The Characteristics of Magazine Cover Design in Korea’s Early Modern Era

Abstract

Background: Korea Design recently have been developing fast. It is important to write the history of design in this situation, for design history is a threshold for design practice. This article researches the characteristics of magazine cover design in Korea’s early modern period. This study could provide a arguable perspective on Korean contemporary graphic design through looking back its starting point. Methods: The characteristic aspects of the magazines which published from 1876 to 1910 in Korea were categorized and analyzed through their various significances focused on cover and contents pages. The analysing main elements are sign, symbols, illustration, typography, page layout and colors. These elements were researched under the relation of their formation, and its social and cultural meaning. Results: The particular points of magazine cover design in Korea’s early modern period are as follows; Firstly, decoration and symbolic visual elements were used along with illustration. Secondly, diverse Chinese typographies were shown especially around the title. Thirdly, professional design perception seemed to emerge even though it was rare. Fourth, magazine design played a part in differentiating the readers’ identities. Fifth, generally red and green were used often for the cover and contents pages. The enlightenment movement which was asked under the oppression of colonial period can be said to be basic factors for shaping the substance of the magazine design of this era. Conclusion: The starting point of Korean magazine design is effected by the periodical circumstance, the restraint of colonial situation. It exposed strong nationalistic tendency. This perspective suggest a controversial perspective on Korean graphic design.