• Journal of the Korean Society of Costume
• /
• v.56 no.7 s.107
• /
• pp.1-17
• /
• 2006

This study purposed to examine Korean people's white clothes custom historically and to explain the aesthetic consciousness latent in the custom. Korean people preferred white clothes, even up to foreigners called them White-clad folk. Not only as in old historical literatures, but also in Soo-suh, Shin-Dang-suh including Sam-Kuk-Ji in China, white clothes were a real symbol to Korean people, ranging chronically far back to the age of ancient tribal countries, Sam-Kuk Period through Koryo Dynasty and even to modern age near the end of Chosun Dynasty, wearing with pleasure regardless of age, sex or social position. Even King himself in Koryo Dynasty is said to have worn white clothes when he was out of official hours. During the Koryo and Chosun Dynasty, white clothes were sometimes prohibited for various reasons including conflicts with the theories of yin-yang and the five elements but such regulations were not effective. To Korean people, white clothes were ordinary people's everyday dress as well as noble people's plain suits, saints' uniforms with religious meanings, ceremonial costumes, funeral garments, etc. The various uses show that white clothes have been worn by many people. The unique custom that a People have worn white clothes consistently for such a long time may contain very deep symbolic meanings representing the people's sentiments and spirits. The present study understood that the meanings come from religious sacredness, magical wish for brightness, the pursuit of purity originating from the people's national traits, assimilation with nature and the will to attain whole ascetic personality. Aesthetic attitudes based on aesthetic values summed up as sacredness, brightness, purity, assimilation with nature, asceticism, etc. are the aesthetic consciousness pursued by Koreans through their white clothes. For Koreans, white color is the origin of their color sense coming from primitive religions such as worshipping the sun and the heaven. In this way, Korean people's preference for white clothes began with primitive religions, was mixed with various social, cultural and religious influences and finally was settled as their durable spirit, symbol and beauty.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Costume
• /
• v.58 no.3
• /
• pp.49-62
• /
• 2008

The purpose of this study was to analyze the signification system between color and clothes systematically in black and white clothes. For this purpose, after examining the images of black and white clothes, we selected 55 clothes that represented as black and white and analyzed their meanings and the sources using semiotic framework, based on the work of Saussure and Barthes. The results as follows: First, the meaning in black and white clothes was generated from original color image. White clothes of religious person like Virgin Mary, Angel expressed pure and sacred color image. And black clothes like funeral dress expressed grief and death. Next, the meaning of black and white clothes was regenerated into modern color image by new environment. After industrial revolution, black was considered as a traditional men's fashion color. With diverse leisure activities, white sports wear appeared as active and clean image. Finally the source of the meaning of the clothes was the designer or the wearer. A little black dress by Chanel who was interested in simplicity and function represents an ideal of simple and sexy object. The situation is complicated by the fact that these three kinds of explanation may be found singly or mixed together.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Costume
• /
• v.64 no.8
• /
• pp.164-178
• /
• 2014

Historically, white clothes have been passed down through the generations as the symbol of the Korean people. This study was motivated after coming across a text written by Lee Ok(李鈺, 1760~1815), a writer during the Joseon dynasty. Lee wrote that "Koreans mostly wear blue clothes." This raised questions regarding the wearing practice of the white clothes at the time of King Jeongjo's reign(1776~1800), and led to further studies on the matter. The results show that discussions were held about changing the color of the government official's changui(氅衣) from white to blue. An order was also given replacing white boots with black boots. Therefore, it is supposed that blue clothes phenomenon was influenced from the blue changui policy. However, this change was temporary as later generations wore preferred white with the exception being women's skirts. Women preferred blue skirts to white skirts for a long period. Detailed analysis of the white changui showed that people were burdened by high dyeing costs, and this was a big factor as studies indicated a large gap in wealth disparity. In a society that put funeral and ancestral rites as one of its priorities, the white clothes could have been favored due to its multi-functional use. Also, the noblemen who set importance on Gija(箕子) Joseon connected white clothes custom to Gija. This connotes that the reason for wearing white clothes differed depending on the class. And as white clothes were widely worn, people developed different ways of wearing the clothes for aesthetic purposes.

