earticle

영어

The purpose of this study is to compare the conflict structures of Korean family drama() and Chinese family drama(), using the semiotic method of Greimas. The results of the narrative analysis on the actantial model and the semiotic square show that in both of Korean and Chinese dramas the object which the subjects will desire to achieve is the same. It is the ‘harmony of the family.’ But the contrary terms that bring disharmony and cause conflicts among the family members are different. In Korean drama, the contrary term is ‘discrimination’, while in Chinese drama it is ‘difference’. In Korean drama, the subject is the daughter-in-law, Jin-Ae Lee. She has been discriminated against for being a woman. Her marriage was opposed by her future mother-in-law because she was poor and has not graduated outside of high school. After she succeeded in marriage, she has been ignored by her mother-in-law. She has continued to adjust to her mother-in-law until her sacrifice is recognised by other family members, especially her mother-in-law. By that she finally achieved her desire-having a harmonious family. In the Chinese drama, the subject is the wife, Chan-Chan Jin. She has the different opinions about the family issues such as parenting and livelihood with her husband and mother-in-law. She has continued to argue with them. Finally, she carried her points through with them and by that she acquired the harmonious family. So the heroine of the Chinese family drama goes farther from the existing patriarchal system.