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Home › Forums › Summer Institutes › Crossing Boundaries in East Asia, Summer 2020 › Session 1 (July 27) - Jennifer Jung-Kim, UCLA
Cindy Nguyen.
cgaoJennifer Jung-Kim, UCLA
Lecturer, International Institute and Department of Asian Languages & Cultures
VIDEOS
Optional/Additional Resource:
Jennifer Jung-KimHi, Everyone,
If you would like to read more about K-pop and BLM, here are two different takes:
Please feel free to post responses here, but we can also discuss in our live Zoom session next week.
Cristina HernandezAfter watching the lectures and analyzing the readings, I have a better understanding of the stratification of the Hallyu and I relate it to my niece who lives in Mexico. She started listening to K-Pop music. BTS is her favorite group and she spends a great deal of her time listening to them and learning more about South Korea. She wants to taste the food and eventually travel to Korea. Obviously, she falls into the category of the fandom ARMY. However, the opposite happened to me back in the 1990’s, I began working as a customer service representative for a South Korean Textile company and my life changed. I got to taste lots of traditional Korean food (our lunch was provided by the company), I got to learn some valuable vocabulary, I made great Korean friends (one of them is my son’s godmother) and then I got to watch some Korean dramas and lately movies… As I understand and learn more about the Hallyu, I also get to understand that the main influence comes from the people’s behavior. It is easier to appreciate a dish that is offered with a smile as well as enjoying a movie with your best friend explaining the context of it. I am looking forward to share my personal story with my students as an example of crossing boundaries and to listen to their own personal examples of how the Hallyu has influence their lives. Cheers!
Jonathan TamI feel so behind when it comes to Korean culture. It feels like Boys over Flowers just ended and that Girl’s Generation just broke up 2 / 3 years ago. But, something that I have certainly noticed in the examples that Dr. Jung-Kim provided, is that this wave seems noticeably bigger than previous ones - and that if trends continue, the waves will only get bigger into the 2020s. We have Korean artists on American talk shows, which was unheard of before. And the access to korean media from Meokbang on Youtube to fully produced shows on Netflix is so much greater now than having to go to sketchy websites and spend hours looking for subtitle files. This increased access has certainly welcomed criticism. I remember that gender norms and skin tone affinities were big criticisms of korean culture discussed in sessions prior. But, I also found Tiffany Red’s story and the influence of Black music on Korean music very enlightening because it seems to be creating a more international and common knowledge of discrimination and labor inequity. Korean culture now has to face issues of black exploitation and fair compensation, which are themes so common to industries in America. It will be an interesting new hurdle for everyone I think especially as cultures become so interconnected.
Also - Thanks for this Hyukoh recommendation! I love indie bands and they're great.
Cheryl WatsonK-POP is black music with a different face. Financial support from BTS towards the BLM movement was a good move. However, one must go deeper to see the KPOP history of blackface and mocking black people which reveals a deeply ingrained racist attitude that blacks are inferior and this is the conversation that KPOP groups, as well as their managment companies need to come to terms with. Writing a check is not a substitute for delving into the uncomfortable conversations. Though tensions on the Korean penninsula and in East Asia as a whole are tenuous, the BLM movement is one of grace that allows non blacks and non brown people, who live streamed what systemic racism looks like, to examine personal attitudes towards black people and, hopefully, change. Stereotypes can be destructive as it presents one narrative about an ethnic group rather than approaching people as individuals. There is danger in the single story as it promotes negative propoganda instead of seeing blacks as equal human beings.
Oftentimes black and brown people and LatinX culture are the backs upon which other cultures walk across for economic and international recognition and success, while forgetting who helped them cross those boundaries.
Ivonne CamachoPersonally, I don't listen to k-pop music but I now understand the whole culture aspect that it involves as well the social movement that has been out there for many decades, it is very interesting to see the k-pop bands and all their philatropic efftort. I love how this music genre has been influeced by many other interesting aspects and the most important one how it has cross borders all over the world. It is also interesting to think how and see that korean culture has exprienced difficulties along the way like many other nations and subcultures. I am sure their music has inspired many young girls and boys to be themsevles and help others. As a language teacher, I really admire how this music has motivated people to study korean language. When we learn a new language we're also learning a new different culture and Korean life is a very mesmerizing one.
