• Korean Architects
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• v.3 no.5 s.5
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• pp.9-14
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• 1968

• Journal of Fashion Business
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.98-113
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• 2013

This study is an attempt to analyze the daily life of the Western-yearning Seoul citizens and the inflow of the Western culture into certain social classes. The customs of the characters in the film are studied to illustrate the process of deconstruction of Korean traditional clothes due to the Western influence. The combined application of the Western and Korean styles is also observed. All this study leads to the sense of homogeneity of the times and the conformity to the culture the Korean women shared, which boils down to the social identity of the Korean women who sought an escape from the men-centered social structure by displaying their competence in the field of global modern fashion. As Seonyeong Oh, the main character of the film, , was wearing in the movie the Korean traditional dress, socks, rubber shoes, and then a western-style coat, it well shows that in 1950's, the traditional dress and ornaments were mixed with Western styles. In time, men's wear were completely changed from the traditional Korean clothes to suits, while women's could not break off from the traditional clothes and become westernized, which indicates that the men-centered conservative ideas to keep women within the feudal regime of the society remained. The military look of Seonyeong Oh while she was acting in the society was a symbol of anti-bias against women and anti-convention as well as the will of freedom as an independent woman. Besides, the modern girls would wear clothes of military fashion, Dior's trapeze line, and knit styles flattering the figures. All these well show their desires to embrace Western cultures, especially their dress fashions as well as manners as so-called enlightened ladies. All these elements show that the director was trying to represent the progress of the drama, characters, and psychological states by means of the dress and ornaments.