Woman’s Ornamental Jacket Worn During the Reign of King Sejo

The hoejang jeogori worn during the reign of King Sejo is a jeogori with contrasting dark trim (hoejang) applied to the collar, cuffs, front gusset and ties. It was discovered in 1975 at Sangwonsa Temple on Odaesan Mountain, inside a statue of a boy attendant that was being regilded. As the statue appears to have been made during one of King Sejo's several visits to Sangwonsa in 1466, this jeogori too is presumed to have been worn by someone in the 1460s. The jeogori measures 52.4 cm in length and 34 cm across the chest; overall its cut is so generous that the sleeves and body look comparatively short. The collar is a squared, rectangular type, and its straight sleeves and short, narrow ties are all features characteristic of the early Joseon period. The garment's overall composition is well balanced, and its colour, from a traditional indigo dye, has been well preserved. The same colour is used alternately in lighter and darker tones, making effective use of contrast in the design — a reminder that our forebears did not rely solely on white or primary colours in their dress. On the right side of the centre-back seam is an inscription reading "Jang-ssi sodae," suggesting that the jeogori's owner was a royal concubine of King Sejo surnamed Jang. It is the oldest jeogori now preserved in Korea and shows clearly the characteristic features of early Joseon jeogori. It is also valuable material for costume research in terms of its composition and colour. In accordance with the National Folklore Cultural Heritage renaming programme, the designated name was changed from "Baekcho Hoejang Jeogori Worn During the Reign of King Sejo" to "Hoejang Jeogori Worn During the Reign of King Sejo" (20 April 2005).

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Where it is

Region

Pyeongchang, Gangwon

Designation

National Folklore Heritage · 국가민속문화유산