1. How were you introduced to Asian popular culture?
Dare I say it? Or dare it admit it? But I think the first time that I was truly introduced into Asian popular culture, or a type of Asian Pop Culture, was Keroppi, and the whole Sanrio gang. I’m not sure how old I was when I was introduced to Keroppi, Hello Kitty, Pekkle, and all those cute little characters, but I am pretty sure it was at a really young age, probably before kindergarten even. I think “variety shows” were, and still are, popular in Asia, and I remember watching those with my mom when I was younger. Later on, in high school or maybe at the beginning of my college years was when the YouTube sensation became popular and Asian dramas were becoming more and more available was when I started watching Asian dramas and becoming more familiar with that particular aspect of Asian Pop culture.
2. What aspects of Asian popular culture do you enjoy? For example, what are some of your favorite films, dramas, groups, etc., etc.?
I don’t really “participate” in Asian Pop culture with the exception that I do watch some Asian dramas. For example, I do not watch or read anime and things like that. Right now I am watching a Taiwanese drama on YouTube called, “Autumn’s Concerto”. I think I enjoy watching this drama not because its super intriguing or that the drama itself draws me in but more because my friends and co-workers are watching it also as its being played and it is something that we can discuss and talk about.
3. What happens to you in the process of watching/listening/engaging in (different types of) Asian popular culture? How is it different from watching/listening/engaging in American popular culture?
I think American Pop culture has been centered, at least lately, on the reality show craze. While interesting to watch sometimes, shows like “Jersey Shore” and “19 Kids and Counting” are not always what I want to watch. On the other hand, Asian dramas and variety shows offer something that American TV cannot. Asian dramas, usually the ones that I watch, are in a different language usually Chinese, but with subtitles. It is a way for me to practice my Chinese skills, but at the same time, watch a drama unfold. Variety shows offer the same concept, except they are funny!
Plus, after watching a drama that me and my friends/co-workers are watching, there is also that heated discussion that takes place about the characters in the drama…the disgust for the mother in law, or the feelings of sadness for the abandoned girl who just wants a home…I think watching Asian dramas bring about a lot of emotions in people and that is one of the reasons why people are so attracted to them.
4. What are some Asian popular culture blogs and sites you have found fun, helpful, or informative? Please provide links if possible
www.tom365.com...but it’s ALL in Chinese, and I’m still trying to figure it out…?
Monday, February 8, 2010
Blog #1
1. How were you introduced to Asian popular culture?
I was first introduced to Asian popular culture when I was younger around elementary school age when a friend of mines introduced me to Sailor Moon. She had all the figurines of the characters as well as the theme songs to the anime series. I started to watch Sailor Moon because of her obsession with it. After that, I didn’t really watch anymore anime but as I entered college, my older sister and cousin recommended that I should watch Korean dramas because it was very good and addicting. Soon I started to watch Stairway to Heaven and realized that the dramas are really long and takes a lot of my time!
2. What aspects of Asian popular culture do you enjoy? For example, what are some of your favorite films, dramas, groups, etc., etc.?
I enjoy how Asian popular culture especially Korean dramas are sometimes so predictable yet very addicting to watch. I like how the dramas can somehow make me be in the moment with the drama allowing my emotions to take effect. I enjoyed watching Stairway to Heaven, Temptation of Wife, Angel’s Temptation, Smile, Honey and He’s Beautiful, although I must admit I do skip some of the parts to the dramas just because sometimes its too slow and I want to know the ending already.
3. What happens to you in the process of watching/listening/engaging in (different types of) Asian popular culture? How is it different from watching/listening/engaging in American popular culture?
While watching Korean dramas, my focus is the drama and nothing else. I like to fully pay attention to the drama since I have to read the subtitles. Sometimes while watching the drama I would get really mad and don’t understand why some of the characters would be so stupid and allow such things to happen. Watching the dramas made me realize that they like to get revenge on each other and there is always a love triangle, which I don’t understand either since it always seems like they are related somehow. Watching Korean dramas is different from watching or engaging in American popular culture because for me it seems like the drama causes more emotions out of me then American dramas. It is also different in that Korean dramas are more fantasy like.
4. What are some Asian popular culture blogs and sites you have found fun, helpful, or informative? Please provide links if possible.
