Abstract
The purpose of this study is to find aesthetic characteristics of Korean and Japanese women's traditional costumes in Modernization that happened in Korea and Japan during the late 19th century and the 20th century. The meaning of modernity has indefinite and comprehensive aspects, and the essence of modernity is found in searching for new changes. Modernization is the process of realizing modernity, and costume modernization can be discussed from the viewpoint of seeking new changes, functionality and popularization of costume. As Korean and Japanese costumes went through modernization, western costume became daily clothes of both two countries. The modernization of Korean and Japanese women's traditional costumes were achieved in the two directions. First, Korean and Japanese women's traditional costumes changed to search for functionality modeled of western costume. Korean costume went through dress reform movement and were generally simplified. Japanese costume made a change of wearing mode and introduced new garment like 'Hakama'. Second, the new style of traditional costume appeared. In Korea, 'Saenghwal Hanbox' was shown in the late 20c and in Japan, The reproduced dress(更生服)' and The women's standard dress(婦人標準服)' were shown in the late 1930's and the early 1940's. These kinds of new garment style were the more active compromise between the East and the West.
