Abstract
This study examines how the development and value of dresses shown in MBC historical dramas have changed with the overall change of the dramas. As for the research method, the second data analysis was done with literature study which was supplemented with interviews with the wardrobe team of MBC production design center. Historical dramas produced by MBC have gone through the developmental period, legitimate historical drama-oriented period, stagnant period, and historical dramas-modernized period. The value of costume in each period is as follows: Costume in the developmental period is considered only as part of drama setting. During legitimate historical drama-oriented period, it carries value as educational data and historical replica produced by historical research. Production design including costume obtains its own value in the stagnant period although the production of historical dramas decreases dramatically. And lastly, in the historical dramas-modernized period, costume starts to have commercial value as cultural contents. Historical drama costume may contain important value in terms of education and history, even though there has been controversy on TV historical dramas' role: they should focus on reproducing historical facts or they should support writers' creativity.