• Journal of Korea Entertainment Industry Association
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.267-275
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• 2020

Even ordinary-looking plays can have a profound meaning. Based on this assumption, Eugene Pink (1960) has established an analytical model of play with five elements, namely "delight", "meaning", "community", "rules" and "tools." It was an effort to reflect on the true meaning of play beyond the cortical entertaining nature of play. In this study, it was carried out that all the texts containing images and performance from the EBS character "Pengsu" were selected, since he emerged as a new star in 2019. And also his play structure was analyzed by applying the Pink's model. As a result, Pengsu's play structure was confirmed to be systematic and complete as a play prototype because it was well-organized with five elements of play. It was regarded as a successful character that skillfully attracts participants to the play world. Among the components of the play, "fun" was found to be his funny appearance, sudden and unconventional behavior, "meaning" was the elimination of authoritarianism, self-esteeming and energizing, "community" was a multi-platform media user who crossed off-on-line, analog-digital-line, "rules" was to set his concept fixed as a young stranger with an ego to unreveal his identity, and "tools" was shown as his character itself and continual discourse. It shows that until now, Pengsu has a social net function of quite spreading the positive meaning of encouragement and comfort, advice and guide, consideration and forgiveness, introspection and nirvana to all members of our society, including the youth who are struggling with uncertainty and anxiety by showing rather exaggerated and stimulating performance that precisely combines these play elements.