The diaspora story
Roughly two million Korean-Americans live in the United States, the largest Korean diaspora population outside of Korea and China. Most are second or third generation: their parents or grandparents emigrated in the 1965 to 1990 wave following changes in US immigration law.
For decades, that generation focused on integration. Daily life was American; Korean was preserved at home, at church, and on visits. Hanbok was for weddings and dol photos and not much else.
Why the younger generation is returning to hanbok
Several reasons converging at once. K-drama and K-pop made Korean culture cool. Social media (Instagram, TikTok) made hanbok visible. The 2020s rise of small Korean-American businesses (atelier-style, founder-led) created a buying path that did not exist before.
And quietly, identity. Many second and third generation Korean-Americans, having grown up assimilated, are now actively building back the Korean part of their identity. Hanbok is one of the most visible ways to do that.
How social media changed hanbok visibility
Before Instagram, most non-Koreans never saw hanbok outside a museum exhibit. After Instagram, hanbok appeared on K-pop idols, on Korean-American influencers, on Halloween costumes (correctly and incorrectly), and on wedding photos shared widely.
Visibility increased demand. Demand increased small-atelier viability. The flywheel is now turning.
What Korean-Americans want from hanbok
Different from Koreans in Korea. Korean-Americans tend to want:
Wearability. Modern daily hanbok in washable fabric. Not strictly ceremonial.
Authenticity. Sourced from Korea, not costume from a Halloween site. The diaspora is sensitive to the difference.
Personal service. A relationship with the curator. Many Korean-Americans buy from people they trust by name, not from anonymous online stores.
See hanbok for Korean-American women for more on this.
How Korean ateliers respond
Smaller Seoul ateliers increasingly cater to diaspora customers. They communicate in English, ship internationally, accept commission specifications by photo. Curators like Eric exist precisely to bridge the language and logistical gap between Seoul makers and US customers.
The Korean In Me’s mission
Eric built The Korean In Me to make authentic hanbok accessible to Korean-American families across the United States, starting from the Bay Area. The pipeline is: source from Seoul, inspect in San Mateo, ship insured to the customer, follow up after the day. The premise is that Korean-American families deserve the same atelier-level service Korean families have in Seoul.
Read about the studio or reach out if you want to start a piece.
The next generation
Many of Eric’s current customers have young children. Those children, growing up around hanbok, will likely keep it visible in a way no Korean-American generation before them has. That is a meaningful shift.
Talk to Eric
Looking for hanbok that connects you to the diaspora story? Eric at The Korean In Me sources authentic hanbok personally from Seoul, inspects every piece in San Mateo, and works with each customer on sizing and color. Contact Eric to inquire →