On September 26, 2026, South Korean media Yonhap News reported that videos filmed by Chinese influencers and tourists wearing China's traditional costume "Hanfu" at historical tourist spots in South Korea and Japan have spread on SNS and are sparking debate.

According to the article, recently, a Chinese male influencer, dressed in costumes reminiscent of Chinese historical dramas, visited Osaka Castle, Dotonbori, and other representative tourist spots in Osaka. At Osaka Castle, he took commemorative photos with tourists while dressed in Chinese-style costumes, and at Dotonbori, he reportedly appeared in attire resembling a warrior.

As the videos and photos spread on SNS, while some viewed it as a personal activity to introduce Chinese culture, others expressed discomfort with using historical and tourist sites symbolizing Japan as a stage for Chinese cultural content.

The article stated that "similar scenes can be seen in South Korea," reporting that Chinese tourists wearing Hanfu have been successively observed taking photos and videos against the backdrop of the Joseon Dynasty palace in the vicinity of Seoul's Gyeongbokgung Palace and Gwanghwamun Gate. It also said that videos of a man in an outfit resembling a Chinese emperor walking through Gwanghwamun Gate also spread on SNS.

However, the article pointed out that "there is nothing inherently wrong with foreigners wearing their national traditional costumes for sightseeing." It also introduced an expert's view that simply prohibiting the wearing of Hanfu should not be done, as regulating individual attire could create other problems.

On the other hand, it was also pointed out that in places symbolizing the history of a specific country, such as Gyeongbokgung Palace and Osaka Castle, when videos combining costumes and background spread globally on SNS, there is a possibility that the cultural context may not be fully conveyed.

Regarding this, South Korean netizens voiced opinions such as, "What exactly are their intentions?" "Recent SNS culture is strange," "To go to the trouble of bringing costumes and filming," "It feels out of place to dress up as historical figures from a different country and film at historical sites," and "It's also not good that such actions actually attract attention on SNS."

Also, comments were seen such as, "Even simple souvenir photos can spread to tens of thousands of people, so we need to be careful," "Ultimately, it's not so much the clothes themselves, but the intention and the explanation accompanying the videos that are important," "Gyeongbokgung Palace and Osaka Castle each have their own history, so those filming should be aware of the cultural background of the place," "If the purpose is to introduce Chinese traditional culture, shouldn't they film in their own country's historical places?" and "However, if it becomes a matter of 'Hanfu should not be worn,' then I think it will become a problem of regulating tourists' attire." (Translation and Editing / Higuchi)

📱 경복궁에서 한푸 입고 SNS 촬영…서경덕 “문화 존중 필요”

🔗 https://t.co/mtKlLwSOIE

📍 웨이보와 샤오홍슈 등에 한푸를 입고 경복궁을 방문한 중국인 관광객들의 사진·영상이 올라오고 있음. 한푸와 한복은 다른 의상이지만 외국인들이 한국 전통 의상으로 오해할 수 있다는 지적이 나옴

📍 서경덕 교수는 중국 인플루언서들에게 타국의 역사와 문화를 존중하는 글로벌 매너가 필요하다고 강조함

(📷서경덕 교수 SNS)

#한국경제신문 #경복궁 #한푸 #한복 #중국 #관광객 #전통의상 #서경덕 #문화왜곡

— 한국경제신문 (@hankyungmedia) September 9, 2026