Fascinating book...I really want to read the rest of it. "How is the intersection between these two (Hollywood and China) brands changing the way we see the world?" My trainer at the gym is also a wrestler. He is going to China to wrestle, and he said that they love WWF/WWE. It will be interesting to see where that leads. I also want to learn more about the "company's" (Disney) English-language school empire in China.

The (economic) symbiotic relationship that the US and China share has reared its head in the entertainment industry. As (relatively) new members of the WTO, China's receiving investment monies from Hollywood, and Hollywood's access to the Chinese market has further cemented our partnership (although sometimes uneasy) in industry.

The new blended Sino-US media relation between Hollywood and Chinese entertainment industry is good for cultural exchange and intercultural understanding. When I visited Shanghai Disney during its grand opening last summer, I was so impressed by the Disney characters, such as Elsa and Anna (native English speakers), who spoke sentences in clearly understandable Mandarin Chinese as well as by the Chinese audiences who tried to sing along a Disney song in English when a Disney character said in Chinese "让我们大家一起来唱吧！(Let's all sing together!)“. The beautiful music and story tied the Americans and Chinese together, transcending cultures and geographic borders. Longings for family love, beautiful music and fulfillment of dreams are universal desires without borders. The wonderful performances by Frozen characters and other Disney actors/actresses enhanced ordinary people's relations in both countries . I was touched by the cheerful and collaborative musical events. The Chinese people's play of Disney music in the Shanghai Disney opening ceremony was also fantastic. It demonstrated "great friendship and shared dreams", said Disney CEO. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x94NGWXVFnA >.
edited by Lin ZhaoDavison on 3/11/2017
edited by Lin ZD on 6/15/2017

I find it interesting that "Boys Over Flowers" was a series of affluence and lavish spending that was designed for South Korean viewing pleasure as a respite from the daily realities of their lives. South Korea was going through a time of a shrinking middle class and huge unemployment. The fact that an interviewer suggests that North Korea view this program to see how South Koreans live, was a little misleading.

I have to admit, I was terribly excited for this seminar as I am enthralled with the K-Pop obsession. As a former English teacher in K-Town to adults from all over the world, I was heavily embedded with the culture and "way" of Korean youth and pop culture. The way that a collective industry can come together and capitalize on popularity and young entertainers is truly fascinating and not terribly different than pop stars in the US. Although here in LA, we are in an entertainment industry bubble, the idea that government and the industry would align seems impossible. Particularly now with our current government throwing darts at the "liberal" entertainment industry.
After reading these articles, I watched the movie Sing last night and noticed the representation of a K-Pop group as little red pandas. They were represented in a way that they buzzed around like one humming little group, who even after the show's producer sent them away, continued practicing their dance routine because they couldn't understand English.
I wonder what the connection and origin between US pop culture and East Asian pop culture is. Who is mirroring who? We seem to share a lot of ideals and "training" of what it takes to be a pop star.

As a fourth Generation Korean who was born and lift up in China, I experienced the entertainment trends from North Korea dramas in late 70s, Brazil drama in early 80s, and then Japanese drammas in late 80s , with Honkong Martial arts movies and soap operas in late 80s and early 90s, then turning into late 90s and now, the Hallyu.
I am just curious about what made this trends shift, and what is the factors that could affect or lead the trend?

What are the implications of Chinese influence in Hollywood, and vice versa? How will this affect my students? Well, if my students are interested in studying economics, business, the entertainment industry, film, or popular culture, they will need to study East Asia's influence on and inspiration from American culture and business. Prof. Kokas mentioned that modern film industries in China are not hiring people who do not speak Chinese. The ability to understand American culture in the context of East Asian culture, and the ability to speak different languages seem paramount to getting a job in industries like film and business. I think that many of my students see America as totally separate from East Asia, and I want to address those misconceptions in my class so they are not caught off guard (in college or beyond) when they realize how closely tied we really are.

Learning about K-pop and viewing the music videos opens my eyes to many ideas of teaching students how to relate our American culture to other countries. We think we are different from other parts of the world. However, when we look closely at what inspired some K-pop artist, we find that American artist have big influences on how K-pop portray their artistry. Students can compare the similarities found in K-pop music and videos to what they have seen from American entertainers. I also enjoyed the learning of the Sijo form of Korean poetry, which I will definitely implement in creative writing when looking at poetry.