The only site I really know for dramas is mysoju.com besides that I don’t think I know any Asian sites
I was first introduced to Asian popular culture when I was younger around elementary school age when a friend of mines introduced me to Sailor Moon. She had all the figurines of the characters as well as the theme songs to the anime series. I started to watch Sailor Moon because of her obsession with it. After that, I didn’t really watch anymore anime but as I entered college, my older sister and cousin recommended that I should watch Korean dramas because it was very good and addicting. Soon I started to watch Stairway to Heaven and realized that the dramas are really long and takes a lot of my time!
2. What aspects of Asian popular culture do you enjoy? For example, what are some of your favorite films, dramas, groups, etc., etc.?
I enjoy how Asian popular culture especially Korean dramas are sometimes so predictable yet very addicting to watch. I like how the dramas can somehow make me be in the moment with the drama allowing my emotions to take effect. I enjoyed watching Stairway to Heaven, Temptation of Wife, Angel’s Temptation, Smile, Honey and He’s Beautiful, although I must admit I do skip some of the parts to the dramas just because sometimes its too slow and I want to know the ending already.
3. What happens to you in the process of watching/listening/engaging in (different types of) Asian popular culture? How is it different from watching/listening/engaging in American popular culture?
While watching Korean dramas, my focus is the drama and nothing else. I like to fully pay attention to the drama since I have to read the subtitles. Sometimes while watching the drama I would get really mad and don’t understand why some of the characters would be so stupid and allow such things to happen. Watching the dramas made me realize that they like to get revenge on each other and there is always a love triangle, which I don’t understand either since it always seems like they are related somehow. Watching Korean dramas is different from watching or engaging in American popular culture because for me it seems like the drama causes more emotions out of me then American dramas. It is also different in that Korean dramas are more fantasy like.
4. What are some Asian popular culture blogs and sites you have found fun, helpful, or informative? Please provide links if possible.
The only site I really know for dramas is mysoju.com besides that I don’t think I know any Asian sites
Entry 1
the way that i was introduced to the Asian Popular culture started for me at the age of 12 , my cousins who were older than i was , were fans of Thai singers and thai movies/ drama and every time i would visit them they would be posted in front of the televsion and off to the side was stacks and stacks of VHS along the walls. everytime i would visit them and stayed over , i would be hooked on the Thai drama and i would not want to leave their house because that would meant that i would be missing on the drama. my grandparents werent very to fond of me watching the drama because they knew that i would get sucked into watching the drama and wouldnt be concentrianting on my school work, and yes there they were right. so i never really got to finsihed watching any thai drama, not until i found out that my aunt and uncle was opening an asian video shop which catered to the Thai and Cambodian community in philiadephia, so every summer i would go and visit my aunt and uncle and i would help out at their shop but also at the same time i was able to watch all of the latest thai drama dubbed in khmer. so pretty much my aunt and uncle paid me to watch thai drama for the whole summer, best job ever! but when it was time for me to come back to california ,i knew that i was not able to watch my thai drama anymore because of my grandparents which crushed my heart but i eventually got over it and thai dramas were a thing in the past for me.
2. What aspects of Asian popular culture do you enjoy? For example, what are some of your favorite films, dramas, groups, etc., etc.?
i think the aspect of asian popular culture i do enjoy is the fashion part, because i have noticed how a certain group of people would dress , you are able to look at a different group of people in a different part of the world who shares the same interest would dressing the same.
3. What happens to you in the process of watching/listening/engaging in (different types of) Asian popular culture? How is it different from watching/listening/engaging in American popular culture?
2. What aspects of Asian popular culture do you enjoy? For example, what are some of your favorite films, dramas, groups, etc., etc.?
i think the aspect of asian popular culture i do enjoy is the fashion part, because i have noticed how a certain group of people would dress , you are able to look at a different group of people in a different part of the world who shares the same interest would dressing the same.
3. What happens to you in the process of watching/listening/engaging in (different types of) Asian popular culture? How is it different from watching/listening/engaging in American popular culture?
i think that when when i start watching thai drama or any asian drama , it feels like your in the movie and it can fully immerse yourself into the drama , and it becomes a like addiction so you constantly have to watch the show until the end but after the show end , you want to find out more about actors and actress who were casted in the show you can find out more information about them.
