Abstract
This study discusses the traditional costume of Korea and Japan and cognitive factors affecting its recognition by conducting a survey on both Korean and Japanese students so that comparative analysis of the differences about whether to rent or own traditional costume and about whether the students surveyed have visited the other country reciprocally, can be made to set the future course of the traditional costume which have gradually been worn less frequently and favored by less people. College students of Japan and Korea were chosen for this study and asked to fill in a questionnaire. 491 respondents were analyzed using SPSS10.0 for frequency analysis, factors analysis and t-test. Findings of this study are as follows: Firstly, there were 7 factors affecting the Korean student's recognition of Hanbok while 6 factors involved in Japanese student's recognition of Kimono. Korean students thought highly of the traditional costume and yet had less knowledge of it compared to the Japanese students. Secondly, analysis of the student's recognition of their counterpart's traditional costume showed that there were equally 4 factors affecting the student's recognition. Students found the traditional costume difficult to wear and uncomfortable when worn. Japanese students regarded Hanbok as an abstract form of the traditional Korean culture while Korean students viewed Kimono as a realistic form of something concrete. Thirdly, analysis of the differences about the recognition based on the student's owning or renting the traditional costume. or visiting the counterpart's country, showed that students owning the traditional costume were more positive about the traditional costume and well versed in it. And students having visited their counterpart's country thought more favorably of the traditional costume of their counterpart.
