The purpose of this study Is to identify (1) traditional Chŏtdol rituals in literature records. (2) the composition and meaning of the Chŏtdol ceremony and dresses (3) analysis of Chŏtdol ceremony and dresses according to the social changes. Literature and photographic documents were used for the study. 250 photos taken from 1910 to 2020 were compared and analyzed.
Chŏtdol is a tradition of celebrating children's first birthday in Korea. On Chŏtdol, the family has hosted a large party to celebrate and announce their child's growing up to human being. It is not known when Saekdong clothes, which are familiar in Chŏtdol, began to be worn as a Dolbok. And it is also not known whether the tradition of wearing Saekdong clothes has spread from the upper class. It was found that, since the early 20th century, Saekdong clothes has generally worn in public for Dolbok. Dolbok does not have the "formality", so it is difficult to generalize. Dolbok shows different patterns depending on historical changes and differences in wealth, region, and family customs. In Japanese colonial era, it is not known whether Chŏtdol ceremony must have been carried out in public due to colonial exploitation and policies to obliterate the korean nation. It could be assumed that the royal family and some wealthy families held the rituals. Since the opening ports, both Saekdong and Western style Dolbok appeared. The 1950s and 1960s were the confusion period after the Korean war, therefore only rich families dressed their child Dolbok and held Chŏtdol ceremony. The 1960s was a time when the fashion industry began to develop, western style ready-made clothes or store hanboks were often worn by children for their Chŏtdol. Because of the decrease in infant mortality and the disappearance of folk beliefs, the ritual meaning of Chŏtdol ceremony has weakened since the 1970s. With the development of mass media and growing interest in tradition between the 1970s and 1980s, court dresses and hanbok, which is colorful and decorative, gained popularity. With the "socialization of rituals" from the late 1980s, Chŏtdol ceremony and Dolbok began to depend on the trend of the market and became common to the public. As the ritual place changes, Dolbok has also begun to dress in western style robes. In the 1990s and 2000s, the infant industry flourished, and even Chŏtdol ceremony became more luxury. Various kinds of clothes were worn for Dolbok: hanbok, western ceremonial dresses, casual clothes, etc. In the 2000s, designed hanbok in historical dramas had come into fashion, now the exotic transformed Dolbok became popular. Since the 2010s, interest in tradition has increased again, now setting traditional Dolsang and clothing pastel-colored hanbok for Dolbok have begun to be preferred. Today, it is difficult to find the use of Gilsang patterns and primary colors wishing for children's longevity.
Chŏtdol ceremony and Dolbok tend to change with social transition. Entering modern society, the previous religion meaning almost disappears due to the commercialization of rituals and decrease in infant mortality. However, the meaning of celebrating and announcing children's growth, which is the main point of Chŏtdol ceremony, remains. And the custom preparing special clothes for celebrating their baby's first birthday continues.