Hanbok is currently facing controversy as it is being sold on the Chinese e-commerce platform AliExpress disguised as the traditional Chinese costume "hanfu."

Professor Seo Kyoung-duk of Sungshin Women's University pointed out this issue via his social media, emphasizing that "Korea's hanbok and China's hanfu are strictly different garments."

Professor Seo criticized the platform, stating, "While AliExpress mostly only provides distribution channels to sellers, it should have paid closer attention through self-monitoring to prevent such incidents from happening."

He added, "In the past, Korea's traditional food kimchi was also searchable alongside the Chinese pickled vegetable dish paocai on AliExpress," emphasizing that "hanbok and hanfu, as well as kimchi and paocai, should be separated into distinct categories, and measures must be taken so that foreigners are no longer misled."

Professor Seo further stated, "A true global company must first have the attitude of respecting other countries' cultures," adding, "Together with Koreans around the world, we will continuously work to correct Korean cultural products that are being traded with distortions in major shopping malls across various countries."

Recently, videos of Chinese influencers wearing hanfu and filming at Gyeongbokgung Palace spread online, drawing fierce criticism from netizens.

Reported by Jung Da-eun | Video by Na Hong-hee | Graphics by Yang Hye-min | Produced by SBS Digital News