The Daenggi is a large decorative ribbon made of fabric with various embroideries and is used to tie and decorate the hair of Korean women, it is also called daenggi-meori (댕기머리). This hairstyle is considered one of the oldest hairstyles and is reported in historical volumes and paintings, and was worn by Koreans, until the 1960s, as a decoration of the Hanbok dress.
The origin of the hanbok as clothing can be traced back to the Three Kingdoms period (57 BC – 668 AD) in the Baekje period, where it was worn as a symbol of social status. During the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1897), the daenggi was worn by both men and women, with the intention of enhancing the beauty of the hanbok and to express the social status of the wearer.
In the Joseon Dynasty in Korea, there were many very strict rules and regulations, regarding hairstyles and clothing in particular. One of the restrictions that the Koreans implemented and which took on a very important social, emotional and historical value was the ban on cutting hair. This is why so many people, both men and women, wore very long hair at the time.
During the Joseon Dynasty, it was believed that by keeping long hair, people could show their respect for their ancestors by not cutting the symbolic bond that hair brought as part of their family status and their dedication to traditional Korean values.
The daenggi is typically made of silk, cotton or ramie and is available in a wide range of colors and patterns. It is often adorned with embroidery, tassels or other ornamental elements, which enhance its beauty and elegance.
the shape of the daenggi can vary depending on the occasion and the age of the person wearing it. For example, young girls may wear a brightly colored daenggi with cheerful and cute decorated patterns, while older women may prefer a more subtle and elegant pattern and shape, favoring neutral colors.
The daenggi is not only a beautiful accessory, but above all it is very practical. It is used to keep hair in place and to prevent it from falling on the face. In the past, women used to tie their hair with daenggi before going out in public, because it was seen as a sign of respect and modesty. Today, the daenggi is still worn especially when dressing the hanbok for special occasions such as weddings, festivals and cultural events.
Recently with the viewing of historical kdramas featuring the hanbok and daenggi, there has been a growing interest in traditional Korean fashion around the world.
For this reason, the daenggi has become increasingly popular among young South Koreans, rediscovering traditional clothing. Many designers are incorporating the daenggi into their modern designs, thus creating a fusion of traditional and contemporary elements.
The daenggi is also popular among K-pop stars, who wear it in music videos and on stage. This helps spread Korean culture to a worldwide audience.
A daenggi attached to the tip of the hair gives the illusion that the hair is longer than it actually is. In a way, this is similar to how you can make your hair look, as illustrated below.
There are different types of daenggi based on purpose, age and social status, which were incorporated into the hairstyles of Korean women during the Joseon period:
Mokpan daenggi (목판댕기): a daenggi worn by the girl by common people. Its color was usually red and it had pointed ends.
Saeng meori (생머리): a hairstyle for younger court ladies like saenggaksi (young court ladies around 9-14 years old) and nain (slightly older court ladies before being elevated to the rank of sanggung). The hair was divided into several parts and was braided and folded. The number of parts depended on the departments in which the court ladies worked: the jimil nain had four parts while the chimbang e the sukbang nain their hair was divided into two parts. The daenggi for this hairstyle also depended on the number of parts: negadak daenggi for the four parts (네 – no = four, 가닥 – gadak = the hair part) e dugadak daenggi for the two parts ( 두 – du = two) saeng meori.
Ko meori (코머리): Reserved for married women of the lower classes, it used the women's original hair braided into two pigtails and pulled across the top of the hair. A daenggi, most often red, was fixed on braided hair.
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Baetssi daenggi (배씨 댕기): A small piece of ornament placed on top of parted hair. The ropes that held the baetssi they were tied behind the ears or combined with the main braid at the back. It was worn by girls before getting married.
Doturak daenggi (도투락댕기): Also known as keun daenggi (큰댕기), which literally means 'big daenggi‘, the doturak daenggi it was used as dwit daenggi (뒷댕기) or daenggi back during the wedding ceremony.
Negadak/dugadak/ patip daenggi (네가닥/두가닥/팥잎댕기): Reserved for court ladies with style saeng meori.
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Paola Pelissa