[ba3ygrl]

Hi all,
I'm not sure if I am in the right place. I am requesting for non-Korean American's response on the following questions about how Korean pop culture influences their identity. Since Korean pop culture, especially Korean dramas, has been growing in its popularity, I thought it would be an interesting topic for my research paper. So, if you have time, please help me by answering my questions. Thank you so much! I really appreciate it!

1. How has Korean media influenced your daily life?
2. Why do you think Korean media are more attractive than any other media? What are it's appeals?
3. Do you think Korean media help identify who you are? How?
4. Do you feel that such media not only reflect Korean culture but Asian culture as well?
5. How, as a non-Korean American, do you relate to such entertainment?
6. As a non-Korean American, do you feel that you can reconnect to your or your parent's homeland through watching Korean dramas/movies?
7. Are there any negative influences from Korean media?

note:Korean media=Korean dramas, movies, songs, etc

[predator]

1. How has Korean media influenced your daily life?
I use it almost everyday.
2. Why do you think Korean media are more attractive than any other media? What are it's appeals?
I think it's because they expand into other countries to become more popular & they also have very good ideas.
3. Do you think Korean media help identify who you are? How?
Yes. One celebrity's story taught me that I don't have to be what my parents want me to be.
I have to live for me. & I should do something I am happy with.
4. Do you feel that such media not only reflect Korean culture but Asian culture as well?
The expansion of Korean media has somewhat brought the Asian continent together, IMO.
5. How, as a non-Korean American, do you relate to such entertainment?
I dunno. It's music & drama. So it interests me. & I love it. <33
6. As a non-Korean American, do you feel that you can reconnect to your or your parent's homeland through watching Korean dramas/movies?
Yes, especially when the movie is about war. I can relate to the history of myself.
7. Are there any negative influences from Korean media?
Yes there are. I stay up too late sometimes watching dramas. T_T
And my parents also don't like the fact that I like Korean media too much.

[jvchou1316]

interesting topic!

. How has Korean media influenced your daily life? it made me wanna learn korean. So i frequently turn to KBS world on tv and listen to random stuff.
I spend loads of time on soompi. Lol. I usually tune in to random korean people on the street to listen for words i know. etccc
2. Why do you think Korean media are more attractive than any other media? What are it's appeals? Duh. Hot guys. and everything's so nice and fancy. maybe not everything. but yeah. you can go from korean style to ... morning glory stationery.
3. Do you think Korean media help identify who you are? How? Hmm. Yes. It showed me I'm pretty superficial. Cause i jus want hot guys. =D. But it's ok. because media is entertainment, and entertainment need not be substantial.
4. Do you feel that such media not only reflect Korean culture but Asian culture as well? yeah/east asians look similar.
5. How, as a non-Korean American, do you relate to such entertainment? no need to relate. i like, then i like.
6. As a non-Korean American, do you feel that you can reconnect to your or your parent's homeland through watching Korean dramas/movies? hmm. yes somewhat.
7. Are there any negative influences from Korean media? .... don't know. just the general "obsession" with it. sometimes unhealthy. lol.

[saigon4ever]

Hi all,
I'm not sure if I am in the right place. I am requesting for non-Korean American's response on the following questions about how Korean pop culture influences their identity. Since Korean pop culture, especially Korean dramas, has been growing in its popularity, I thought it would be an interesting topic for my research paper. So, if you have time, please help me by answering my questions. Thank you so much! I really appreciate it!

1. How has Korean media influenced your daily life?
2. Why do you think Korean media are more attractive than any other media? What are it's appeals?
3. Do you think Korean media help identify who you are? How?
4. Do you feel that such media not only reflect Korean culture but Asian culture as well?
5. How, as a non-Korean American, do you relate to such entertainment?
6. As a non-Korean American, do you feel that you can reconnect to your or your parent's homeland through watching Korean dramas/movies?
7. Are there any negative influences from Korean media?

note:Korean media=Korean dramas, movies, songs, etc

Interesting questions, I'll reply since I'm a Vietnamese American

1. It has done nothing to influence my daily life other than maybe SOOMPI?
2. Truthfully, I feel that Japanese media is more attractive than Korean media due to their international popularity. But I think it's more attractive than other medias other than Japan is due to the fact that it is very westernized...from the fashion to the movies/dramas.
3. No.
4. Not really. I feel that Korean culture and outlook on things are very different from Vietnamese culture/lifestyle therefore it doesn't represent the whole Asian Culture in general.
5. I don't really know how to answer this question. Sorry
6. No
7. In my opinion, there is too much focus on being "high maintenance" and acting "cute" as a way to attract attention.

I apologize if my answers are too straightforward but I just wanted to make it short and sweet!

