My hanbok rental experience

January 15th, 2025

When I first saw that traditional attire (hanbok) rental was one of the attractions offered to tourists in Korea, it seemed weird, like going to the board meeting dressed as a Little Mermaid. Well, tourists aren’t working, but aren’t they noticeable enough already?

But I was wrong. The way it is organized makes it fun, not weird.

Like many of us, Koreans love making photos, and they lovingly create places and landscape elements to make each pic really “instagrammable”. And hanbok rental experience is organized with that in mind: a great opportunity to beautifully dress up to take awesome photos in picturesque places :-)

Hanbok rental shops are located in the most historical area – around the palaces and the Bukchon Hanok (traditional houses) Village. And my impression is that locals rent hanboks much more often than foreigners: couples on a date, newly wed couples that dress as royalties and come to palaces for a professional photo session, families… Some have fun and dress boys in girls' dresses or vice versa.

For those who wear hanboks, the entrance to the palaces is free! What a smart decision! It contributes to the creation of the unique, historical atmosphere there, in addition to promoting Korean culture.

Hanbok rental is treated as an experience – you come into a shop, the attendants help you choose (they really know what is the best match for what! and they speak English!) and dress. If you want, they'll even do your hair for you! This feels awesome—an additional, free visit to a hair salon. You pay a small addition for the rental of the beads and pins they put in your hair, but that’s really insignificant in comparison with the result – they really know how to combine all the beads and flowers to create something elegant and beautiful, without it being too much.

The dress is absolutely gorgeous. There are gradient colors, plain colors, veils, and embroidery for all tastes.

And good news—each rental shop offers free lockers, and they give you for free a cute matching bag for small things you need to have with you!

Actually, lockers are also available in Gyeongbokgung Palace, to make it possible for tourists to visit even if they have their luggage with them.

The rental is paid per 2-hour chunks—you decide how many hours you want and need. And my personal tip is to do it either with a friend or with a professional photographer. Alone, it takes much more time and effort, and, of course, it’s less fun.

Now that I have tried it and that I really get the idea, I wish they would do the same in France (in Versailles or some theme parks like Puy du Fou) as well. How cool it would be to try and dress as French nobility of different epochs! Maybe even offer make-up and wigs for rent to really dive deep into the experience ;-)