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GEELECT 3 Philippine Pop Culture 2 Types of Culture

MODULE 1: DEFINING CULTURE Nonmaterial Culture – ideas created by members
LESSON 1 CULTURE of a society.

INTRODUCTION Material Culture – tangible things created by

members of a society.
Key Values of American vs. Filipino Culture

 Equal Opportunity  Family Oriented

Society refers to people who interact in a defined
territory and share culture.
 Achievement and Success  Joy and Humour
 Material Comfort  Flexibility, Culture shock refers to personal disorientation when
 Activity and Work Adaptability and experiencing an unfamiliar way of life.
 Practicality and Efficiency  Creativity

How Many Cultures?
 Progress Human Activities
 Science  Faith and • One indication of culture is language
 Democracy and Free Religiosity • Global estimates document 7,000 languages
Enterprise  Ability to • In the USA, there are about 200 languages
 Freedom Survive • In the Philippines, there are about 170 + languages
 Racism and Group  Hard work • However, upcoming decades will show the
Superiority  Hospitality disappearance of hundreds of languages.

The Elements of Culture

Although cultures vary, they all have five common
components:
ABSTRACTION
 Symbols
What is Culture?
 Language
Culture is defined as the ways of thinking, the ways  Values and Beliefs
of acting, and the material objects that together  Norms
form a people’s way of life. Only humans rely on  Material culture
culture rather than instinct to ensure survival.

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(1)Symbols (2.1)Elements of Culture Language
This pertains to anything that carries a particular o Cultural transmission (Oral traditions) – the
meaning recognized by people who share the same process by which one generation passes culture
culture. I.e. the gesture of doing a “mano po” to to the next. Every society transmits culture
older people symbolizes a sign of respect for through speech.
Filipinos.
(2.2)The Sapir-Whorf Thesis
Symbolic Meanings Across Cultures
o Languages are not just different sets of labels
In United States, a In Russia, even numbered
for the same reality.
dozen roses are a symbol flowers are only for
of a romantic love. funerals, and odd o All languages fuse symbols with distinctive
numbered bouquets are emotions.
for every other o The Sapir-Whorf Thesis – people perceive the
occasion. world through the cultural lens of language. It
Nodding the head “yes” In eastern European means that language possesses an ability to
and shaking the head countries such as influence the person on how to perceive the
“no” is common in many Bulgaria people shake surroundings.
Western Countries. their head “yes” and nod
their head “no”. For example, Margaret Mead pointed out that some of
USA, a harmless Australia, UK, Ireland, the South Pacific people whom she studied did not
backwards sign for and NZ, seen as rude and have a word for "war" in their vocabularies.
peace. frequently used to Interestingly, these people did not participate in
signify contempt or war. So, the hypothesis is that we must be able to
defiance towards think of some phenomenon before we can name it or
authority. experience it.
(3)Values and Beliefs
(2)Language
Values are culturally defined standards by which
It is a system of symbols that allows people to people assess desirability, goodness, and beauty and
communicate with one another. Language allows for that serve as broad guidelines for social living.
the continuity of culture. Values are abstract standards of goodness.
The Secret to Sustaining Success in Teams – Values

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Values are the common language we connect on. In
other words, people from different backgrounds and
belief systems can connect and agree on common
values. In relationships, casual or personal this is
the most important factor for success. Think of your
own personal relationships, we can be comfortable
around many different people and types of people,
but we are most comfortable with those whose values
we admire or are most similar to ours. Sports teams
such a Munster Rugby, Canterbury Crusaders or
Liverpool football club all have strong cultural
values. Values fundamentally dictate our attitudes
and our behaviours, and those whose behaviours we
admire are those who’s who we wish to be with.
However, if you are in a relationship where values
are not similar this eventually leads to discontent,
mistrust and at best uneasiness.
Influencing Values
Values are not fixed in stone and in many
organizations, we need to reinforce and encourage
the values we’ve agreed on. Following are the four
main ways values can be affected:
Moralizing
“Do as I say”—giving verbal instruction, such as,
“You must treat each other with respect.”
Moralizing can get quick results among those who
welcome structure and respect authority, but it
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usually fails to win over those who like to think
for themselves.
Modeling
This is how many of use inherit values, we pick them
up from family and friends who act in a certain way.
This is a major method of influence on young players
when they join a locker room, a cadet joins a
military unit or any group – good or bad, people are
influenced by the actions of others.
Experimenting
“You figure it out” —laissez-faire leadership, in
which several concepts are introduced and then
people are left to go their own way. Exploratory
learners gravitate to this style.
Clarifying
“We’re going to meet to talk about our values”. This
approach reiterates what the leaders believe and
what the organization stands for. Clarifying can be
combined with the previous three styles to great
effect. Unlike with moralizing, here the group
together explores and investigates what the values
of the team mean to each person.
