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Paper Short Abstract:

This paper explores the concept of 기 gi (氣 qi), or 'vital energy', through the lens of wearing and making Korean sartorial heritage, hanbok.

Paper Abstract:

This paper explores the concept of 기 gi (氣 qi), or 'vital energy', through the lens of wearing and making Korean sartorial heritage, hanbok. The exploration of the unobservable gi, is crucial as it presents an alternative mode of worlding, challenging anthropocentric views by acknowledging the active role of matter in the transforming world.

Lee Ki-Yeon, an activist and hanbok maker, is central to this study. Since the 1980s, Ki-Yeon has interwoven wearing working-class hanboks into a narrative against neoliberalism and dictatorship. These garments serve not just as protest symbols, but also as sensorial devices influencing one's perception and movements shaped by the dynamic flow of gi.

Understanding gi was complex. When inquired about it, Ki-Yeon first exclaimed it is a headache, then recommended, "Try shaking your wrists." This motion, she suggested, might evoke 몽글몽글(mongle mongle), a soft and rounded feeling. This sensory experience offered insights into the intangible aspects of this phenomenon.

My approach engages with gi through the act of wearing, crafting, and sharing hanbok, adopting Ki-Yeon's perspectives. The structure of these loose-fitted garments, tied at acupuncture points, aids in directing gi flow, while sharing of such garments is considered as an act of passing gi.

Advocating for wearing as an anthropological research method, this presentation will feature garments, fieldwork photos and videos, and an augmented reality hanbok experience, illustrating the multi-sensory exploration of gi through sartorial practices.