Thesis Titled: “Korean Dramas and the Construction of Career Woman Symbols in the Postmodern Era” Successfully Published in an International Journal

Continuous efforts are being made to increase student publications within the Master’s Program in Communication Science at UBM. One of the successful students who graduated with a publication is Clara Agnesia Herlambang, under the guidance of supervisor Rewindinar, with the publication titled “Korean Dramas and the Construction of Career Woman Symbols in the Postmodern Era.” This thesis has been successfully published in the international journal called Asian Journal of Education and Social Studies. The abstract of this research is as follows:

This study aimed to investigate the occurrence of simulacra in binge-watching and to reveal the symbols constructed in career woman fans of Korean Dramas. Research Design: The critical constructivist approach was employed, utilizing Baudrillard’s Simulacra Theory, which examines simulations that arise among career women and the construction of symbols through the interpretation of signs via media. Location and Duration of Study: Jakarta, Indonesia, from January to June 2023. This study adopted a critical reflection approach. Interviews were conducted with ten informants, all of whom were career women in Jakarta. These informants were characterized by having worked for at least three years, having at least one child no older than 12 years, and watching Korean dramas for a minimum of 2 hours daily. The results revealed that movies, as a form of media, function as a space of simulation for individuals. Viewers experience things in these movies that they don’t encounter in their daily lives. The media constructs a simulation space that eventually gives rise to symbols. This phenomenon occurs among career women who juggle their jobs and family responsibilities but still find time to engage in continuous binge-watching of Korean dramas. Career women find meaning in these shows based on the feelings of emptiness and absence in their lives. They aspire to embody the characters they encounter in the stories within their own real lives. Baudrillard’s assertion that individuals misinterpret signs comes into play here. They struggle to distinguish between reality and fantasy. Meanwhile, the media possesses a sort of magical formula for constructing symbols, wherein the symbol of career women is formed through the simulation space facilitated by binge-watching practices. Korean dramas have transformed into simulation spaces for career women who engage in binge-watching. The media’s construction of the career women symbol portrays them as working women who embody a certain beauty and social standing.

(The full text can also be downloaded via this link: https://journalajess.com/index.php/AJESS/article/view/1030)

• Putri Ramadaniar