Twenty years ago, elite Korean homes were all about excess. Gilt, glitz and heavy fabrics projected an image of status that felt oppressive and old-fashioned. Enter the Seoul aesthetic, where things couldn’t be more different: fuelled by social media, the rise of K-drama and K-pop, and a younger, cooler corporate scene, Seoul’s current generation is reshaping how the world sees its interior style. Fusing heritage and modernity, the latest Korean home trends are a microcosm of the country’s fast-developing culture – and are just as relevant for the rest of the world as its music and cinema. Here are the key trends to be inspired by…
Reinventing the hanok
An exterior view of the Hanok hotel at Rakkojae near Hahoe Historic Village in Andong, South Korea.NurPhoto/Getty Images
Restored hanok (traditional Korean houses) are often repurposed as boutique hotels in Seoul, their architecture revealing the simplicity inherent in Korean design. Characterised by timber beams, serene courtyards and simple details like paper screens and pojagi (patchwork curtains in sheer fabrics that recall the look of stained glass), hanok reflect the Taoist principle of yin and yang – simplicity and harmony with nature. You might say that this is the Korean equivalent of Japan’s wabi-sabi, and indeed, its earthy, unadorned warmth underpins many of the culture’s other popular trends.