This is a qualitative study on a cyber peer culture of an elementary school girl group in the
sixth grade in Busan who communicated with each other in a SNS called CAS(Cacao Story).
We analyzed the content of dialogues in the CAS between 10 members of the group and also
collected data on their peer culture. Findings are as follows.
First, the dialogues of the girl group in the CAS consisted largely of abusive languages,
abbreviated words and signs, updated slangs, and ‘GONGGAM GLGUI’(shared feelings and
emotions), which build up potential cultural elements.
In fact, the verbal or nonverbal language codes carried different meanings depending on their
relationships and represented the dynamic of delivering meanings of their own.
Second, the girl group toward the end of sixth-years builds up their own culture either
through evolving to more stable peer group called ‘Ujeongdum’, mainly consist of close actual
peer friends ‘Sil-Chin’, or concerning more with the hetero-sexual relationship with their boy
friends.
The characteristics of Ujeongdum can be observed from its distinct sub-groups called
‘IbbeeRanger’ (pretty girls) and ‘Motnanee’ (ugly girls) where interest or jealousy in the
hetero-sexual relationship is the main topic of communication.