THE KOREAN WAVE: INFLUENCES OF KOREAN POPULAR

CULTURE AMONG THE TEACHERS AND STUDENTS OF

ROSALES NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL

A research presented to the faculty of Senior High School Department

Rosales National High School, Rosales Pangasinan

in partial fulfillment of the requirement in

Practical Research II

Researcher/s:

SHAIKA T. ALFONSO

JOSE ALBERTO CHRISTOPHE A. CHAN

VANESSA JADE L. GABUYO

GRACE JOI G. OBILLO

JACQUILYN P. NUÑEZ

Research Teacher

October 2023
 CHAPTER I

THE PROBLEM

Background of the Study

The Korean wave has been popular since the late 1990s, from China to East Asia,

including Taiwan and Japan. The regional distribution of Korean cultural products began with

trendy dramas, then extended to popular songs and movies, with the growth of Korean media

markets bringing the wave to the Philippines’ seashores. The term Hallyu was first mentioned in

Chinese media and was used to refer to the popularity of Korean cultural products abroad,

which include dramas and music. It also means ― a sudden cold wave, a warning for the

Chinese people to be cautious of Korean popular culture. Hallyu brought South Korean culture

to everyone who has access to television, movie houses, and the internet. This develops further

interest not merely for entertainment’s sake but also for the country, the people, and anything

Korean. We also say that Hallyu is a product of globalization and has deliberately or

inadvertently popularized Korean culture in various ways. In many aspects, Filipino culture is

already a mash-up of various cultures that have been heated up in the scorching Southeast

Asian sun. It is clear in the language, cuisine, infrastructure, and other aspects of Filipino

culture. The entire world was swept up in the advent of the Korean wave, also known as Hallyu.

Of course, the Philippines is not an exception. From throngs of passionate K-pop fans to a

profusion of Korean super markets, it's no wonder that the majority of Filipinos appreciate

Korean culture (Castillo, 2022).

The Philippines has welcomed K-pop artists into the Filipino multimedia scene. The love

for K-pop has extended to the love for culture and the arts, among many other Korean activities

incorporated into their daily lives. Since the rise of internet culture, Filipinos spend more time

and consume media content on the internet than in traditional media like television and radio
(Chua, 2021). In addition to that, various Korean acts, from K-pop groups to K-drama actors,

were regularly showcased in Manila through concerts and fan meetings (Capistrano, 2019). The

study by Capistrano (2019) even showed that Filipinos were spending a good amount of money

to keep up with their fandom. This money is spent on music albums, supplementary

merchandise, and concert tickets. The Philippines has been a consistent destination for K-pop

concerts.

The production and influx of Korean material across all media increased as fan

gatherings, concerts, and other K-culture-related events increased, and content consumption hit

all-time highs in recent years. However, it is not isolated to music; K-drama and entertainment

products have also made it onto the scene. Korean television dramas, also known as Korea

novels, have long had a particular appeal to the hearts of many Filipinos. The phrase Korea

novela was created by combining the terms Korean and telenovela. But K-Dramas in the

Philippines increased yet another milestone as the immensely popular smash dramas "Crash

Landing on You" and "Itaewon Class" appeared through the subscription service Netflix (Dong-

man, 2018).

In terms of competition with the local industry in the Philippines, recent data shows that

K-pop is in close competition with OPM (Original Pilipino Music). Filipinos prefer K-pop when

listening to upbeat music, while OPM is for slow songs such as acoustic ones (Sinay, 2019).

This only shows that local pop music in the Philippines is relatively weak to contest Filipinos'

preference for a large variety of K-pop music offerings. Some factors worth considering are that

K-pop groups are more dynamic, and the amount of media content (music shows, album

promotions, participation in variety shows) they produce for public consumption is diverse.

