Enter Korean hats—starting with the gat you see referenced in K-Pop Demon Hunters
Page Info
Writer AndyKim1
Hit 122 Hits
Date 25-09-18 23:19
Content
Korean hats—starting with the gat you see referenced in K-Pop Demon Hunters (the magpie’s hat-snatch gag), then branching out to the wider world of traditional headgear for men, women, officials, soldiers, and kids. I’ll cover what each hat is, how it’s made, who wore it, and what it “says” on screen.
1) The Gat (갓): authority with a see-through brim
What it is.
A black, translucent horsehair hat stretched over a delicate bamboo frame, worn by adult men of the yangban (scholar-official) class during the Joseon dynasty.
Why it looks the way it does.
The crown (정, jeong) is a stiff cylinder; the brim (양태, yangtae) is wide, almost halo-like.
Bamboo ribs form a feather-light skeleton; lacquer stiffens horsehair so the brim holds a perfect circle but still shows the wearer’s face and eyes—signaling dignity without concealment.
A knotted silk chin strap (갓끈, gatkkeun) and a headband (망건, manggeon) secure the topknot beneath.
Types & codes.
Heukrip/Heungnip (흑립): the canonical black gat of everyday formal wear.
Baekrip (백립): white version for mourning.
Jeurip / Jurip (주립): darker, travel or rain-friendly variations in sturdier weaves.
Satgat (삿갓): not a gat but a farmer’s sedge rain hat; see §2.
Craft.
Gat-making (갓일, gannil) is a recognized traditional craft: fine bamboo splitting, horsehair weaving, lacquer finishing, and knotting. A single masterwork can take weeks; the brim must stay flat while weighing almost nothing.
What it “means” on screen.
In modern storytelling (including K-Pop Demon Hunters), a gat instantly reads as “official authority.” That’s why the magpie snatching a gat lands as a joke with teeth: it’s cheeky common sense tweaking pomp and power (straight out of the folk-painting kkachi-horangi tradition).
2) Working hats & everyday shades (commoners, travelers, farmers)
Satgat (삿갓) — the conical rain hat
Woven from sedge or straw; wide cone throws water past the shoulders.
Worn by farmers, monks, travelers. Humble, practical, evocative—the silhouette screams “rain road, long journey.”
Paeraengi (패랭이) — the bamboo straw cap
A lighter, flatter weave than satgat, often with a visible radial pattern.
Associated with craftsmen or travelers; airy shade in summer fields.
Nukgat / Jukgat (눅갓/죽갓) — bamboo-heavy variants
Denser bamboo strips for sturdier travel or provincial styles.
Why these matter in film/fashion.
Their texture and shadow read beautifully on camera; a switch from gat → satgat is an instant class/status change.
3) Scholar, monk, and gentleman hats (indoors & study culture)
Jeongjagwan (정자관) — soft indoor cap
A black, squared cap worn indoors with scholar robes; signals study, contemplation, propriety.
Often paired with dopo (도포, scholar’s over-robe).
Hogeon (호건) is actually a child’s cap (see §7), but note adults also used simple headbands (망건) to bind the topknot under or without a hat—minimalist, elegant, very “literati.”
Why viewers love these.
They frame the forehead and eyes, emphasizing thoughtfulness—the “quiet charisma” look of Korean scholar culture.
4) Official & ceremonial hats (state power in silhouette)
Samo (사모) — the winged official’s hat
Black gauze with two side “wings.” Civil officials wore it with court robes; the wing angle/length varied by rank and period.
Reads as government formality at a glance—great for court scenes.
Ikseongwan (익선관) — royal/courtly hat with curved wings
Worn by kings or high officials in specific garments; elegantly arched “ears.”
On screen it’s shorthand for royal gravity without a crown.
Myeonryugwan (면류관) — beaded coronation crown
A formal crown with bead strings (류) falling before and behind the face.
Reserved for top-tier rites; high spectacle, heavy symbolism.
Jeonrip (전립) — military hat
A sturdier, brimmed cap, sometimes with fur trim or plume; paired with cheollik (천릭) military robes.
Conveys mobility and command in battle scenes.
