Why does Korea import only bad American media?
By Kimberly Walker
If I could poll a random collection of Korean nationals on the street, a majority of them would be able to tell me who Justin Bieber and Paris Hilton are, what Jersey Shore is, and could give me at least two to five typical American slang words heard in pop, hip-hop and rap songs.
But how is it possible that most Koreans know such pop-culture references, yet do not take the time to learn about what real Americans are like? It is the opinion of this writer that importation of the wrong kind of American films and exaggerated cultural ``icons” is to blame.
As an American who has observed Korea and the Korean culture as well as its pop culture, I have found myself severely disappointed that most Koreans actually absorb and believe the utter tripe they encounter from poor import decisions.
Korean nationals whom I have met and befriended are bewildered upon meeting me, informing me that I am nothing like they thought I would be. Why? Because their only exposure to black Americans is through rap and hip-hop videos. They also admit to watching movies where the minority characters are portrayed as uneducated, un-enterprising and immoral.
Learning that it is actually commonplace for younger generation minorities to have a college education, solid moral backgrounds and varied taste in music and culture serves as a big shock to Koreans who move to thriving American urban centers.
Even white Americans who, along with minorities, move to Korea to teach and work are met with judgmental eyes and mindsets that are learned by witnessing the wrong kind of American culture.
Also, it seems that it is not well-known in Korea that America comprises a vast variety of cultures and ethnicities, a melting pot representative of each spice from every nook and cranny on Earth. Not only does the U.S. have the advantage of a wide variety in our everyday lives (I can eat Chinese one night, eat lunch at a Mediterranean café and then shop for dinner at a Korean or Mexican grocery, all on the same street), we have the opportunity to observe and learn about the unique cultures and people who call America home.
It is commonplace to attend schools and become friends with children of every color, every race, even some who use English as a second language. Also, Hollywood and local media, as well as our government, reflect the diversity of the United States. Actors, celebrities, newscasters, reporters and government officials are not decided by their race or shade. They are praised and celebrated for their merits and what they can bring to the table.
Because we, as Americans, have been exposed to such a variety since a young age, we are more accepting of the cultures and people around the world. Therefore, America is not a loose nation; we are a tolerant nation.
Americans are typically thought of, by Koreans, as loose, immoral and harbingers of social decline, when in fact, your average American resembles nothing of the images portrayed in movies and television shows.
That is the reason we Americans watch these shows in droves: For the entertainment value. Seldom does the American viewership identify with the characters and situations portrayed on screen. That is why we can watch the ridiculous, immoral shows on MTV and laugh.
This is why we gather in groups in front of our television sets to watch the latest violent episode of ``True Blood” or casually leave the TV running in the background during controversial morning talk shows. It is all in the name of entertainment.
It would be great if, instead of taking exported American films and television at face value, Koreans would enjoy and love these mediums for what they are: pure entertainment. They do not serve as propaganda to soil the moral fabric of ``less corrupt” nations, nor do they serve as a cultural study of the lives of the average American.
As a fan in a fast-growing group of American-Korean drama and music exports, I look forward to the moment when Korea can see us as equals, not a threat.
Kimberly Walker is a writer and photographer. She holds a B.A. in English literature and a B.S. in psychology from Louisiana State University and resides in Austin, Texas. She is an avid lover of Korean dramas and K-Pop, and can be reached at kpopdriveby@gmail.com.