[speak without my voice]

1. How has Korean media influenced your daily life?
Well I listen to a lot of Korean movie/drama OSTs now... and sometimes watch the movies. I just recently finished watching the Goong series.

2. Why do you think Korean media are more attractive than any other media? What are it's appeals?
The actors/actresses are young, good looking.... Also, as an Asian American, it is nice to see a full Asian cast on screen you know? Asians aren't really shown in American film and are only starting to slowly (now) break that mold... The movies are done pretty well. It's interesting to see a different culture too of course.

3. Do you think Korean media help identify who you are? How?
I'm more openly sentimental. I was a closet romantist before hehehe.

4. Do you feel that such media not only reflect Korean culture but Asian culture as well?
Maybe to an extent? There's that whole respect thing going on, and similar physical features.

5. How, as a non-Korean American, do you relate to such entertainment?
I'm Chinese and it is nice to see Asians on screen. I've learned a lot about the Korean culture through the films.

6. As a non-Korean American, do you feel that you can reconnect to your or your parent's homeland through watching Korean dramas/movies?
Nah.

7. Are there any negative influences from Korean media?
Umm every media has some kind of negative influence. There's a lot of emphasis on physical appearance I think. I dunno. The actors/actresses are always good looking lols.

[baoi]

1. How has Korean media influenced your daily life?
2. Why do you think Korean media are more attractive than any other media? What are it's appeals?
3. Do you think Korean media help identify who you are? How?
4. Do you feel that such media not only reflect Korean culture but Asian culture as well?
5. How, as a non-Korean American, do you relate to such entertainment?
6. As a non-Korean American, do you feel that you can reconnect to your or your parent's homeland through watching Korean dramas/movies?
7. Are there any negative influences from Korean media?

1. It has a huge impact on my life. I love music, and half of my music is Korean. The Korean music industry is growing and will only increase worldwide. As for movies, I love the romantic comedies the Korean entertainment industry produces. About 7 our of 10 movies that i watch are Korean, even though i live in the United States and am not Korean myself.

2. Honestly, Korean entertainment is great, but in many areas it is not as good as other entertainment industries. As for graphics, the American Entertainment industry is superior, but the reason that I really enjoy Korean movies is that I can relate to it more and it is more down to earth. Oh, and the number one reason I prefer Korean movies over American movies is that the main characters (the guys) are SOOO FRICKEN HOT!!

3. Yes and No, because it is a pretty big part of my life, but I cannot say that it defines me. I love the industry and it can influence me but overall my environment as in the people around me influence me more. For me, the Korean industry is just entertainment, just like the American industry.

4. Yes. Korean industry reflects the Korean culture, but as you dig deeper into the stories and lyrics and everything, it is the same as every other culture, Asian or Hispanic. It deals with very broad topics that can be applied to everyone's lives.

5. The movies talk about a lot of things that i go through in life, love, school, rebelling, gangs, etc. The music and lyrics talks about similar issues, and I can also relate. Some of the lyrics, although translations cannot fully translate it's meaning, the meaning kinda translates through the voice of the artist, so i feel their emotions. Also, sometimes the lyrics can express my feelings.

6. Nope. Not really. Nah.. I don't think so. Coming from a Southeast Asian culture, it is not similar to the modern Korean culture or traditional Korean culture.

7. Yes. Plastic Surgery is somewhat negative which leads to the high demand in physical appearance. Also, the suicide rate is increasing, and that is a bad sign of how bad pressure from media and family values are affecting individuals in the Korean culture.

hehe.. i hope that helped..

[Avex]

1. How has Korean media influenced your daily life?

I'm able to express my identity more freely and confidently if needed.


2. Why do you think Korean media are more attractive than any other media? What are it's appeals?

It just does. It's hard to describe.

3. Do you think Korean media help identify who you are? How?

Yes, even though I'm Chinese, I feel a little bit more closer to what it means to be Asian because of the negative and
lack of Asian-American artists/actors/actresses in America (i.e. emasculation of the Asian male). I can identify myself based on who and what these people mean to express themselves as celebrities and how they find their passion. My identity is made stronger and I have a desire to explore the world and Asia and express my identity to others.

4. Do you feel that such media not only reflect Korean culture but Asian culture as well?

Asian Culture is extremely complex. It helps introduce it to me, but it reflects mostly contempoary culture.

5. How, as a non-Korean American, do you relate to such entertainment?


It gives me an identity to realize that I have potential to be something other than a bookworm.

6. As a non-Korean American, do you feel that you can reconnect to your or your parent's homeland through watching Korean dramas/movies?

Ummm.. I can't connect through my homeland. I feel its more of a contempoary feeling of Asian culture if I used it to connect to my parents' homeland since China is pretty modernized. I, on my own free time, explore where I am from (Taishan, Guangdong province), but I must admit that Korean entertainment opened my eyes to explore more of my own culture.