Beliefs
Beliefs are specific statements that people hold to
be true. Beliefs are particular matters that
individuals consider as true or false.
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The Foundation – Your Belief System
To understand culture, one must first understand
people and their belief systems. One key way that a
culture — or team — defines and distinguishes itself
is through a set of ideas that are held in common.
But we all think differently, we all have different
belief systems – I’ve seen this first hand working
with teams and people all around the world. Although
shared beliefs can drive the thoughts and actions of
an organization’s members in the same direction,
one’s beliefs also provide a moral compass that
guides everyone to make the best decisions as they
see fit.
(4)Norms
These are rules and expectations by which a society
guides the behavior of its members.
Most important norms in a culture apply everywhere
and at all times.
Types of Social Norms
Folkway – Norm that stems from and organizes casual
interaction.
More – Norm that structures the difference between
right and wrong.
Taboo – Strong negative norm; violating it results
in extreme disgust.
Law – Norm that is formally inscribed at the state
or federal level.
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(A) Mores
 Norms that are widely observed and have great
moral significance. (i.e. rape, treason, and
child sexual abuse are generally perceived as
wrong acts everywhere in the world, as such it
tells us that it is morally wrong to commit
those acts based on the norms we usually
follow.)
 Mores inspire intense reactions, and punishment
inevitably follows (right vs. wrong) if these
norms are not executed. Usually, the norms that
are considered as mores entail huge
punishment/intense disgust from the public once
these are not obeyed or done.
(B) Folkways
 Norms for routine, casual interaction (eating
rice as usual part of a meal, using
deodorant/tawas, respecting others)
 (polite vs. rude)
 (i.e. People chew quietly with mouths closed,
accepting one’s place in line, people avoid
facing each other in elevators)
 These have commonly no written rules but are
usually done by people. If you fail to practice
such folkways, some may have a little disgust
about it, but not that intense compare to the
degree of disobeying mores. No one is
physically harmed when folkways are not
executed.
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Norms Other Concepts we need to be Familiar when Talking
Folkways Right vs. Rude about Culture
Mores Right vs. Wrong
Taboos Right vs. Forbidden Cultural Diversity - Cultural diversity can
Laws Right vs. Illegal involve social class. Many cultural patterns are
readily accessible to only some members of a
society.
(5) Material Culture
High Culture – cultural patterns that distinguish
Material culture also reflects a society’s a society’s elite.
technology – knowledge that people use to make a way
of life in their surroundings. Popular Culture – cultural patterns that are
widespread among a population.
Sociocultural evolution:
Subculture – cultural patterns that set apart some
● Hunting and gathering societies (foraging) - the segment of society’s population. (Ex: Amish and
first society, depends on hunting for their food and Mormons)
is nomadic.
Multiculturalism – an educational program
● Horticultural & pastoralism (slash and burns) - recognizing the cultural diversity of the United
semi-sedentary life; introduction of agriculture and States and promoting the equality of all cultural
they relied on domestication of animals. traditions.
● Agriculture - sedentary life; introduction of new Afrocentrism – the dominance of African cultural
methods in farming; establishment of permanent patterns.
settlement.
Eurocentrism – the dominance of European cultural
● Industry- inventions of machines that improved patterns.
production; the rise of urban centers or cities
Counterculture – cultural patterns that rejects
● Postindustrial information technology - knowledge and opposes those widely accepted within a
is a commodity and technological innovation is the society. i.e.
key to long lasting growth and development.
• Hippies of the 60’s
• Street Gangs
• Extreme right-wing religious groups
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Cultural Integration – the close relationships
among various elements of a cultural system.
Cultural Lag - some elements of culture change
faster than others.
Cultural Changes - new cultural elements. i.e.
usage of cellphones, Blackberry, iPhones
Cultural Diffusion - spread of objects from one
society to another
Ethnocentrism – the practice of judging another
culture by the standards of one’s own culture.
Cultural Relativism – the practice of evaluating a
culture by that culture’s own standards.
A Global Culture
● Global economy: the flow of goods
● Global communication: the flow of information
● Global migration: the flow of people
MODULE 1: DEFINING CULTURE
LESSON 2 THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVES ON CULTURE
Theoretical Analysis of Culture
(A) Functionalism,(structural-functional theory)
 Sees society as a structure
interrelated parts designed to meet the
biological and social needs of
individuals in that society.
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 Functionalism grew out of the writings of
English philosopher and biologist, Herbert
Spencer (1820–1903), who saw similarities
between society and the human body;
 He argued that just as the various
organs of the body work together to keep
the body functioning, the various parts
of society work together to keep society
functioning (Spencer 1898).
 The parts of society that Spencer referred
to were the social institutions, or patterns
of beliefs and behaviors focused on meeting
social needs, such as government, education,
family, healthcare, religion, and the
economy.
 Émile Durkheim, another early sociologist,
applied Spencer’s theory to explain how
societies change and survive over time.
