First lady Kim Hea Kyung and Diana Fox Carney, the wife of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, attended a fashion show featuring hanbok on Wednesday, according to the presidential office.
The hanbok fashion show took place at Woljeonggyo, a historic structure from the Silla Kingdom (57 BC–AD 935), in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, on the sidelines of the APEC summit.
The show blended the “Five Han” elements of Korean culture, including hanbok, hansik (Korean cuisine), hanok (Korean traditional architecture), hanji (Korean mulberry paper) and Hangeul.
Throughout the show, Kim and Carney shared remarks on the beauty and significance of hanbok, including styles featuring “gat” — a traditional Korean hat that recently surged in popularity with Netflix’s animated hit “KPop Demon Hunters.”
“(They) held conversations over the vibrant colors and elegance of Hanbok,” said deputy presidential spokesperson Jeon Eun-su. "Kim also expressed gratitude toward the public and people in the hanbok industry who are helping promote the beauty of hanbok globally."
In addition to Wednesday’s events, Kim met Carney Thursday morning as part of Kim’s efforts to engage with spouses of leaders attending the APEC summit.
lee.jungjoo@heraldcorp.com
