Workplace discourse and expression of hierarchy in Yoon Tae-ho's webtoon Misaeng

Vučkovič, Eva (author)

The article provides an in-depth analysis of workplace discourse and hierarchy as depicted in the popular Korean webtoon Misaeng. Its story takes place in a large trading company and portrays workers’ daily lives, focusing on the work of Sales team 3. Through critical discourse analysis, the research shows how power relations among team members are expressed through language and interactions in a Korean corporate setting. Key events, such as the introductions of new team members, are examined to demonstrate how workplace hierarchy shapes interpersonal communication. The findings provide insights into the portrayal of Korean corporate culture, highlighting the significance of hierarchy in professional relationships and its impact on workplace communication.

• Language: English
• Keywords: Webtoon, Misaeng, workplace discourse, corporate culture, hierarchy
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FF - Faculty of Arts
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Publication date: 01.01.2025
• Year: 2025
• Number of pages: Str. 125-152
• Numbering: Vol. 15, no. 1
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-179066
• UDC: 811.531'42
• ISSN on article: 2232-3317
• DOI: 10.4312/ala.15.1.125-152
• COBISS.SI-ID: 228987395
• Publication date in RUL: 04.02.2026

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Acta linguistica asiatica
• Publisher: Znanstvena založba Filozofske fakultete Univerze v Ljubljani, Znanstvena založba Filozofske fakultete Univerze v Ljubljani, Založba Univerze v Ljubljani
• ISSN: 2232-3317
• COBISS.SI-ID: 255902464

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian

Abstract

Članek se skozi poglobljeno analizo diskurza na delovnem mestu osredotoča na prikazovanje hierarhije v priljubljenem korejskem internetnem stripu Misaeng. Zgodba tega stripa se odvija v velikem trgovskem podjetju in predstavlja vsakdanje življenje delavcev, v ospredje pa postavi delo ekipe prodajnega oddelka 3. S kritično analizo diskurza raziskava pokaže, kako se v korejskem podjetju odnosi moči med člani ekipe izražajo skozi jezik in medosebne interakcije. Še posebej v trenutku, ko se ekipi pridružiti nov član, se delavno vzdušje spremeni in se pokaže, kako hierarhija na delovnem mestu oblikuje medosebno komunikacijo. Ugotovitve nudijo vpogled v prikazovanje korejske delavske kulture, poudarjajo pomen hierarhije v poklicnih odnosih in njen vpliv na komunikacijo na delovnem mestu.

• Keywords: korejščina, analiza diskurza na delovnem mestu, Misaeng (internetni strip), prikazovanje hierarhije, delavska kultura, korejski stripi

Projects

• Funder: Ministry of Education of the Republic of Korea, Korean Studies Promotion Service (Academy of Korean Studies)
• Funding programme: Seed Program for Korean Studies of the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Korea and the Korean Studies Promotion Service at the Academy of Korean Studies
• Project number: AKS-2022-INC-2250001
• Name: Connecting & Leading the Institutions of Korean Studies in Central Europe + Research on Korean Diaspora