Hanok facts for kids

A traditional Hanok house in Gangneung, Korea

Hanoks in Bukchon Hanok Village, Seoul

The inside of a traditional Hanok house

A traditional Hanok kitchen

Hanok is a special kind of house from Korea. It's built in a traditional Korean style of architecture. These beautiful homes show off Korea's history and culture.

What Makes Hanok Special?

A main feature of Hanok houses is how they are heated and cooled. They use a mix of two systems:

• Ondol: This is a Korean under-floor heating system. It keeps the house warm in winter.
• Wooden floor: This part helps keep the house cool in summer.

This combination is perfect for Korea's climate. Korea has both a continental climate (cold winters) and an oceanic climate (warm, humid summers). The Hanok design helps people stay comfortable all year round.

Hanok Shapes and Styles

Hanoks have different shapes depending on where they are built and who lives in them.

Shapes in Different Regions

Hanoks look different in various parts of Korea:

• Northern Korea: In the colder northern areas, Hanoks often have several parts or "wings." These wings might be shaped like a square or the letter L. This design helps block the wind and keeps the house warm. These homes also have low roofs.
• Southern Korea: In the warmer southern areas, Hanoks usually have just one main part. They also have more wooden floors. This design lets air flow easily through the house, keeping it cool.

Shapes for Different Classes

The design of a Hanok also showed the social class of the people living there:

• Upper-class Hanoks: These homes often had roofs made of tiles, called giwa. They were built not just as homes, but also to look very beautiful and fancy.
• Lower-class Hanoks: These houses usually had roofs made from rice-straw, called choga. They were simpler and built more for practical living.

Images for kids

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  Giwa (기와) drawn by Danwon

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  Korean traditional Bark shingled house, Neowajip or Gulpijip (굴피집) in Gangwon Province

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  Interior of a traditional house at Jeongseon County, Gangwon Province

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  Sarangbang

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  Hanoks in Seoul

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  Hasadang Hall (built 1461) located in Suncheon, South Jeolla Province

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  Bukchondaek, located in Andong, [[North Gyeongsang Province

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  A Numaru is a traditional Korean balcony-like raised veranda. It is often distinguished from a larger living room by a plinth, a partial enclosure, and low-to-the-floor furniture.

See also

In Spanish: Hanok para niños