일상식의 ‘이마트’화 (‘Emartization’ of Korean Foodways)

서지정보

· 발행기관 : 실천민속학회
· 수록지 정보 : 실천민속학 연구 / 11권 / 57 ~ 82페이지
· 저자명 : 함한희

초록

한국인의 일상식의 변화를 분석하기 위해서 본고에서는 식품의 구입과정에 주목해 보았다. 한국의 주부들이 일상의 식료품을 구입하는 장소로 종래의 시장을 제치고, 대형할인점을 가장 애용한다는 사실이 나타났다. 1990년대에 등장해서 불과 십여 년의 역사를 가진 대형할인점들의 약진이 최근 더욱 현저해지고 있다. 식료품을 공급ㆍ구입하는 방법의 변화가 일어났다고 하는 것이 단순히 유통업계에 변화만을 뜻하는 것은 아니다. 한국인의 식생활에 중대한 변화를 의미하기 때문에 필자는 대형할인점과 식생활의 관계를 분석하고자 했다. 이 연구를 위해서 필자는 여러 대형할인점 가운데에서, 이마트를 대상으로 선정했다. 이마트로 대표되는 대형할인점이 한국인의 식생활을 어떻게 바꾸어 놓았는가하는 점과 그것의 문화적 함의가 무엇인가를 밝혔다. 일상식의 변화를 함축하는 개념으로 이마트화라는 새로운 단어를 사용하였고, 그 개념을 문화적 혼성, 집단소비, 표준화와 항상성, 그리고 효율성의 가치 및 식단 결정권의 분산 등 다섯 가지로 정리하였다.

영어초록

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the changing pattern of Korean food ways and search for its cultural meanings. I have selected a mega-supermarket as my research site in order to closely understand the process of changes through the observation of shoppers' behavior and consciousness when they buy food. The reason why I study the food way through the process of purchasing everyday foodstuffs in a supermarket lies in that many Koreans increasingly do food shopping in the supermarket instead of traditional markets where they used to do. I point out that the shift of food purchasing pattern is closely related to that of food culture in Korea. The features of Korean food culture are delineated by analyzing the behaviors and consciousness of shoppers and the sale strategies of supermarket.I have chosen Emart, a Korean supermarket, as a representative store among the mega-supermarkets. The store stands in the forefront supermarket business in Korea. Drawing upon the George Richer's concept of MacDonalization, I also use the concept of Emartization in order to understand the paradigm of changes in Korean food culture.
In sum, the Emartization of Korean food culture can be characterized as follows : first, the cultural hybridity is distinctively witnessed through the business of Emart. The customers are enjoying both the Western style of shopping and Korean traditional market atmosphere in the supermarket. Not only that but also they have a chance to select good food with creative ideas such as hot pepper sausages, pork cutlets covered by spinach sauce and so on. Those are special in Korean taste out of Western food. Second, customers collectively buy foodon the sale items. The big supermarkets often sell food to customers with a row price. It means that Korean food ways tend to be controlled by the shopkeepers. Third, the supermarket enhances the standardization of business which leads to distributing the same food to all the branches. If we go any Emart in Korea, we can get the same food regardless of areas. In addition, customers can enjoy buying fresh vegetables and fruits regardless of seasons. The development of agro-business makes it possible on the one hand. On the other hand, the food import also contributes to supply fresh food for shoppers. Fourth, shoppers tend to buy the half cooked food because they can save time and labor in cooking. Fifth, family members can help mother buy food when they are shopping together in the supermarket. In the mean time, every family picks his/her own favorite food. It results to keeping individuality in food ways on the same meal table.

참고자료

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