Hollywoodisation in Kpop Music

Hollywoodisation… what is it? Well, once again I was listening to k-pop music. I decided to look at some of my most favourite music videos as well. Then it clicked to me. My definition of Hollywoodisation is when another country is westernising their music and movies. To be more precise, Klein (2004) describes the concept ‘Hollywoodisation’ and makes the point that Asian film industries are being ‘thoroughly integrated into them (American film industries) as local players at the levels of production, distribution and exhibition (Klein 2010, p.373)’. Although this quote talks about film industries, it can also apply to music.

Going through my k-pop songs, I noticed many things that could classify the Asian music industry as having gone through ‘hollywoodisation’. I have the original songs which are sung in Korean, but have a few English phrases thrown in. Then the songs are sung in complete English. And to top it off, remixes of the songs have been made to include popular American artists. To name a few, there is G-Dragons ‘Heartbreaker’ featuring Flo Rida, Girl’s Generations ‘The Boys’ featuring Snoop Dogg and Wonder Girls’ ‘Like Money’ featuring Akon. Collaborations have also been done with Will.i.am and B.o.B.

The video clips themselves are also not as ‘Asian’ as you think. They include things like flashy lights and the latest fashion while having their own spin such as dance routines (boy groups included). The music itself in Asia is very much ‘pop’. But now the music genres have even extended to hip hop and rap.

In summary, Hollywoodisation and Asianisation both involve the notion that ‘local cultures and global cultures powerfully interact (Ok 2009, p.45)’. in my opinion, as long as the music or film is entertaining, it does not matter what cultures are involved and who is taking over. Now, back to listening to my kpop…

References

Klein, Christina 2004, ‘Martial arts and globalisation of US and Asian film industries’, Comparative America Studies, vol. 2, no. 3, pp. 360-384. 

Ok 2009, ‘The Politics of the Korean Blockbuster: Narrating the Nation and the Spectacle of ‘Glocalisation’in 2009 Lost Memories’ received 22 Sepember 2013, http://cinema.usc.edu/assets/096/15620.pdf

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=quE6Cq4Q2bs

Hollywoodisation… what is it? Well, once again I was listening to k-pop music. I decided to look at some of my most favourite music videos as well. Then it clicked to me. My definition of Hollywoodisation is when another country is westernising their music and movies. To be more precise, Klein (2004) describes the concept ‘Hollywoodisation’ and makes the point that Asian film industries are being ‘thoroughly integrated into them (American film industries) as local players at the levels of production, distribution and exhibition (Klein 2010, p.373)’. Although this quote talks about film industries, it can also apply to music.

Going through my k-pop songs, I noticed many things that could classify the Asian music industry as having gone through ‘hollywoodisation’. I have the original songs which are sung in Korean, but have a few English phrases thrown in. Then the songs are sung in complete English. And to top it off, remixes of the songs have been made to include popular American artists. To name a few, there is G-Dragons ‘Heartbreaker’ featuring Flo Rida, Girl’s Generations ‘The Boys’ featuring Snoop Dogg and Wonder Girls’ ‘Like Money’ featuring Akon. Collaborations have also been done with Will.i.am and B.o.B.

The video clips themselves are also not as ‘Asian’ as you think. They include things like flashy lights and the latest fashion while having their own spin such as dance routines (boy groups included). The music itself in Asia is very much ‘pop’. But now the music genres have even extended to hip hop and rap.

In summary, Hollywoodisation and Asianisation both involve the notion that ‘local cultures and global cultures powerfully interact (Ok 2009, p.45)’. in my opinion, as long as the music or film is entertaining, it does not matter what cultures are involved and who is taking over. Now, back to listening to my kpop…

References

Klein, Christina 2004, ‘Martial arts and globalisation of US and Asian film industries’, Comparative America Studies, vol. 2, no. 3, pp. 360-384. 

