Paper Games' developed the mobile styling game, Shining Nikki, which claimed that hanbok as traditional Chinese clothing decided to end their service in South Korea. They announced that they would end the Korean version of the service, calling it an insult to China when public criticism mounted. Korean users are pointing out the irresponsible attitude of not specifying refund regulations while expressing their opinion that worked out pretty well for Paper Games' tough attitude.

▲ Hanbok in the game became controversial. (illustrated by Woohnayoung)

This is the beginning of the controversy. Shining Nikki added hanbok costumes to Korean servers, introducing them as Korean traditional costumes, which became controversial among Chinese netizens. Chinese users claimed that hanbok is not a traditional Korean costume, but rather a traditional costume of the Ming Dynasty's hanfu or ethnic Koreans. In response, Paper Games immediately deleted hanbok contents just one day after its release, citing China's opposition.

▲ Paper Games immediately deleted hanbok contents after the controversy.

As such, more and more people in China have recently claimed that hanbok is not a traditional Korean style, citing the similarities between traditional Korean and Chinese clothes. Then, why is China trying to take away hanbok? At present, Chinese's ideas are gaining strength based on patriotism in China. Work is underway to revive hanfu in order to strengthen Chinese ideas based on the Han Chinese people and promote cultural pride. The problem is that hanfu has something similar to Korean traditional costume, hanbok. During the Yuan Dynasty, customs, clothing, and food were introduced to China by the Goryeo people who were taken to China, which is called Goryeoyang. It can be said to be the Korean Wave from a long time ago. In addition, hanbok which appeared in historical dramas due to the influence of the Korean Wave must have been widely imprinted as Korea's own costume. Under these circumstances, it may have been too much for China to blindly place hanfu on the spot of qipao. This is because it can be seen as following the Korean Wave. This suggests that hanbok is a garment influenced by the Ming Dynasty.

▲ China cite the similarities between traditional Korean and Chinese clothes.

The online community said that they will take advantage of the influence of the Korean Wave, and came up with the idea of actively promoting Korean hanbok overseas by expanding the idol group's hanbok stage, strengthening support for the production of historical dramas, and popularizing hanboks in daily life. Thus, China's "Hanbok Northeast Project" will not remain a one-time claim under these circumstances. As it is read as part of the Northeast Project, which seeks to incorporate Korea's history itself into China, some are calling for active government-level measures.

November 8th, 2020

by Pyo Seung-hui