A Filter For Western Values

By Hoa Thuan Vo

I just read an interesting article about the influence of Korean media on Chinese Youth culture on NY Times:

China’s Youth Look to Seoul for Inspiration

I’ve read about the Korean wave since I saw my first Korean movie in 2000 (SHIRI). It wasn’t until last year when I went to Japan that realized the impact of Korean culture on other Asian countries. Going to a bookstore I would see a separate section for Korean magazines, Korean photobooks (on actors, movies or TV-series) and Korean learning material (I found more Korean textbooks than German textbooks). Going to a department store I would see commcercials and posters with Korean celebrities, at the cinema I would see posters promoting the latest Korean blockbuster. The first artist to sell more than one million CDs was BOA, a Korean singer (who’s under contract with Avex Traxx, a Japanese record company). I couldn’t even go to the ice rink to escape the Korean wave. They were constantly playing the songs from ‘Winter Sonata‘, a Korean TV drama that could be described as the Korean ‘Titanic’.

It was really interesting to observe this phenomenon in Japan. Historically Japan felt little connection to other Asian countries. After WWII Japan’s main cultural influence came from America and that hasn’t really changed till today. Japan is the most important market for American movies. ‘The Last Samurai’ made more money in Japan than in America. Japan is the most important export market for Hip Hop music.

For half a century Japanese youth culture was following American trends (and developed these further into something uniquely Japanese like ‘Visual Kei’ or post-WWII animes and mangas). Within a short period of time Korea - Japan’s enemy from WWII and an ethnicity openly discriminated against in Japan - has established itself as a trendsetter in Japan. And all this happened with three or four years (some people that it’s been even less).

The success of the Korean wave reminds me of the rise of Japan to world power in the 70s. Having been influenced by countries like America, Japan and Hong Kong for decades Korea now finds itself in the role of the exporter. Korean lifestyle, Korean media and Korean products (cellphones, TVs, cars) are finding its way into households across Asia. And Koreans have a self-confidence that I couldn’t find among Japanese (Most Koreans that I met are very nationalistic). Several companies have targeted the American market. The Korean singer and actor Rain (a superstar in Asia) is planning to become the first Asian singer to achieve a breakthrough in the American market. The first Korean movie theatres are built in America with an American audience in sight.

How will things work out? Will the Korean wave spread to the West? Will there be a backlash against all these generic churned out mass products?

I’ve heard people telling me that Japanese audience are beginning to be fed up with Korean movies and TV dramas. And And some countries like China are beginning to feel threatened by the invasion by Korean culture. Nevertheless, Korea (and its cultural products) going to be an interesting country to observe in the years to come. I’ve never been to Korea, and it’s one of my goals to go to Korea this year. It will be interesting to see and experience Korea with my own eyes on site.