Dog hanbok: choosing a Korean holiday outfit for your dog
Updated October 5, 2026
A dog hanbok is a small version of Korea's traditional dress, usually a short jeogori jacket, often with a skirt, worn for family photos at Seollal (Lunar New Year) and Chuseok (the autumn harvest holiday). Size it from your dog's chest and back measurements, check that its ties and skirt are short enough that your dog cannot trip on or chew them, and keep photo sessions short in a warm room.
What hanbok is, and when dogs wear one
Hanbok is Korea's traditional clothing. It pairs a short jacket called a jeogori with a full skirt (chima) or trousers (baji), and a ribbon tie called a goreum closes the jacket. Korea's government describes hanbok as dress worn to show courtesy on Seollal, Chuseok, weddings and ancestral rites.
New clothes for the New Year even have their own word, seolbim, and the Encyclopedia of Korean Culture notes that the custom of dressing up in hanbok to bow to elders on Seollal continues today. Seollal is the first day of the lunar year and falls in late January or February. Chuseok falls on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month, in September or early October. Dog hanboks follow the same two holidays, usually for the family photo.
Fit checks for a dog hanbok
Dog hanboks copy the look of the human version, not its construction, so check these points before the holiday:
| Check | Why it matters | What to look for |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | Hook-and-loop tape (Velcro) is quick but can snag long fur | Tape that stays off the coat, or snaps on fluffy dogs |
| Goreum ties | Long ribbons get chewed or caught under the front paws | Ties that end above the elbows, sewn down if they swing |
| Skirt (chima) | On small dogs a long skirt drags and trips | A hem that clears the ground when your dog stands |
| Fabric | Stiff satin or brocade does not stretch and can rub the armpits | Room to walk and sit, and no red marks after wearing |
| Size | Labels vary from shop to shop | Chest girth first, then neck and back length, against that shop's chart |
The dog clothes size guide lists the measuring steps, and there are breed guides for the Maltese, poodle and Pomeranian.
Short photo sessions in a warm room
Holiday visits often mean a crowded room warmed by floor heating (ondol), and a layered hanbok heats a dog up fast there. AKC notes that most dogs start to show signs of overheating once the air reaches about 81 to 85°F (27 to 29°C), and that flat-faced breeds such as pugs and bulldogs cool down less efficiently by panting.
- Dress your dog just before the photo, and take the hanbok off right after.
- Put a bokgeon cap or jobawi headpiece on last and take it off first.
- Keep your dog off the hottest spot on a heated floor, and leave water out.
- Faster, shallower panting means your dog is trying to shed more heat. Stop the session when you see it.
- Keep holiday dishes out of reach. Many are seasoned with garlic and onion, which the ASPCA lists as harmful to dogs.
Picks from the Pawlooks catalog
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IllustrationPrices and sizes change. Check the listing before you order.
Can't decide between a skirted hanbok and a collar bib with a matching cap? Pawlooks can put your dog in both from a single photo, so the family can vote before the holiday. You can start without an account, and the first look costs nothing. Every look is an AI edit of your photo, so the real outfit may fit or look slightly different.
Frequently asked questions
When do Koreans dress dogs in hanbok?
Mostly at Seollal (Lunar New Year) and Chuseok, the two holidays when many Koreans wear hanbok themselves, and usually for a family photo. Both follow the lunar calendar, so their dates change every year.
What size hanbok should I buy for my dog?
Measure chest girth first, then neck and back length, and compare them with that shop's size chart, since labels vary. If the top fits but the skirt drags, hem the skirt or choose a style without one.
Is it safe to tie the goreum on a dog's hanbok?
Yes, as a short bow that ends well above the front paws. Long, loose ties can be chewed or stepped on, so tack them down or trim them.
What is seolbim?
Seolbim is the set of new clothes Koreans traditionally put on the morning of Seollal to start the year fresh. A dog's hanbok for Seollal is its own small seolbim.
Related guides
Sources
- Korea.net: 'Hanbok lifestyle' designated National Intangible Cultural Heritage
- Encyclopedia of Korean Culture (한국민족문화대백과사전): Seolbim (설빔)
- Encyclopedia of Korean Culture (한국민족문화대백과사전): Chuseok (추석)
- AVMA: Halloween pet safety (costume guidelines)
- AKC: Is your home's heat too warm for your dogs?
- ASPCA: People foods to avoid feeding your pets