Traditional Korean Medicine (Hanbang)
Traditional Korean Medicine (Hanbang) is Korea's own licensed medical system. Origins, concepts, practices, what research shows, herbal safety and how it is regulated.
Content last updated . This page has not been medically reviewed.
What Traditional Korean Medicine is
Traditional Korean Medicine (TKM, also called Korean medicine or Hanbang) is the traditional medical system of Korea. It is often grouped with traditional Chinese medicine and Kampo (Japan) under the collective label "Oriental medicine," a term used in the research literature. [1] A review of the Donguibogam, Korea's best-known medical text, says TKM became an established, distinctive medical system after Heo Jun published that book in 1613. [1] The same review says current diagnosis and treatment characteristics are based on an independent Korean medicine, as opposed to conventional Chinese medicine. [1]This page is the overview. For how the three East Asian systems differ in practice, see Kampo, Hanbang and Chinese medicine compared.
Origins and cultural context
Heo Jun was a physician of the Joseon Dynasty in the early seventeenth century. [2] His Donguibogam, whose title is translated as "Principles and Practice of Eastern Medicine," is described as an encyclopedic source of medical knowledge and techniques that doctors still use. [1] UNESCO registered it on its heritage list in 2009. [1] Our page on the history of Korean medicine and the Donguibogam tells that story in more detail.A second Korean tradition, Sasang constitutional medicine, is credited to Lee Je-Ma and is described as a unique medical system within Korean medicine. [1] It has its own page: Sasang constitutional medicine.
Core ideas, as traditional frameworks
Korean medicine shares an East Asian vocabulary of qi, balance and prevention with its neighbors. The Donguibogam organized disease around a system of essence, qi and spirit, and stressed preventing illness through a healthy way of living. [1] These are traditional explanations. They are not measured biological mechanisms, and this site does not treat them as proven. Sasang typing in particular is a traditional classification; we do not offer a type quiz or self-test, and we do not suggest choosing foods or herbs by type.Traditional practices
A 2013 study notes that Korean medicine has various treatment modalities such as acupuncture, moxibustion, cupping, chu-na (manual therapy) and herbal medicine. [3] Korean medicine also developed pharmacopuncture, in which herbal extracts are injected at acupuncture points; it was introduced to the Korean medicine community in 1967. [4] We cover the shared techniques in what is acupuncture, moxibustion and cupping therapy, and the Korean herbal and injection practices in Korean herbal medicine and pharmacopuncture.What research shows
Proper evidence not found for Korean medicine as a whole. We searched PubMed and review sources and found studies of individual practices, not a trial or review that tests the tradition. Evidence has to be judged one practice at a time.| Question | What the source found | Strength of evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Different disease rates by Sasang type | Six of 13 disorders had significantly different prevalence by type across 15 studies. [5] | Insufficient evidence (association only) |
| Pharmacopuncture | Small, mostly poor-quality trials; the authors found it difficult to recommend as evidence-based. [4] | Promising but limited at best |
| Red ginseng for erectile dysfunction | Suggestive but low-quality trials; a later Cochrane review found trivial effects. [6][7] | Mixed |
| Treating by constitution type | Not tested in the sources we read. | Traditional use only |
Who should seek conventional care first
Sudden or severe symptoms, pregnancy, liver or kidney disease, children, and anyone taking prescription medicines should check with a clinician before using any herbal prescription. Never stop a prescribed medicine because of a Korean medicine recommendation. See talking with a health professional.Related pages
Kampo medicine is Japan's tradition, and historical use vs clinical evidence explains how to weigh long use.Frequently asked questions
What is the Donguibogam?
A medical encyclopedia by Heo Jun, published in 1613, that helped establish Korean medicine as a distinctive system. [1]
Is Korean medicine the same as Chinese medicine?
They share East Asian roots, but sources describe Korean medicine as a distinctive system with its own foundational text and, in South Korea, its own licensing system. [1][3]
What is Sasang medicine?
A Korean system that classifies people into four constitutional types by physical and psychological traits. [5]
Are Korean herbal medicines safe?
It depends on the herb and the product. Liver injury has been reported with some herbs in Korea. [8]
Are Korean medicine doctors licensed?
In South Korea, Korean medicine has had its own education and licensing system since the 1950s. [3] Rules in other countries differ. [11]
More details: evidence, limits and cautions
The details behind this page: cautions, limits of the evidence and where sources disagree. Open any note to read it.
Safety and product quality
Herbal medicines can injure the liver. A systematic review of herb-induced liver injury in Korea found 97 cases in 31 reports, with Polygoni Multiflori (39.2 percent) and Dictamnus dasycarpus (37.1 percent) the most frequent causes. The authors note that herbs are generally regarded as safe because of extensive clinical use, but that this has become a medical issue. [8] In a 2023 national survey, 363 of the 830 Korean medicine doctors who answered said they use blood tests, most often liver function tests, in their work, and many named monitoring herb-induced liver injury as a purpose. [9] See liver safety and supplements. Tell your doctor and pharmacist about every herbal product you use. [10]
Practitioner training and regulation
In South Korea, researchers describe a dual system in which Western medicine and traditional medicine exist on equal terms with exclusive practice boundaries; Korean medicine has had its own education and licensing system since the 1950s. [3] Details are on Korean medicine in South Korea: training, licensing and insurance. Outside Korea, rules differ. In the United States, requirements for practitioners vary tremendously by state and discipline, and a license is not always a guarantee of being qualified. [11][12] This site does not list or recommend practitioners; see how to check a traditional practitioner.
References
- Historical medical value of Donguibogam. Journal of Pharmacopuncture 2016. Read 2026-10-22.
- Kwon HJ. Heo Jun: physician of the people. Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives 2021. PubMed 33552415. Read 2026-10-22.
- Medical practices and attitudes of dual-licensed medical doctors in Korea. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine 2013. Read 2026-10-22.
- Pharmacopuncture in Korea: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine 2016. PubMed 26881003. Read 2026-10-22.
- Lee HY and others. A systematic review on Sasang constitutional type-associated susceptibility to disorders in Korea. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine 2016. PubMed 27754711. Read 2026-10-22.
- Jang DJ and others. Red ginseng for treating erectile dysfunction: a systematic review. British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology 2008. PubMed 18754850. Read 2026-10-22.
- Lee HW and others. Ginseng for erectile dysfunction. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2021. PubMed 33871063. Read 2026-10-22.
- Systematic review on herb-induced liver injury in Korea. Food and Chemical Toxicology 2015. PubMed 26165727. Read 2026-10-22.
- Cho E and others. Blood test use in Korean Medicine for monitoring herbal medicine safety. Scientific Reports 2025. PubMed 40258954. Read 2026-10-22.
- NCCIH (US). 6 Tips: How Herbs Can Interact With Medicines. Read 2026-10-22.
- NCCIH (US). 6 Things To Know When Selecting a Complementary Health Practitioner. Read 2026-10-22.
- NCCIH (US). Credentialing, Licensing, and Education. Read 2026-10-22.
Education, not medical advice. This page is for general information. It does not diagnose or treat any condition and is not a substitute for care from a qualified health professional. Natural does not automatically mean safe. Ask a clinician or pharmacist before changing your care, especially if you take medication, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or have a health condition.