SOCIAL CLASS, RESISTANCE, AND IDENTITY IN SOUTH KOREAN DRAMA: A CRITICAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS OF SPEECH PATTERNS AND POWER IN ITAEWON CLASS

Abstract

This study explore the role of language in the South Korean drama Itaewon Class as it works as a tool to determine power, control, belonging, and resistance. This study employs Van Dijk’s sociocognitive model of Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) to link the speech patterns with cognition and social context. Through the purposive random sampling, selective dialogues have been chosen from the South Korean drama Itaewon Class where linguistic choices emphasize the conflict between advantaged and disadvantaged groups by adopting a qualitative approach. By using CDA, the study uses formal language and rigid power structures to reflect how the strong and confident speech changes and exposes racism in the country. The findings of this study shows that discourse in Itaewon Class, both speech and silence, does not just allow people to share their emotions and information but also gives them space to resist, gain power, and deal with beliefs, values, and customs. Additionally, the results show that the drama does not just imitate South Korean society, but also challenges it by displaying how digital media can change public’s perception of justice, belonging, identity, and social hierarchies.