The refined attire of the women of the Joseon royal family will be presented to the public. From March 12 to May 11, the National Palace Museum in Seoul will host a physical exhibition of the ‘Ui-chin Wangga (義親王家) Attire’ sponsored by the National Heritage Administration and Kyungwoon Museum of Gyeonggi Girls’ High School. This event aims to showcase the Ui-chin Wangga clothing, which was designated as a national folk cultural heritage on February 26, to the public, featuring artifacts recognized for their rarity and historical significance.
The Ui-chin Wangga clothing is a valuable artifact representing the last generation of the Joseon royal family, encompassing ceremonial garments and accessories of the royal women. On display are various garments used by the royal family, including won-sam (圓衫), tang-ui (唐衣), seulanchima (繡襴裙), hwagwan (花冠), norigae, and court ladies’ daedae (大帶), thereby casting light on the attire culture of the royal women during the late Joseon period.
The attire being exhibited was initially from Ui-chin Wangbi (義親王妃) Yeonan Kim (1880-1964) and passed down to her fifth daughter, Lee Hae-kyung (李海瓊, 1930-), before being donated to Kyungwoon Museum. Ui-chin Wangbi was married to Ui-chin Wang, the second son of Emperor Gojong (1877-1955), and maintained the traditional ceremonial attire of the Joseon royal family. Lee Hae-kyung grew up under Ui-chin Wangbi, graduated from Gyeonggi Girls’ High School and Ewha Womans University, and then studied abroad in the United States, where she currently resides.
This exhibition is expected to offer a comprehensive overview of the clothing culture of Joseon’s royal women beyond merely displaying attire. The royal women wore garments with designated colors and patterns according to their status, using them to signify dignity and authority.
Visitors can directly view the garments worn by the royal women. The won-sam is a ceremonial garment characterized by its length and colorful sleeves worn by court and noblewomen. The tang-ui is a formal outer garment, the seulanchima stands out with its gold weaving decoration for ceremonial skirts. It includes the hwagwan worn on the head, norigae, and daedae worn around the waist, providing a complete picture of royal attire.
The exhibition includes high-resolution videos of the garments being exhibited, allowing visitors to appreciate the intricate patterns, color schemes, and traditional weaving techniques of royal attire more vividly. Visitors are expected to both gain an understanding of the sophisticated clothing culture of Joseon’s royal women and experience the unique aesthetic of traditional Korean attire.
Meanwhile, on the opening day of the exhibition, March 12, at 10:30 a.m., Choi Eung-chun, Director of the National Heritage Administration, will present the national folk cultural heritage designation certificate to Seol Young-ja, Director of Kyungwoon Museum of Gyeonggi Girls’ High School, and tour the exhibition hall with major stakeholders.
The National Heritage Administration plans to continue its efforts to discover and promote the value of Korea’s traditional culture by continuously unearthing national folk heritage. This exhibition is open until May 11 at the National Palace Museum.
