Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles (한국의류학회지)

The Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles (한국의류학회)
권호 표지

Cultural Discourses of Appearance Style in Korean Community of the US

미국거주 한국여성의 외모스타일에 대한 문화적 담론 분석

  • 전양진 (명지대학교 의상디자인학과)
  • Published : 2005.01.01
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Abstract

The purpose of this study is to see how Korean American people use and negotiate appearance in the US. 22 Korean American women at the age of 20s to 50s were interviewed and the verbatim texts from the interviews were interpreted. Discourses on appearance style followed by consumer stories such as American vs. Korean culture, gender, class, generation as well as personal background were recorded. The results of this study revealed that Korean Americans had diverse interpretations about their appearance and styling to fit the condition of their everyday lives. Korean immigrants did not simply assimilate dominant culture over time but maintained transcultural identities depending on contexts. This study showed that researches dealing with cultural variables could have more insights about personal experiences and social meaning processes through interpretative approach.

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