I hadn't had the opportunity to photograph anyone wearing a hanbok; the Korean traditional costume...as South Korea is the only East Asian country I have yet to visit.The opportunity arose when I was approached by HyoJeong Jo inquiring whether I'd be interested in photographing her. Naturally, I jumped at the occasion and suggested she wore a hanbok for the photo session.
The word "hanbok" (한복) literally means Korean clothing, and while worn daily by Koreans until about 100 years ago, they are worn mainly for formal occasions such as festivals like Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving) and ceremonies such as weddings and dol, a baby’s first birthday. The hanbok can be traced back to the Three Kingdoms period in the country (57BC-668AD). The design used today is much the same as what it was by the 6th century AD. The billowing shape of the hanbok is created by an underskirt or a petticoat with plastic hoops.
