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Alright, let’s talk about them fancy Korean hairs, the kind they used to wear back in the day. I ain’t no expert, mind you, just seen some pictures and heard some stories. So, here’s the lowdown, as best as I can tell ya.
First off, there’s this Daenggi Meori thing. Sounds fancy, huh? Well, it’s just a long braid, like the kind little girls wear, but with a pretty ribbon at the end. They call that ribbon a “daenggi.” Back in the old days, everyone wore it – boys, girls, didn’t matter if you were married or not. Just a sign you were young, I guess. Imagine that, everyone running around with long braids and ribbons! Must’ve been a sight.
Then there’s this Saeang Meori. Now, this one’s a bit more complicated. They braid the hair, then fold it up, then down, and tuck the ends in. Or sometimes they fold it up twice and tie it with a daenggi. Sounds like a whole lot of work to me. But I reckon it looked neat and tidy.
- Daenggi Meori: Long braid with a ribbon.
- Saeang Meori: Braided hair, folded up and down.
- Jjok Meori: Low bun with a hairpin.
- Cheopji Meori: Fancy bun with special hairpins.
- Keun Meori/Sangtu: Topknot for men.
Next up is the Jjok Meori. This one’s for the grown-up ladies, or the girls who were coming of age, you know, turning fifteen and all that. It’s a low bun, tied at the back of the neck. And they stick a fancy hairpin in it, a “binyeo” they call it. Some of them binyeos were real works of art, I hear, especially the ones the rich folks wore. And sometimes, for special occasions, they’d even add flowers or more decorations. Must’ve been heavy!
And speaking of fancy, there’s Cheopji Meori. This one ain’t just about looking pretty, it’s about showing off how important you are. They use these special hairpins called “cheopji,” and the fancier the cheopji, the higher up you were in society. Queens and such, they had cheopjis shaped like dragons and made of gold. Can you imagine? Gold in your hair!
Now, the men weren’t left out of this hair business either. They had their own style called Keun Meori, or sometimes Sangtu. Basically, it’s a topknot. They’d pull all their hair up to the top of their head and tie it in a knot. And to keep it all in place, they’d wear a headband, a “manggeon” they called it. Scholars and noblemen, that’s who wore this style. Made ’em look important, I suppose.
I hear tell that these old hairstyles are making a comeback. Young folks today, they like to try out these old looks, maybe for a special occasion or just for fun. And why not? They’re pretty, in their own way. And it’s nice to remember the old ways, even if they seem a bit strange to us now.
Oh, and I almost forgot. Some folks say Koreans have straight hair because of what they eat, like seaweed and such. And some say it’s just in their genes. But if you ain’t got straight hair, don’t you worry. You can always get it straightened, if you want to look like one of them Korean movie stars. I saw some older Korean ladies with permed hair that looked like those big puffy hairdos from the old days. They call it sangdangs or sangdo, I think.
So, that’s all I know about Korean hair. It’s a whole lot different from the way we do things around here, that’s for sure. But it’s interesting, ain’t it? Learning about how other folks live and what they do. Makes you appreciate the world a little bit more, I reckon.
Tags: Korean Traditional Hair, Daenggi Meori, Saeang Meori, Jjok Meori, Cheopji Meori, Keun Meori, Sangtu, Korean Hairstyles, Hair Accessories, Binyeo, Daenggi, Cheopji, Manggeon, Korean Culture, History of Korean Hair.
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