4. What are some Asian popular culture blogs and sites you have found fun, helpful, or informative? Please provide links if possible.
sorry i dont really know any. but ill be glad to find out and look into the sites that you all post up
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Blog Post #1
1. How were you introduced to Asian popular culture?
I was first introduced to Asian popular culture by watching Sailor Moon when I was a little kid. She was my favorite superhero and became one of my favorite shows because it was different than American cartoons at the time. The expressions Sailor moon and her friends would make were cute and over exaggerated which made it funny to me when I was a kid. Sailor Moon led me to watch other Japanese anime and I found myself watching and getting hooked on many different series. Because of anime, I started listening to Japanese songs. When I was around 14 years old, there was an anime I watched that had an ending song I really liked and I discovered it was sung by BoA, a Korean artist, in Japanese. I began researching online for her songs and other Korean artists’ songs and music videos and slowly got into Korean music and eventually dramas.
2. What aspects of Asian popular culture do you enjoy? For example, what are some of your favorite films, dramas, groups, etc., etc.?
3. What happens to you in the process of watching/listening/engaging in (different types of) Asian popular culture? How is it different from watching/listening/engaging in American popular culture?
(Going to incorporate #2 and #3 together)
Korean music appealed to me the most because it had addicting catchy beats, beautiful ballads, amazing vocals, eye-catching choreography, and I’m not going to lie but there is the hot factor :] Another reason why I like Korean pop culture and Asian pop culture is because growing up in America, Asians are barely represented in American movies, music, and entertainment besides martial arts which made me used to think if Asians were good at singing, dancing, and acting. It was hard to have an Asian idol/role model to look up to in America until I got introduced to Asian culture and realized there are so many talented people in pop culture. Some of my favorite K-pop artists are Super Junior, 2PM, 2AM, F.T. Island, Girls’ Generation, SHINee, f(x), 2NE1, Big Bang, Wonder Girls, DBSK, SS501, KARA, C.N. Blue, MBLAQ, BEAST, Epik High, Younha, 4minute, Taegoon, Fly to the Sky, Brown Eyed Girls, and tons more I can’t think of right now. Being the fan girl that I am, I had to see them perform on music shows also and I got into watching Korean music programs such as Inkigayo, Music Core, and Music Bank. I realized how music programs in Korea were different than how it is in America. In America, there would just be MTV and a countdown of music videos and once in a while the artist would perform on TV. They would usually just promote their songs by going on tour. However in Korea, there are three music programs airing each weekend from three different stations (MBC, KBS, SBS) and every Korean artists that’s currently promoting their song would perform. And at the end of the show, they would announce who the winner is for having the highest album sale, song popularity, etc. Because of this, I would get to watch Super Junior, 2PM, etc perform every week which fed my addiction even more.
Wanting to know more about my favorite artists, I would get into watching Korean variety shows. They all usually involve celebrities telling private stories of their life and/or playing random games, missions, and challenges and also showing different talents. It is different and refreshing to me than American reality shows. Some of my favorites are X-Man, Love Letter, Man Won Happiness, We Got Married, Intimate Note, Star Golden Bell, Exploring Human Body, Star King, etc.
I like watching Korean dramas compared to American dramas because of the storyline always leaves me wondering what’s going to happen next, the complicated relationships, the sympathy and relation I feel for some characters, and the cute and sweet affections between the main characters such as the littlest thing they do for each other can make me smile rather than having intense making out and bed scenes shown on American TV. I tend to like light hearted funny/romantic comedy dramas such as “You’re Beautiful” instead of super sob fest dramas.
4. What are some Asian popular culture blogs and sites you have found fun, helpful, or informative? Please provide links if possible.
The site I go to for drama recaps are dramabeans.com. I also use soompi.com/forums for information about music and dramas. Allkpop.com is another site I go to for news about music but I hate their biased comments but they usually have the fastest news so I just look for that. To watch dramas, I use mysoju.com and viikii.net and crunchyroll.com.
