2. Wearing hanbok gives you free entry to all five royal palaces in Seoul

Where to rent

Concentrated near Gyeongbokgung Palace, Bukchon, and Insadong. Walk-in is fine on weekdays; booking ahead is wise on weekends.

Top-rated chains: - Oneday Hanbok — multiple locations, English staff, modern fashionable cuts - Hanboknam — traditional palace-area shop, classic styles - Hanbokrental Gyeongbokgung — cheap and central - Hanbok Story in Bukchon — well-styled, premium options

Pricing

• 1–2 hour rental: 15,000–20,000 KRW (often free hair accessory and bag)
• 4-hour rental: 25,000–35,000 KRW
• Full day: 40,000–60,000 KRW

Premium “royal hanbok” with extra accessories runs 40,000–80,000 KRW.

What’s included

Most rental shops give you: - The hanbok (jeogori top + chima skirt for women, jeogori + baji pants for men) - Free hair styling (basic) - Free locker for your normal clothes - Optional accessories: hair pins (binyeo), hand fans, small bags - Help getting dressed properly

Free palace entry

While wearing hanbok, all five royal palaces are free:

• Gyeongbokgung Palace
• Changdeokgung Palace (including Secret Garden if booked)
• Changgyeonggung Palace
• Deoksugung Palace
• Jongmyo Shrine

Show your hanbok to the ticket booth — no special form needed. Worth at least 15,000 KRW in saved palace entry fees.

What to expect

• Most hanbok are not historically accurate for the dynasty era — they’re modernized for tourist appeal
• Comfort: hanbok is loose and breathable; surprisingly comfortable for walking
• Shoes: rental shops provide simple slippers or you wear your own
• Photos: shops have changing rooms with mirrors and lighting; outdoor palace courtyards are the actual photo spots

Best photo spots

• Gyeongbokgung’s Geunjeongjeon throne hall (morning light)
• Bukchon Hanok Village viewpoint (Bukchon-ro 11-gil)
• Changdeokgung’s secret garden ponds (need timed entry)
• Insadong main alley
• Samcheong-dong tree-lined streets

When to go

• April for cherry blossoms behind hanbok = legendary photos
• Late October for golden ginkgo leaves
• Snow in winter palace courtyards is striking
• Weekday mornings have the fewest crowds

Cultural notes

Wearing hanbok in Korea is generally celebrated, not appropriative — Koreans are proud when visitors wear it. Just two things: - Don’t wear it disrespectfully (e.g., to a nightclub at 2am) - Don’t buy a cheap hanbok costume online and wear it for Halloween — that lands differently

The rental experience is the right way to engage with the tradition.