Happy Chuseok!
by javabeans
Tomorrow is Chuseok, also called Hangawi, which is the Korean version of Thanksgiving and one of the largest (perhaps the largest) holidays in the Korean calendar. That means a break from work, lots of traditional food, including the customary Chuseok songpyun dduk (a type of sticky pounded-rice cake with a sweetened sesame center), family time, and paying respects to ancestors and elders.
And what would a festive holiday season be without horrendous traffic, clogged travelways, and tons of special family-friendly television programming?
It also means lots of photo ops for celebrities as they don the traditional hanbok dress.
Here we have actress Seo Ji Hye looking pretty in her hanbok — which is a flattering look on her, as you can also check out in the cute two-episode drama (also starring Super Junior’s Choi Shi Won) The Story of Hyang Dan. She’s one of many mostly female celebrities whose pictures can be found everywhere these days, in the Chuseok season.
SONG OF THE DAY
Fanny Fink – “민트 하늘의 꿈” (Dream of mint sky) [ zShare download ]
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FOR INSTANCE:
Lovely natural beauty and rising actress (seriously, keep an eye on this one!) Gu Hye Sun, currently starring in the drama series The King and I:
Actress, former Miss Korea, former Eric’s girlfriend, and not-so-natural beauty, the plastic surgery (over)enthusiast Park Shi Yeon:
Cute actress and singer Jang Nara:
Actress currently starring in the not-so-successful SBS drama series Winter Bird and former member of pop girl-group Sugar, Hwang Jung Eum:
On left, actress in currently airing series Ggakdugi (aka Radish Kimchee) Lee Min Jung; on right, lead actress in the play Debasing the Audience Season 2 Moon Bo Ryung.
Park Chae Kyung of the drama I Am Sam (left) and Park Hye Won of last year’s Dasepo Naughty Girls film and this year’s dramas Bad Woman, Good Woman and Time of Dog and Wolf (I particularly love the unusual patchwork pattern of her top):
Third-generation Japanese-born Korean Saori, who’s appeared in many variety shows and commercials:
Actress Seo Young, who debuted in the drama What’s Up Fox starring Go Hyun Jung, and was in the recent OCN cable drama Kid Gang:
Actress Kim So Yun from the MBC drama Autumn Shower and the movie Seven Swords:
Son Tae Young, currently in the drama I Am Sam:
And then we have a few of the ladies from the popular and somewhat controversial talk-show program Chatting with Beautiful Women (or Misuda, from the shortened Korean title), which features a “cast” of foreigners living in Korea chatting up a variety of topics with a rotating panel of male Korean celebrities. The conversation is all in Korean, and often the women appear dressed in traditional hanboks (the men come dressed as themselves), and the level of Korean fluency differs widely. The implications of such a setup — no matter how innocuous they may seem on the surface — are clear and (to some) offensive.
The less-politicized issue that some people also express about the show is the weird form of celebrity it’s created — the show’s value and purpose is explicitly in having easy-flowing chats with normal, everyday foreigners living in Korea, and the unique experiences that come with that perspective. But now, more and more of the participants are entering the entertainment sphere, and the dissatisfaction is that this dilutes and interferes with the purpose of the show — which isn’t to talk to celebrities, but normal women.
Anyway, all that aside, here are four of the women who appear (or have appeared in the past) on the show: Bronwyn Mullen from South Africa:
Eva Popiel from Britain, an example of the issue I just mentioned, who’s parlayed her success on Misuda into an acting role on the currently airing show Hate You or Love You:
Rie Akiba from Japan, Leslie Benfield from the U.S., and Bronwyn.
Singer and former SES member Bada:
Singer Yangpa:
Singer Ivy, aka ‘If Hyori Had Talent’ (it’s true, not mean! Ivy sings live while dancing pretty vigorously, and has pretty awesome range. Hyori… dresses slutty and looks pretty. To be fair, I guess you could call Hyori ‘If Britney Had Talent’):
Touted as “the female Rain” before all of Rain’s recent problems (which probably means it’s time to distance herself from that moniker), dancer-singer Son Dam Bi:
Pop girl group Baby Vox Rev, no relation to the (much better) former group Baby Vox, aside from the transparent marketing hopes that you’ll automatically spend money on the new one out of love for the former one:
Female group LPG:
The “female SuJu” group of plastic teenage beauties, Girls’ Generation (Sonyeo shidae), eight members strong (or is it nine? By the time I bother counting, they’ll be irrelevant and obsolete, or maybe that’s just the hope):
And, finally, R&B vocal group Seeya, with (arguably) their most popular member Nam Gyuri on the right:
Happy Chuseok everyone!
