A Study on the Change of Senior Fashion Image in Korean TV Drama

This study examines the evolving portrayals of elderly female characters in Korean television dramas from the 1980s to the 2010s, with a focus on personality traits and fashion styles, aiming to understand shifting societal perceptions of senior women in Korea. Ten family dramas were selected based on their cultural significance and recognition, and as such, included socially influential works along with Baeksang Arts Awards winners. Through visual and narrative context analyses, the study examined key mother and grandmother figures in terms of their character attributes and wardrobes. The findings revealed that in the 1980s, elderly women were typically depicted as sacrificial and authoritative, often wearing traditional hanbok or conservative knitwear. In the 1990s, meanwhile, portrayals emphasized practicality and activity, with urban Western clothing styles becoming more common, alongside characters who played more active roles in family decision-making. From the 2000s onward, senior women appeared as socially and economically engaged individuals, with fashion reflecting both functionality and personal identity. Moreover, during the 2010s, these characters increasingly served as emotional anchors and narrative drivers within diverse family structures, with their fashion further emphasizing autonomy and self-expression. These shifts indicate a broader cultural transformation in how aging women are represented in media, moving from passive caregivers to multifaceted, empowered figures. The study contributes to a deeper understanding of aging and gender in contemporary Korean society and offers insights for future content development and fashion marketing targeting senior consumers.