By Alejandra Soto
Since I planned my trip to South Korea, I knew I wanted to visit Gyeongbokgung. And when I looked at pictures for inspiration, I realized many people were dressed in elegant hanboks, highlighting the beauty of the scene. I knew right there and then that my visit to the palace would be more memorable if I wore one to fully immerse myself in this fantastic journey to the past.
Constructed at the beginning of the Joseon dynasty (1395), this palace is one of the most famous landmarks in the whole country. Plus, the entrance to this palace (and to many others) is completely free if you’re wearing a hanbok. This is a way to encourage visitors to dive into Korean traditions and history, and to promote their culture to the world.
Dressing for the occasion
There’s a wide variety of options to choose from when it comes to renting hanboks. Most stores can be found near the palace, and the price will depend on the time you want to rent it for, the design, and obviously, the shop.
We googled some options to rent one near the palace, and off we went. As soon as we got out of Gyeongbokgung station, we were bombarded with hanbok options. We followed our shopping instincts to a place that offered beautiful gowns, purses, and the traditional hairstyle.
The staff was beyond nice and gave the best recommendations to find your perfect match (sorry, no Prince Charming available). They also helped us with all the wrap up, which sure is difficult to do on your own, specially when you have absolutely no idea where to begin.
A lovely lady then braided my hair and put on a graceful hair band with a traditional ornament on top. Honestly, during the entire process, I felt like a true princess. I swear I even felt taller… Or was it just my ego? Maybe.
When we walked out of the store, though, we felt a little out of place because the buildings around us, the cars passing by, and everything else seemed a bit too modern, in contrast to our look. So, we just tried to laugh it off and hurry to our destination.
Walking Like a Royal
No sooner did we enter the palace than all our worries disappeared. The huge entrance has colorful dragons painted on the ceiling, and as you go inside, you see many visitors wearing this traditional dress, waltzing around the palace’s patios and halls, feeling and acting like characters of a Korean historical drama. There were even some people dressed as the Joseon’s King and Queen (matching outfits with your significant other is so Korean couple culture), drawing all the attention as they passed by.
I was surprised to see so many Koreans visiting the palace, specially young couples wearing their hanboks too! And let me tell you, I saw most Korean guys really going the extra mile to give their girlfriends plenty of Instagram gems. On a side note, I have to admit they have the selca (selfie) game all figured out.
But then, as we explored a less visited area, something in the air changed. Suddenly, I wasn’t just visiting the palace like many other foreigners: I was part of the palace too, as if I had been added to the scenery in a painting. I began to wonder about the lives of the people who once resided or worked in this huge palace; was walking through these corridors as peaceful for them as it was now for me? What stories and secrets does this place hold?
You can’t help but imagine a story worthy of a movie, and it’s all part of the experience too! Sure, it’s nice to walk around, listening to the tour guide, taking pictures here and there (or if you’re like me, pausing constantly to capture every detail), or snapping endless times until you manage to get that perfect selfie, but trying to recreate in your mind the stories or events that might have taken place right there where you’re standing makes you see this experience in a new light.
We continued making our way around, while Koreans and foreigners alike stopped us to take pictures of us and with us, something I’m still not used to. Most of the time, I must say, I was either too busy admiring and taking pictures, or I ran (or should I say stumbled?) away from the picture requests.
Thanks to my dear friend and her lovely daughters, I got to know the meaning behind the decoration and motifs in the palace, as well as some history and traditions. So, when I came back with my friends later, I could play tour guide, on top of photographer and princess. All in all, for me this hanbok experience was like living the childhood dream of being magically transported to a time and place far, far away.
Funny moment
So, leaving the meaningful experience aside, there were some technical but hilarious difficulties to this experience that I figured you might like to know.
“Mammaaa, didn’t mean to let you down!!!” Walking with a long puffy dress can make even a nimble gazelle have a hard time going upstairs. Especially if the gazelle is carrying a backpack, a camera on one hand, a selfie stick (with the phone attached) in the other, and her sunglasses are slipping down. I didn’t fall (fortunately!), but the struggle was real. In the end, it came down to damaging the dress or showing my stylish sportswear, which surely had nothing stylish on them. Find out in the pictures!
All photos: @madebygods13
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