Lifestyle advertisements in South Korea

Abstract

The research paper adopts semiotic method and the writings of John Berger to examine the meanings of lifestyle advertisements of Seoul metro stations. A predetermined method of collecting the sample resulted in 21 images in 4 stations. Results confirmed the hypotheses that South-Korean media is implicating the idea of Western feminine beauty in fashion advertisements. The female image displays either passive submission or sexual readiness. The results further indicate a strong connection between ownership and social status. Especially the men achieve masculinity only through consuming. The study suggests that John Berger’s criticism towards consumer culture is plausible in the context of South-Korean society. Future research in this field could examine gender roles in the advertisements and apply Korean myths as semiotic method.