An Analysis of Genderless Styles in Contemporary Hanbok as K-Fashion

Contemporary hanbok has transformed by incorporating the values and formative elements inherent in traditional hanbok while responding to the aesthetic sensibilities and lifestyles of modern society. Despite this evolution, studies that propose concrete images and strategies for the contemporary succession and development of hanbok remain insufficient. Meanwhile, K-Fashion has played a significant role in enhancing national image formation and cultural competitiveness by utilizing Korean characteristics and imagery. Since the 1990s, alongside the global expansion of the Korean Wave, Korean design and fashion brands have emerged as key cultural and economic keywords on the international stage. Within this context, hanbok should no longer be regarded as a fixed reproduction of tradition but rather reinterpreted as a flexible and variable form that reflects contemporary values and lifestyles. Accordingly, this study positions contemporary hanbok within the category of K-Fashion and aims to analyze the formal characteristics of the genderless styles it expresses. By focusing on genderless design, this research seeks to explore new possibilities for the modern reinterpretation of hanbok beyond traditional gender norms. The research methodology combines a literature review with empirical analysis. The study examines contemporary hanbok designs featuring genderless imagery, selected from works presented in the New Hanbok Project and the Hanbok Design Development Project, organized by the Hanbok Advancement Center. The analysis period spans ten years, from 2015 to 2024, a timeframe marked by the emergence of newly designed hanbok that integrate modern aesthetic sensibilities and lifestyles into garments traditionally embedded with Korean gender values. The results reveal that genderless styles in contemporary hanbok can be classified into three distinct types: androgynous, gender-reversed, and gender-neutral imagery. Furthermore, the study confirms that meaningful characteristics are evident in the expression of form among the formative elements of dress. These findings suggest that genderless design is an important strategy for expanding the expressive potential of contemporary hanbok within the K-Fashion framework.