Campaign at Gyeongbokgung Palace promotes proper hanbok wearing; rental industry joins in

[Financial News] A campaign promoting the traditional form of hanbok and how to wear it properly is launching at Gyeongbokgung Palace. Hanbok rental shops and content creators are taking part, and tourists wearing traditional hanbok will also receive discounts at partner stores.
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said on the 16th that it will hold the launch ceremony for the “Campaign for Proper Hanbok Wearing” near Gyeonghoeru Pavilion at Gyeongbokgung Palace at 11 a.m. on the 19th, together with the Korea Heritage Service and the Korea Craft & Design Foundation. Participants will include Kim Young-soo, the ministry’s First Vice Minister, 24 hanbok rental shops near Gyeongbokgung Palace, and 17 content creators in the hanbok field.
The campaign was organized in conjunction with “2026 Hanbok Culture Week” (October 19–25). It takes into account criticism that some rental hanbok do not reflect the distinctive forms and characteristics of traditional hanbok, amid the growing popularity of hanbok experiences at royal palaces.
The Royal Palaces and Tombs Center’s current standards for free admission in hanbok accept both traditional and everyday hanbok, but require visitors to wear a jeogori with a skirt or pants. Visitors wearing only a jeogori with jeans, or a T-shirt with hanbok bottoms, are not eligible for free admission.
Participating rental shops will distribute the multilingual booklet “Hanbok Story” and QR-code guides covering hanbok’s history, components and how to wear it. The Korea Craft & Design Foundation will provide training for rental shop employees, while creators will use social media to promote proper hanbok-wearing culture.
Near Gyeonghoeru Pavilion, there will be a quiz on hanbok’s components, names and how to wear it, as well as exhibitions of royal court hanbok and hanbok featured in television dramas. The exhibition and promotional booths are planned to remain open from the first day of Hanbok Culture Week.
A discount program, “Hanbok Pass Goods,” will also be introduced. Tourists who properly wear traditional hanbok rented from participating shops can receive a Hanbok Pass norigae souvenir and present it at partner stores to get a 10–20% discount. There are 27 participating businesses. The National Museum of Korea’s “MU:DS” will offer the benefit through the 25th, while businesses at Anyoung Insadong and Metyujang Anguk will offer it through December 31. Discount eligibility and conditions vary by store.
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Heritage Service plan to encourage rental businesses to offer more traditional hanbok, continue the campaign after Hanbok Culture Week, and increase the number of participating businesses.
Vice Minister Kim said, “The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism will continue to work closely with people on the ground so that the public and tourists can experience and enjoy the unique beauty and value of our hanbok in a more familiar way.”

[email protected] Jang In-seo Reporter