Ok 2009, ‘The Politics of the Korean Blockbuster: Narrating the Nation and the Spectacle of ‘Glocalisation’in 2009 Lost Memories’ received 22 Sepember 2013, http://cinema.usc.edu/assets/096/15620.pdf

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=quE6Cq4Q2bs

Celebrities, i bow down to your bravery

 When you look at the public personas of celebrities, dating back to as early as the 50’s or 60’s, you can definitely see the difference in publicising their personal lives. At first, it was the biggest deal if a celebrity is seen without their make-up and casual clothes. Now, celebrities post pictures THEMSELVES on their Twitter account or Facebook, doing ordinary things, which previously was almost considered a scandal! Like Marshal (2010) says, ‘Through new media forms, greater portions of the populace are now constructing online public personas’ (Marshal 2010, p.498).

Looking at my personal favourite artists on Twitter, I can now see things that I would never have seen. Unless, of course, you count those ridiculous three page spreads in a magazine, emphasising the ‘downfalls’ in the celebrity going to the grocery shops looking like a normal human being.  Recently started following Patrick Stump, lead singer of Fall Out Boy. I can see things such as pictures from their harmless fun at parties, to more personal such as pictures with their partners, in their pyjamas, and everyone’s favourite, no make-up! If you ask my opinion, I don’t think it is a big deal. It is refreshing and it shows that the artist has no shame in being a real person.

The most recent example everyone can remember is the story of Angelina Jolie and her decision to have a double mastectomy. As the story goes, Jolie announced three weeks after her procedure that she had undergone surgery. She was the first person to tell the world. Not the paparazzi, but Angelina. The news was released when she was ready, when she ‘decided to be proactive’ (Kluger et al 2013, p.1).

Many celebrities are now posting information or photos before the paparazzi, or just in their own personal time. It makes perfect sense to me. If I was a celebrity, I would probably do the same thing. I would get in before the paparazzi do. Joke’s on them.

 References

Kluger et al 2013, ‘The Angelina Affect’, Time, vol.181, no.20, retrieved 22 September 2013, http://ehis.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?sid=4fa7f3cc-7398-4b0e-bf7e-28d4bb6557a7%40sessionmgr104&vid=1&hid=102&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#db=a9h&AN=87708475
Marshal 2010, ‘The Specular Economy’, Society, vol.47, no,6, retrieved 22 September 2013, https://d2l.deakin.edu.au/d2l/le/content/143750/viewContent/1985498/View
https://www.google.com.au/search?hl=en&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1241&bih=584&q=angelina+jolie+double+mastectomy&oq=angelina+jolie+dou&gs_l=img.1.0.0l10.4684.9968.0.12668.18.16.0.2.2.1.304.2415.4j6j5j1.16.0....0...1ac.1.27.img..6.12.1194.TFYLwO-WOgo#hl=en&q=patrick+stump+pyjamas&tbm=isch&imgdii=_

https://www.google.com.au/search?hl=en&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1241&bih=584&q=angelina+jolie+double+mastectomy&oq=angelina+jolie+dou&gs_l=img.1.0.0l10.4684.9968.0.12668.18.16.0.2.2.1.304.2415.4j6j5j1.16.0....0...1ac.1.27.img..6.12.1194.TFYLwO-WOgo#hl=en&q=angelina+jolie+double+mastectomy+social+media&spell=1&tbm=isch&facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=PtmB84QXuceD-M%3A%3BDvqGnlIX1FoPKM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fguardianlv.com%252Fwp-content%252Fuploads%252F2013%252F05%252FAngelina-Jolie-e1369610521285.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fguardianlv.com%252F2013%252F05%252Fangelina-jolie-aunt-dies-weeks-after-her-double-mastectomy%252F%3B450%3B253

i want to be a female, but wait, can i?

