Gyeongbokgung Palace faces controversy over Hanfu footage

A controversy has emerged regarding Chinese tourists and influencers wearing Hanfu, traditional Chinese clothing, at Gyeongbokgung Palace and the Gwanghwamun area in Seoul. Videos showing individuals dressed in attire reminiscent of Chinese emperors have circulated on Chinese social media platforms such as Weibo and Xiaohongshu.

Professor Seo Kyoung-duk of Sungshin Women's University raised concerns that while wearing national dress is not inherently problematic, the proliferation of such content at Korean cultural heritage sites could lead international audiences to mistake Hanfu for Hanbok. He noted that these images could be used to support claims that Hanbok originated from Hanfu, contributing to cultural distortion.

Professor Seo emphasized that influencers should practice ‘global manners’ by respecting the history and culture of other nations to prevent confusion between the two distinct traditional garments.