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AnonymousWhat I found most interesting about the seminar was how K-Pop through the Rise of Digital Media has expanded to inner-city students in Los Angeles. Students of various demographics and backgrounds enjoy and take in what is truly a foreign culture with little to no apprehension. This can be spring-board for a discussion on globalism and the interconnected nature of US and South Korean relations.
AnonymousI teach 12th grade world literature and I think doing a K-pop unit would be really engaging for the students, especially in those final weeks before graduation. Starting the unit with music videos would be a fun introduction activity, and from there I would include readings on the Star making machine. From there, we could get into a larger discussion of hallyu and its influence in the Korean and international market. Afterwards, we can watch a clips from dramas and films and examine the Confucian themes and values within them. This would be a good way to introduce Confucian source texts and have students cite and collect evidence to connect the text to the dramas. A culminating task could be a film or drama review written from the perspective of a Confucian. I think the students would have a lot of fun and get into some substantive discussions.
AnonymousAs I was walking out of the main office last Friday, a student name Jade asked whether I watch K-pop. She stated her enjoyment watching it online from home. I was shocked and told her about the event on Saturday, so I was thinking of Jade during the professor's lecture. Later this school year, I want to use K-pop as a hook to understand my own students better and a gateway to the compare/contrast with other types of musical movements in the 1960s (i.e. antiwar Vietnam).
I can also relate to the K-pop movement as well by traveling back and forth to Vietnam. For instance, Korean companies and products were widespread in Southern Vietnam.
Anonymous"The Rise of the Red Lantern" got my attention. Growing up I remember watching a lot of drama series, but they were made in mostly Hong Kong. I wonder if made in Hong Kong is different or it is merge into one market? In regards to the readings and lecture, I do not know how to fit that into the 11th grade U.S. History class properly. However, I can see the importance issue in 12th grade civics and econ. Maybe I can wait for feedback from other posts.
AnonymousI appreciated listening to the two speakers. I felt really connected to Korean drama because I can relate to the popularity of soap opera in my Latin American culture. The ongoing theme of traditional family values and patriarchal society is one that is present still today. It is a theme that is recycled throughout each soap opera as well as that of Cinderella. As far as Kpop coming from an elementary background our students are not as familiar with it or at least do not bringing it up in the classroom. As a viewed several videos on “Youtube” I can absolutely see how it attracts the young crowd. It is evident that these artists were created and are well rounded. I also found it fascinating how much China’s influence controls Hollywood and how within time it may take over. I’m very interested in reading “Hollywood Made In China."
AnonymousI enjoyed the lecture on Hallyu (K-pop) and the Korean Wave. It is aptly named, because like moving water it has an ebb and flow to it that makes it dynamic and unpredictable. As far as manufactured youth culture there isn't anything new here; there have been carefully groomed groups of boys and girls—singing, dancing, and posturing—since the time of Motown and the Beatles. Every subsequent generation has had its own version: the Bay City Rollers, Menudo, New Edition, Backstreet Boys, Spice Girls, and many, many more. Why K-pop is different is because of China’s growing prosperity; the potential for K-pop stars to reap huge profits is very real. This is why the Chinese ban on Korean culture exports due to the THAAD missile defense program has definitely got the Korean entertainment business worried.
AnonymousI was amazed when I learned that it was Korean soap operas in China that served as a way to facilitate the export of Korean culture that eventually introduced K-pop to the world. I would have never thought that it went down like that. It made me think about Spanish language soap operas that my family watches. Given that much of the Latin American population in the US is Mexican, it is safe to say that the major Spanish language networks cater to the Mexican audience. This is evident in the amount of coverage that is dedicated to Mexican politics and Mexican independence and not given to notable days of other countries. Despite that, many of the soap operas that appear on the networks come from other latin american countries. Although the cultures are not exact, they are similar, so the mexican audience can relate and find the soap operas very enjoyable. About 5 years ago, I noticed that an Indian soap opera was playing. It was very popular. My mom liked it a lot. The other week I was hanging out with my mom and a Turkish soap was playing. After doing the readings and listening to the lecture, I wonder if other Turkish or Indian cultural practices are coming our way!
AnonymousAs I watched the Oscars with my wife, The host Jimmy Kimmel kept pushing on Mat Damon's buttons. Since I'm not current on Hollywood entertainment, I really didn't understand why. But I was curious when Jimmy Kimmel mentioned that Mat Damon passed up acting in Manchester by the Sea to appear in The Wall. Casey Afflek who took the role won best actor for his performance. After reading Hollywood made in China and sitting through the lecture by professor presented Aynne Kokas, the fog cleared and it made all the sense in the world. Hollywoods self-aggrandizing motives was apparent about the film THE WALL, but Matt Damon's choice was not. Hollywood is seeking to generate new box office revenue in China. I applaud Matt Damon for being so fully aware of the potential of collaborating with China media. But as always PRC always has an agenda too! I found it very interesting that as PRC seeks to change its negative "trade deficit" image by combining efforts with Hollywood, Big Brother, on both sides, is watching!