Compared to Filipino pop singers, who are limited to releasing songs online and performing only

in local television noontime shows (Kim, 2016; Capistrano, 2019), despite language barriers, K-

pop is a total package in terms of artistic content. From music production to performances, K-
pop is good at communicating to its consumers what it entails to offer (Ryu et al., 2018). Not to

mention the hardship stories faced by rookie K-pop talents in their journey from debut to early

stages of success. In other words, K-pop is not only about the music but also the underlying

elements surrounding it. However, it must be noted that the only difference between K-pop and

OPM is the amount of content dedicated to fan consumption. Another factor is the support that

K-pop has been receiving from the Korean government and other encompassing industries in

order to help K-pop achieve its local and global goals. Nevertheless, OPM is still striving to keep

up with the Philippines’ local music industry through digital platforms. Unlike K-pop, however,

OPM is far from traversing the national borders (Beltran, 2018; Rappler, 2020).

The aforementioned phenomenon is just one of the manifestations of the growing

Korean cultural invasion in the Philippines. In fact, the Philippines' consumption of South Korean

culture has been highly severe and noticeable in many ways. For one, the acceptance and

adoption of large numbers of Filipinos to (South) Korean culture is highly transparent, with the

presence of numerous Korean-inspired restaurants, Korean restaurants (the so-called authentic

ones), and for another, the commercialization of Korean cosmetic brand stores and products,

Korean actors and idols' merchandise stores, and even the stability of Korean dramas and

movies aired on major Philippine television networks such as GMA. ABS-CBN and TV5 are

becoming more mainstream in Philippine pop culture. With all this evidence, the Hallyu fever

temperature is undeniably high and severe.

The Korean Wave is a cultural phenomenon that has had a significant impact on many

facets of the lives of the young at heart, teachers, and students of Rosales National High

School. The Korean Wave has influenced the community's cultural environment in a variety of

ways, including choices in food, music, and language focus, as well as trends in beauty and

fashion.
 Hallyu in the Philippines is not just a mere cultural phenomenon that will suddenly

vanish. It shows the identity of the Filipinos, their history, and their cultural weaknesses and

strengths. The Korean wave might be popular, but it still cannot escape criticism. They say that

embracing the Korean wave means setting aside Filipino material culture. However, that holds

true for some, but we can find actual benefits from it. Filipinos can learn a lot from Hallyu—the

way Koreans promote themselves and believe in their culture—that we can make our culture on

the same level as others as well as further develop people-to-people relations.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

This study aims to identify the Korean Popular Culture’s influences towards the

Millenialls and Gen Z's in the Senior High School of Rosales National High School in different

aspects such as in musics, fashion, foods, products, entertainment, lifestyle, etc. This research

study intends to conduct a personal interview wherein the respondent’s answers are significant

and can be used in able to complete this study.

Specifically, it seeks to answer the following questions below:

1. What is the profile of the respondents in terms of:

1.1. Age

1.2. Sex

1.3 Generation

2. What are the influences of Korean Popular Culture to the respondents in terms of:

2.1 Entertainment

2.2 Language and Learning

2.3 Beauty and Fashion Style

 2.4 Foods

2.5 Music

3. Is there a significant difference on the influence of the Korean Popular Culture across

the profile of the respondents?

NULL – HYPOTHESIS

H0. There is no significant difference on the influence of the Korean Popular Culture across the

profile of the respondents.

SCOPE AND DELIMITATION

This study's objective is to look at the Korean popular culture's influence on Filipinos

lifestyle at Rosales National High School. In particular, our goal is to comprehend how Korean

popular culture has influenced cultural adaption in Korea and how this has affected behavior

and lifestyle in general. 10 participants—Teachers and Students—from the Humanities and

Social Sciences Department will participate in the study, Millenialls and Gen Z's regardless of

their gender. This choice is significant because it enables us to concentrate on generations after

generations that are represented at the school. During the academic year 2023 – 2024, the

study will be performed at Rosales National High School. To gather data, the researchers will

employ the descriptive method and use the triangulation technique. Questionnaires will be

administered to the respondents, and interviews will be conducted to verify the authenticity and

accuracy of the data gathered. Additionally, relevant documents will be analyzed to supplement

the findings. By utilizing these methods, we aim to provide a comprehensive understanding of

the extent to which Korean popular culture has influenced the lifestyle of Filipinos in Rosales

National High School.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The significance of this study lies in its ability to shed light on the influences of Korean popular

culture, specifically the Korean Wave, on the teachers and students of Rosales National High

School. By examining the impact of Korean popular culture on students' lifestyles, this study

aims to raise awareness among various stakeholders, including students, teachers, parents,

and future researchers, about the consequences of this cultural phenomenon.

