korean entry 5: Goguryeo Hanbok


This is a noblewoman wearing the predecessor to the hanbok during the Goguryeo Dynasty which lasted from 37BC to 668AD. During this time Korea was still being heavily influenced by China, so there are a few parallels with ancient Chinese fashion. This was the time however when Korea was becoming more and more distant from China as well, this being shown in the early development of the hanbok top and skirt. When the Goguryeo Kingdom fell, one of the supposed reasons was “the immorality of women” and as a result the following kingdoms held even tighter to traditional sexist Confucius ideals. As far as what was fashionable, women plucked their eyebrows, wore rouge on their cheeks, and were wanted generally quite thin. It is strange that there was so much expected of their appearance, but at the same time they were shamed for focusing so much on it at the same time.