How a hanok's siting, ondol heating, and natural materials like giwa tile and hanji paper shaped Korea's traditional houses for centuries.
A hanok (한옥) is a traditional Korean house. Its roots go back to pit houses from around 6,000 BCE, and its classic form was completed in the late Joseon period.
The first rule of a hanok is where you build it. The ideal is baesanimsu (배산임수): a mountain behind the house and a river in front. Builders also thought about the land and the seasons.
The second rule is comfort in both extremes. For winter there is ondol (온돌), an under-floor heating system devised long ago to help Koreans survive the cold, and it is still used in many homes today. For summer there is the maru (마루), a cool wooden-floor hall that blocks the summer sun and lets air move through.
Natural materials. Hanok are built from timber for beams and posts, clay roof tiles called giwa (기와), and stone foundations. The windows and doors use hanji (한지), Korean paper treated with bean oil so it resists water.
Different regions, different shapes. Northern hanok are square to keep heat in. Southern ones are open and L-shaped for ventilation. Central regions combine both.
You can still walk through one today in Bukchon Hanok Village in central Seoul. As in most Korean homes, shoes come off at the door.
| Korean | Romanization | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 한옥 | hanok | traditional Korean house |
| 온돌 | ondol | under-floor heating |
| 마루 | maru | wooden-floor hall |
| 기와 | giwa | clay roof tile |
| 한지 | hanji | Korean paper |
| 마을 | maeul | village |
Sources: Hanok.