5) Women’s ceremonial & wedding headgear (opulence with meaning)
Jokduri (족두리) — bridal crown-cap
Small, cylindrical cap covered in silk and embroidery, often with jade/metal ornaments.
The line is refined and vertical: dignified beauty for weddings and court dress.
Hwagwan (화관) — flower crown for brides/nobility
A more elaborate diadem with floral metalwork, beads, and sometimes phoenix motifs.
Lux, luminous, perfect for processions and palace fêtes.
Neoul (너울) — queen’s long veil/hood
Flowing textile that drapes behind crown assemblies; commands soft power in motion.
Binyeo (비녀) — not a hat, but the ornamental hairpin that secures the chignon; often jewel-grade, it functioned like a portable status badge.
6) Women’s winter & daily hats (texture, warmth, silhouette)
Ayam (아얌) — winter cap
Quilted silk with a small front band; sometimes tassels or beaded strings.
Warm, cute, very photogenic—think “historical beanie with jewelry.”
Jobawi (조바위) — winter bonnet
Ear-covering cap with curved side panels; looks elegant paired with a winter durumagi coat.
Nambawi (남바위) — hood-like winter cap
Fur or quilted lining; the front forms a heart-like curve around the face.
Beloved by stylists for the way it frames cheeks and eyes.
Gulle (굴레) — ornate baby bonnet
Embroidered, colorful; used for first-birthday (돌, doljanchi) photos even today.
7) Children’s caps & playful symbolism
Hogeon (호건) — “tiger hood” for boys
Small cap embroidered with a tiger face and ears; meant to ward off harm and “lend” courage.
The design language (eyes, whiskers, ears) is exactly the kind of folk humor that K-Pop Demon Hunters channels with its magpie-and-tiger duo.
Ok, why kids’ hats matter to fashion/video:
They’re walking amulets—colors, animals, and lucky symbols (bats for fortune, peonies for wealth) stitched directly into daily life.
8) Materials, making, and why these hats film so well
Materials: horsehair (durable translucency), bamboo (springy strength), sedge/straw (water-shedding cones), silk and gauze (light, luminous), fur/quilting (winter warmth).
Techniques: splitting bamboo into hair-thin ribs; weaving horsehair into mesh; lacquering for shine and stiffness; silk embroidery & metal filigree for bridal pieces; knot-craft (maedeup) for cords.
On camera: translucent brims cast soft ring-shadows; straw cones produce graphic silhouettes; bead curtains (myeonryugwan) make moving bokeh; winter bonnets frame faces—eyes read clearer, emotions read bigger.
9) How modern culture reuses them (fashion, stage, and K-Pop Demon Hunters)
Runway & idol styling: a mini-gat over a slicked topknot; jokduri-inspired mini-crowns; satgat silhouettes in oversized street looks; binyeo translated into metallic hair slides; norigae tassels clipped to hats as charms.
Film/TV grammar: swap a gat → satgat to telegraph status change; add samo wings for “court scene”; put a jokduri on a bride for instant cultural anchoring.
In K-Pop Demon Hunters: the hat-snatch gag is a living folk joke—magpie (clever mischief) undermines gat (authority)—and it doubles as an action cue: the stolen hat is the beat before the drop.
10) Quick glossary (useful at a glance)
Gat (갓) — translucent horsehair + bamboo hat (yangban).
Satgat (삿갓) — straw/sedge rain hat (commoner/traveler).
Paeraengi (패랭이) — light bamboo straw cap.
Manggeon (망건) — braided headband for topknot under hats.
Samo (사모) — winged hat for officials.
Ikseongwan (익선관) — curved-wing royal/court hat.
Myeonryugwan (면류관) — beaded coronation crown.
Jokduri (족두리) — bridal crown-cap.
Hwagwan (화관) — floral bridal diadem.
Ayam / Jobawi / Nambawi — women’s winter caps.
Hogeon (호건) — tiger-face boy’s cap.
Binyeo (비녀) — ornamental hairpin (not a hat, but essential).
How to talk about Korean hats to newcomers (in one minute)
“Think of Korean hats as portable status + season + symbolism. A black gat = scholar-official authority you can see through. A conical satgat = rain, roads, humility. A bridal jokduri or hwagwan = ceremony and prosperity. Winter ayam/jobawi frame the face like jeweled earmuffs. And the tiger-face hogeon for boys? That’s the country’s sense of protective humor—exactly the spirit that K-Pop Demon Hunters turns into a blue tiger and a troublemaking magpie.”