• International Journal of Costume and Fashion
• /
• v.11 no.2
• /
• pp.25-36
• /
• 2011

There seems to have arisen a preference for wearing white clothes amongst Koreans from the long past, even tracing back to the ancient times in tradition of Shamanism worshipping the sun. This "preference" persevered throughout the passage of time, even with the numerous internal and external pressures to forbid or interrupt this tradition. The wearing of White Clothes by Koreans can also be often found in the various records made by foreign visitors recognized as a noticeable phenomenon, and representative of Korea which seems to have influences even until now in the impressions of the country. Despite of this tradition that seems to have lasted over the last 5000 years, all of a sudden it disappeared within the last 50years. In the contemporary modern fashion of Korea, it seems hard to say, Koreans enjoyably sporting White clothes, is a stand out trait anymore, thus the equation of Koreans equivalent to the people of white not a valid stamen anymore. it could not be said that this tradition is representative of the Korean cultural Identity. Why would this be the case? What happened to the long lasted pattern? In what form or shape has this tradition trasnsformed and reappears before us today? This paper seeks to find the answers to these questions.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
• /
• v.39 no.1
• /
• pp.121-132
• /
• 2015

All aspects of clothing, including color, are a visible form of expression that carries invisible value. The purpose of this work is to study the expression of resistance in the white Hanbok in modern culture, specifically after the 1980s. Koreans have traditionally revered white color and enjoyed wearing white clothes. In Korea, white represents simplicity, asceticism, sadness, resistance against corruption, and the pursuit of innocence. This paper looks at: (i) the universal and traditional values of the color white, (ii) the significance of traditional white Korean clothing, (iii) the resistance characteristics of white in traditional Korean clothes, and (iv) the aesthetic values of white Hanbok. The white Hanbok often connotes resistance when it is worn in modern Korea. It is worn in folk plays, worn by shamans as a shamanist costume, worn by protestors for anti-establishment movements, and worn by social activists or progressive politicians. The fact that the white Hanbok has lost its position as an everyday dress in South Korea (instead symbolizing resistance when it is worn) is an unusual phenomenon. It shows that the white Hanbok, as a type of costume, is being used as a strong means of expression, following a change in the value of traditional costumes as it take on an expressive function.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Costume
• /
• v.64 no.1
• /
• pp.152-164
• /
• 2014

Korean people have revered the white color and enjoyed wearing white clothes. Various kinds of white clothes have been worn by the Korean people, ranging from everyday wear(便服), and scholar's robe(深衣) for the upper class, to religious costumes like Buddhist monk's robe(僧服), shaman costumes(巫服) and costumes for ancestral rites(祭服), or mourning(喪服). There have been many differing opinions by historians regarding the background of this Baekeuihosang(白衣好尙, the preference for white clothing) tradition and even now, it is frequently being discussed. This study aims to consider and discuss the background of this Baekeuihosang tradition, focusing on Chang-seon Yoo's Baekeuigo(白衣考, the consideration of white clothing), which was published in Dong-A Ilbo in 1934. The purposes of studying literature such as the Baekeuigo is to analyze the arguments on the origin of Baekeuihosang, to analyze Chang-seon Yoo's claim of its origin, and to discuss the culture of Baekeuihosang. Chang-seon Yoo claimed that the existing discussions on the background of Baekeuihosang based on the lack of dyes, or undeveloped technique, economic privation and national control strayed from historical facts, according to literature review. It is not worth discussing the farfetched arguments such as the use of costumes for ancestral rites as everyday wears, or the nation of sorrow. Baekeuihosang tradition mostly originated from the effects of many religions and the taste for innocence, or naturalness. White clothes were infused with the sorrow and emotion of Korean people and were also worn to show resistance to foreign power as symbols of ethnicity. Therefore, there should be a new view of the discussion of white clothes and Korean aesthetic sense, away from the logic distorted by the Japanese colonial view of history.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Costume
• /
• v.62 no.1
• /
• pp.29-48
• /
• 2012

From ancient to modern days, Koreans have preferred and even worshiped white clothes to the extent that they are called "the white-clad race", and the color black has seldom been used for women's clothes. In western countries too, it was only after Chanel that black color came to represent feminine beauty. Black clothes were introduced in Korea after the opening of its ports to foreign countries in 1876 and have mainly been worn as a practical clolor for winter coats and school uniforms. The traditional preference for white and other bright colors continued well into the 1980s. However, the industrialization and urbanization caused by economic development and the influx of western cultures and ideas in the 1980s brought about the westernization of Korean aesthetic consciousness and resulted in the phenomenon of modern Korean women's preference for black fashion that became conspicuous from 1991. With the introduction of western fashion after the opening of the country in 1876, the spiritual values contained in preference for white clothes have been substituted by materialistic values as people accepted the practical beauty of black fashion, and the inclination toward intrinsic natural beauty intrinsic in the aesthetic senses that preferred white clothes has been replaced by the preference for modern, elegant and sensual beauties of black fashion whose preference has begun in the 1990s.

