In an increasingly modernized world with rapidly improving technology, the world is experiencing intense levels of interactions between different countries which can be classified as globalization. Countries in Asia have been feeding into the consumerism and preconceived notions held by outsiders which has both positive and negative effects. In terms of popular culture, Asia has benefited immensely from its political soft power, global consumption of goods, and tourism to a point where popular culture may overshadow traditional culture. While tourism industries can benefit economically and cultures may preserve their practices, this does come at the expense of potential exploitation of and reimagination of culture based on the consumer’s narrow perspective.
Popular culture has been especially prevalent in East and South Asia where the goods, characters, and franchises are not only consumed by countries within the continent of Asia but also in the global sphere such as in the Hallyu (Korean) Wave of popular culture (Ohianjo). Other countries have also attempted to expand their markets through collaborations with production companies in East Asia or bandwagoning off of the success of trends set. For example, Japan’s The Ring inspiring other countries such as Thailand, Korea, and Singapore to release horror movies (Huat 208). This shows the popularity of the market and attempts by other countries to create their own adaptations throughout Asia. Another example for this would be the reproductions of dramas in East Asia such as Hana Yori Dango (Japanese) which also has adaptations released in Korea (Boys over Flowers), China (Meteor Shower), and in Taiwan (Meteor Garden). For South Asia, the rise in Bollywood movies and music had also expanded throughout and outside of Asia as evident from the efforts to subtitle these works for the accessibility of other audiences (Mines 400). The prominence of Bollywood can be seen today with the rise of Tseries, a Bollywood music and film production company taking the number one spot on YouTube with the most subscribers for the content, which showcases the immense influence that the Bollywood industry in India has on a global level in comparison to other creators from around the world. Due to the widespread recognition of pop culture in music, TV, and film, Asia has become a point of focus by the global market, leading to profitable increases in money and foreign interactions. Despite the economic and foreign relations benefits from the global consumption of these products, the unintended consequences that result will be issues in tourism and the narrow understanding of communities to mainstream culture.
Tourism, especially ethnic tourism, may help not only financially but also in development and preservation of culture. One of the examples would be the ecotourist experience in Cambodia which became a way for the tour guide to share his experiences with tourists. As a tour guide, he had educated the tourists about his village and utilized this chance to ask for donations to his cause for development and rebuilding of homes in his village (Week 13 Lecture). Due to the European presence in Asia, some as a byproduct of colonialism, tourism had increased dramatically with the incorporations of tourist activities with ethnic and cultural experiences such as the boat ride to Dayak longhouses in Sarawak (Winzeler 221). This form of tourism not only gives tourists a better understanding of cultures and their practices, but it also can help people have jobs related to tourism such as taxi drivers and cooks (Winzeler 221). The tourist activities can be beneficial in development and creating awareness of the cultural diversity in Asia; however, this does have negative consequences.
Because of the economic benefits and the lucrative market in tourism with people wanting to experience different cultures, companies and businesses have exploited people of different cultures in Asia, developing a reimagination of community based on a “combination of spectacular sights, exotic foods and accommodations, and unique experiences” (Winzeler 222). This results in a carefully crafted narrative of cultures based on tourist expectations which undermines the traditions and diminishing the meaning for the purpose of consumerism. An example of this in the context of Asia would be the Iban longhouses in Sarawak, Malaysia where a tour company had specified instructions for the people living in the longhouse such as dancing longer and creating a safer path through the jungle (Winzeler 232). The tour agent company frames the Iban people as primitive and provides information that may not be accurate. Tourists, who may not know much about the Iban people or longhouses, would accept this warped, snapshot view presented by the tour agency as representative of the Iban people in the present time which poses issues in relation to identity and exploitation for profit.
Mass tourism, though creating revenue from big groups, results in disruptions in living for locals and the diminishing the meanings of culturally significant artifacts to an aesthetic, static image. Part of the mass tourism experiences are activities in perceived associations with each country in the mainstream context, playing on the perceptions of tourists. For example, idol groups are promoted in Korea, the content being internationalized to attract the eye of global audiences to invest in tourist experiences in Korea. Mass tourism can also diminish meaning to just an aesthetic. This is evident in the case of Cambodia and Angkor Wat where groups of people go there in order to take the perfect picture as it is a representative structure of Cambodia (Lecture, Week 13). However, this issue is relevant with many tourist hot spots around the world. In addition, the crowding of people as a product of mass tourism can cause disruptions for the local peoples in the area as shown in the angry rants on tourists in Thailand and China (Lecture, Week 13).
In conclusion, globalization has impacted Asia through building up the surge in popular cultural products which have benefited the economies and reputations of participating and successful countries. In some ways, this can also lead to the preservation of cultural practices through these tourist experiences and sharing it with other people. However, this comes at the expense of outsiders having a narrow perception of the representative elements of these countries and tourist agencies exploiting this and the local peoples for profitable gain and development. Because of the reframing of communities in Asia, the authenticity of tourist agencies comes into question. Mass tourism plays a role in diminishing cultural meaning of noteworthy structures in different countries and disrupting the local peoples. Globalization, for Asia, has benefitted some of the peoples and cultures, but it has also posed many issues for them.
Works Cited
Huat, Chua Beng. “Conceptualizing an East Asian Popular Culture.” Inter-Asia Cultural Studies, 2004, pp. 115–139., doi:10.1093/0199277621.003.0008.
Hsu, Minna. “Week 13 Lecture Slides.” People and Cultures of Asia, 24 Apr. 2019, Whittier College. Microsoft PowerPoint presentation.
Mines, Diane P., and Sarah E. Lamb. Everyday Life in South Asia, Second Edition. Indiana University Press, 2010.
Ohianjo. Pop Culture in Asia, YouTube, 31 Aug. 2010, www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJKvfZwBf_w.
Winzeler, Robert L. The Peoples of Southeast Asia Today: Ethnography, Ethnology, and Change in a Complex Region. AltaMira, 2011.
