This article discusses the socially constructed notion of Korean masculinity by examining Yoo Sun-Dong's Mr. Housewife (Miseuteo Jubu Kwizeuwang, 2005). By regarding masculinity as a value or 'place' that one can obtain through practices rather than as a fixed identity, this article takes the view that masculinity is also dependent on adopting culturally specific practices and roles. Yoo Sun-Dong's film presents a male positioning himself as a housewife, giving the audience a different perspective outside the social construction of rigid gender boundaries. Through critical discourse analysis, the article discusses three themes of narrative: non-hegemonic nurturer masculinity, home as woman's place to rest, and contextbound female masculinity/emphasised femininity. It is argued that Jin-Man's Korean masculinity is different not only from the soft kkonminam masculinities, but also other domestic masculinities reflected in the media, both in terms of his relationship with the female gender and divergence from hegemonic masculinity. The film also successfully subverts the conception of the home as 'a place to rest' which became a new way to rationalise gender segregation in modern South Korea.
The aim of this paper is to interpret the gender representations of housewives in nine selected examples of stock images. The essay focuses on how the concept of housewives is depicted in stock photography and how socially constructed gender roles and stereotypes are materialized through it. Paul Frosh’s methodology for surveying stock images, and Erving Goffman’s theory of gender representation are used for the analysis. The essay finds essential features that communicate and commodify the happy housewife ideal. It is suggested that through the conjoint use of elements of domestic work and leisure time, the gendered position of the women is portrayed in a positive light in a way to commodify female domesticity. The use of social science approach is limited in the academic discussions of stock photography. In this study, stock images are viewed as forms of visual representation that construct the perceptions of social phenomena through the articulation of meanings. In that regard, it is stressed that they may contribute to the social construction and negotiation of gender identities and roles.
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