International Journal of Interdisciplinary Research
Table 1 Characteristic of interviewees
From: Clothing acculturation of North Korean female defectors in South Korea
Interview participant | Age group | Settlement period in South Korea (years) | Personal economic condition in NK | Fashion sensitivity | Self-identity | Clothing acculturation type | Key statements |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
A | 30s | 5–7 | Low | High | South Korea-oriented | Assimilation | “(When buying a cloth,) the most important thing is style, and second is price and then quality” “Because I became a South Korean, I think I should follow South Korean fashion trend unconditionally” |
B | 20s | 3–5 | Low | High | South Korea-oriented | Assimilation | “I love shopping and have a lot of interest in fashion” “I don’t want to look like a person from North Korea. I just want to be a real South Korean” |
C | 30s | 1–3 | High | High | South Korea-oriented | Assimilation | “I have been interested in fashion since I lived in North Korea. I wore Japanese clothes or some unique clothes imported from China, and even from South Korea” “I want to look like a native South Korean. I will change my outfit fast” |
D | 30s | More than 7 | Low | Mid | Independent | Assimilation | “I realized my identity and my personality. I was satisfied with being either a South Korean or a North Korean … I just want to be a real human being” “I learned all South Korean clothing culture from friends when I lived in a dormitory in a university” |
E | 30s | More than 7 years | High | High | South Korea-oriented | Assimilation | “My parents were a member of the party in NK … I wore good clothes” “I attended a beauty school to learn make-up in SK … NK make-up style was old-fashioned, but SK style is sophisticated and diverse” |
F | 40s | 1–3 years | High | Low | Independent | Integration | “I don’t want to hide my North Korean identity. I want to let others know that I came from North Korea so that they can understand me” “I prefer North Korean Han-bok. North Korean Han-bok looks more beautiful” |
G | 30s | More than 7 years | Low | Mid | Independent | Integration | “At first, I tried to become like a native South Korean … but after I realized my identity, I’m okay whether I look like North Korean or South Korean” “I still don’t wear destroyed jeans, but never judge others” |
H | 20s | 5–7 years | High | High | Independent | Integration | “I earned enough because I was a professional dancer in NK … I sometimes saw South Korean movies so I was accustomed to South Korean fashion trend already” “North Korean Han-bok is light and soft, but South Korean is stiff and too formal” |
I | 20s | Less than 1 year | Mid | Mid | Independent | Integration | “Even though I wear like South Koreans, I could not change totally into a native South Korean. I don’t care about how others think” “I sometimes look for sequins because I had been accustomed with that in NK” |
J | 30s | 5–7 years | Mid | Mid | Independent | Integration | “I don’t want to pretend to be a native South Korean … I opened my identity when finding my job, and I have no experience of discrimination until now” “I try to learn South Korean cosmetic style, but my old habit habituated since living in North Korea is hard to change” |
K | 30s | 5–7 years | Mid | Low | Skeptical | Marginalization | “I was sometimes discriminated in South Korea. Sometimes I think it would be better to live in foreign country” “I think I don’t have to refer any other’s fashion style” |