Many tourists rent hanboks and walk through Seoul’s historical areas in the colourful traditional Korean dress. It’s a great way to experience Korean culture and create unique memories in Seoul by renting a hanbok. After spending a day in Seoul in colorful hanboks, we have put together our guide to renting a Hanbok in Seoul. It includes our tips and recommendations on renting a Hanbok as well as the best places to visit and photos taken while wearing a Habok.
What is Hanbok?
Hanbok, or traditional Korean dress, is a Korean traditional garment that can be worn by both men and women. Hanboks can be colourful and include a fitted jacket, a long skirt for women, and trousers for the men. The hanbok used to be worn every day in the past but is now reserved for special occasions like weddings or festivals. Visitors and Koreans are encouraged to wear the celebratory outfit.
Seoul’s most loved and popular activity is renting a Hanbok. Many tourists and Koreans visit Seoul’s historic palaces and historical areas in hanboks. A hanbok is an excellent way to get a taste of Korea’s culture and tradition while in Seoul.
4G Internet
Klook sold us Sim cards and it proved to be extremely useful during our stay in Seoul. It was very useful to have mobile data when exploring the city. We highly recommend the KTOLLEH sim card provider, which we used with no problems while in South Korea. It’s also cheaper if ordered in advance through Klook.
You can rent a portable 4G Wifi hotspot if you own more than one device. These hotspots are great for connecting more than one device at once.
Seoul Hanbok Rental
Many Hanbok rental shops are located throughout the city. You should be aware that the quality of the hanboks can vary from one store to the next. We spent much time searching for the best hanbok rental in Seoul as we wanted to rent a vibrant, high-quality hanbok.
Seoul’s Best Hanbok Rental
The Klook app saved us almost half off the cost of renting hanboks in Seoul. Although there are many stores that rent hanboks, we recommend the Hanboknam Kyeonbokgung Store in Gyeongbokgung as well as the Oneday Hanbok Rental Store between the Gyeongbokgung und Changdeokgung Palaces.
These two shops have the finest hanbok and accessories selections. Both stores are close to the best places for photographing your hanbok.
Gyeongbokgung Store, Hanboknam: This store is a great choice for renting. It is located right next to the Bucheok Hanok Village and between the main palaces Gyeongbokgung and Changdeokgung. The rental fee includes a wide range of accessories and hanboks. Hair styling is also included. Elaine enjoyed having her hair done by the staff. There is also a studio where you can do your makeup before heading out to explore the city.
What’s included:
- There are over 500 hanboks to choose from
- You can choose from traditional or themed hanboks. We rented a themed Hanbok.
- Hanbok Rental with Inner Skirt
- Shop staff can do hairstyling
- Studio to prepare you in.
One Day Banbok is a popular Seoul hanbok rental store. This store has a huge selection and is located in a beautiful area. One Day Bankok offers a variety of packages, including 24-hour, 4-hour and same-day bookings.
What’s included:
- Hanbok Rental with Inner Skirt
- Hairstyling services
- Hair accessories for females include hair curlers, hair pins, and hair bands
- Studio to prepare you in.
Some stores allow you to choose between a traditional Hanbok or a themed Hanbok when you reserve your hanbok. Traditional hanboks have a simple design and a single-coloured skirt. The design of a themed hanbok is more intricate. We rented a themed Hanbok.
Hanbok Store
Try to arrive at least a few minutes prior to your pick-up time. This will allow you to peruse the hanboks, and avoid any lines at the shops. The rental shops can be very busy on busy days, with long lines.
Hanbok selection
Hanbok rental shops usually allow customers to rent two hanboks. They will size you and help you style your hanbok.
Women have the option of a wide range of dress styles, and accessories like bags, sun umbrellas and hair clips.
You can also get your hair done in traditional styles for ladies. Elaine did this and loved it.
Men can choose from various styles, including jackets that are waist-, knee- and ankle-length and loose pants underneath. You can also rent a hat for men. Although I didn’t choose to rent a hat at the time, I regret it now because they look so amazing!
We recommend two shops that have a limited selection of children’s Hanboks.
Hanbok Deposit
When renting a Hanbok, make sure you have your passport. A majority of rental shops require that a passport be provided to hold the deposit for the Hanbok.
How to change and store your belongings
The rental shops have changing rooms and lockers for personal belongings. You can store your clothes in the store, which is extremely useful. It’s better to keep valuables at home.
What to wear underneath your hanbok
Many people ask us what to wear underneath a hanbok. Hanboks are decorative traditional clothes, so you should wear light clothing underneath.
We recommend that both men and ladies wear a light, short-sleeved shirt with tight lycra shorts during the summer. Thermal layers are helpful for keeping warm in winter when temperatures drop.
Hanbok Return
You will be informed when the Hanbok must be returned after you have left the shop. Additional fees may be charged for late returns or excessive dirt and damage to Hanbok.
Access to all 5 Grand Palaces in Seoul is free
Seoul is almost a must-see destination. At least one of the five grand palaces should be visited. Hanbok-wearing visitors get free entry to 5 grand palaces in Seoul. The entrance fees are waived at Gyeongbokgung Palace (Changeokgung Palace), Gyeonghuigung Palace (Gyeonghuigung Palace), Gyeonghuigung Palace (Gyeonghuigung Palace), Deoksugung Palace, Changgyeonggung Palace and Changgyeonggung Palace).
The best days to rent Hanboks
Avoid renting hanboks on Monday or Tuesday if you can. Rent a hanbok from Wednesday through Sunday.
Monday is Monday. Four of five grand palaces will be closed, with Gyeongbokgung Palace remaining open. Gyeongbokgung Palace is closed Tuesday, making it one of the most popular spots for photographing photos.
Seoul’s best Hanbok photo locations
When wearing our hanboks, our favorite places to visit are Changdeokgung Palace and the Bukchon Hanok village.
Bukchon Hanok Village is a traditional Korean village located in the heart Seoul. The narrow streets are lined by traditional Korean houses dating back to Joseon Dynasty. The charming village is a popular spot to rent hanboks because of its historic setting.
Changdeokgung Palace is one of five grand palaces in Seoul, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Secret Garden is located at Changdeokgung Palace. The gardens are beautiful to explore. They also have a lotus pool, pavilions, and pagodas. It’s a stunning and beautiful setting, so we recommend that you book tickets to the Secret Garden the day before you rent your hanbok.
Gyeongbokgung Palace is another one of five grand palaces in Seoul. Gyeongbokgung Palace is the largest palace. It was also the main royal palace for the Joseon Dynasty. We loved the grounds and enjoyed the traditional wooden buildings as well as the stunning lakes.