 Durkheim believed that society is a
complex system of interrelated and
interdependent parts that work together
to maintain stability (Durkheim 1893),
and that society is held together by
shared values, languages, and symbols.
 He believed that to study society, a
sociologist must look beyond
individuals to social facts such as
laws, morals, values, religious
with beliefs, customs, fashion, and rituals,
which all serve to govern social life.
the  Alfred Radcliff-Brown (1881–1955) defined
the function of any recurrent activity as
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the part it played in social life as a whole,
and therefore the contribution it makes to
social stability and continuity (Radcliff-
Brown 1952). In a healthy society, all parts
work together to maintain stability, a state
called dynamic equilibrium by later
sociologists such as Parsons (1961).
 Durkheim believed that individuals may make
up society, but in order to study society,
sociologists have to look beyond individuals
to social facts.
 Social facts are the laws, morals, values,
religious beliefs, customs, fashions,
rituals, and all of the cultural rules that
govern social life (Durkheim 1895). Each of
these social facts serves one or more
functions within a society. For example, one
function of a society’s laws may be to
protect society from violence, while another
is to punish criminal behavior, while
another is to preserve public health.
 Robert Merton (1910–2003), pointed out that
social processes often have many functions.
 Manifest functions are the consequences of a
social process that are sought or
anticipated, while latent functions are the
unsought consequences of a social process.
 A manifest function of college education,
for example, includes gaining knowledge,
preparing for a career, and finding a good
job that utilizes that education.
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 Latent functions of your college years
include meeting new people, participating in
extracurricular activities, or even finding
a spouse or partner. Another latent function
of education is creating a hierarchy of
employment based on the level of education
attained. Latent functions can be
beneficial, neutral, or harmful.
 Social processes that have undesirable
consequences for the operation of society
are called dysfunctions. In education,
examples of dysfunction include getting bad
grades, truancy, dropping out, not
graduating, and not finding suitable
employment.
A Global Culture
Sociologists around the world look closely for signs
of what would be an unprecedented event: the
emergence of a global culture. In the past, empires
such as those that existed in China, Europe, Africa,
and Central and South America linked people from
many different countries, but those people rarely
became part of a common culture. They lived too far
from each other, spoke different languages,
practiced different religions, and traded few goods.
Today, increases in communication, travel, and trade
have made the world a much smaller place. More and
more people are able to communicate with each other
instantly— wherever they are located—by telephone,
video, and text. They share movies, television
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shows, music, games, and information over the
Internet. Students can study with teachers and
pupils from the other side of the globe. Governments
find it harder to hide conditions inside their
countries from the rest of the world.
Sociologists research many different aspects of this
potential global culture. Some explore the dynamics
involved in the social interactions of global online
communities, such as when members feel a closer
kinship to other group members than to people
residing in their own countries. Other sociologists
study the impact this growing international culture
has on smaller, less-powerful local cultures. Yet
other researchers explore how international markets
and the outsourcing of labor impact social
inequalities. Sociology can play a key role in
people’s abilities to understand the nature of this
emerging global culture and how to respond to it.
B. Conflict theory
 Looks at society as a competition for limited
resources. This perspective is a macro-level
approach most identified with the writings of
German philosopher and sociologist Karl Marx
(1818–1883), who saw society as being made up
of individuals in different social classes who
must compete for social, material, and
political resources such as food and housing,
employment, education, and leisure time.
 Social institutions like government,
education, and religion reflect this
competition in their inherent inequalities and
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help maintain the unequal social structure.
Some individuals and organizations are able to
obtain and keep more resources than others, and
these “winners” use their power and influence to
maintain social institutions.
 Several theorists suggested variations on this
basic theme. Polish-Austrian sociologist
Ludwig Gumplowicz (1838–1909) expanded on
Marx’s ideas by arguing that war and conquest
are the basis of civilizations.
 He believed that cultural and ethnic
conflicts led to states being identified
and defined by a dominant group that had
power over other groups (Irving 2007).
 German sociologist Max Weber agreed with Marx
but also believed that, in addition to economic
inequalities, inequalities of political power
and social structure cause conflict.
 Weber noted that different groups were
affected differently based on education,
race, and gender, and that people’s
reactions to inequality were moderated by
class differences and rates of social
mobility, as well as by perceptions about
the legitimacy of those in power.
 German sociologist Georg Simmel (1858–1918)
believed that conflict can help integrate and
stabilize a society.
 He said that the intensity of the conflict
varies depending on the emotional
involvement of the parties, the degree of
solidarity within the opposing groups, and
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the clarity and limited nature of the
goals. Simmel also showed that groups work
to create internal solidarity, centralize
power, and reduce dissent.