Jennifer Jung-KimChreyl, thank you for your post. I agree it's not enough to just give money and make an Instagran post in support of BLM. I hope that this is the start of genuine dialogue and positive change. I look forward to our Zoom session to hear more from you and the other participants.
Shane MarkowitzThe Korean Wave, coming into play over the past few decades, appears to highlight the combination of resources and a little bit of luck that go into pop culture trends. This case also reinforces the notion that "everything is political" with Nye and Kim's article insightfully laying out what's at stake at the political level. While part of the story of Hallyu has been organic, the South Korean government, with its arsenal of resources not available to many poorer countries, indeed has also played a crucial role in promoting content through numerous channels like television networks in the Middle East. This is presumably done to help win the "hearts and minds" of populations that the government is engaging with, not to mention the economic profits (e.g. tourists, business growth) that accrue from fomenting a globally recognized South Korean brand. Choi further sheds light on the processes of ever deeper immersion in which fans of K-Pop or Korean drama come to gradually become consumers of various South Korean products and goods and even the language itself.
There is, nonetheless, a slippery slope that needs to be carefully navigated to avoid aggravating neighbors (e.g. Japanese and Chinese governments) with an overly political and competitive approach. A question this all entails is: what happens to culture when it becomes merely an instrument of states to pursue absolute or relative gains over peers? Can it still function as a vehicle for bridging societies and opening dialogues? There is, regardless, certainly an entire infrastructure emerging outside the sphere and control of the state in the digital age and notwithstanding bans (e.g. Tik Tok in India) it is increasingly difficult to prevent this diffusion.
Students could think through some of these processes in a comparative manner - what are their own experiences with K-Pop or similar global phenomena? Have they ever dug deeper and grown an interest in a particular place or society based on their fandom of a specific product/piece of work? If K-Pop and dramas are a crucial part of soft power for South Korea, what are US parallels? Should governments be actively involved in promoting a country's pop culture (what are pros and con?) and what, if any, should the limits to this?
Joseph Kenneyhttps://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/22/arts/music/k-pop-fans-trump-politics.html?searchResultPosition=3
hi, i'm familiar with K-Pop through my learners, as well as visiting chinese students to duarte hs.
a very amazing global phenomenon that appears to be taking on a political activist focus in America.
Megan HsiaoIt is really inspiring after viewing the presentation videos as well as checking out these resources. I don't personally listen to K-pop, but it has gotten my attention that many of my students, who are non-Asian, are K-pop fans. I never realized that all of these Korean cultures that I have been enjoying more or less, such as Korean foods, clothing, beauty products, movies, TV dramas, music, etc, are making me influenced by Korean waves and they are part of Korean soft power to attract the world. The power of the cultural attraction comes from making people like the country subconsciously. In Taiwan, there are many Korean cosmetics shops, clothing stores, Korean restaurants, and even eyewears is Korean style. I can definitely feel the Korean influence in Taiwan, but not much here in Ohio, a midwest state. Compared with California, Cleveland is not as diverse in terms of the influence of East Asian culture. That is why it surprised me when noticing many students are actually K-Pop fans in my class. I am wondering how much does Koeran government get involved in using Korean culture as a global soft power? In a digital world today, I think soft power will become more and more powerful and we should consider how to better utilize it in positive ways.
Jessica NgHi Cristina. Thanks for sharing that personal story about your niece and your experiences in South Korea. Being in a foreign place is so much more meaningful when it is approached organically, like by living and working there. You are able to understand the culture with fewer expectations or preconceptions built up from things like movies and TV shows, which the Nye and Kim article illustrates have become tools for countries to represent/market themselves more attractively. *When* your niece is finally able to visit, it would be interesting to compare experiences with her!
Heather ButlerI never really considered how much a nation’s soft power impacted their diplomatic relationships with other countries. I wonder if the soft power of the US has decreased a lot in the last several years, due to international and domestic issues connected to our president, as well as how the world is looking at how the government is responding to protests around the country, detainment of immigrants and how COVID-19 is being handled.
