A Study on Changes of Social Recognition about Short-Hair from Perspectives on the Modern Women′s History -From the Enlightenment Period to the 1930s-

근대여성사적 측면에서 본 단발의 사회적 인식변화 -개화기에서 1930년대까지-

Hair style is an expression of beauty for individuals and at the same time a clear social representation. It may be regarded as a means of knowing social recognition about social values and groups of the moment. The hair style clearly discriminated so-called the new woman, emerged during Chosun's modernization, and the old woman. Thus the purpose of this study is to examine changes in social recognition about the behavioral style of the new woman by relating them with women' s movements and with changes in female education policies. Results of the study can be described as follows. First, the new women in the 1920s were evaluated positive as those who were leading struggles against Japan and enlightenment campaigns. But between the 1920s and the 1930s, those women were thought to be negative in that they were appearance-oriented, extravagant and sticking themselves to reality. Second, how a variety of social figures recognized short-hair was determined here through reviewing the mass media of the 1920s. At that time, some men were positive about short-hair like feminists while others denied the convenience of the hair style in life and were negative about the new women's individualism and pursuance of luxurious appearance. Third, there were both positive and negative social recognitions about short-hair in the 1930s. which were supported by the mass media of that time.