 Resolving conflicts can reduce tension and
hostility and can pave the way for future
agreements. In the 1930s and 1940s, German
philosophers, known as the Frankfurt School,
developed critical theory as an elaboration on
Marxist principles. Critical theory is an
expansion of conflict theory and is broader
than just sociology, including other social
sciences and philosophy.
 A critical theory attempts to address
structural issues causing inequality; it
must explain what’s wrong in current
social reality, identify the people who
can make changes, and provide practical
goals for social transformation (Horkeimer
1982).
 More recently, inequality based on gender or
race has been explained in a similar manner and
has identified institutionalized power
structures that help to maintain inequality
between groups.
 Janet Saltzman Chafetz (1941–2006) presented a
model of feminist theory that attempts to
explain the forces that maintain gender
inequality as well as a theory of how such a
system can be changed (Turner 2003).
 Similarly, critical race theory grew out of a
critical analysis of race and racism from a
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legal point of view. Critical race theory looks
at structural inequality based on white
privilege and associated wealth, power, and
prestige.
 The social–conflict paradigm suggests that many
cultural traits function to the advantage of
some and the disadvantage of others. Conflicts
present in our society includes gender, race
and class struggles. The tendency of a given
culture to ascribe particular characteristics
and roles is called stereotyping. Men and women
are conditioned to act out roles in their
behavior and thinking which are determined by
society as appropriate. It is important to note
and realize that their stereotyped
roles/characteristics and their fictitious
idea are assigned by society and therefore can
be challenged and undone.
C. Socio-biology
 The systematic study of the biological basis of
social behaviour. The term sociobiology was
popularized by the American biologist Edward O.
Wilson in his book Sociobiology: The New
Synthesis (1975).
 Sociobiology attempts to understand and explain
animal (and human) social behaviour in the
light of natural selection and other biological
processes. One of its central tenets is that
genes (and their transmission through
successful reproduction) are the central
motivators in animals’ struggle for survival,
and that animals will behave in ways that
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maximize their chances of transmitting copies adaptive purpose of their own. Some
of their genes to succeeding generations. Since sociobiologists—Wilson in particular—have been
behaviour patterns are to some extent accused of attributing adaptive value to
inherited, the evolutionary process of natural various widespread but morally objectionable
selection can be said to foster those behaviours (such as sexism and racism), thereby
behavioural (as well as physical) traits that justifying them as natural or inevitable.
increase an individual’s chances of Defenders of sociobiology reply that at least
reproducing. some aspects of human behaviour must be
 Sociobiology has contributed several insights biologically influenced (because competition
to the understanding of animal social with other species would select for this
behaviour. It explains apparently altruistic trait); that evolutionary explanations of human
behaviour in some animal species as actually behaviour are not defective in principle but
being genetically selfish, since such should be evaluated in the same way as other
behaviours usually benefit closely related scientific hypotheses; and that sociobiology
individuals whose genes resemble those of the does not imply strict biological determinism.
altruistic individual. This insight helps Module 1 defining Culture
explain why soldier ants sacrifice their lives
in order to defend their colony, or why worker Lesson 3 THE MATERIALITY OF POPULAR CULTURE
honeybees in a hive forego reproduction in
Introduction
order to help their queen reproduce.
Sociobiology can in some cases explain the Hi students! Today we are going to discuss about
differences between male and female behaviour Materiality of Popular Culture. This lesson examines
in certain animal species as resulting from the culture as material culture. Culture is about making
different strategies the sexes must resort to the world signify. It matters because signification
in order to transmit their genes to posterity. helps organize and regulate social practice.
 Sociobiology is more controversial, however, According to actor-network-theory, popular culture
when it attempts to explain various human it is not just people acting and interacting, it is
social behaviours in terms of their adaptive about people acting and interacting with material
value for reproduction. Many of these objects, and material object interacting with each
behaviours, according to one objection, are other. In a network, all the actor acts: there is
more plausibly viewed as cultural constructs or movement not between intermediaries but between
as evolutionary by-products, without any direct mediators. Materiality is mute outside culture,

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until it is made to signify by human action. Material
objects have to be realized as meaningful by social
practice. When different cultures share the same
material object, what marks cultural differences is
obviously not these objects but the different
meanings of these objects and how these meaning are
realized in social practice.
ABSTRACTION
Youth subcultures are an obvious example of the
visibility of materiality in popular culture, this
can be seen through the drug of their choice, a
particular dress code, social spaces that are
occupied, a particular music providing an aural
landscape.
Further, most people's lives are filled with
material objects. We interact with material objects
in many ways; we produce and consume them, we
exchange them, we talk about them and admire them,
and we use them to say things about ourselves.
Sometimes the material capacities of an object are
such that they transform what we do.
CAR: It has helped bring about fundamental change in
the popular culture of shopping -- not only how we
shop, but also who shops.
MOBILE PHONE: It is now impossible to walk down the
high street of any town or city and not see people
using mobile phones to talk, text, take photographs
or listen to music. As such, it democratized the
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self-portrait – making possible the so-called
“selfie”.