I was first introduced to Asian popular culture by watching Sailor Moon when I was a little kid. She was my favorite superhero and became one of my favorite shows because it was different than American cartoons at the time. The expressions Sailor moon and her friends would make were cute and over exaggerated which made it funny to me when I was a kid. Sailor Moon led me to watch other Japanese anime and I found myself watching and getting hooked on many different series. Because of anime, I started listening to Japanese songs. When I was around 14 years old, there was an anime I watched that had an ending song I really liked and I discovered it was sung by BoA, a Korean artist, in Japanese. I began researching online for her songs and other Korean artists’ songs and music videos and slowly got into Korean music and eventually dramas.
2. What aspects of Asian popular culture do you enjoy? For example, what are some of your favorite films, dramas, groups, etc., etc.?
3. What happens to you in the process of watching/listening/engaging in (different types of) Asian popular culture? How is it different from watching/listening/engaging in American popular culture?
(Going to incorporate #2 and #3 together)
Korean music appealed to me the most because it had addicting catchy beats, beautiful ballads, amazing vocals, eye-catching choreography, and I’m not going to lie but there is the hot factor :] Another reason why I like Korean pop culture and Asian pop culture is because growing up in America, Asians are barely represented in American movies, music, and entertainment besides martial arts which made me used to think if Asians were good at singing, dancing, and acting. It was hard to have an Asian idol/role model to look up to in America until I got introduced to Asian culture and realized there are so many talented people in pop culture. Some of my favorite K-pop artists are Super Junior, 2PM, 2AM, F.T. Island, Girls’ Generation, SHINee, f(x), 2NE1, Big Bang, Wonder Girls, DBSK, SS501, KARA, C.N. Blue, MBLAQ, BEAST, Epik High, Younha, 4minute, Taegoon, Fly to the Sky, Brown Eyed Girls, and tons more I can’t think of right now. Being the fan girl that I am, I had to see them perform on music shows also and I got into watching Korean music programs such as Inkigayo, Music Core, and Music Bank. I realized how music programs in Korea were different than how it is in America. In America, there would just be MTV and a countdown of music videos and once in a while the artist would perform on TV. They would usually just promote their songs by going on tour. However in Korea, there are three music programs airing each weekend from three different stations (MBC, KBS, SBS) and every Korean artists that’s currently promoting their song would perform. And at the end of the show, they would announce who the winner is for having the highest album sale, song popularity, etc. Because of this, I would get to watch Super Junior, 2PM, etc perform every week which fed my addiction even more.
Wanting to know more about my favorite artists, I would get into watching Korean variety shows. They all usually involve celebrities telling private stories of their life and/or playing random games, missions, and challenges and also showing different talents. It is different and refreshing to me than American reality shows. Some of my favorites are X-Man, Love Letter, Man Won Happiness, We Got Married, Intimate Note, Star Golden Bell, Exploring Human Body, Star King, etc.
I like watching Korean dramas compared to American dramas because of the storyline always leaves me wondering what’s going to happen next, the complicated relationships, the sympathy and relation I feel for some characters, and the cute and sweet affections between the main characters such as the littlest thing they do for each other can make me smile rather than having intense making out and bed scenes shown on American TV. I tend to like light hearted funny/romantic comedy dramas such as “You’re Beautiful” instead of super sob fest dramas.
4. What are some Asian popular culture blogs and sites you have found fun, helpful, or informative? Please provide links if possible.
The site I go to for drama recaps are dramabeans.com. I also use soompi.com/forums for information about music and dramas. Allkpop.com is another site I go to for news about music but I hate their biased comments but they usually have the fastest news so I just look for that. To watch dramas, I use mysoju.com and viikii.net and crunchyroll.com.
Blog Entry #1
1. How were you introduced to Asian popular culture?
I was introduced to Asian pop culture by a friend, who at the time was obsessed with Boa and Rain. She kept talking about them and I was curious so I looked them up on youtube. From there, I started to discover other kpop artist and really got into a few of their music. That same friend kept trying to get me to watch a drama that Rain was in, and she introduced me to mysoju.com. From there, I watched a few dramas, but I hated "Full House" which was the drama that had Rain in it.
2. What aspects of Asian popular culture do you enjoy? For example, what are some of your favorite films, dramas, groups, etc., etc.?
I enjoy Asian dramas because they have an ending and it doesn't go on and on, plus, once you start they get really addicting. I mostly watch ones that are funny and they usually include that slapstick kind of humor. Dramas that I like include "My Lovely Samsoon" and "Last Scandal" which I thought were really funny. Some of the music I like include stuff from Big Bang, 2pm, and 2ne1.
