Miss Korea 2019 Under Fire for “Sexy Hanbok” Show

Miss Korea 2019 is being criticized for excessively revealing outfits during the Hanbok fashion show that was held in place of the swimsuit show.

Hanbok is the traditional Korean dress for semi-formal or formal attire worn during traditional occasions including weddings, celebrations and ceremonies.

On July 11th, the final 6 contestants appeared on stage wearing “hanboks” but netizens claimed that the outfits looked more like corsets.

Even the long dresses were cut on the side to reveal the legs and it was very difficult to tell if the outfit was indeed a hanbok.

And while the outfits were described as “harmony between the West and East” by the host of the contest, viewers and netizens disagreed. Some expressed that the dresses were unique, but many pointed out that they stray from the original purpose of reducing the frequency of skin exposure.

Moreover, they criticized that these outfits damaged the elegance and beauty of the traditional Korean hanbok.

Meanwhile, Kim Se Yeon, who is a student of graphic design at the ArtCenter College of Design in California, became the winner of Miss Korea 2019. It was also reported that Kim Se Yeon is the daughter of Kim Chang Hwan, CEO of Media Line Entertainment, who was involved in The East Light assault scandal.