In our tutorials, we were split off into groups to come up with a new game idea which does not follow the typical ‘damsel in distress’ theme. We came up with a game which can be single player or multi player. The theme would be an adventure fantasy, where the objective is to seek revenge after the death of their parents. The game is set up where the avatar can be a selection of the players choice, either male or female. Like Colby et al (2013) stated, ‘Avatars act both as figurative representations of the audience and as literal functions of the game’s program’ (Colby et al 2013, p.35). So we needed to provide choice for the players to cater for all types of audiences. Raessens (2005) domains of participation were relevant in the process of game planning. The first point to consider was ‘interpretation’. We wanted the audience to have the same interpretation of the game’s objectives and themes, so we kept it simple to make it easier to understand. The interpretation we intended was that the game was about the character seeking revenge from the murder of their parents. The next point to consider was reconfiguration. Reconfiguration is where the player is ‘making strategic choices about alternative paths and, in the case of adventure games, alternative actions’ (Raessens 2005, p.380). Since our game is solely about revenge, we did not consider the option of having alternate pathways to take because the objective at the end is to seek the revenge. So to have alternate pathways could be potentially problematic. The last point to consider was ‘construction’. Construction is understood as ‘the addition of new game elements’ (Raessens 2005, p.381). So basically, the player can hack and add elements into the game as they please. Our group did not consider this at all. I personally think that it is a negative thing on many levels. Not only does it take away the game’s creator’s original ideas, but since our game is a game about revenge, problems of extreme violence could arise. Personally, when I play a game, I don’t ever think about changing adding my own elements. I am focused on defeating all the objectives already existing in the game. Also, having the ability to choose the gender of my avatar makes me feel like I have more control of my playing experience. I have many games at home that I can choose the sex of my avatar. Games such as Medal of Honour, the Sims, and Pokemon allow me to be just as powerful, even more powerful than a male character. Being able to have the choice would appeal to many female gamers and could possibly increase the number of female gamers. Come on ladies, lets join in!

Colby et al 2013, ‘Rhetoric/ Composition/Play through Video Games: Reshaping Theory and Practice of Writing, Palgrave Macmillan, retrieved 10 September 2013, http://reader.eblib.com.au.ezproxy-m.deakin.edu.au/(S(kcn3njgf5ojncplhldw4s5i0))/Reader.aspx?p=1161372&o=154&u=Y6MUu2SE1v4X3uAKK2QSQA%3d%3d&t=1378803785&h=66DBE4D2B5FF8A67BB9A4E4D7AEA12E434678BDF&s=9929041&ut=484&pg=1&r=img&c=-1&pat=n

Raessens, J 2005, 'Computer games as participatory media culture' in Raessen, J & Goldstein, J, Handbook  of computer game studies, MIT Press, Cambridge, Mass, pp. 373-388.

https://www.google.com.au/search?q=pokemon+female+characters&rlz=1G1ASUT_ENAU471&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=aOcuUp_MKoGQiQKulYG4Cw&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAQ&biw=1241&bih=545#facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=z9cMSf8jEJotJM%3A%3Bx1DMqxvCU_JCyM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fmedia.screened.com%252Fuploads%252F0%252F5125%252F474355-female_pokemon_trainer.png%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.screened.com%252Fprofile%252Fmike20%252Fall-images%252F132-1985136%252Ffemale_pokemon_trainer%252F131-474355%252F%3B300%3B600

Anonymous Blogging, really??

After reading the article by Richards and Kosmala (2013), I couldn’t help but raise many questions about surveillance. In case you do not know the background of the article, the article talks about how workers are cynical about what they do at work and how using blogs can make the worker feel like they have some sort of control and distance away from corporate initiatives. An online community was created for employees to be able to post their thoughts and feelings anonymously without being in risk of getting into trouble.  Yes, the workers are able to present themselves and be included into the public sphere, which provided in a definition ‘represents the free flow of public discussion and exchange of views that is seen, in particular, as fundamental to the legitimacy of democratic systems’ (Gunter 2009, p.128). So, allowing workers to be able to speak freely in the public sphere is refreshing and comforting?  Well, an anonymous blogger in Richards and Kosmala’s (2013) article said ‘the only way you can do anything is by anonymous blogging (fat lot of good that does!) and by whistleblowing (bye-bye career)’ (Richards and Kosmala 2013, p.74). Definitely a fat lot of good... What’s the point blogging and trying to make a difference when no one knows who you are? Your own workmate could be posting on your blog and you wouldn’t know! And this person knows that if they ever reveal their identity, they would lose their job. But, maybe someone can find your identity. Is your identity really secret? There are so many stories where employers have found their employees on social networking sites, so what stops them from potentially finding their employees publishing anonymous blogs? I understand that publishing the blogs may be a sense of relief for employees, but think carefully! I have never and would never even think about posting something, even anonymously online about my work. You never know who is watching, who is following and who may recognise you. Your online identity is never truly hidden. Remember that…