I work part time for a security company that provides intelectual property protection (primarily anti-piracy protection, with the occasional executive protection at movie premieres). I found it pretty interesting and my daughter told me she felt I lived a dual life because it afforded me the opportunity to rub elbows with Hollywoods' royalty as I protected them from paparazzi and their film from pirates. In 2015 we took on a new client, STX. My contact with the film company shared with me that a Chinese company had partnered with them to make aproxamately 18 films over the next two years. All I saw was job security. But once again Professor KoKas book introduction and lecture removed my veil of ignorance to the enormity of such a venture. The partner is HBC; Huayi Brothers Media Corp., and the movies include; The Gift with Jason Bateman, The Age of Seventeen with Hailee Stienfeld, The Free State of Jones starring Mathew McConaughey, and their block buster hit Bad Moms. STX also garners investment from Chinese investment company Hony Capital( rhymes with Sony, coincidence?), Tencent Holdings;Chinas leading provider of online products and services, and PCCW South East Asia's largest internet and cable service provider. Not a bad list of bedfellows if you ask me. All this hiding in plain sight, in the shadows. This lecture was eye opening! "I was blind , but now I see". There's " A Whole New World" out there. LOL
edited by cavina on 3/16/2017
edited by cavina on 3/16/2017
AnonymousI heard the term once or twice but never paid much attention. As I mentioned in class, I registered for the East Asian Studies with the sincere desire of replacing all the "oriental" stereotypes I grew up watching in dubbed over versions of kung fu movies from the 70's. As I watched BOYS OVER FLOWERS my wife walked by and asked, "Is that your homework?". To her surprise, I answered "Yes." And, to my surprise she had watched the full season on Netflix, along with two other "Korean Novellas" (her words) She said it reminded her of the spanish novellas she grew up watching with her grandmother and mother. She was recommended Korean dramas by a friend who was studying Korean in hopes of teaching abroad. I don't like the addicting power of spanish novellas so I was leery of watching this too. I enjoyed the cinematography since I love traveling to new places. But the story line was so predictable. The link provided in the readings was ineffective because I don't have Adobe Flash on my school lap top and adding without admin permission is impossible. However, I found viki.com had episode 1 along with the whole season The unique feature of this website was you could upload comments in the left hand corner of the screen as you watched the episodes. It was very interactive in that way and entertaining as well! The viewers were spoke english and spanish so I was able to comprehend all the comments. They really got into it. But I couldn't, not my cup of tea. However, on a side note, I did provide executive protection for the Korean singer and actor BoA at her premiere after party for her American debut in the movie MAKE YOUR MOVE with Dancing with the Stars Derek Hough.(Part of the double life my daughter says that I live. LOL)
AnonymousIt was very enlightening to learn more about K-POP. I am now researching the opportunity to take students to the Korean Museum and China Town for a field trip. K-Pop is a good way to introduce, connect and motivate students to learn Asian culture and appreciate it.
AnonymousI learned so much from these sessions. I was able to hold a conversation with my partner who is in animation, about China's role in the entertainment industry and he was quite impressed! I enjoyed thinking about ways to incorporate this information into my science curriculum. I think one of the best ways will be to incorporate the poems that we wrote, but around a science theme. I also have a lot of students who are interested in K-Pop so this could definitely be a way to approach certain curriculum and/or build community within our classroom.
AnonymousIf Korean youth has a more progressive perspective than their parents, then they share the trait with the vast majority of young people throughout the world. Each region and every age has dealt with the concept of a generation gap between youth and parents. It manifests itself in many ways, for example, in the 1920's this was reflected in the struggle between fundamental values and the new ideas expressed by the lost generation. This was seen not only in the United States, but many of the countries of East Asia as well.
AnonymousOur session on Korean Pop Culture was truly fascinating. What stuck out to me the most was when the presenter mentioned the most common themes in Korean Dramas being about the patriarchy, women's docil roles, family struggles, etc. I liked the comparison that was made between Europe's years of modernization contrasted to Korea's (and all of East Asia in fact) rapid modernization that left it's people with unanswered questions. I began to think how I could present this contrast to my students as we study Great Britain's industrialization and then bring in the East Asian experience. I think showing the contrast and then discussing the modern day effects seen in popular dramas would bring in the engagement factor in my classroom. I think it's also important to see the human and individual responses to these time periods and to see the effects on everyday life (such as pop culture) as an enriching learning experience.
AnonymousLearning about K-Pop is amazing and how wide of an audience it has here in america, across racial, ethnic, and class lines. I also like to see the intersectionality of k-pop with other music genres and how they come together to grow genres across the world. Most intriguing is the way K-pop is used as propoganda and a political chip between S. Korea and N.Korea, and S.Korea and China. The over-arching connection of music might be the way to peace.
AnonymousFound this clip from NBC Today's (4:35)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrk0DVTwzdU
Published on Feb 23, 2017
"If you got to a movie theater right now, there’s a pretty good chance that the film you see will have been partially financed in China. NBC News investigative correspondent Ronan Farrow looks at China’s growing influence in the global entertainment industry, and explains how it influences what you see on the silver screen."