Methodology & Sources

Editorial Mission

We translate Sasang constitutional medicine - a Korean medical system formalized by Lee Je-ma in 1894 - into clear, practical guidance for non-Korean readers. Our content covers four areas: constitutional body types, diet by constitution, hanbang skincare ingredients, and the evidence base behind both. We do not provide individual medical advice. We provide structured information so readers can make informed decisions and discuss them with qualified practitioners.

Source Hierarchy

We rank source quality in the following order, and try to back any factual claim with the strongest available source:

1. Primary historical text. Donguisusebowon (東醫壽世保元 · 동의수세보원), Lee Je-ma, 1894 - the founding treatise of Sasang medicine, defining the four constitutional types, their organ patterns, and therapeutic principles.
2. Peer-reviewed clinical research. Studies indexed in PubMed, J-STAGE, and Korean academic databases (KMbase, RISS) that test Sasang typology empirically - questionnaire validation, metabolomics, genetic association, herb response, and outcome studies.
3. Institutional sources. The Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine (KIOM), Korean medical universities (Kyung Hee, Pusan, Daejeon, Wonkwang), and Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety publications on hanbang ingredients.
4. Modern clinical Sasang textbooks. Korean-language clinical manuals used in Korean medicine hospitals, including QSCC-based diagnostic guides.
5. Authoritative Western references. NIH's National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, the European Medicines Agency's herbal monographs, and Cochrane reviews when relevant for cross-checks on individual herbs.

Anecdotal sources, marketing claims from supplement or skincare brands, and unsourced wellness content are never used as primary evidence. They may be referenced when describing market reality or consumer perception, but they are flagged as such.

Key References

The following sources form the evidence backbone of multiple articles on this site. We cite specific studies inline where they support a specific claim; this list is the broader bibliography.

• Lee Je-ma. Donguisusebowon (東醫壽世保元), 1894. The foundational Sasang text.
• Chae H, Lyoo IK, Lee SJ, et al. An alternative way to individualized medicine: psychological and physical traits of Sasang typology. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 2003.
• Kim JY, Pham DD. Sasang Constitutional Medicine as a Holistic Tailored Medicine. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2009.
• Lee SK, Yoon DW, Lee S, Kim JK, Choi KM, Shin C. The relationship between Sasang constitutional types and metabolic syndrome. Journal of Korean Medicine, multiple papers.
• Jang E, Baek Y, Park K, Lee S. Could the Sasang Constitution Itself Be a Risk Factor of Abdominal Obesity? BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2013.
• Kim BY, Cha S, Jin HJ, Jeong S. Genetic loci associated with Sasang constitution types. Korean genome-wide association studies (KIOM).
• Lee SW et al. QSCC II (Questionnaire for the Sasang Constitution Classification II) validation studies - Korean Institute of Oriental Medicine.
• Korean Pharmacopoeia, 12th edition. Ministry of Food and Drug Safety - the legal reference for hanbang herb identification and quality.
• NCCIH (NIH). Asian Ginseng monograph, used as a cross-check on contraindications and adverse effects.

If you are a researcher and want a complete citation list for a specific article, contact us via the contact page and we'll send the page-specific bibliography.

How We Write Articles

Every article goes through four stages before it is published:

1. Topic scoping. We identify a specific question a reader is likely to ask in plain language (e.g., "why does ginseng give me headaches?", "what is the best diet for cold body types?"). We map the question to Sasang concepts and to any existing research.
2. Source assembly. We collect at least one primary Sasang reference and at least one peer-reviewed or institutional source per major claim. If we cannot find good evidence, we either drop the claim or flag it as traditional usage without modern validation.
3. Drafting. Articles are drafted in clear English with Korean terminology preserved (with Hangul and romanization) so that readers can verify terms against Korean sources. We avoid hedging language for the sake of hedging, but we are explicit about uncertainty when it exists.
4. Review. Drafts are reviewed for factual accuracy against the source list, internal consistency with other articles on the site, and clarity. We use the four-constitution framework consistently - if a claim conflicts with established Sasang categorization, we either rewrite or remove it.

What We Update, and How Often

We treat older articles as living documents. When new research is published, when a reader points out an error, or when our own understanding of a topic deepens, we revise the article rather than publish a separate correction. Every article displays its last-updated date at the top, and that date reflects the most recent substantive change - not minor typo fixes.

Major updates we perform on an ongoing basis include: incorporating new Sasang research from KIOM and academic journals, adjusting product recommendations as the K-beauty market changes, refining diagnostic guidance based on reader feedback, and tightening the integration between articles as the site grows.

Limitations and Honest Disclaimers

We want to be specific about what HanbangType is and is not.

• This is not medical advice. We provide constitutional and traditional information. We do not diagnose, treat, or prescribe. Readers with health concerns should consult a qualified Sasang medicine practitioner, a Korean medicine doctor, or a Western physician as appropriate.
• Self-diagnosis has limits. Online Sasang questionnaires - including the one we offer - achieve roughly 60-70% accuracy compared to in-person clinical diagnosis. They are useful as a starting point and for general dietary and skincare decisions. They are not a substitute for clinical typing by an experienced practitioner.
• Sasang typology is a model. It is a useful model that has been refined over more than a century, but no constitutional system perfectly describes any individual human being. Use it as a tool, not as an identity.
• Hanbang herbs interact with medications. Many traditional Korean herbs, including ginseng, have documented interactions with prescription drugs. If you take any medication, check with a pharmacist or physician before adding herbal supplements.

Conflicts of Interest and Affiliate Disclosure

HanbangType participates in the Amazon Associates program and may earn a commission from qualifying purchases. Product recommendations are made based on constitutional compatibility, ingredient analysis, and reader value - not commission size. We do not accept payment for editorial mentions and have no contractual relationships with K-beauty brands. The complete affiliate policy is in our affiliate disclosure.

Corrections Policy

If you find a factual error, a misquoted source, or an outdated claim, please email us via the contact page. We confirm and correct verified errors within 7 business days, and we update the article's last-updated date when we do. Significant corrections are noted at the bottom of the affected article.

About the Site

HanbangType is an independent publication. It is not affiliated with KIOM, any Korean medical university, any Korean government body, or any commercial brand. We chose Korean constitutional medicine as our subject because it is a sophisticated, internally consistent medical framework that has been largely inaccessible to English-speaking readers - and because it answers questions Western medicine often cannot, such as why two people respond differently to the same food, herb, or skincare ingredient.

If you have feedback, corrections, research suggestions, or want to collaborate, please get in touch.