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1 mireenae
September 24, 2007 at 1:46 PM
I love yangpa's hanbok
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2 bethany
September 24, 2007 at 1:51 PM
beautiful! thank you!
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3 tealeaf
September 24, 2007 at 2:22 PM
Gosh, these hanboks are so lovely. The styles are so diverse and the colors reminds me of Jelly Belly. Looks like this holiday also falls around the Asian Harvest Moon festival. I notice that there's no male hanbok pictures - they're probably pretty bland compared to the ladies?
Hehe, at least Hyori is a fairly attractive girl ... so i can't really see the similarities with the schizophenic-attired-pole-dancing ex-Mrs. Federline (sorry in advance to all those Britney fans out there!)
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4 Javabeans
September 24, 2007 at 2:26 PM
tealeaf, never apologize for snark! (Heh, and my comparison was more to the whole singer-who-doesn't-really-sing issue they share, not a physical resemblance.)
Some male celebrities wear hanboks too, but it's not nearly as popular a "thing" as with the ladies. The female styles offer more designs and pretty colors, that's for sure, although the men who do wear them look pretty good too, in my opinion.
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5 Iranian Espresso
September 24, 2007 at 2:41 PM
Dear Javabeans, Happy Chuseok to you.
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6 Iranian Espresso
September 24, 2007 at 2:47 PM
There is a famous and folklorish dance in chusok holidays. It's "ganggang sullae".
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7 mzpakipot
September 24, 2007 at 3:01 PM
Happy Chuseok to all.
I love visiting your blog Dramabeans. I'm always interested in what Kdrama you like to watch, and your summaries/reviews are very helpful. Thank you for your hard work. Btw, any good drama out there?
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8 ginnie
September 24, 2007 at 3:11 PM
Happy Chuseok to you Javabeans!
Beautiful pictures!
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9 nileey
September 24, 2007 at 3:15 PM
I like yangpa’s hanbok too...
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10 gailt
September 24, 2007 at 5:55 PM
i love yangpa's hanbok. it looks wearable. i also like the colors of bada's hanbok. :)
i have always gotten the impression (from kpop watchers) that ivy is on the same level as hyori, vocally. so when you said she has a "pretty awesome range," i got curious. the only thing i've heard of hers is a live version of "maria" (200 lb beauty) at an awards show. and i was not impressed. i'll youtube her right away.
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11 docmitasha
September 24, 2007 at 6:26 PM
Happy Chuseok, Javabeans!
Love Yangpa's hangbok. Gu Hye Sun is indeed a wonderful rising star, and very pretty. I think her and Seo Ji Hye look prettiest in this selection. Thanks for compiling it!
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12 thunderbolt
September 24, 2007 at 7:14 PM
Happy Chuseok, sarahbeans. Thanks for the gorgeous selection of pics. Do you wear the hanbok sometimes?^^
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13 lovewls
September 24, 2007 at 8:02 PM
Happy Chuseok Javabeans!
Love the Hanboks - they're just gorgeous!
Hmm that Eva Popiel looks so familiar. Isn't she also in Star Golden Bell's English segment?
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14 jo
September 24, 2007 at 8:31 PM
Ive just got to say this...you can kill me if you want
HYORI IS NOT PRETTY.
There I said it.
I dont know why people consider her as the most beautiful korean woman alive, but I, personally, dot see any beauty in her.
anywhoo, I like yangpa's hanbok. And the patchwork top hanbok is similiar to what that lady in "Capital Scandal" weras alot. Yup, check it out.
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15 jo
September 24, 2007 at 8:33 PM
oh yeah, and Eva is the girl from Golden bell and Super Junior full house thingy..just wanted to say...
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16 Kekeke
September 24, 2007 at 9:25 PM
Can someone please tell me where I can get a hanbok in the Dallas, tx area??
or if not a good a place to order online for a reasonable price..
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17 jojo
September 24, 2007 at 9:40 PM
the hanboks are so colourful and pretty, but not all the actresses/ singers featured here.. lee da hae still looks best in a hanbok in hello miss! haven seen jang nara for a long time too! still as cute as ever.