Gunter, B 2009, ‘BLOGS’, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, retrieved 10 September 2013, http://reader.eblib.com.au.ezproxyf.deakin.edu.au/(S(go4rap5euiun2ze3im3ux1i0))/Reader.aspx?p=456419&o=154&u=Y6MUu2SE1v4X3uAKK2QSQA%3d%3d&t=1378797059&h=A60C740835C5A8A59C4579BAF4926A400412D1AD&s=9926571&ut=484&pg=1&r=img&c=-1&pat=n

Richards, J., and Kosmala, K., 2013 ‘In the end, you can only slag people off for so long’: employee cynicism through work blogging’, New Technology, Work and Employment, vol. 28, no. 1, pp. 68 – 77.

https://www.google.com.au/search?q=anonymous+blogging&rlz=1G1ASUT_ENAU471&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=aMcuUtyVHae4iQem24DoDg&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAQ&biw=1241&bih=584#facrc=_&imgrc=mVAE7b6EPnwcRM%3A%3Bp1cls8ZLwJqFNM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fkevin.lexblog.com%252Fanonymous%252520blog.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fkevin.lexblog.com%252F2008%252F03%252F19%252Fanonymous-blogging-how-far-is-too-far%252F%3B436%3B364

Prosumer, say what?

Until reading Ritzer’s (2010) reading, I did not realise that I am both a producer and consumer. So, basically, I’m a ‘Prosumer’. A prosumer, in a professional sense ‘involves both production and consumption rather than focusing on either one (production) or the other (consumption)’ (Ritzer 2010, p.14). after giving this deep thought, I realised that I have been a prosumer more often than I originally thought. There are so many different types of websites and apps that I have used that allowed me to be both a producer and consumer. One example which I suddenly remembered was my love for Converse shoes. I wanted to design my own pair so I used the website every few months to look at new designs and options available. Another website which I have tried before was to personalise your own onesie pyjama. 

You can literally design the onesie however you want, from hoods, to feet, to things like ipod pockets, ears and tails!

 According to Arakji (2007), ‘traditionally, firms design new goods and produce and distribute them. Consumers, on the other hand, are supposed to maximize their utility by buying these products, subject to a budget constraint, without directly taking part in the design, production, or distribution process’ (Arakji 2007, p.196). Since researching and critically thinking about this, I know that this statement is not entirely true. We are involved in the production process more commonly than we think! Come to think of it, a new example came into my head as I was typing. BLOGGING! As students and users of the internet, we are prosumers as bloggers. We write our own blogs, using our own thoughts and ideas, as well as doing research to add depth into our blogs, and similarly, we read other peoples works and learn from their blogs to further assist us with our own blogging skills. So to conclude, we are all prosumers in this world, whether we like it or not! (I personally do not think it is all that bad, but feel free to disagree).

Arakji, R and Lang KR 2007, ‘Digital Consumer Networks and Producer--Consumer Collaboration: Innovation and Product Development in the Video Game Industry’, Journal of Management Information Systems, vol. 24, no.2, retrieved 10 September 2013, http://ehis.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=6c3aa3f9-d282-41bb-9526-78783936d6dd%40sessionmgr15&vid=2&hid=3

Ritzer, G and Jurgenson N 2010, ‘Production, Consumption, Prosumption:The nature of capitalism in the age of the digital ‘prosumer’’, Journal of Consumer Culture, vol.10, no.1, pp.13-36

http://www.the-all-in-one-company.co.uk/all-in-ones/