Leiden University Student Repository

Wolff, Lidewij Cato (2019)

Stuck in a Stereotype? The Portrayal of Foreigners in South Korean Media

Bachelor thesis | International Studies (BA)

This study aims to find out how stereotypes about foreigners are formed in South Korea, and what the role of the media is. It delves into the reason why people construct stereotypes and how the media can influence public opinion through framing. With these as attributing factors, the history of foreigners in South Korea is also illuminated and it is established that Korean identity dictates that there is a stark categorization of what is Korean and what is not. This dictates means that inherently those that are not Korean are believed to not act like Koreans in any way, and this thus forms the stereotype. On a micro-scale, it is demonstrated how stereotypes are negotiated, reproduced and confirmed. These stereotypes focus mainly focus on categorization and identity of the foreigners and Koreans. These stereotypes being the center of a TV program is an act of framing, which is then conveyed to an audience, which is how stereotypes are influenced by the media.

stereotypes

framing

identity

foreigners

South Korea

public opinion

categorization

Author

Wolff, Lidewij Cato

Faculty

Faculty of Humanities

Specialisation

East Asia

Supervisors

Choi, Nankyung

ECTS Credits

15

Language

en