• 복식문화연구
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• 제20권5호
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• pp.709-724
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• 2012

This study examined the characteristics of costumes worn at Halloween parties, a form of cultural entertainment commonly seen in the U.S. The Halloween party culture involves children and adolescents wearing costumes, decorating their bodies, and mimicking famous characters. Furthermore, the types and motifs of Halloween costumes have become a means of expressing individuality. This study conducted empirical research on how such motifs were reflected in modern Halloween party-wear in order to provide basic data regarding the development and design of Halloween costumes and the formation of the related entertainment culture. This study researched the shape of costumes and the type of traditional motif presented in these costumes, as well as analyzed the symbolic meaning of each motif. The research process was as follows. First, this study investigated the origin and evolution of Halloween by researching precedent studies, books, and internet data. Second, this study extracted the types of traditional Halloween motifs by analyzing the characteristics and symbols of Halloween costumes commonly presented in such materials. After collecting 547 Halloween-related images from U.S. and Korean Internet websites, this study sorted and analyzed images that could represent traditional Halloween motifs. According to the results, representative traditional Halloween motifs included black cats, white rabbits, tridents, scarecrows, skull and bones, ghosts, witches, vampires, bats, werewolves, and jack-o-lanterns(pumpkins, etc.). The sentiments for such traditional Halloween motifs changed according to era and race. The symbolic meaning would continuously change - from positive to negative and vice versa - to reflect various socio-cultural phenomena. The results of this study are expected to be used as basic data for developing Halloween costume designs and the related entertainment culture.

• 한국의상디자인학회지
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• 제3권2호
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• pp.75-86
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• 2001

The article is alms to investigate the characteristics, the originality, and the interest of fashion design of costume play, which is recently specifically popularized among young fashion mania. The influence of commercialization power of the Disneyland and the animation characters of Japanese caricatures makes the costume play to be one of the main new generation culture. Since the costume play just begins at this moment, the full understanding of the costume play is hard because of the small amount of the materials and happenings of the phenomena. However it reveals the design trends and creativity of the new generation. As the investigation of costume play fashion and the types of costume play, the following results are obtained. 1. The originality of the costume play is thought to be induced from the mask which is used against the ghost in primitive ages, the fancy parade of halloween festival, commercial advertisements of Disneyland, the Japanese caricatures, and the animation games. 2. The distinctive characteristics of Korean costume play shows the massive behaviour, which is different from the individualized costume play in Japan. This facts show the parts of the interest culture of the persons who has the equal interest. The costume play is applied as the sound showing culture, in which the young generation express and enjoy themselves by"kki" - the passion of young energy. 3. The boom of costume play introduce the increased number of costume play shop, pro model, and designer. It also introduce the interest of the new fashion design for the young generations. Thus it is expected the new fashion infra structure in near future.ar future.

• 복식문화연구
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• 제14권1호
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• pp.1-15
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• 2006

This study examines the social meaning of the CosPlay, the growth potential of CosPlay culture and its effect on the related industry through the perspectives and language of the youths who enjoy CosPlay, based on the ethnographic research. Also, this study presents a comparative description of Korea and Japan CosPlay culture by the ethnographic methodology whose purpose is to define relationship of cause and effect with phenomenon. For further step, this study plans to emphasize the need to link culture, clothes and related industry in order to create a cultural environment where diversity co-exists. CosPlay is the mania culture of Japan that emulated the Halloween party of the West and that developed the party into a unique form. In Korea, this practice was accepted for the first time among a handful of youths, starting from the 1990s, after which, it was introduced to the masses while holding CosPlay related events. While CosPlay is succeeded as an industry in Japan, CosPlay in Korea is considered childish play due to the Korean culture of considering cartoon as a childish and low class genre which is enjoyed by youths. CosPlay in Korea faces the following changes: aging of the members who comprised the CosPlay culture at the initial stage; population increase, centered on middle and high school students; interest of the government and the businesses that wish to produce economic wealth by organizing CosPlay events into events for youths; and changes in the environment that comprised the surrounding of the CosPlay culture. CosPlay is an honest play that demonstrates one's effort on the stage through performance. Moreover, most of the middle and high school students who comprise the CosPlay culture demonstrate similar characteristics as mania type of people when it came to the reason that they enjoy CosPlay. However, they did not consider CosPlay culture as an important aspect of their lives. Instead, most of them said that they participate to relieve stress. Thus, they have the potential to move onto another form of youth culture that may appear more attractive to them. To them, it is not the CosPlay culture that is important, but the fact that CosPlay provides a forum where they can freely engage in play.