For the brown-eyed mother, the Korea Hanbok Model Contest was about far more than a runway.
"Women can feel beautiful and confident," Violetta said. "That is what makes this event more meaningful."
For her, the contest was a rare chance to step into the spotlight, celebrate herself and experience Korean culture from the inside.
Violetta said the event gave women, particularly mothers who devote much of their lives to caring for their families, an opportunity to rediscover their confidence. "This will be one of the most memorable moments of my life," she said with a smile. "My husband and my 7-year-old child are so proud of me."
Another Russian contestant, 35-year-old Julia, described the contest as "a new experience" and an opportunity to learn not only how to wear hanbok but also the cultural meaning behind it.
"There aren't many opportunities like this," she said. "I gave it my best on stage."
Near the end of the event, Julia sat in a chair, exhausted after hours of rehearsals, waiting and finally walking the runway.
For Korean contestants, the contest carried a different weight.
Halla Lee, a contestant in her 30s who had long been interested in hanbok, said she spent about three months preparing after the preliminary round in April, practicing posture, posing and runway walking. She woke up at 4 a.m. on the day of the competition to get ready and had only one meal before taking the stage.
"Hanbok has become something many foreign visitors experience when they come to Korea," Lee said. "But as Koreans, I think we should wear it with a stronger sense of identity and make it better known in the world. I wanted to do my part."
Lee said standing on the stage made months of preparation worthwhile. As fellow contestants walked up to receive their awards, she watched with a quiet smile, celebrating their moment as much as her own.
Their stories reflected what the contest has sought to achieve over the past 12 years: presenting hanbok not only as traditional attire but as a living culture shared by people around the world.
Held at Inspire Entertainment Resort in Incheon on June 27, the contest drew more than 1,100 participants and guests, including 372 contestants, diplomats from about 40 countries, lawmakers, designers and business leaders.
Organized under the leadership of Samuel Chung, chairman of the Korea Cultural Association and head of the organizing committee of the Korea Hanbok Model Contest, the event has expanded beyond a fashion competition into a platform promoting the globalization and industrialization of hanbok.
"From the beginning, we hoped our own standards would one day become global standards," Chung said.
He said the contest has already expanded overseas, with related events held in France and Thailand. Winners selected from those countries joined this year's stage, alongside models chosen from more than 20 countries across Africa, the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and Asia.
"I find it deeply meaningful that so many people who love hanbok have gathered here today," Chung said, describing the event as a celebration of the growing international appreciation for Korea's traditional clothing.
Among the keynote speakers was Chafik Rachadi, Morocco's ambassador to South Korea, who described traditional dress as one of the most visible expressions of a nation's identity and an important form of cultural soft power.
"This form of soft power resembles our mission as diplomats," Rachadi said. "Not only do we represent our governments, we also represent the values, traditions and refined expressions of our people."
"Every morning, when we choose what to wear, we also choose how to present ourselves to the world," he said. "National dress like hanbok reflects the pride of a nation's history, identity and spirit."
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