I rented a hanbok (한복) outside Gyeongbokgung, and the ticket booth wouldn't sell me a ticket.
I thought I was in the wrong line
When my friend suggested we wear hanbok, I balked a little. Do guys even wear that?
Then we walked into the rental shop, and men's hanbok filled an entire wall. Deep navy, gray, white. Far more dignified than I expected.
The pants are enormously wide, then tie at the ankles. On top goes a jeogori (저고리) — the jacket — with a vest-like layer over it. The woman at the shop tied the front ribbon for me, which felt a little strange. Nobody had tied my clothes for me since elementary school.
I looked in the mirror. It was a little funny. And a little cool, too.
They wouldn't sell me a ticket
I lined up at the ticket booth. When my turn came, the clerk waved me off.
I thought something was wrong. Had I put the outfit on wrong?
My friend next to me laughed and explained. In hanbok, you just walk in.
Admission is 3,000 won, so it's not big money. But there was something fun about being waved through just for changing clothes. It felt like being invited.
Inside was even better
Something I only learned once I was in: in hanbok, the photos come out different.
Gyeongbokgung was crowded. But about half the people were in hanbok. Koreans, foreigners, everyone busy taking pictures.
I was self-conscious at first, but thirty minutes in, it wore off completely. Nobody looks at you funny. Everyone's too busy with their own shots.
The photo my friend took of me in front of Gyeonghoeru is still my profile picture.
I wore it all day
This was the best part: one rental gets you into the other palaces too.
We left Gyeongbokgung and walked to Changdeokgung. Free there too, if you're in hanbok. Deoksugung, Changgyeonggung, and Jongmyo all count as well.
Quite a few people make a day of it and hit two or three palaces. Pay the rental fee once, use the whole day.
We even ate lunch in our hanbok along the way. Nobody at the restaurant gave us a second look. That's how normal it is.
The one thing to know
There's exactly one requirement. You have to wear both the top and the bottom.
A jeogori over jeans, or hanbok pants with a T-shirt, doesn't qualify. Rent a set from the shop and it takes care of itself — nothing to worry about.
I didn't know this and picked out only a top, and the woman at the shop told me, "You need the bottoms too or they won't let you in." Good thing I asked.
Next time
I'm wearing one again. A different color this time.
Honestly, at first I resisted because it felt like broadcasting that I'm a tourist. Then I put one on and it wasn't like that at all. Walking around mixed in with everyone else in hanbok was the most fun part of that day.
If Gyeongbokgung is in your plans, try it once. It's worth the rental fee.
And if you're a guy who's hesitating — I was too.