There are a lot of material objects that has
contributed to the changes on the way of our lives
nowadays.
There are different ways to think theoretically
about the materiality of popular culture i.e.
 Actor-Network-Theory
 Cultural Studies
 Material Culture.
A. Actor- Network-Theory
 According to actor-network-theory, popular
culture is not just people acting and
interacting, it is people acting and
interacting with material objects and
material objects interacting with each
other.
 Example. Whether or not we use a bus or a
car to travel, wear formal or casual clothes
to meet friends, drink wine or water, sleep
on holiday in a tent or a hotel, these
material objects make a difference to the
realization of our actions and interactions.
 Many of our activities are through material
objects of a variety of kinds. Anything that
does modify a state of affairs by making a
difference is called an actor (Latour,
2007).
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 The interaction between actors always takes
place in networks. In other words, to
understand one thing, you have to see it in
relation to other things; see it as part of
a network. It is how something performs or
is made to perform within a given network
that determines its situated therefore
temporary meaning and significance.
 i.e. public library exhibits a collection of
photographs of a local community (although
taken by different individuals, the gallery
would situate them all in a network in which
these differences of subject and purpose
would be diminished, as they would all be,
at least temporarily, of significance
because of what that tell the exhibition's
audience about the local area)
 Material objects can be mediators and
intermediaries.
 Intermediaries - convey meaning unchanged.
 Mediators - transform, translate, distort,
and modify the meaning they are supposed to
carry.
 i.e. Powerpoint and LED television/Projector
(Both technologies are fundamental to the
experience of our interaction in the class.
Interaction between us involves certain tech
and these do not just work as intermediaries,
they act as mediators.)
B. Meaning and Materiality
 A Bottle of Drink (at first it is an
intermediary, but when offered to woman by a
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man, it becomes a mediator as it convey of
an attempt to start a relationship.
 A network is 'a string of actions where each
participant is treated as a full-blown
mediator.
 In a network all the actors act: there is
movement not between intermediaries but
between mediators. 'As soon as actors are
treated not as intermediaries but as
mediators, they render the movement of the
social visible'. In a network there is not a
transport of causality between
intermediaries but a series of connections
in which actors make other actors act. It is
by recognizing the interaction between the
human and the material that popular culture
and everyday life become fully visible to
our analysis.
 In other words, if we are to understand
everyday life, and popular culture as its
primary feature, we have to fully recognize
the role of material objects. As Latour
argues, we should not think of the social
and the material as separate categories. It
is the weaving together of both material and
social; that is, it is human-to-human,
object-to-object, and human-to-object
actions and interactions that make visible
the materiality of popular culture.
 This admixture can take various forms: a text
message written on a phone, musical sounds
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produced by human body, graffti painted on a
wall, a toy loved by a child.
 Cultural studies defines culture as a
realized signifying system. Material objects
surround us and we interact with them and we
use them to interact with others. They
accompany us through the shifting narratives
of our lives, becoming the material of our
emotions and our thoughts.
 Popular culture is never just the
materiality of things; it is always a
simultaneous entanglement of meaning,
materiality and social practice. This
admixture can take various forms: a text
message written on a phone, musical sounds
produced by human body, graffiti painted on
a wall, a toy loved by a child.
MODULE 2: POPULAR CULTURE AROUND THE WORLD
LESSON 4: WESTERN POPULAR CULTURE
Hello learners! Welcome to Lesson 5 The Popular
Culture Around the World. Now, we will travel and
discover new things that will give you more
knowledge about the culture around the world. When
people talk about Western Culture, what exactly they
are referring to?
Western Culture is an incredibly broad term used to
describe the social norms, belief system,
traditions, customs, values, and so forth that have
their origin in Europe or based on European Culture.
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United States of America for example, is firmly
western in culture. American culture is as diverse
as American people, drawing on the traditions of the
nation’s many immigrants. American culture also
reflects the nation’s democratic ideals, as
Americans have pioneered in forms of entertainment,
such as baseball and movies, which are aimed at mass
audiences.
The east coast of the United States was originally
a British colony, and as America developed its own
independent nation, it carried with it many elements
of European culture.
French Culture, Spanish Culture and British culture
are all sub-categories under the broad loose
category of Western Culture. Europe and much of the
western hemisphere is western in culture. This is in
contrast to Asia which is eastern in culture and
Africa which -you guessed it- has its own unique
African culture. Australia is largely western in
culture.
Western culture is a pretty fluid and loose term
because it encompasses so much. Some of the central
characteristics of western culture include,
democracy, rational thinking, individualism,
Christianity, capitalism, modern technology human
rights, scientific thinking.
ABSTRACTION
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Among the three effects of globalization on culture,
the growth of global “pop culture” tends to get the
most attention, and to strike people on a visceral
level. Many complain that this form of globalization
is actually Americanization, because the United
States is by far the biggest producer of popular
culture goods.