7. Are there any negative influences from Korean media?

Yes. Stay with me with my explaination. I know a great singer (she's from Belgium, but born in Canada) named Lara Fabian. She has sung in English, French, Italian, Spainish, and other languages I can't name at the moment, but nobody insults her because of the perception that "White" culture seems the same when there are their differences. At school, people label me as a Korean-wannabe. But Lara Fabian sings songs in languages differing her background and she doesn't get labled "French-wannabe". The whole idea that there is more than "Chinese" people, I understand, is pretty important, but I believe that Asian-Americans should be more united, whether it be Southeast Asians or East Asians. It's this idea of individualistic identity from its own nation that just makes it seem like that.

"Sometimes I don't know who I am, maybe I'm a freak,
cuz even Asians, man, they be giving me heat." - Magnetic North

[antares]

1. How has Korean media influenced your daily life?
2. Why do you think Korean media are more attractive than any other media? What are it's appeals?
3. Do you think Korean media help identify who you are? How?
4. Do you feel that such media not only reflect Korean culture but Asian culture as well?
5. How, as a non-Korean American, do you relate to such entertainment?
6. As a non-Korean American, do you feel that you can reconnect to your or your parent's homeland through watching Korean dramas/movies?
7. Are there any negative influences from Korean media?

note:Korean media=Korean dramas, movies, songs, etc

1. I guess by coming here to soompi
2. don't think that it's more attractive. but Korean is a nice sounding language. Some of the K-dramas are interesting
3. No.
4. reflect Korean culture??? A lot of Kpop culture is re-cycled from amercian/western media. In terms of music, R&B and Rap were created by black americans, and much of the arrangements/production ideas in Kpop music are from american/western pop music.
Even american/western sub-cultures dominate Korean media. For example (and all you electric guitar players can relate to this), in Korea you have Korean rock guitarists who are slave to american guitar sub-culture who use american guitars (Fender Stratocasters and Gibson Les Pauls and Strat copies and Les Paul copies), use american/british amplifiers (Marshall, Mesa-Boogie), and use guitar effects (distortion, compression, chorus, flanger, etc.) all used by americans/westerners. Their guitar/amplifier tones sound the same as american guitarists. Korean rockers even dress like american rockers, and some have long hair like retro american head bangers. From your questions, you make it seem like Kpop culture is this totally unique entity when in actuality it is not.

5. some of the attitudes/behaviors in K-dramas are interesting
6. no

[Rlobeve]

1. How has Korean media influenced your daily life?
It was the drama's that got me hooked, but the more reality/game shows that got me hooked. I just fell in love with the culture and find myself wanting to look Korean and act Korean though I am not Korean at all. I used to hate pop music but since I guess Korean media is getting popular and I just happened to be caught up in it, I love it! It's just because pop music sounds better when it's in another language. If French is the love language for English, then I guess Hangul is the love language for ... me, being Filipino-American.


2. Why do you think Korean media are more attractive than any other media? What are it's appeals?
I honestly don't think that Korean media is more attractive than any other media since this world is always changing - as in what they want and want to see. In my opinion the world is getting bored of the same old-same old so they're looking for new cultures to keep them entertained. Japan and China has already been exposed so now Korea is the next in line.

3. Do you think Korean media help identify who you are? How?
In a way, Korean media has helped me identify myself. Being a Christian, it's hard to find something that's not too "sexed up" or too depressing or too gory in America. I'm not trying to boast about my religion but God defines who I am and I choose to live by His standards. The way Koreans are conservative in what they show is very pleasing to the eyes, although the drama's are not the actual attitudes of Koreans as expected and it's predictable, everyone loves a little drama in their life. I just love how the main highlight is when they kiss towards the end and that's all you'll get but it's just enough for me.

4. Do you feel that such media not only reflect Korean culture but Asian culture as well?
It actually does, since mostly all Asian culture are conservative, are strict in their traditions and their beliefs.

5. How, as a non-Korean American, do you relate to such entertainment?
By the underlying meanings of drama's and lyrics, I don't think I can relate to it. But as a striving entertainer I think I can relate to the struggle of wanting to "make it big".

6. As a non-Korean American, do you feel that you can reconnect to your or your parent's homeland through watching Korean dramas/movies?
No I don't think so. My mom loved Jumong but after that was over she was done with the whole "Korean drama thing". My parents reconnects to their homeland (Philippines) through the Filipino Channel we have down here.

7. Are there any negative influences from Korean media?
In my opinion the only one negative thing about Korean media is their overplay of depression and suicidal tendencies. Korean media doesn't have too much provocative display or wild, drunk, partying celebrities getting arrested, but they do have a little too much of depression which leads to drinking too much and then that soon leads to committing suicide.