It's Raining

How many people here have heard or seen the Wachowski Brother’s Speed Racer?  Ninja Assassin?  How about Omarion or Stephen Colbert, ever hear of them?  It seems everybody has, great.  It is not amazing really, considering that these names are some of the most recognized names in the fields of film, music, and television.  What is extraordinary however, is the common thread that connects this seemingly arbitrary assortment of American celebrities.  That thread is the international pop sensation, Rain.

Rain is at the forefront of the phenomenon called the “Korean wave,” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_wave) which is a worldwide phenomenon that proliferates Korean culture.  This wave has reached the shores of Asia, Europe, South America, North Africa, and as of late, the United States. 

In my previous blog, I discussed Americans’ reception of the Korean musical group, the Wonder Girls, and how that is portrayed in our media.  Today, I am taking a similar approach with Rain, though his extensive track record leaves much more space for exploration.

In one CNN article, (http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/Movies/11/24/rain.ninja.assassin/index.html), the life and times of Rain are examined in relation to his most recent Hollywood film, Ninja Assassin.  Rain first caught the international media’s eye when he captured the #1 rank of Time magazine’s Top 100 Influential People in the world, edging out #2 contestant, Stephen Colbert.  Stephen Colbert did not take this favorably, and a fierce rivalry has developed since: http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/168351/may-09-2008/stephen-vs--rain

Rain’s rise to the top was an arduous one; largely in part because he lacks Western features- ironically, it is something that many Korean record labels consider a prerequisite.  Not surprisingly, Rain faced similar difficulties when debuting in America.  Yet, Rain continues to break down cultural walls and the media (including CNN) seems to recognize and praise his effort. 

Thus far, Rain has achieved success in America’s film industry, but his original calling, which is singing and dancing, is as of yet in its infancy stage.  You guys tell me, would you buy an album with songs like this one? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X10u3jbwLAA&feature=player_embedded

 

The Wonder Girls

Music is supposedly a universal language.  However, what if the music was created and performed by a different culture? Is it subjugated to different standards? Does the message still get across?  

       These are the types of questions that the all-Korean girl group, Wonder Girls, need to constantly be aware of.  Based on these issues, this blog post examines the impression the Wonder Girls has on America, as portrayed by the media.

This impression will be examined largely through this article: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/musicnightlife/2009385102_wondergirls26.html (which describes the Wonder Girls debut in America).  The five-girl group began in 2007, and initially gained enormous popularity in Korea, then all of Asia. Last year, in 2009, they began their nationwide debut by touring with the Jonas Brothers, as their opening act. 

The most interesting part of the Wonder Girl’s success is that they were a world-wide phenomenon even before they stepped a foot internationally due to their catchy songs.  Think Korean Soulja Boy Tell’em’s, Crank That, and you’ll begin to understand the dance craze that is, Nobody- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUia-f-BG1s

            As the article describes it: Before this tour, the Wonder Girls already made an online impression in the States. Entertainment tabloid blogger Perez Hilton featured the girls' video on his blog, and plenty of American fans have uploaded to YouTube their imitations of the girls dancing. The Wonder Girls' simple choreography from their hit "Tell Me" was widely imitated online and spread across the world — the so-called " 'Tell Me' virus."

            The writer of the article seems willing to give a fair chance to the Korean idols. This may merely be because she is a Chinese-American woman and so she relates to the cross-cultural performers.  Or maybe not, because it seems that the rest of America is willing to give the Wonder Girls a shot, at least Jordin Sparks does: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zX8vMEOwGPA

 One interesting point of the article is when it quotes Yenny (one of the singers) as saying: "Asians like more cute and pretty girls. They're more like conservative.  Americans like more sexy and funky, like Lady GaGa."  Will this personal and cultural view of Americans change how the girls will perform in the future (perhaps of a Janet Jackson-esque style)?  We’ll see.

As for now, it seems that the whole world, including America and the writer of the article, find the Wonder Girls interesting, seeing as their song, Nobody, became the first song by a Korean group to enter the Billboard top 100.  Is this because the songs are entirely in English?  Doubtful, seeing as many of the girls’ songs were worldwide phenomenon before the translated version.  It is because of the sheer novelty of a non-white group singing songs with English words and titles?  It is hard to tell, but I’m sure that the Wonder Girls appreciate the chance and appreciation.  

Episode 10: The Package

This week’s show follows the trials of the Korean couple, Sun and Jin. As per LOST, this episode revolves around one or two key figures and their respective challenges on both the island and in a different timeline (i.e. past, future, alternate world). In both worlds, Sun and Jin are separated by forces that are larger than either of them.

Two noteworthy points of discussion are the ways in which the directors approach race and sex. In the entire show, Sun and Jin constitute two out of the three Asian characters in an enormous cast. The manner in which they are depicted is highly influential to the public mind’s view of Asians. For this reason, I’ve dissected subtle absences or insertions in the translated dialogues between Sun and Jin. The results are interesting:

Writer’s Translation: Sun- “I’ve got an idea.”
Literal Translation: Sun- “I’ve got a good idea.”

Writer’s Translation: Jin- “How could we do that?”
Literal Translation: Jin- “How could we do that without money?”

Writer’s Translation: Jin- “But what you’re saying is forbidden.”
Literal Translation: Jin- “But what you’re saying is ludicrous.”

Writer’s Translation: Sun- “Do you want to be with me or not?”
Literal Translation: Sun- “Do you love me?”

The creators of LOST essentially hold the master narrative, so they are the ones who determine how Koreans are portrayed in one of the most widely followed shows in America. The discrepancy between the writer’s translation and the literal translation cannot be accurately attributed to one cause. It could have been that Sun and Jin were given English scripts and they took artistic liberties in their translations. Or vice versa. Either way the difference between the two translations is somewhat interesting and even telling.

Without sounding too paranoid or contrived, one might blame these differences to a pre-constructed mode of thinking in which Koreans (or Asians in general), are believed to be incapable of good and original ideas, overly concerned with money, socially restrictive, and without the capacity for deep emotions. Some would say many Americans hold this opinion of China right now. That is not to say, that any of the creators of LOST necessarily have these thoughts in mind. Rather, this episode offers a context to examine the processes of translation (literal and cultural) by media, and what is lost (no pun intended) and retained.

Another point of discussion is the way in which Sun, the wife of Jin, is portrayed throughout this episode. She is shown as a helpless, emotionally unstable, and sexual person. In the instances where she interacts with others, her actions consist of lashing out verbally, crying, running away, asking questions, and stripping. Furthermore, due to a head injury, Sun is unable to speak English. Prior to this season, Sun was initially a meek and submissive wife who gradually becomes more assertive. This episode raises questions of certain female roles and characteristics that are assumed in our society. Women are “suppose,” to be weak, dependent, and emotional. Even at the end of the episode, Sun finds peace only by accepting help from Jack in order to find Jin.

So what do you guys think: are the creators of LOST racially ignorant? Chauvinistic? Or even ironic (they could simply be mocking certain stereotypes, such as when Keamy says, “I feel like I’m in a Godzilla movie,” while talking to Sun and Jin)?