Pop culture is manifested around the world through
movies, music, television shows, newspapers,
satellite broadcasts, fast food and clothing, among
other entertainment and consumer goods
For the United States, the entertainment industry is
one of the most important spheres of economic
activity. In fact, the U.S. entertainment industry
generates more revenue from overseas sales than any
other industry other than the commercial aerospace
industry. Many would say that this new juggernaut of
American industry has propelled the American pop
culture around the world at a frenetic pace.
Reality television is a popular medium for the
broadcast of American culture. One of the most
prominent examples is “Keeping up with the
Kardashians” which follows the family life of the
Kardashian family. The show has developed a
dedicated following internationally and has
contributed to an idea of a glamorous American
lifestyle that is practiced by the family. This
reality show and other like it have contributed to
a rise of celebrities who are “famous for being
famous” (O’Rourke, 2011).
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The growth of the influence of American television
has been mirrored within the film industry, as well.
Viewed from the perspective of other countries, the
dominance of the United States film industry in
Europe has been a rapidly and recently growing
concern (Dager, n.d).
Recently, countries in Europe such as France have
passed protectionist measures, to facilitate the
growth of the film industry domestically, which have
damaged the share of American films overseas. The
current share is 60-75 percent across Western Europe
(Hopewell, 2013).
American movies and television shows, which are
commonly referred to in trade parlance as audio-
visual services, are therefore an important
commodity among U.S. exports. This is perhaps doubly
the case with regard to inherently cultural
products. Not only do foreign nations worry about
their own domestic entertainment industries from an
economic standpoint, but they also worry about the
effects on their culture.
For many citizens of other countries, American films
and televisions shows are not just another
commodity.
I. The Spread of American Pop Culture
 Globalization enables foreign companies to
distribute American cultural products,
including music and books. The spread of
American restaurant chains and consumer
products worldwide is accompanied by the spread
 MIDTERM
of American popular culture. In recent years, What is the role of TV in Western popular
American movies, music, and TV shows have Culture?
consistently gained more and more audiences  American cultural products are influential in the
worldwide. television industry, as well. For example,
 The products of popular musicians are also American company CNN exemplify the global news.
likely to be distributed by non-U.S. companies However, television remains a more local cultural
such as Japan’s Sony, Germany’s Bertelsmann AG, form than movies, music, or publications.
France’s Vivendi, or the United Kingdom’s EMI  However, there was a time when television had a
Group. Similarly, American authors are significant impact on Eastern European politics.
increasingly published by foreign media Television series such as ―Dallas‖ and ―Dynasty‖
conglomerates. were viewed by individuals living behind the Iron
 Canada is one of the best examples of a country Curtain and offered an unrealistic, but appealing
where U.S. cultural products dominate despite alternative to the communist lifestyle.
the Canadian government’s efforts to preserve Therefore, we can say that television has played
local culture. Canadian films account for just an important role in propagating Western popular
2.1 percent of Canadian film ticket sales, and culture, though majorly Americanized.
the vast majority of the remaining 98 percent  Through this medium, the proliferation of
are American. In most other countries, however, technology, news/ideas, entertainment, language,
American cultural products are not as fashion and sports is made even wider and farther
widespread as they are in Canada, and they face across borders.
more domestic competition. In most cases, two
general trends can be observed: III. Pop Culture Values
 Many American cultural products tend to be  Almost by definition, popular culture has
popular with people of very different attained an immense global following precisely
societies. because it is popular. For many citizens of other
 Despite the popularity of American countries though, the near take-over of their own
cultural products, other countries still cultural industries, especially for younger
produce a substantial number of films, audiences, is of great concern.
music, books, and TV shows.  As sociologist Peter Berger points out, pop
culture:
II. Television
o 'Carries a significant freight of beliefs
and values. Take the case of rock music. Its
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 MIDTERM
attraction is not just due to a particular
preference for loud, rhythmic sound and
dangerously athletic dancing. Rock music
also symbolizes a whole cluster of cultural
values—concerning self-expression,
spontaneity, released sexuality, and perhaps
most importantly, defiance of the alleged
stodginess of tradition.'
Module 2 POPULAR CULTURE AROUND THE WORLD
LESSON 4 EASTERN POPULAR CULTURE
INTRODUCTION
Filipino has always been welcoming of foreign trends
and culture. As such, Korean culture and trends as
seen in Korean dramas have invaded and been deeply
rooted in Philippine society today. Korean dramas
have greatly influenced the food fashion, cosmetics
and entertainment industries, as well as people’s
views and preferences. The Korean Wave receivers are
likely to experience in Korean culture in order to
fully understand the context of films, dramas, and
K-pop. As a representative content the Korean wave,
K-pop as a part of a global trend especially popular
among the youth (Jang et.al.,2012:80).