3. What happens to you in the process of watching/listening/engaging in (different types of) Asian popular culture? How is it different from watching/listening/engaging in American popular culture?
With dramas, if the story line is good and its really funny, they get really addicting, but when they start dragging, which a lot of dramas tend to do at the end, I start thinking to myself, why am I watching this, its not as funny anymore and its getting really sappy. Its different from American shows because it doesn't keep going on and on until the nth season, plus, American TV is all about reality shows now, which I really don't like anymore because they get stupider and stupider. Also, I think I do enjoy Asian pop culture because I can relate to it easier.
4. What are some Asian popular culture blogs and sites you have found fun, helpful, or informative? Please provide links if possible.
Other than mysoju.com, you can watch dramas at viikii.net or dramafever.com (you can watch Coffee Prince here too if you don't want to deal with broken links on mysoju.com). I think allkpop.com is a good blog on Korean pop culture and dramabeans.com blogs on Korean dramas, but other than those two blogs, I don't really know any other ones.
I was introduced to Asian pop culture by a friend, who at the time was obsessed with Boa and Rain. She kept talking about them and I was curious so I looked them up on youtube. From there, I started to discover other kpop artist and really got into a few of their music. That same friend kept trying to get me to watch a drama that Rain was in, and she introduced me to mysoju.com. From there, I watched a few dramas, but I hated "Full House" which was the drama that had Rain in it.
2. What aspects of Asian popular culture do you enjoy? For example, what are some of your favorite films, dramas, groups, etc., etc.?
I enjoy Asian dramas because they have an ending and it doesn't go on and on, plus, once you start they get really addicting. I mostly watch ones that are funny and they usually include that slapstick kind of humor. Dramas that I like include "My Lovely Samsoon" and "Last Scandal" which I thought were really funny. Some of the music I like include stuff from Big Bang, 2pm, and 2ne1.
3. What happens to you in the process of watching/listening/engaging in (different types of) Asian popular culture? How is it different from watching/listening/engaging in American popular culture?
With dramas, if the story line is good and its really funny, they get really addicting, but when they start dragging, which a lot of dramas tend to do at the end, I start thinking to myself, why am I watching this, its not as funny anymore and its getting really sappy. Its different from American shows because it doesn't keep going on and on until the nth season, plus, American TV is all about reality shows now, which I really don't like anymore because they get stupider and stupider. Also, I think I do enjoy Asian pop culture because I can relate to it easier.
4. What are some Asian popular culture blogs and sites you have found fun, helpful, or informative? Please provide links if possible.
Other than mysoju.com, you can watch dramas at viikii.net or dramafever.com (you can watch Coffee Prince here too if you don't want to deal with broken links on mysoju.com). I think allkpop.com is a good blog on Korean pop culture and dramabeans.com blogs on Korean dramas, but other than those two blogs, I don't really know any other ones.
Week 1 - Intro
1. How were you introduced to Asian popular culture?
My mom always watched Korean music and drama tapes when I was little, but when I was a freshmen in high school my dad one night found a Korean music video show on TV on the International Channel and from then on I started looking online more music videos. I slowly started getting into pop culture all over Asia from Japan to Thailand.
2. What aspects of Asian popular culture do you enjoy? For example, what are some of your favorite films, dramas, groups, etc., etc.?
I really like dramas and horror movies. Some of my favorite dramas and horror movies were "My Lovely Samsoon," "Absolute Boyfriend," and "One Missed Call." Horror movies from the United States are becoming remakes of movies from Asia, but the original are always better.
3. What happens to you in the process of watching/listening/engaging in (different types of) Asian popular culture? How is it different from watching/listening/engaging in American popular culture?
When I watch Asian dramas I tend to yell at my TV more and cry while watching dramas. I become more emotionally involved with the characters. Also, when I engage in Asian pop culture like fashion or concerts it makes me feel like I am back in high school again. Its a sad truth but at times I act like a fan girl. With American pop culture I notice it has become the same thing over and over again and its more fun for me to make fun of it and laugh at it versus just watching and engaging in it.
