Chang, A., & Golos, D. (2025). Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education
Empirical Manuscript
Chang, A., & Golos, D. (2025). Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education, 30(3), 372–383.
Read full article →Movies can shape how people understand themselves and others. For Deaf adolescents, especially those with limited access to Deaf peers, Deaf adults, or sign language communities, media portrayals may serve as powerful models of what it means to be Deaf.
This study examined how Deaf characters are portrayed in Korean movies. The goal was to understand whether these films present Deaf people mainly through a medical perspective, which often frames deafness as a limitation or problem to be fixed, or through a cultural perspective, which recognizes Deaf identity, sign language, community, and self-determination.
The study focused on six Korean films released between 2010 and 2024 that included Deaf main characters. The analysis examined both scene-level messages and broader storylines.
Representation is not just about visibility. It also communicates what kinds of lives are imagined as possible. If Deaf characters are repeatedly shown as isolated, helpless, or dependent on hearing people, those portrayals may reinforce narrow or harmful assumptions.
In contrast, portrayals that include Deaf culture, sign language, community, and agency can provide more affirming models for Deaf viewers and more accurate understandings for hearing audiences.
Most coded scenes portrayed Deaf characters through medical or deficit-based perspectives.
Cultural portrayals, including sign language, Deaf community, and Deaf agency, appeared less frequently.
The study examined six films featuring Deaf main characters and their overall storylines.
None of the sampled films had strong Deaf involvement in writing, directing, or major Deaf character roles.
Across the films, Deaf characters were often portrayed as being in danger, isolated, dependent on others, or limited by their deafness. Some films included more positive or cultural messages, such as the use of Korean Sign Language or references to the Deaf community, but these messages were less common overall.
The study also found that films with some Deaf community consultation included more cultural messages than films with no Deaf involvement. However, even these films often continued to include medical or hearing-centered storylines.
The findings suggest that Korean media needs more authentic and culturally informed portrayals of Deaf people. This means moving beyond stories where Deaf characters are mainly shown as vulnerable, dependent, or in need of rescue.
For educators, families, and researchers, this study also highlights the importance of critically examining the media that Deaf adolescents encounter. Media can be a resource for identity development, but only when portrayals are nuanced, respectful, and informed by Deaf perspectives.
Deaf representation should not be created without Deaf people. More authentic media requires Deaf involvement in writing, directing, consulting, acting, and production. Better representation can help support more accurate public understanding and more affirming identity development for Deaf adolescents.