한· 독· 일 3국에서 실시한 설문조사를 종합해보면, 독일 · 일본과는 다른 사 회적 과시의 한국적 특수성이 드러난다. 이것을 아래와 같이 정리할 수 있다. 첫째, 한국인들은 타인의 과시를 경멸하면서도 부러워하는 ‘이중적 태도’가 상대적으로 강하다. 둘째, 한국인들은 주로 ‘물질적 부’ 혹은 ‘재산’을 통해서 과시를 하고, 타인 의 인정을 받으려고 하며, 과시를 하면서도 남들의 시선을 의식하는 경향이 강 하다. 셋째, 한국인의 소비 행위는, (1) 광고에 의존하는 경향이 강하고, (2) 광 고를 통해 알게 되는 유명 브랜드를 중심으로 이루어지는 경향이 강하며, (3) 상품과 그 상품을 소비하는 사람의 ‘인격/품격’을 연결시키려는 경향이 강하다. 넷째, 이러한 한국인들의 소비 행위와 과시의 특성은 ‘광고’에도 그대로 반영 되어 있다. 곧, 한국의 광고에서는 특정 상품이 곧바로 그 상품을 소비하는 사 람의 인격/품격을 대변한다는 식의 광고 문구가 빈번하게 보인다. 이렇게 만들 어진 광고는 한국적 과시의 특수성을 유지하고 재생산하는 주요한 메커니즘의 하나로 작용하고 있는 것이다. 모든 것을 ‘물질적 부’로 환원하려는 물질 만능주의 성향이 우리사회에 생각 보다 강하게 뿌리내리고 있다. 이제는 ‘국민소득 몇 만 달러 시대’만을 외칠 것 이 아니라, 물질적 크기가 바로 인격적 크기와 연결되는 이런 사회를 극복하기 위한 지혜가 모아져야할 것이다.

Considering the surveys launched in the three countries of Korea, Germany and Japan altogether, some special features of the case of Korea quite different from those of the other two countries have been found out. These can be classified into the followings: First, Koreans have a comparatively strong 'dual attitude' of both despising social conspicuousness of other people and envying them at the same time. Second, Koreans have a strong tendency of being recognized through social conspicuousness of 'material wealth' or 'properties' by other people, and being conscious of their eyes. Third, consumption behaviors of Koreans show propensities toward (1) depending on advertisement, (2) purchasing chiefly the famous brands known by advertisement, and (3) linking the very brand name of commodities directly to the 'personality or nobility' of those who consume the commodities. Fourth, these features found in consumption behaviors of Koreans and social conspicuousness are reflected accurately in advertisement. In other words, there are quite a few copy sentences found in Korean advertisement reading that the very specific commodity represents the 'personality or nobility' of those who consume it. Advertisements based on this principle play a major role of mechanism maintaining and reproducing special features of social conspicuousness found in Korea. This kind of materialistic aptitude converting everything into 'material wealth' has been deeply rooted in our society far more than we expected. It is not high time to shout the slogan of 'the era of tens of thousand dollars of GNP', but to gather our wisdom for overcoming the barriers of our current society just linking directly the volume of wealth to the level of personality or nobility.

Considering the surveys launched in the three countries of Korea, Germany and Japan altogether, some special features of the case of Korea quite different from those of the other two countries have been found out. These can be classified into the followings: First, Koreans have a comparatively strong 'dual attitude' of both despising social conspicuousness of other people and envying them at the same time. Second, Koreans have a strong tendency of being recognized through social conspicuousness of 'material wealth' or 'properties' by other people, and being conscious of their eyes. Third, consumption behaviors of Koreans show propensities toward (1) depending on advertisement, (2) purchasing chiefly the famous brands known by advertisement, and (3) linking the very brand name of commodities directly to the 'personality or nobility' of those who consume the commodities. Fourth, these features found in consumption behaviors of Koreans and social conspicuousness are reflected accurately in advertisement. In other words, there are quite a few copy sentences found in Korean advertisement reading that the very specific commodity represents the 'personality or nobility' of those who consume it. Advertisements based on this principle play a major role of mechanism maintaining and reproducing special features of social conspicuousness found in Korea. This kind of materialistic aptitude converting everything into 'material wealth' has been deeply rooted in our society far more than we expected. It is not high time to shout the slogan of 'the era of tens of thousand dollars of GNP', but to gather our wisdom for overcoming the barriers of our current society just linking directly the volume of wealth to the level of personality or nobility.

Conspicuous Consumption, Advertisement, Personality, Nobility, Super-object, Sign Value