I started watching dramas in late February on Netflix and now I subscribe to a couple Asian entertainment streaming services and listen to lots of K-pop and K-drama OSTs on Spotify, so I definitely can see how different areas of Hallyu build off of each other. In my Art classes, we could definitely talk about cultural transmission and how cultures share ideas, look at art made by Korean artists giving context from culture and history, and make connections to how K-pop is influenced by hip hop made by African American artists. We can look at bicultural artists and other parts of the world, and how their art tells their story and reveals their identity. In the arts, we gain deeper understanding by learning about the influences, expectations and culture of the artists, music ties in easily to visual art and there is a lot of overlap between them.
I think it is really important to remember that consumption of pop culture from a place doesn’t always lead to any kind of indepth understanding of a culture. For example, I have a friend who is a community college professor, she and her fiance are really into anime; as part of her job they have travelled to Japan through study abroad programs with students, so they have learned more about the culture creating anime. On the other hand, many of the students in the Anime club at my school, easily attach themselves to the tropes in anime, without really trying to understand Japanese culture and traditions.
Sandra MakielskiI do listen to Kpop, I do eat at Korean restaurants and family members utilize Korean technology (phones and cars). My daughter uses numerous Korean facial treatments and I have watched a handful of Korean films. The article, 
Nye and Kim, Soft power and K Wave.pdf, did a pretty good job of suggesting the pros and cons of relying on soft power to raise your country's influence in the political arena. The article pointed out that Korea and Ghana had the same GDP in 1960. I would have to say that Korea has done an exceptional job of infusing their cultre of 50 million into the rest of the world. My children can discuss the Korean culture, all be it superficially, but they would have nothing to say about Ghana. This particular article is a bit dated so I would be curious to read a current assessment regarding the soft wave of Korea and it's measure of success.
I guess I am a barbarian.... I eat ramen off the lid of my pans at home. It was interesting to learn about the role of cuisine and how Korean food continues to be absorbed by other cultures. Yes.... it is very strong smelling due to many foods beeing fermented but I have grown to love Korean foods. So glad for "Hot! Hot! Hot"
Jiaxing Weng-ZhangThrough Ms. Jung-Kim's video lecture, I came to know the ban of K-pop in China in 2016 and start to allow groups tour in 2018 and was curious about the current situation. I found this interesting video about Chinese young people's view on K-pop vs C-pop (Chinese pop) and an article on the current situation. As it was stated in the video, Chinese youth can always find a way around the ban if they want to. Another interesting thing is in the popular group EXO, four of the original 12 members are Chinese nationals. Currently only Yixing Zhang is with EXO, but he is also affected by the strained relationship between the two countries and focuses more on his solo activities.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVdATXIPnkA
Tom MuellerThe videos and the readings were very informative. I am not a K – pop fan, however I do know my students are aware of it and some are huge fans. I think integrating K – pop can serve two purposes. The first way is to discuss connecting the United States and South Korea. During the current presidential administration, I have seen some of my students more about focusing on “America only” and other countries are the “bad” others. What are these countries doing to us, etc.? They see the countries not as people but as their governments – trade imbalances – dumping steel, etc. By bringing in K – pop students will hopefully “see” the Korean people and discuss the similarities in music. It also takes the edge off some serious issues (discussed earlier). Sometimes my class feels like a doom and gloom class – Nuclear Weapons in India and Pakistan, Conflict Minerals in Democratic Republic of the Congo, etc. Then we can spin into more serious discussion of K – pop. By using the article in The Conversation to discuss music and the socio-political aspects of the music. I want to examine the story on “white-wash of K-pop”, the K – pop “based on black music” connections and the political messages and funding by K – pop for the Black Lives Movement, etc. I could then bring up the issue of Elvis. I remember reading an article – where some Black Americans revered Elvis for “bringing Black music to the whites” while others felt he was a crook, etc. This is important because sometimes my students are more than willing to discuss issues in other countries (more than in our country) even if there are similar issues. So if I brought up K – pop and we had these discussions, it might be easier to then shift the discussion to our country’s issues. It would also show the students that there similarities between different countries and cultures – fighting / dealing with socio-political issues.