The Impact of the United States Fashion on Korean Fashion in 20th Century

Fashion trend is more than a social phenomenon that multitudes of people accept as popular styles of clothing. The purpose of this study was to understand the influence of fashion trend over time and distance. Geographically thousands of miles apart, the U.S. has strongly influenced fashion in Korea, revealed by references and historic depictions collected from literature and web sites. Results of the study are summarized as five issues: First, emergence of female missionaries from the U.S. American missionaries working in the late Great Korean Empire performed a significant role importing Western culture to Korea. Second, as opportunities of education increased, women studying abroad introduced Western fashion to Koreans when they returned to Korea. They were more open to Western culture than other Koreans and moderately harmonized their Korean sentiment and Western culture, mitigating cultural shock and enabled other Koreans to accept Western culture. Third, the effect of fashionistas on media. Singers working for U.S. armies stationed in Korea and movie stars appearing in Hollywood movies profoundly affected Korean pop culture and fashion trends in Korea. Fourth, following First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy of the U.S. She was an influential figure in those days and a fashion leader as well. Lastly, acceptance of working girl fashion depicted in American television shows. American working girls depicted on American TV shows were highly admired by young Korean women, so the fashion of American working girls became a major fad among young Korean women.