4. What are some Asian popular culture blogs and sites you have found fun, helpful, or informative? Please provide links if possible.
www.soompi.com has been very informative for me. This site has been around for years and this web page also has a great forum section where many of the users are from all over the world showing what they have heard and reading and incite. Its really informative on the latest Asian fashion, music, dramas, movies, and events.
The Origins of Watching Dramas Post #1
1. How were you introduced to Asian popular culture?
Asian popular culture was such a family thing in our household. I definitely grew up watching movies, and dramas. We were watching mostly thai dramas dubbed in khmer or chinese dramas which first came out on video tapes. That was a pain in itself having to go out to rent movies or borrow from family and friends. Another pain was having to rewind all the tapes because they wouldn't rewind it when they were done watching it. But it was a great way for my parents to teach moral lessons to the kids while enjoying their movies as well. They were able to understand the language, and for us kids, it was easy to learn our language.
2. What aspects of Asian popular culture do you enjoy? For example, what are some of your favorite films, dramas, groups, etc., etc.?
Some of the good qualities about asian dramas include the simple yet sweet romances without being overly sexual and or too serious. You have a little bit of everything so sometimes you can have ten different emotions while in one sitting. Most commonly it's the relationship of fitting and understanding with the character and saying to yourself "I know how he/she feels". I can relate mainly to groups of characters such as the hardworking girl trying to succeed, or beingt he tough girl in every scenario. One big thing is never being the bad girl or the gir that wants to steal someone else's man.
3. What happens to you in the process of watching/listening/engaging in (different types of) Asian popular culture? How is it different from watching/listening/engaging in American popular culture?
Sometimes while watching asian movies you forget that you are reacting to these characters. Again, being able to relate to these charcters are important when you pick out the evil mother-in-law, or the funny uncle, or the bad friend who's also in love with the guy you hate but will soon love. You laugh, get angry, worry, feel tense, cry, become happy and then realize in the end it's the same plot in every drama. But of course, when a new one comes out you can't resist the feeling of watching it.
4. What are some Asian popular culture blogs and sites you have found fun, helpful, or informative? Please provide links if possible
It's funny yet amazing how the internet works so quickly. I started watching dramas by a friend who told me you can find dramas on-line and the best source so far for me is on youtube. But by taking this course I find that other people are finding better sites to watch their favorite dramas. So thanks guys.
~Sopangia~
Asian popular culture was such a family thing in our household. I definitely grew up watching movies, and dramas. We were watching mostly thai dramas dubbed in khmer or chinese dramas which first came out on video tapes. That was a pain in itself having to go out to rent movies or borrow from family and friends. Another pain was having to rewind all the tapes because they wouldn't rewind it when they were done watching it. But it was a great way for my parents to teach moral lessons to the kids while enjoying their movies as well. They were able to understand the language, and for us kids, it was easy to learn our language.
2. What aspects of Asian popular culture do you enjoy? For example, what are some of your favorite films, dramas, groups, etc., etc.?
Some of the good qualities about asian dramas include the simple yet sweet romances without being overly sexual and or too serious. You have a little bit of everything so sometimes you can have ten different emotions while in one sitting. Most commonly it's the relationship of fitting and understanding with the character and saying to yourself "I know how he/she feels". I can relate mainly to groups of characters such as the hardworking girl trying to succeed, or beingt he tough girl in every scenario. One big thing is never being the bad girl or the gir that wants to steal someone else's man.
3. What happens to you in the process of watching/listening/engaging in (different types of) Asian popular culture? How is it different from watching/listening/engaging in American popular culture?
Sometimes while watching asian movies you forget that you are reacting to these characters. Again, being able to relate to these charcters are important when you pick out the evil mother-in-law, or the funny uncle, or the bad friend who's also in love with the guy you hate but will soon love. You laugh, get angry, worry, feel tense, cry, become happy and then realize in the end it's the same plot in every drama. But of course, when a new one comes out you can't resist the feeling of watching it.
4. What are some Asian popular culture blogs and sites you have found fun, helpful, or informative? Please provide links if possible
It's funny yet amazing how the internet works so quickly. I started watching dramas by a friend who told me you can find dramas on-line and the best source so far for me is on youtube. But by taking this course I find that other people are finding better sites to watch their favorite dramas. So thanks guys.
~Sopangia~
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