The Experience and Meaning of Media to Non-Mainstream Athletes: Qualitative Study

Eunhye Yoo, Jeong-Hui Park and Jung-Min Lee
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Eunhye Yoo: Department of Physical Education, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanakro, Gwanakgu, Seoul 08826, Korea
Jeong-Hui Park: Department of Physical Education, Global Campus, Kyung Hee University, 1732 Deokyoungdaero, Giheung-gu, Yongin-si 17014, Gyeonggi-do, Korea
Jung-Min Lee: Department of Physical Education, Global Campus, Kyung Hee University, 1732 Deokyoungdaero, Giheung-gu, Yongin-si 17014, Gyeonggi-do, Korea

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 3, 1-17

Abstract: This study aims to understand the process by which ssireum (traditional Korean wrestling), which was labeled a declining industry, has regained its popularity owing to the impact of the media. The study was conducted as a case study with ten ssireum athletes who participated in the television program “The Rhapsody of Ssireum .” Additionally, text analysis was performed based on in-depth interviews and auxiliary data collection. As a result, four media-driven transformative trends in ssireum were observed: a shift of the public’s interest from online to offline under the influence of media, shift in the public’s perception of ssireum athletes’ body, birth of ssireum stars with nicknames matching the characteristics of popular ssireum athletes, and ssireum athletes’ increased sense of responsibility toward ssireum matches felt under the spotlight of the media. Admittedly, media exposure of ssireum athletes has increased significantly compared to the past. However, for the popularization of ssireum , a sport unique to Korea, the athletes, and the ssireum association need to make a sustained effort.

Keywords: ssireum; media exposure; media dependency theory; ssireum athletes; experience; meaning (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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