ABSTRACTION
A decade on, and the English-speaking world remains
dominated by American-made music, films and
television. Yet, there's been a noticeable shift: a
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steady rise in the influence of South Korean and
Japanese pop culture exports.
In 2019, Japanese consultant Marie Kondo taught us
how to declutter our lives in her Netflix hit
"Tidying Up with Marie Kondo."
South Korean pop groups BTS and Blackpink showed us
big-budget, action-packed music videos -- and
smashed YouTube records in the process.
Also, "Parasite" became the first South Korean film
to win a Palme d'Or and an Oscars-- and then the
film's director Bong Joon-ho appeared on "The
Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" speaking mainly
in Korean.
That capped off a decade that's seen the rise of
East Asian pop culture in the West, including the
catchy "Gangnam Style" by flamboyant South Korean
rapper PSY (2012) and the glacially-slow romances in
Japanese reality show "Terrace House" (which came to
Netflix in 2015).
Top English-language fashion magazines like "Vogue"
and "Elle" now regularly feature South Korean beauty
products, apparently endorsed by actresses Drew
Barrymore and Emma Stone.
"Asia is becoming an increasingly significant
cultural force," consulting firm McKinsey noted in
a 2019 discussion paper.
"In contrast to the past when the region was largely
a recipient of Western culture, with Asian citizens
enthusiastic consumers of Hollywood movies and
 MIDTERM
British pop music, for instance. Today, cultural flows and influences (Park, 2019). In the past,
flows go in both directions." traditional media platforms like television and
radio stations have controlled what we see and
I. The Growing Influence of East Asian Pop
hear.
Culture
 East Asian pop culture also offers something
 A decade ago, Japanese anime like Pokemon and
else: Diversity. Susanna Lim, a professor of
Digimon was already a fixture in the West. Hong
Asian studies at the University of Oregon, says
Kong martial arts stars Jackie Chan and Bruce
Western fans are demanding greater diversity
Lee were household names. Analysts were already
than they did in the past. She points to K-pop
using the phrase "hallyu" -- or "Korean wave"
fans as an example, noting that many are from
in Korean -- to refer to the spread of South
diverse backgrounds, and may also feel
Korean fashion, beauty products, television
marginalized by American mainstream culture.
dramas and music in other countries, especially
 "The growing interest in East Asian pop culture
in Asia.
reflects these changing demographics and
 Accordingly, 'the East is coming.' In fact, it
cultural awareness in the US and the West," she
has been for a while," said Anthony Fung, an
said. K-pop is packed full of Western
expert in pop culture at the Chinese University
influences, so it can feel both familiar and
of Hong Kong. But in the past decade, East Asian
unfamiliar to Western audiences, Lim added.
pop culture -- particularly from South Korea -
- has really taken off. Now there's not just
II. The Effect of the East Asian Spread
one Kung Fu star or one anime, but a range of
 Western fans of K-pop and other cultural
different East Asian exports.
products might initially be drawn in by
 Jung-Sun Park, a professor and coordinator of
flashy dance moves and edgy fashion, but it's
Asian-Pacific studies at California State
having a ripple effect in other areas.
University at Dominguez Hills, says social
 Enrollments in Japanese and Korean programs
media and the internet have "totally
transformed the transnational flows of pop in the United States increased between 2013
and 2016, according to a study by the Modern
culture."
Language Association of America.Enrollments
 The various social media platforms have
for Korean language programs rose by 13.7%,
revolutionized the ways in which individuals
by far the largest increase of any language
encounter and consume pop culture and have
being taught.
greatly diversified the routes of pop cultural

17 | P a g e
 MIDTERM
 K-pop is also boosting tourist arrivals to
South Korea. According to Korean think tank
Hyundai Research Institute, K-pop group BTS
helped inspire an estimated one in 13
tourists that visited the country in 2017.
That same report found that, if BTS maintain
their popularity, they will contribute a
projected 56.16 trillion South Korean won
($48 billion) to the country's economy by
2023.
 Jo Elfving-Hwang, an associate professor of
Korean Studies at the University of Western
Australia, said that Korean Australians she
had interviewed hadn't been interested in
Korean pop culture, but started paying
attention after being introduced to it by
their non-Korean friends. "This is an
interesting example of global popular
culture that has been driven by external
recognition of the cultural attractiveness
rather than a push by local diasporas
(Elfving-Hwang, 2019)."
III. What the Future Looks Like
 Experts say there's every reason to think Japan
and South Korea's cultural exports will
continue to have an impact in the coming
decade. The big question mark is over China.
 Although China's rising economic and political
influence has made it much more prominent on
the world stage than it was a decade ago, it
has barely made a dent on the West's pop culture
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landscape. Fung says China's limited impact is
partly because there's less of an economic need
for Chinese entertainment companies to look
abroad -- it's the most populous country in the
world, so there's already a huge domestic
market.
