Sewing Machines and Women in Modern Korea -Comparing Modernity between Japan and Korea

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K03145
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: History of Asia and Africa
• Research Institution: Chuo University
• Principal Investigator: Yi Hyeongnang 中央大学, 総合政策学部, 教授 (20328032)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: ミシン / シンガーミシン / 女性 / ミシン裁縫講習会 / 東亜日報・朝鮮日報

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this research is to show the process of increasing demands for sewing machines in the open port /colonial period in Korea , with focusing on the production, distribution, and consumption of sewing machines. 1) To　determine the owning and spreading rate and the condition of the manufacturers and suppliers of sewing machines. 2) Locating underlying factors spreading demands for sewing machines: Comparing between Japan and Korea Traditional clothes in Korea, in contrast to those in Japan, were able to be produced by means of sewing machines.Key players popularizing sewing machines: In case of Japan, dressmaking schools and sewing machine teachers (a type of career women) took important roles of spreading sewing machines. Nevertheless, this research shows that in Korea, the primary roles were taken by sewing machine seminars for housewives by women’s association, newspaper companies, Christian youth associations, and nationalist groups such as Kinyu-kai.

Free Research Field

歴史学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

従来、朝鮮を対象にしたミシンの生産・流通・消費の総合的研究は、日本、韓国、欧米を含めて皆無であること、また、これまでの研究の大半の研究が生産に焦点を当てていることから、本研究の独創性・先駆性を主張できる。
日本植民地支配下にあった朝鮮近代史の総体的把握という課題においても、生活史・女性史の視点は欠かすことのできない視点といえる。本研究により、ミシンという一つのものを通してこれらを解明することは、大きな役割を担うことである。