The Meaning of Hanok: Living in Harmony with the Seasons

Late October in Korea is a month of dramatic transitions. One day, you are walking through a park in a light jacket, and the next, you are bracing against a sharp, biting wind that signals the winter is not just coming, but already at the door. If you find yourself in a traditional neighborhood like Bukchon in Seoul or wandering through the village lanes in Gyeongju during these cooling weeks, you might notice something peculiar about the houses. People aren’t just locking themselves inside; they are still lingering on the wooden porches, watching the leaves turn, despite the plummeting mercury.