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Introduction
While code-switching is quite a common phenomenon, this paper seeks to investigate a common but underreported use of code-switching. In this paper, I focus on the use of code-switching from Korean to English in South Korean TV dramas. The paper first briefly discusses the literature on the connotations of English language in the Korean media and then proceeds to focus on code-switching using data sampled from three Korean TV dramas. The previous literature (e.g. Lee, 2006; Park, 2006, 2009) which discusses the use of the English language in the Korean media, argues that English carries connotations of modernity and power and this subsequently helps to construct a modern identity for Koreans. However, while Korean music, advertisements and comedies have been discussed with regard to their switches to English, there is little, if any research that focuses on switching to English in Korean TV dramas. The argument put forth in this paper is that switching to English in this context is often a means to reflect an identity of power for the characters and this subsequently might be a reflection of the power and dominance that the English language has in Korean society. In turn, this contributes to conclusions that a modern Korean identity of power derives from being proficient in English.
English is pervasive in Korean society, in terms of its use in Korean commercials, music and TV shows, as well as via the popularity of Hollywood films. Therefore, the use of English in the Korean media is not only a reflection of the dominance of the English language in Korean society, but also a means by which this dominance is propagated. This paper seeks to investigate the connotations of a suggested modern identity that the English language can contribute to within the area of TV dramas.
Literature
With regard to the rationale for using the English language in the Korean media, Lee (2006: 59) states that 'a modern identity in contemporary South Korea is virtually guaranteed through ... use of English', further regarding English as 'linguistic capital'. The use of English in Korean TV commercials has been investigated by Lee (2006, 2007), as well as its use within modern Korean music (Lee, 2007). Flattery (2007) discusses the...