• The Research Journal of the Costume Culture
• /
• v.12 no.3
• /
• pp.455-467
• /
• 2004

The purpose of this study is reviewing and researching the symbolic meaning and classifying the types of the style of the Costume in classical novel 'Shimchungjun' focusing on the woman's costume through the antique records and tombs bequests. Titled ladies for royal family put on 'Wooimkyoryong' and 'Sungun' as a petticoat when the ladies of Song period rode on horses. The underskirt played a part to swell a skirt for ladies. 'Bakjueui' and 'Hwangsangi' were ordinary clothes ranging from ladies of loyal family to women. The red color was limited to royal family. The ordinary clothes of women were white ramie clothes commonly and floral patterned clothes were prohibited to the ordinary clothes for women. 'Ko', a breast-tie (breast ribbon) of a Korean coat, was made of silk and women wear as an outer garment. The common people will wear 'Ko' of white ramie clothes which was very active items. The ladies of royal family and women put on shoes made of white ramie clothes, but the full dress of queen wore blue boots made of leather. The noble women wore 'Suk'(boots) made of deer skin and common people wore straw shoes regardless of gender and age. Sometimes they wore 'Woopihye' made of cowhide. In the first of Koryo era, the styles of dress were consisted of 'Monso', 'Eui', 'Po', 'Dae', 'Koh', 'Sang', 'Sungkun' and 'Kangnang'. The structure of costume for women made little difference and there was a great difference with decoration.

• Journal of Fashion Business
• /
• v.16 no.3
• /
• pp.32-44
• /
• 2012

This study proposed a color scheme that is harmonious with the working environment of industrial sites using Birren's color harmony theory for color planning. To apply the Birren's color harmony theory to working clothes, the basic colors were chosen, and six of the eight harmony formulas of Birren excluding achromatic colors (white + grey + black) and solid color harmony (solid colors + white + black) were used to form a palette for each case. For the basic colors, the color chips of four dominant colors (yellow-green, sky-blue, blue, and violet), which were chosen from a field survey for preferences in the first step, and the production of materials in the second step were collected through the PANTONE color chips. The selected color chips were PANTONE 13-0550 TPX, PANTONE 15-4105 TPX, PANTONE 18-3949 TPX, and PANTONE 19-3720 TPX. These color chips were scanned and their RGB values were extracted through Photoshop CS. Then the colors were arranged in accordance with the Birren's color harmony formulas (Color+Tint+White, Color+Shade+Black, Tint+Tone+Shade, Shade+Tone+Black, Shade+Tone+White, and Tint+Shade+Tone+Gray). In addition, the proposed palette color schemes were applied through Birren's color harmony formulas using Texpro V 10.1 textile to the schematization of working clothes that were designed in the previous study. Palette formation in line with Birren's color harmony formulas provided scientific color arrangement results. Visually presenting the color scheme of working clothes will help the color selection of working clothes in tune with the circumstances of industrial sites.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
• /
• v.6 no.2
• /
• pp.1-7
• /
• 1982

Baik-Eui is the white clothes and Korean typical way of wearing, Baik-Eui was used by the over 80$\~$90 percents of people, which proves that Baik-Eui was the very clothes of common people. Moreover, even King himself in Koryo Dynasty is said to have worn white clothes when he was out of official hours. And wearing Baik-Eui was regarded as polite manners among the noble men in Yi Dynasty in spite of strict prohibitions of wearing it. That fact proves that it was loved by Korean people in general. Baik-Eui can be found its origin from many peoples of North East Asia in ancient time. Some say that wearing Baik-Eui is considered as a kind of worship of the sun, or purity of Korean people. But from the economical point of view, Baik-Eui was primitive in it's color. It means that their clothes were made from original clothes, not dyed. This study on the social reasons affecting to Baik-Eui, they are summarized as follows; 1. This Baik-Eui had been originated from the ancient economical and rigid circumstances of society. Everlasting poverty and diprivation of joy in life of Korean naturally made them have inclination of wearing it 2. Also common people were restricted in their choice of dress color by government. Even rich could not wear a colored clothes except the dyes permitted by them. 3. Socially, People wore white clothes through various kinds of ceremony, among which funeral was the most important. As we had the large family system, and usually the funeral at that time was longer in its period than now. Thus, Korean got accustomed to wear whit clothes more and more.