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18 hoiakoito
September 24, 2007 at 9:42 PM
it's pretty cool seeing u criticize korean singers for a change. Y0U'RE STILL MY NUMBER 0NE PLACE T0 G0 T0 F0R A G00D DRAMA. to me, lee yeon ji is the best in see ya. haha. i like how yeon ji was paired up with jinho in the seeya and sg wannable peformances. i was shocked to find out all of the girls in the "female super junior" group had plastic surgery. i know sm is more into looks but most of his singers of natural beauty. i tried to give these girls a chance so i watched their first live, knowing sm loves making his artists lip sync when he gets the chance. their voices are to mediocre. nothing special. even with the surgeries, they still look plain jane.
babyvox rev. doesn't have much popularity. i stopped hearing things about them. haha. poor girls.
son dam bi is amazing. her debut is so good. she knows how to control her voice while dancing.
ivy is good at her vocals. she's better at singing ballads than upbeat songs though. im wow'd at her ballads but bleh at her upbeat songs.
lols. they look good in hanboks. of course, some look better than the other and some fits the "image" of women in hanbok better. like i can imagine some of them in ancien korean time while i can't on the others.
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19 hoiakoito
September 24, 2007 at 9:42 PM
yupp. lee dae hee looks the best. she gives off the elegant look while others just look "cute in it. lols.
my long post shows how much i love dramabeans. haha
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20 Javabeans
September 25, 2007 at 1:05 AM
gail, Ivy is well-known for having strong vocals, which she performs mostly live. I don't think her fast songs are that good, musically, but her voice is definitely an asset shown off to its best advantage in her ballads. Hyori, on the other hand, is sort of well-known for not being able to sing live, for lip-synching her performances, and relying on dancing more, in skimpy outfits. When she does sing live, her voice is pretty shaky so she doesn't attempt it often. I don't love either artist's music all that much but I at least have a ton of respect for Ivy's talent.
I haven't worn hanbok in a long while but i do have some at home... none that were specially made for me (hanboks are something you tend to put a lot of thought into choosing; you don't just buy a bunch haphazardly) but every Korean household (or at least in my family) has a bunch of "spares" for special occasions. And with all the tons of kids crawling around and growing up so fast, there's bound to be one that fits. There aren't many occasions to wear one; the next one I buy will probably be for an engagement/wedding, if I ever have cause for it. I do have a "modernized" one though, which is more of a fashion thing mixing the general silhouette of the traditional hanbok and a more modern, streamlined cut with a simpler design. I don't wear it but it's pretty to look at. :)
Oh, and I only posted pictures that were released specifically this Chuseok season... there are tons of old pictures floating around, but I figured I'd keep it timely.
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21 jindarae
September 25, 2007 at 3:36 AM
Just checking whats the latest in your blog, (coz i was so busy on Hyun Bin thread for 2 days... ha ha ha). So lovely collections of hanboks here. Speaking of Seo Ji Hye, Hyangdan is having a special airing on Arirang TV this week, 8pm KST... actually I'm rushing home now because i just have few minutes more to catch up the show.... I love her on Hanbok. Happy Chosuk Sara!
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22 marzy
September 25, 2007 at 3:53 AM
hi sarah! happy chuseok! hope u enjoy ur holiday!! :)
(in my time zone its 25th) hehehe im not really sure what people say to each other during Chuseok. i just know about the hanbok and foods, plus those ancetral rites. hehehe ohhhh i didnt know arirang was airing Hyangdan i will have to catch it.
hahhaha i wanna see ur hanbok lols!! its so pretty i wanted one, but wouldnt have any use for it. unless a costume party. ^^ i wanted to get one before when i saw it in korea. question, how do u know if its modernized or traditional? because of the design?
i used to watch Global Talk when I had KBS channel more often, now it depends on the guests. no subs for that so i dont get it much. Eva used to be in SuJu Full house before this. I like her much more then.
oh i really like Ivy.. her music more. although yes, im no Britney fan. even now or before. ahhaha i think she's more my taste no bashing here though. just my opinion of the whole thing.. I think Gu Hye Sun is so pretty in hanbok, so is so Seo Ji Hye.. (she became a bit tan huh?)
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23 Eve
September 25, 2007 at 4:33 AM
Happy Chuseouk to you as well - we have school off here and it's sad that I have no family in Korea *tear haha
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24 esyl
September 25, 2007 at 5:11 AM
happy chuseok!
it's also mid-autumn festival in the chinese culture =)
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25 CASEY
September 25, 2007 at 5:32 AM
These hanboks are so beautiful and cute!
