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ColorArchive/Regions/Korea (Obangsaek)

Asia

Korea (Obangsaek) Color Palette

The five Obangsaek directions — a ceremonial palette of five cardinal colors.

The palette

  • Obangsaek Blue (청 / cheong)

    ≈Sapphire Velvet Bright

    East — wood element, hanbok dyes

    AaWhite text 5.52:1 · AA

  • Obangsaek Red (홍 / hong)

    ≈Merlot Velvet Pure

    South — fire element, ceremonial silk

    AaWhite text 5.61:1 · AA

  • Obangsaek Yellow (황 / hwang)

    ≈Saffron Tone Bright

    Center — earth element, royal robe

    AaBlack text 13.23:1 · AAA

  • Obangsaek White (백 / baek)

    ≈Amber Whisper Faint

    West — metal element, hemp linen

    AaBlack text 19.23:1 · AAA

  • Obangsaek Black (흑 / heuk)

    ≈True Gray Ink

    North — water element, ink and lacquer

    AaWhite text 16.48:1 · AAA

  • Hanji Cream

    ≈Apricot Pearl Soft

    Mulberry-fiber Korean paper

    AaBlack text 16.02:1 · AAA

  • Celadon-Goryeo Green

    ≈Jade Radiant Muted

    Goryeo Dynasty ceramics, 12th-13th c.

    AaBlack text 7.49:1 · AAA
Check this palette: contrast matrix, harmony, color-blind view →

Cultural context

Korean traditional color theory codifies the obangsaek (five directional colors): blue (east), red (south), yellow (center), white (west), and black (north). These five hues structure everything from royal silk hanbok to Joseon-era court ceremony to modern saekdong striped patchwork. The everyday domestic palette is more muted — the undyed whites and creams of hemp, ramie and cotton (sosaek) and the warm cream of hanji paper.

Suits

Heritage food / drink brandingModern Korean fashionCultural / film designEditorial layout

Copy as CSS

:root {
  --obangsaek-blue-cheong: #1e68c1;
  --obangsaek-red-hong: #c8242c;
  --obangsaek-yellow-hwang: #f2c94c;
  --obangsaek-white-baek: #f5f5f2;
  --obangsaek-black-heuk: #1f1f1f;
  --hanji-cream: #eae0cb;
  --celadon-goryeo-green: #7ca38e;
}

Copy as Tailwind

@theme {
  --color-obangsaek-blue-cheong: #1e68c1;
  --color-obangsaek-red-hong: #c8242c;
  --color-obangsaek-yellow-hwang: #f2c94c;
  --color-obangsaek-white-baek: #f5f5f2;
  --color-obangsaek-black-heuk: #1f1f1f;
  --color-hanji-cream: #eae0cb;
  --color-celadon-goryeo-green: #7ca38e;
}

Further reading

  • Obangsaek and traditional Korean color
  • Hanbok — traditional Korean dress (V&A)
  • Sosaek and the natural whites of undyed hanbok (Morning Calm, Korean Air)

More regional palettes

Vietnam

Áo dài silk, lacquer red, and tropical green — Indochinese color culture in saturated form.

Japan

Indigo, sumi ink, and unbleached paper — restraint as aesthetics.

India

Saffron, marigold, and the Holi powder spectrum — color as celebration, at full saturation.

China (Traditional)

Cinnabar red, imperial yellow, and ink-wash green — five-element color theory across two millennia.