Korean Job Discussion Forums

Grab the Chickens Levi · Joined: 29 Apr 2008 Location: Ilsan

The question came to me earlier when a coworker was talking about wearing a hanbok for some reason.

When did this happen..?

More importantly what was the driving reason behind it...?

I mean was it fashion?

Are western clothes more practical?

Cheaper to make and buy?

Easier to wash...?

I really wonder when it was the masses of Korean society first started wholescale crossing over to western dress and how it was promoted or whatever? Was it a govt scheme...? Is it something to do with traditional Korean garb not being cut out for working in new industries...?

Anyone have an idea...?

talika · Joined: 30 May 2008

Take a wild guess.

I'll give you a hint. Well, there was the war in Korea in the 50s... and... Idea

Grab the Chickens Levi · Joined: 29 Apr 2008 Location: Ilsan

seoulsucker · Posted: Sun Jun 22, 2008 9:21 pm Post subject:

Actually, it started before the Korean War.

I would guess that Western clothing was introduced to Korea during Japanese colonization. By that time, the Japanese had been sporting Western attire (suits, military/school uniforms, etc.) for quite some time.

Faunaki · Joined: 15 Jun 2007

That's a good question.

I know that during the war the majority wore white pajamas but that before this time (according to Korean dramas) the richer people wore western clothes.

I"d like to know the answer to this too.

ciccone_youth · Joined: 03 Mar 2008 Location: Japan

very interesting topic indeed.... i'll stay tuned.

Hobophobic · Posted: Sun Jun 22, 2008 10:13 pm Post subject:

At first glance I thought this was going to be about all the DUDES I see wearing cowboy boots and country western style tailored shirts these days...

...and on a side note...my boxing club played a country western song, steel guitar and the works sung in Korean...I immediately dropped everything and begged my instructor to never ever ever ever ever ever play that again....

Grab the Chickens Levi · Joined: 29 Apr 2008 Location: Ilsan

retrogress · Joined: 07 Jun 2008

We had a fair here---sort of mini county fair with some small rides, lots of junk for sale and some transvestites singing really well---and there was a photo exhibition showing the county at various different eras. There were some photos from the 1920's and many of the people were dressed in suits and those flat rimmed hats that people wore in the '20s.

I never bothered to think that those people might actually be Japanese. There were also some farmers in typical Korean dress.

Really if you ask this question, then you have to ask, "Why did all of Asia start dressing in western clothes?" and this really is a good question.

If you ask Asians they will look at you like you're crazy. (why not? is the obvious answer). But if you really pry, then there are only three real reasons: 1) they felt their clothes simply were not as convenient as Western clothes or 2) for some reason they thought western clothing was better. 3) they were attracted to the variety of western clothing

I think the second and third are much more likely. And if you start to think for a deeper answer such as "they felt inferior to the west" (also likely), I would think that it was more a matter of thinking that ALL THINGS western are "advanced"--the airplane, the car, the briefcase, the electric everything, the LONG RANGE CANNON--- and so they just adopted the "advanced man's" clothing.

Do you wish they all would wear Korean clothes? I do. It would make living here initially interesting. Also, I would constantly be reminded that they are ENTIRELY different from me so I wouldn't get irritated so much---maybe.

R-Seoul · Joined: 23 Aug 2006 Location: your place

it's full of stars · Joined: 26 Dec 2007

No, sorry, who won?

thematrixiam · Joined: 31 Oct 2007

how about the new influx of early 90's neon clothes again?

R-Seoul · Joined: 23 Aug 2006 Location: your place

640x480 · Joined: 02 Apr 2008

Why do Americans wear italian suits?

Korean people like things that cost money, is popular and is western (as long as it is not beef). Globalization means influences from other countries will enter your homeland.

Korea also likes to copy others, Japan and U.S. mostly I feel...
The Korean army uses a cheap variation of the M16 and draws 2nd rate anime.

talika · Joined: 30 May 2008

Sorry that my answer is long over due. But from what I understand I believe that it was influenced by the Japanese, while they ruled over Korea during the 1910-1945. So, we should ask why Japanese began to wear Western clothes, and I can only imagine it was for superiority distinction. I think there was definitely the "superiority" look that they really liked, seeming more "modern" as well. So, as Japan started to rule over Korea, they began to impose "their" culture (language, dress), therefore scraping Korean culture. After a while people in Korea probably began to associate Western clothes as "high" class, as people in upper class were seen wearing Western clothes, while peasants still continued to wear traditional han-bok.

If I'm wrong, someone enlighten me.