A Comparative Study on Furniture Design of Chosun Dynasty & Modernism - Focused on Thought & Design -

조선조와 모더니즘의 가구디자인 비교연구 - 사상과 디자인을 중심으로 -

Korea has a dark age in terms of culture in the last 20th century. Korea had been struggling between the Great Powers of the world in the imperialism and had sacrifice to keep our own culture itself. Japanese imperialist's a invasion, culture liquidation by Japan, Independence from Japan, Korean war and Influence by US are major bitter historical affair after close of Chosun Dynasty in the process of modernization. Therefore Korea couldn't stay in the center of world cultural core parts and was degraded as cultural consumption country which was provided oversea culture by other countries. Then Korea couldn't develop our unique traditional idea and culture. In the meantime there are both extreme phenomena; one is expulsion of other cultures absolutely and the other is only following western culture unconditionally like trimming policy in the end of colony age. These discreet and unfiltered western culture had been influenced Korea culture over the wide range strongly and resulted in cultural colony situation to produce western imitation culture without philosophy and traditional spirit. Even though Korea has met opportunity in the culture, we called "Han Trend", no formation of own culture is main reason for psychological panic. Korea furniture design is one of parts of lost of tradition culture and typical parts in reproducing western imitation culture. As a result furniture industry's major reason for loss value as exporting industry compared to other industries result in most of the furniture products without our unique identity. This situation become more deepen unfortunately. This report would like to suggest the direction of design with global competition capability and cultural identity to boost Korean furniture design industry by comparing, analyzing and speculating between design of Chosun dynasty and philosophy of modernism in western.