Comparison of the Actual Uses and Perceptions about Traditional Clothes by Korean and Japanese Female College Students

Abstract

This study was intended to look into the actual status of using their own traditional clothes, by Korean and Japanese female college students, and to compare the differences of their perceptions about the traditional clothes of their own and the other countries, and thus to present the ways beneficial for Korean female college students to establish their positive recognition toward traditional clothes. For the study, the questionnaire method was used, by which a total of 375 sheets was collected; Frequency analysis and t-test were conducted with a SPSS 12.0 statistic program. The findings were as follows; Korean female college students, in comparison with their Japanese counterparts, owned less traditional clothes suitable and wearable for their body, and so they had a less number of wearing and renting experiences. In addition, they indicated a low level of realization about the suitability of traditional clothes to the wearers in their 10's, 20's and 30's. While they thought highly of their traditional clothes in the item of 'pride,' they had a low level of recognition in the item of 'knowledge,' and they considered the traditional clothes to be inconvenient. Korean college students revealed a lower level of favorable interest in the other country, but they had a higher level of evaluation for the items of 'design applicability' and 'popularity' than the Japanese college students did.