Today is China's traditional Mid-Autumn Festival（中秋节） and mooncakes （月饼）are a must-have on this special day. Mooncakes have many different flavor. And Mid-Autumn Festival is very important in chinese culture.
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26 beingmeyuki
September 25, 2007 at 6:44 AM
i was just wondering why you didn't include Lee Dae Hee of Hello Miss! i think she looks really great in a hanbok, a real natural beauty^_^
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27 teokong
September 25, 2007 at 7:01 AM
Happy Chuseok! Javabeans and also to all my Korean friends, Happy Holiday! Happy Mid-Autumn Festival to all the Chinese who celebrate this occassion.
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28 gailt
September 25, 2007 at 7:53 AM
i now see what you mean about ivy's voice in ballads. it has both fullness and softness. i liked her concert version of "can't fight the moonlight" where her english was good. but surprisingly the song that is stuck in my head is her "cupido" one. the song has a good hook. (it reminds me of britney's "toxic".)
i've sometimes wondered why korean young ladies do not wear hanbok as daily wear. (you can also replace hanbok with your favorite ethnic wear). is it too cumbersome? would wearing traditional wear mark one as old-fashioned instead of fashion forward?
p.s. do korean americans celebrate chuseok differently?
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29 doozy
September 25, 2007 at 7:58 AM
Thanks for sharing these colorful and gorgeous pictures. Happy Chuseok, sarahbeans!
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30 hmm
September 25, 2007 at 2:36 PM
yeah javabeans, i'm curious too. do korean americans celebrate Chuseok, and is it different than how Koreans in Korea celebrate it? Also, Do Korean Americans also celebrate Thanksgiving? What did you do for Chuseok?
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31 Javabeans
September 25, 2007 at 3:10 PM
Hmm, I can't speak for others, so I'll just say that in my experience, Chuseok is really not a big deal; many Korean-Americans don't really follow the Korean holidays, although we're aware of them to an extent. It also varies on which generation you're talking about -- my parents and their generation, for instance, are aware and keep track and all that, even if they don't particularly do much for the holiday. But people my generation are Americans so we observe the American holidays. Sometimes I'll have a nice dinner with the family (with dduk!) but that's about it. I'm sure the answer would be different for recent immigrants, though.
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32 marzy
September 26, 2007 at 12:58 AM
Ah... so its not so traditional anymore? So u dont do the ancestral rites anymore and such? But you still spend time with family and such? Or you u dont anymore? Right now, in ur generation do people still speak fluent Korean or maybe learn korean (if they are still kids?) Im sorry curiousity about how other people not in their native homes celebrate (ie. second, third generations)
I can say for my case, we still practice some stuff that's Chinese to us here.
Not everything but some stuffs on occassions and some traditions. Though many like to argue that its not really "cool" anymore. Since ur not in ur native home.
Question, how to tell the difference from normal hanboks and the modern ones?Both are pretty ^^ ive been liking these recent ones ive been seeing.
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33 Mai
September 26, 2007 at 2:40 PM
Wow those are very pretty dresses. I wonder who much they cost? Though i would love to try one out, i doesn't match me very well. But i'd have to say that the dresses goes so well with everything, that even non-natives wearing it looks fab! The dress Leslie Benfield is wearing particularly matchers her very well! WOAH... So colorful and arty...
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34 betty
July 3, 2008 at 6:08 PM
ohhhhh...i really want to try it 2....they r sooo beautiful dresses..ahhh..look at girls generation they really look preety in it n also jang nara she is soooo cute!! i wish moon geun young 'll try da dress which jang nara is wearin den she ll look like a cute lil angel!!!!!!!!!!!
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35 Elizabeth
August 8, 2008 at 12:23 PM
has son dam bi ever had any cosmetic surgery? because she looks so natural
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36 liang
August 6, 2009 at 8:09 AM
2 years on and snsd is still so popular! haha!!
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37 Kiki Cr
December 21, 2010 at 6:29 PM
3 years on and SNSD becomes no 1 girl group! haha!!
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38 Leaf
November 16, 2011 at 7:25 PM
4 years on and SNSD is still #1 !!!!
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39 karen
February 25, 2016 at 2:55 AM
lol "The “female SuJu” group of plastic teenage beauties, Girls’ Generation (Sonyeo shidae), eight members strong (or is it nine? By the time I bother counting, they’ll be irrelevant and obsolete, or maybe that’s just the hope):"
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