Research Article
A Critical Discourse Analysis for Representation of Migrant Workers: Focusing on a Korean TV Documentary
서강대학교 동아연구소
Published: January 2021 · Vol. 81, No. 0 · pp. 171-205
DOI: https://doi.org/10.33334/sieas.2021.40.2.171
Full Text
Abstract
The purpose of this study is to examine representation for migrant workers depicted in a Korean TV documentary series titled ‘Finding My Daddy’ from the perspective of critical discourse analysis. Specifically, this study analyzed formation of discourses by overlexicalization strategy based on transcribed materials for interviews with migrant workers and narrations in the program. Through the interviews, the program overemphasized migrant workers have been kept working to remit almost all the salary to their family suffering from financial hardship although being in ill health caused by physically demanding job and they have been supported by Korean supervisors. It led to a discourse considering migrant workers as objects of pity. On the other hand, through the narrations, the program overstressed Korean supervisors have positively assessed migrant workers and the workers have been successfully assimilated into Korean culture. However as for the supervisors’ statements, they lavished praises on the workers for obeying their commands. It produced a discourse regarding migrant workers as the lower class and acculturated others. The results revealed that this program categorized migrant workers as the social weak and the other in the negative framework.