 Another reason, though, is the strict control
that China's Communist Party imposes on Chinese
media. Regulators have banned actors with
tattoos and censored song lyrics. Chinese state
media outlets have also criticized male
celebrities who appear effeminate or not manly
in appearance. Professor Elfving-Hwang says
it's "harder to imagine" the Chinese music
industry ever having the same international
appeal as K-pop. "But you never know," she
said.
 In the next decade, Elfving-Hwang thinks East
Asian pop culture will keep going strong -- and
she sees that as a good thing.
 "If K-pop can actually make people curious
enough to take quite a big step like learning
a language," she said, "And then through that
gain more understanding about the culture ...
I think that will have a really significant
impact on how we can communicate in the future.
 We will also discuss on How K-Attracted Tourism
Boost and the Koreanovela Invasion in the
Philippines. Because we all knew that a lot of
people in the Philippines loves Korean drama,
musics and many more. The Korean television
series Winter Sonata became popular in Japan
 MIDTERM
and Japanese tourist agencies offered location
tours to various filming sites in Korea. Kamiya
(2004) noted that these are 'prime examples of
how movies and television programs can not only
transport viewers to another world, but also
inspire them to travel.'
 The Hallyu, or ―Korean wave,'' was first coined
in 1999 by Beijing journalists who were
surprised by the growing popularity of South
Korean entertainment and culture in China (J.Y.
Kim, 2007). Today, the term is used to refer to
Korean popular culture at large, which usually
includes tv drams, movies, music, food, and
fashion.As mentioned in various studies, the
Korean wave has had considerable impact on
Korea's tourism and has led to a dramatic
increase in international tourist arrivals
there, specifically to locations associated
with Korean tv dramas (Rewtrakunphaiboon, 2009;
Lim, 2008).
 Moreover, Dae Jang Geum (literally The Great
Jang Geum), or Jewel in the Palace in English,
is a fifty-four-episode drama produced by the
Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation (MBC). It tells
the success story of Dae Jang Geum who became
the first female royal doctor despite coming
from the lower class.
 It is also a story of complicated relationships
involving love and hate. Also, it presented a
reproduction of the Korean royal palace in the
Joseon dynasty, featuring the food and medical
treatments of that period (Zabala, 2013).
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Finally, it should be noted that the most
number of visitors came from neighboring East
Asia i.e. Japan, China, and Taiwan. This is
attributed not only due to geographical
proximity but also to cultural proximity.
 Tourism is first and foremost a business. The
influx of increased tourist numbers would
generate more revenue for the local economy as
well as increased awareness of filming location
destinations not only locally but also
internationally (Zabala, 2013).
IV. The Koreanovela Invasion in the Philippines
 Filipino audiences had long been caught by
Latin American soap operas, specifically
Mexican telenovelas.”Telenovela” is a term used
to refer to television drama series or soap
opera, particularly those from Latin America.
 After the introduction of other imported tv
drama series from Taiwan and Korea, the term
was appropriated to refer to Taiwanese drama
series as “Chinovela” (i.e. Meteor Garden) and
to Korean drama as “Koreanovela”.
 Local tv stations started showing Korean dramas
regularly in the same year, 2003 i.e. Endless
Love 1: Autumn in My Heart. Local free tv
channels must have seen it as an opening for
more Korean dramas, as they had already made
their way to East Asia and other Southeast
Asian countries.
 Since then, a number of Korean dramas or
Koreanovelas have been shown on local
 MIDTERM
television, including Endlss Love, Lovers in independent investors and groups in producing and
Paris, Full House,Jewel in the Palace and so financing films and the commercialization of the
on. Lin and Tong (2008) concluded that Korean TV sector led to a more competitive environment
dramas provide a space where traditional for the production of TV dramas; both contributed
femininity is reaffirmed and modern femininity to the diversification of themes and the overall
presented. Aspects of sociocultural reality, improvement in quality of media and cultural
culture, and society are reflected in dramas as products in S.Korea (Gongora, 2013).
well as idealistic femininities desired by
consumers.
 Cho Hae-Joang (2005) stressed that Korean pop
culture helped define a new ―Asian femininity.‖
Attractiveness, softness, tenderness, and
faithfulness to their loved ones are some of
the qualities of the ideal woman portrayed in
Korean dramas . Also, masculinity through the
projection of the ideal man i.e. handsome,
caring, perfect, cool, etc. is portrayed (Lin
and Tong, 2008).
Common scenes in Koreanovelas
a. Slapping face
b. Hitting the back of the head or the nape
c. Kicking people
d. Dringking alcoholic beverage i.e beer/soju
e. Being carried piggyback
f. Divorse
g. Suicide
In conclusion, the South Korean Government's
initiative, as well as the Korean people's demand
for globalization and liberalization in the media
and culture, resulted in the production of better
films and television dramas. The advent of
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