1) The Gat (갓): authority with a see-through brim
What it is.
A black, translucent horsehair hat stretched over a delicate bamboo frame, worn by adult men of the yangban (scholar-official) class during the Joseon dynasty.
Why it looks the way it does.
The crown (정, jeong) is a stiff cylinder; the brim (양태, yangtae) is wide, almost halo-like.
Bamboo ribs form a feather-light skeleton; lacquer stiffens horsehair so the brim holds a perfect circle but still shows the wearer’s face and eyes—signaling dignity without concealment.
A knotted silk chin strap (갓끈, gatkkeun) and a headband (망건, manggeon) secure the topknot beneath.
Types & codes.
Heukrip/Heungnip (흑립): the canonical black gat of everyday formal wear.
Baekrip (백립): white version for mourning.
Jeurip / Jurip (주립): darker, travel or rain-friendly variations in sturdier weaves.
Satgat (삿갓): not a gat but a farmer’s sedge rain hat; see §2.
Craft.
Gat-making (갓일, gannil) is a recognized traditional craft: fine bamboo splitting, horsehair weaving, lacquer finishing, and knotting. A single masterwork can take weeks; the brim must stay flat while weighing almost nothing.
What it “means” on screen.
In modern storytelling (including K-Pop Demon Hunters), a gat instantly reads as “official authority.” That’s why the magpie snatching a gat lands as a joke with teeth: it’s cheeky common sense tweaking pomp and power (straight out of the folk-painting kkachi-horangi tradition).
2) Working hats & everyday shades (commoners, travelers, farmers)
Satgat (삿갓) — the conical rain hat
Woven from sedge or straw; wide cone throws water past the shoulders.
Worn by farmers, monks, travelers. Humble, practical, evocative—the silhouette screams “rain road, long journey.”
Paeraengi (패랭이) — the bamboo straw cap
A lighter, flatter weave than satgat, often with a visible radial pattern.
Associated with craftsmen or travelers; airy shade in summer fields.
Nukgat / Jukgat (눅갓/죽갓) — bamboo-heavy variants
Denser bamboo strips for sturdier travel or provincial styles.
Why these matter in film/fashion.
Their texture and shadow read beautifully on camera; a switch from gat → satgat is an instant class/status change.
3) Scholar, monk, and gentleman hats (indoors & study culture)
Jeongjagwan (정자관) — soft indoor cap
A black, squared cap worn indoors with scholar robes; signals study, contemplation, propriety.
Often paired with dopo (도포, scholar’s over-robe).
Hogeon (호건) is actually a child’s cap (see §7), but note adults also used simple headbands (망건) to bind the topknot under or without a hat—minimalist, elegant, very “literati.”
Why viewers love these.
They frame the forehead and eyes, emphasizing thoughtfulness—the “quiet charisma” look of Korean scholar culture.
4) Official & ceremonial hats (state power in silhouette)
Samo (사모) — the winged official’s hat
Black gauze with two side “wings.” Civil officials wore it with court robes; the wing angle/length varied by rank and period.
Reads as government formality at a glance—great for court scenes.
Ikseongwan (익선관) — royal/courtly hat with curved wings
Worn by kings or high officials in specific garments; elegantly arched “ears.”
On screen it’s shorthand for royal gravity without a crown.
Myeonryugwan (면류관) — beaded coronation crown
A formal crown with bead strings (류) falling before and behind the face.
Reserved for top-tier rites; high spectacle, heavy symbolism.
Jeonrip (전립) — military hat
A sturdier, brimmed cap, sometimes with fur trim or plume; paired with cheollik (천릭) military robes.
Conveys mobility and command in battle scenes.
5) Women’s ceremonial & wedding headgear (opulence with meaning)
Jokduri (족두리) — bridal crown-cap
Small, cylindrical cap covered in silk and embroidery, often with jade/metal ornaments.
The line is refined and vertical: dignified beauty for weddings and court dress.
