리야드 시즌 한국존 전통의상 고증 논란 현장 탐방

Boulevard World in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, hosts the annual Riyadh Season — a large-scale national project combining culture, entertainment, and tourism. Running continuously for several months, the event introduces the cultures of countries around the world through experiential content: performances, exhibitions, and themed zones.

▲ Boulevard World entrance in Riyadh — Photo: Correspondent

This year's Riyadh Season included a dedicated 'Korea Zone'. Local Saudi media described it as "an immersive Asian cultural experience reflecting Korean heritage and civilisation", offering architecture inspired by traditional Korean houses, performances showcasing Korean traditional culture, Korean food, and traditional crafts and cultural merchandise. The Korea Zone was one of 24 country-themed zones within Boulevard World, presented as a case of Riyadh Season strengthening its standing as a global cultural platform.

▲ Korea Zone entrance at Riyadh Season 2025 — Photo: Correspondent

The Korea Zone — Layout and On-Site Experience

The Korea Zone is structured as a themed space combining imagery associated with Seoul. At its entrance stands a structure evoking a traditional Korean city gate, and inside, a sculpture modelled on Namsan Tower is prominently displayed. Large LED screens throughout the space play video content combining Seoul cityscapes, figures in hanbok, and other Korean imagery — creating a particularly striking atmosphere at night as lighting and LED visuals intensify.

▲ Korea Zone interior at Riyadh Season 2025 — Photo: Correspondent

Inside the zone, Korean street food vendors, K-pop idol merchandise shops, photo sticker booths, and hanbok rental shops were all operating, creating a space for visitors to engage with Korean culture.

▲ (left) Korean street food stall, (right) K-pop idol merchandise shop — Photo: Correspondent

▲ Hanbok rental shop inside the Korea Zone — Photo: Correspondent

During the correspondent's visit, K-pop dance performances were taking place at set times on an outdoor stage inside the zone. As performers began dancing to tracks including NewJeans' Super Shy and other K-pop songs, visitors gathered naturally; younger visitors in particular were conspicuously copying choreography in front of the stage or filming the performances.

▲ K-pop dance performance at the Korea Zone — Source: Correspondent's own photograph

The Controversy Over Traditional Costumes

What sparked debate in Korea was the traditional performance costumes worn by the performing group in the Korea Zone — photographs of which spread through domestic media and social networks. The costumes were introduced as traditional Korean hanbok, but critics pointed out that the excessively ornate colours and embellishments, and the use of accessories that bore little resemblance to traditional Korean fans, placed them far from authentic hanbok. While Korean symbols such as the taeguk pattern and janggu drum were incorporated, the consensus was that the overall costume design and performance structure could not be considered grounded in the context of any specific Korean traditional art or ritual form. Hanbok specialists also weighed in, noting that the costumes bore little resemblance to traditional hanbok and that the mere use of the taeguk motif does not constitute traditional dress.

Historical Accuracy in Traditional Culture — The Challenges Ahead

In domains where a country's own history and context matter — such as traditional arts and ritual — more careful, pre-consulted approaches are needed when introducing these abroad. Traditional costume and performance, in particular, can easily lead to cultural misunderstanding when conveyed inaccurately. It should also be noted that Saudi Arabia does not yet have an officially established Korean Cultural Centre, which limits the available official channels for planning and vetting traditional culture content in a stable way.

Rather than simply criticising the controversy over historical accuracy in traditional costume — arising as it did in this constrained environment — the more important question is how to communicate Korean culture more accurately and persuasively within a large-scale experiential platform abroad like Riyadh Season. Going forward, prior collaboration and consultation with the Korean Embassy in Saudi Arabia, the local Korean community, and traditional culture specialists will be needed to strengthen both the historical accuracy of traditional content and the explanatory framing around it. If the symbolic accessibility of Korean culture is maintained while the historical grounding and contextual explanation of traditional content are improved, the depth of understanding of Korean culture among international audiences can only expand.