Jongno District Hosts 'Hanbok Photo' Contest

Promoting the Beauty of Hanbok and Traditional Culture in Jongno
2020 Jongno Hanbok Photo Contest Open to All Hanbok Lovers
Submit Your Hanbok Photos and Stories via Instagram by August 30
Follow the Jongno Hanbok Promoter Account and Include Required Hashtags, Photo Location, and Story

2018 Contest Grand Prize Winner

[Asia Economy, Reporter Park Jongil] Jongno District (headed by District Mayor Kim Youngjong) will host the '2020 Jongno Hanbok Photo Contest' to widely promote the excellence and beauty of Hanbok, Korea’s traditional attire, and to help establish the identity of Jongno as a city of traditional culture.

Launched in 2018 and now in its third year, this contest is open to anyone who loves traditional Hanbok and can participate via Instagram.

Participants are invited to submit their Hanbok photos along with the stories behind them by August 30.

To participate, first follow the ‘Jongno Hanbok Promoter’ (@jongno_hanbok) account on the Instagram application. Select a photo file in jpg format, no larger than 8MB, and write a story related to the photo in at least 30 but no more than 100 characters.

The location where the photo was taken must also be specified, and bonus points are given for photos taken within Jongno District.

In addition, posts must include both hashtags: ‘#종로한복사진공모전’ and ‘#한복의재발견’. If a participant removes the hashtags after the submission deadline, making it impossible to identify the entrant, or fails to meet any of the above requirements, the entry will be excluded from judging.

The contest theme is open to a variety of interpretations. For example, submissions may include Hanbok photos taken at the same location as in parents’ old wedding photos under the concept “When My Mom and Dad Got Married,” or photos of children wearing the Hanbok their parents wore at their wedding. Other ideas include “Hanbok Time with Family,” such as three generations wearing Hanbok together, or photos of pets dressed in Hanbok with their owners.

Participants may also freely upload photos of themselves wearing Hanbok at various travel destinations, recreating scenes from dramas or literary works, or simply capturing moments of everyday life in Hanbok.

Entries will be judged comprehensively on excellence, originality, and practicality, and the results will be announced on September 18 on the district office’s website and the Jongno Hanbok Promoter Instagram account.

The contest’s highest honor, the ‘District Mayor’s Award,’ comes with a certificate and a cash prize of 2 million won. The district also plans to select winners for the Grand Prize, Excellence Award, and Encouragement Award, presenting certificates, cash prizes, and cultural gift certificates accordingly.

For more detailed information regarding the contest, please refer to the district office website or contact the Culture Policy Team of the Culture Division.

Jongno District, which is at the forefront of promoting traditional culture such as Hanbok, Hanok, Hansik, Hangeul, Korean traditional music, and dance, has been operating a ‘Hanbok Day for Staff’ every month since 2013 to encourage wearing Hanbok.

The district also operates the ‘Gopda Hanbok Experience Center,’ providing residents with opportunities for Hanbok experiences and education, and has established the ‘Hanbok Promotion Ordinance’ to create an institutional foundation for effective policy implementation.

Since 2016, Jongno District has held the annual ‘Hanbok Festival’ to promote the beauty of Hanbok both domestically and internationally and to help revitalize the local economy. This year’s Jongno Hanbok Festival is scheduled for October, but may be postponed or canceled due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic.

District Mayor Kim Youngjong stated, “We are holding this contest to foster a culture where Hanbok is enjoyed not only on special occasions but also in daily life. To raise pride in Jongno as a city of traditional culture and to promote the beauty of Hanbok, we have secured 100 million won in national funding to support Hanbok culture revitalization projects through November this year. We will continue to take the lead in promoting Hanbok, our precious traditional attire imbued with the wisdom, culture, and spirit of our ancestors.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.