• The Research Journal of the Costume Culture
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.1031-1047
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• 2010

This study examines the conceptual characteristics of fantasy movies. It also studies the process of socio-cultural changes of the mythical images such as heroes, goddesses and the devil that have often become the centre of fantasy movie characters. This study further examines the features of each character that correspond to specific mythical images. The purpose of this research is to suggest the conceptual and aesthetic characteristics of fantasy reflected in the characters and the costumes of fantasy movies, which were released since the year 2000. The followings are the results of the research: The conceptual characteristics of fantasy reflected in the characters and the costumes of fantasy movies are summarized as representation of reality, allegory and symbols, horror, desire, deconstruction and metamorphosis, otherness and counter-cultural sentiments. The aesthetic characteristics of the costumes of fantasy movies are defined as typicality and symbolism, grotesqueness, sensuality, hybridization, and otherness. These characteristics are very interconnected. The costumes of heroic characters appearing in fantasy movies show strong side of standard while the costumes of the evil characters revealed the limit of dualistic point of worldview centered on West. Heroic characters show realistic and human side that reflects the ethos of the time. Negative characters such as the devil or witches, which were created in human imagination and emotion, become the dynamic force of fantasy movies through their deviant actions. Their clothes, with variety and hybridization, become the source of creativity expected in present society.

• The Research Journal of the Costume Culture
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.1063-1077
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• 2007

The purpose of this research is to comprehend the various range of expressions of fantasies and to summarize the expressive effects of fantasies that appear most commonly in today's popular culture such as film and fashion. The followings are the results of the research: Fantasy means a genre of literary arts, which uses magic and supernatural figures as the themes or plots. The characteristics of the expressive effects of the costumes in fantasy movies are summarized as metaphor and symbol, hybrid, otherness, grotesque. After analyzing the costumes in fantasy movies, it is concluded that these characteristics can be conceptualized as the characteristics of the expressive effects in the field of fashion and they can be used as the basis in setting the visual images. This research also aims at recognizing and predicting the fashion trend by understanding closely at the popular cultures, using the films as a tool, which can be led to examining the possibility of combining various popular cultures.

• The Research Journal of the Costume Culture
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.963-978
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• 2008

This study examined the images and formative features of female characters portrayed in fantasy films. This study aimed at providing an applicable theory to modern fashion by reconsidering the images of women appearing in fantasy films and arranging fantastical features reflected in costumes of female characters. The followings were the results of the study: The first divine nature that human beings discovered was woman nature. The discovered stone worked of the prehistoric age had a meaning of the great mother of universe and expressed a positive image. Such positive images of the goddess were variously differentiated to negative images or reduced in their roles and meanings in the settlement process of patriarchy as well as sociocultural transition. The foremost examples of negative image were expressed as grotesque, destructive, otherness, sensual, and exotic. The positive image of a goddess in fantasy films was not especially emphasized. On the other hand, the negative images of the goddess and the case of costumes were variously expressed as well as emphasized the typicality of the negative image of the characters. It was reconsidered that the typical features of characters in fantasy films were a result of the image of women following sociocultural transition. In addition, it was confirmed that such result was being reflected in film costume.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Costume
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• v.57 no.10
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• pp.112-128
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• 2007

As fantasy films in which super heroes with superhuman abilities play an active part are rapidly becoming more popular, super hero stories are taking root as a new genre in fantasy films. The costumes in films play an important role in visualizing the virtual reality of fantasy films when those costumes are worn by characters so as to express and define them. In the meantime, in the antagonistic structure of good versus evil as a typical subject in these films, it may be said that the costumes of super heroes who advocate good and those of villains who represent evil have been created as an image of power. In this sense, it is necessary to establish an analytic system of how images of the power of good and evil are visually created in costumes for fantasy films. As such, this study seeks to analyze costumes in fantasy films more systemically through semiotic, which has taken root as a science of analysis in all areas of science. From the perspectives of aesthetic semiotic developed by Morris and costume aesthetics, the syntactical dimension is analyzed into formative elements and the principles of costumes; factual and expressive meanings, themes, and inherent meaning, all of which are immanent in costumes, are elicited in the semantic dimension; and the influence of costumes on viewers is described as identification in terms of pragmatics. This study provided a system to analyze costumes in fantasy films(especially 'Superman', 'Batman' and 'Spiderman') from the perspective of Morris' semiotic, and based on the analytic system, examined how 'power' is revealed in the costumes of super heroes and ruffians, and what it implies.

• Journal of Fashion Business
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.78-96
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• 2016

This study investigated the colors of the costumes and backgrounds of characters in the fantasy film, Alice in Wonderland(2010) by Tim Burton. The methods used were literature studies including related books, articles and internet materials, and positive research with DVD color analysis. Twenty-one scenes were selected by the researcher. Five scenes were selected from novel and film components representing, exposition, complication, crisis, climax, and denouement. After controlled pixel by photoshop program and the represented colors, hues and tones were analyzed. The results were as follows; First, in four characters, Alice's dress colors changed depend on the situation and the passage offered from blue to red, metal light, and blue green. The Mad Hatter's colors were orange with green which signified madness and passion. The Red Queen's red dress and blue make up represented countrified and evil. The White Queen's all white dress and hair, black eyes and vivid red meant purity and nobility. Similar characters' colors were limited. Second, the background colors, especially tones were an important component of the fantasy image. These were different for each type of scene in the film such as exposition, complication, crisis, climax, and denouement.

• Journal of Fashion Business
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• v.11 no.5
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• pp.1-14
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• 2007

The purpose of this study is to study the movie costume and color image through the movie"Vertigo". Firstly, looking into the clothing style and the color image of the characters expressed in the movie, Scottie who had the physical limitation had phobia of height, and he was expressed with the gray color to show his lethargic feeling from his physical limitation. And, after the death of Madeleine, it expressed his sense of loss and depressed mind through the blue color. The comparison of green and red color that was used to link the two characters in Madeleine and her substitution, Judy, mystified her, and the image of dreamy Madeleine has been inscribed to Scottie. In addition, the green color expressed her unstable mind. The clothing expression of Judy is expressed with her unstable mind through the detailed clothing, unlike Madeleine. And, the black color expressed the false identity of her and the Madeleine image of his own for Scottie. The type of clothing is expressed in separates suit and overcoat that are representative ones in 1950s, and black dress with the square neckline and others expressed the silence on conspiracy of Gavin and the false identity of her. Secondly, the color image expressed in the background in the movie as a special space for Scottie and Madeleine. The blue color image for Scottie was shown to be as space for death and the green image for Madeleine as a fantasy.