STUDENTS. This study will help them understand the influence of the Korean Wave on their

lifestyle and its positive and negative effects. By becoming aware of these consequences,

students will be able to make informed choices and navigate the cultural landscape more

consciously.

TEACHERS. This study will be a beneficial to every Teachers, to be informed about what the

Korean Wave is and how it influences students' lifestyle and relating to one's individual. This

knowledge will enable teachers to understand and better relate to students who are influenced

by Korean culture, allowing them to create a more inclusive and supportive learning

environment.

PARENTS. They will have benefit from this study as it will provide them with a broader

perspective and sufficient knowledge about the Korean Wave and its influence on their children.

Armed with this understanding, parents will be better equipped to guide and support their

children's interests and choices related to Korean popular culture.

FUTURE RESEARCHERS. This study find as a value as it provides comprehensive analysis

and valuable information for their own related studies. By exploring the influences of Korean

popular culture among teachers and students, this research serves as a foundation for further

investigations and contributes to the existing body of knowledge on the topic.

DEFINITION OF TERMS
 CHAPTER II

REVIEW ON RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

RELATED LITERATURE

FOREIGN

According to Howard & Lekakul (2018), the Korean Wave was dispersed all over Thailand

because of K-pop and K-drama. They even considered it as colonized leisure wherein it has

standards, hooks, and formulate. The vibrant aesthetics were the ones linked with the success

of the Hallyu. The country was attracted by the various colors accentuated in different music

videos of K-pop singers. Further, they feel that the sceneries in K-Dramas also add up to the

flame and attraction they see in the culture.

According to Sun & Liew (2019), the Korean sensation was propagated in China because of its

Multi-media presence. Through NRG (New Radiancy Group) and their performance that is truly

remarkable, the Chinese teenagers built different fandoms in support of K-pop groups. This was

considered as the sub-effect of media circulations of Asian pop culture which is why China is

affirmed to be part of the K-pop success in Asia. The clinging of China to K-pop paved the way

for its popularity as per the study. This reiterated the vibrant and joyous portrayal in music

videos in K-pop songs.

According to Kwon and Phau (2018), to investigate the influence of Korean popular culture,

particularly K-Pop and K-Dramas, on the identity of Chinese youth, exploring how exposure to

Korean popular culture shapes the identity of Chinese youth by examining their consumption

patterns, lifestyle choices, and preferences influenced by Korean entertainment. It delves into

the impact of K-Pop idols and K-Drama stars on identity formation among Chinese fans.
According to Sung Y.T (2019), Sung's book "Korean Food, K-Pop, and Hallyu," delves into the

globalization of Korean food and its connection to popular culture. It explores the intricate

relationship between Korean food, K-Pop, and Hallyu. It discusses how Korean food has been

influenced by the global spread of K-Pop and Hallyu, leading to the fusion of traditional Korean

culinary elements with contemporary international trends. This fusion affects cultural identity

through the lens of food.

According to Lee, Y.(2023), Lee's study provides an ethnographic analysis of middle-aged

female fans of Korean popular culture, often referred to as "Hanryu. Korean Popular Culture

offers an in-depth examination of the experiences and identities of middle-aged female fans who

are part of the "Hanryu" phenomenon. It explores how their engagement with Korean popular

culture, including K-Pop and K-Dramas, influences their cultural identities and self-expression. It

captures the way these fans navigate and negotiate their cultural identities as they participate in

and contribute to the global reach of Korean entertainment. It reveals the personal and social

dimensions of the intersection between popular culture and identity.

LOCAL

RELATED STUDIES

FOREIGN

LOCAL