Food For Thought 7 [Asian Entertainment Industry & Its Soft Power]

With the current COVID19 situation, our daily lives have grounded to a halt, or at least slowed down to various extents. Travel plans were cancelled, non-essential services shut down, office workers were recommended to work from home and parents had to homeschool their children. But of course, this post is not about COVID19. We would actually like to escape from the barrage of virus-related news articles, bombarding us from various channels.

Personally, I no longer have to wake up early as my yoga studio is closed. Due to the mandate to work from home, there was no need to commute to and from office during peak hours.  House renovations were going at a turtle pace in order to avoid crowd of workers. In any case, government approval for our new house was taking longer than usual since workforce was cut down to around 50%. So, my weekend errands were cut down and you can imagine how much time I suddenly have at my disposal.

If left to my own devices, I probably would be in pyjamas all day, sitting on a couch, working on my macbook without regular meal times compared to being dictated by a more structured day in office. But fret not, I have my own guardian who ensured I wake up by 8am and get ready for the day as well as eat meals at proper times. 

Anyway, back with the issue of dealing with extra time, what do you guys do to occupy your day, especially if you do not have children or pets to take care of?  Other than working from home and doing yoga, I have been indulging myself by watching dramas! You thought wrong if I meant Korean dramas, as the current phase I am in means I can't get enough of Thai Lakorns (dramas / soap operas). 

When my hubby remarked on my change in taste, it got me thinking about Asian soft power.  Hollywood has always dominated entertainment industry. What about Asia with our vastly diverse yet nonetheless intriguing cultures? Culture has bearings on dramas, movies, songs and artists which are essentially products of entertainment industry, wielding soft power, not just domestically but internationally upon export.  

With huge populations and the largest economies in Asia, China and India's entertainment industry is more oriented towards domestic consumption, rather than outward looking. 

One of the most memorable cultural export during the early years has got to be Oshin (1983) - a story about how an unfortunate little girl has steadfastly overcome several perils to become a successful business woman later in life. Her determination and perseverance has struck a chord with viewers, regardless of their race, language and nationality. I myself had enjoyed the show when it aired in Myanmar in the 1990s. The New York Times has honoured the show with an eloquent article here.

Thanks to its distinctive culture, TV dramas are not the only renowned entertainment products of Japan. Iconic geisha ladies provided background source for several dramas. Popularity of anime and manga led to cosplay culture. Game shows like Ninja Warrior were tremendously successful that other countries have their own spin-offs of the game. Kawaiiness was strongly embedded in other Asian nations that anything cute was highly coveted, as evidenced by the hype generated from the Pokemon characters as well as Sanrio's Hello Kitty. Anyone recalled the Hello Kitty fight in Singapore's McDonald's?

Home to seamless juxtapositioning of traditions and technological advancement, Japan is truly intriguing. But others were trying to catch up to Japan's impressive act such as Taiwan in late 1990s and early 2000s. The spread of Taiwanese popular culture was buoyed by the massive success of the 2001 Taiwanese drama Meteor Garden. The show based on Japanese manga series Hana Yori Dango has propelled the 4 actors to international fame overnight. My sister and I ended up watching the Mandarin Chinese speaking show, upwards of 10 times, despite the lack of subtitles and not understanding more than half of it.  Such was the meteor impact of the an enormously phenomenal show.

F4's colossal success was followed up by another Japanese manga-based story "It Started With a Kiss", "Fated to Love You" and "Autumn Concernto".  Such blockbuster releases also paved ways for Taiwanese artists Jay Chou, Jolin Tsai, Mayday, S.H.E and Fahrenheit's reigns as the royalties of Asian music, even among fans who do not have a strong grasp of the Mandarin language.

However, in the early 2000s, Winter Sonata (a South Korean drama) happened with the cult following strong enough to rival the ardent adoration enjoyed by Taiwan's Meteor Garden. Several notable dramas followed which allowed for Korean dramas to increasingly take over the prime time airing slots of major networks across Asia. Nonetheless, it was Korean remake of the same Hana Yori Dango story that sealed the status of Hallyu wave as the No.1 cultural export of Asia. Armed with the ability to provoke hysteria all over the continent, these Korean stars become major drives behind exports of Korean products ranging from cosmetics, food, electronics, fashion to plastic surgery services. Government invested in the Korean Tourism Organisation, to promote tourism among fans who wish to recreate the romantic experience from the dramas they adored.

At the same time as Winter Sonata, first wave of K-Pop phenomenon led by H.O.T, Shinwa and Fin.K.L were cultivating dedicated followings outside their home country. With the debut of second wave of K-Pop idols such as Rain, BoA, TVXQ, SS501, Girls Generation, Super Junior, Big Bang, Wonder Girls, Hallyu's top spot was solidified among Asian fans. The global viral success of Psy' Gangnam style as well as BTS and Black Pink's foray into the American music industry further cemented the widespread reach of Korean music.  And in 2020, the thrilling Best Picture Oscar win for Parasite movie was hailed as long overdue and deserving for the group of hardworking Asian artists.

The question now is What Next? Korea is out to challenge Hollywood's monopoly on the global entertainment market. Will there be anyone else to follow the meteoric rise of the Hallyu wave? Will Thailand (home of Blackpink's Lisa, 2PM's Nichkhun and GOT7's Bambam) rise to the occasion?

Even during my university days 10 years ago, Thai commercials form part of our case studies for marketing modules. After multiple trips to Thailand, I can also attest to the creativity of the people, as evidenced even in the souvenirs and snacks we bring back home.  Movies and dramas are putting effort to break out of the stereotype that their remarkable work is only in horror genre. Video-sharing platforms contributed to breaking down language barrier of non-Thai speaking fans.  Another unique aspect of the Thai entertainment industry is an abundance of mixed blood stars with their desirable, attractive features as well as the command of English language to transcend communication barriers which allow them to easily connect with international fans. Social media is also helping stars to keep in touch with their fans directly. So will we witness the rise of Thailand as Asia's next soft power?

I am sorry if this piece is too long but I just find it fascinating how seemingly innocuous shows have far-reaching influence on various aspects of life.  This is not just about product placement in dramas or ticket sales of movies & concerts. There are spill-over effects in other economic activities as fans would try to emulate their idol's lifestyle as portrayed.  Before the rise of Hallyu, just how easy was it to find Korean restaurants or snacks in your country? How many people has Korea on their bucket list for travel?

And soft power influences more than solely economic activities, but also holds sway over a perception of the nation.  What do you think of when you see a product with "made in Japan" logo? High quality, precision, long-lasting, high price are the first few thoughts.  Consumers are already expecting to pay a high price for that product even before they find out actual quotation.

Hubby was rather bemused by the whirlwind of my thoughts which jumped from one point to another at a lightening speed, beyond his grasp :D

Now, I shall go back to my lakorn-land!

Adios!
xoxo
Miss N