Hwagwan (화관) — flower crown for brides/nobility
A more elaborate diadem with floral metalwork, beads, and sometimes phoenix motifs.
Lux, luminous, perfect for processions and palace fêtes.
Neoul (너울) — queen’s long veil/hood
Flowing textile that drapes behind crown assemblies; commands soft power in motion.
Binyeo (비녀) — not a hat, but the ornamental hairpin that secures the chignon; often jewel-grade, it functioned like a portable status badge.
6) Women’s winter & daily hats (texture, warmth, silhouette)
Ayam (아얌) — winter cap
Quilted silk with a small front band; sometimes tassels or beaded strings.
Warm, cute, very photogenic—think “historical beanie with jewelry.”
Jobawi (조바위) — winter bonnet
Ear-covering cap with curved side panels; looks elegant paired with a winter durumagi coat.
Nambawi (남바위) — hood-like winter cap
Fur or quilted lining; the front forms a heart-like curve around the face.
Beloved by stylists for the way it frames cheeks and eyes.
Gulle (굴레) — ornate baby bonnet
Embroidered, colorful; used for first-birthday (돌, doljanchi) photos even today.
7) Children’s caps & playful symbolism
Hogeon (호건) — “tiger hood” for boys
Small cap embroidered with a tiger face and ears; meant to ward off harm and “lend” courage.
The design language (eyes, whiskers, ears) is exactly the kind of folk humor that K-Pop Demon Hunters channels with its magpie-and-tiger duo.
Ok, why kids’ hats matter to fashion/video:
They’re walking amulets—colors, animals, and lucky symbols (bats for fortune, peonies for wealth) stitched directly into daily life.
8) Materials, making, and why these hats film so well
Materials: horsehair (durable translucency), bamboo (springy strength), sedge/straw (water-shedding cones), silk and gauze (light, luminous), fur/quilting (winter warmth).
Techniques: splitting bamboo into hair-thin ribs; weaving horsehair into mesh; lacquering for shine and stiffness; silk embroidery & metal filigree for bridal pieces; knot-craft (maedeup) for cords.
On camera: translucent brims cast soft ring-shadows; straw cones produce graphic silhouettes; bead curtains (myeonryugwan) make moving bokeh; winter bonnets frame faces—eyes read clearer, emotions read bigger.
9) How modern culture reuses them (fashion, stage, and K-Pop Demon Hunters)
Runway & idol styling: a mini-gat over a slicked topknot; jokduri-inspired mini-crowns; satgat silhouettes in oversized street looks; binyeo translated into metallic hair slides; norigae tassels clipped to hats as charms.
Film/TV grammar: swap a gat → satgat to telegraph status change; add samo wings for “court scene”; put a jokduri on a bride for instant cultural anchoring.
In K-Pop Demon Hunters: the hat-snatch gag is a living folk joke—magpie (clever mischief) undermines gat (authority)—and it doubles as an action cue: the stolen hat is the beat before the drop.
10) Quick glossary (useful at a glance)
Gat (갓) — translucent horsehair + bamboo hat (yangban).
Satgat (삿갓) — straw/sedge rain hat (commoner/traveler).
Paeraengi (패랭이) — light bamboo straw cap.
Manggeon (망건) — braided headband for topknot under hats.
Samo (사모) — winged hat for officials.
Ikseongwan (익선관) — curved-wing royal/court hat.
Myeonryugwan (면류관) — beaded coronation crown.
Jokduri (족두리) — bridal crown-cap.
Hwagwan (화관) — floral bridal diadem.
Ayam / Jobawi / Nambawi — women’s winter caps.
Hogeon (호건) — tiger-face boy’s cap.
Binyeo (비녀) — ornamental hairpin (not a hat, but essential).
How to talk about Korean hats to newcomers (in one minute)
“Think of Korean hats as portable status + season + symbolism. A black gat = scholar-official authority you can see through. A conical satgat = rain, roads, humility. A bridal jokduri or hwagwan = ceremony and prosperity. Winter ayam/jobawi frame the face like jeweled earmuffs. And the tiger-face hogeon for boys? That’s the country’s sense of protective humor—exactly the spirit that K-Pop Demon Hunters turns into a blue tiger and a troublemaking magpie.”