Module 2: Foreign

Influences which Shape the

Pop Culture of the
Philippines
Module Overview

Many foreign countries have influenced and shaped the pop culture of the Philippines. These
include Mexico, Japan, South Korea, and Thailand. Filipinos are greatly affected by their cultures and
have adapted some of their habits and lifestyle to the pop culture of the Philippines.
In this module, you should be able to trace the history of Mexicanovelas, Japanese Animation,
Hallyu Culture, and Thai Advertisements in the Philippines. Moreover, you will trace how these popular
cultures affect the Filipino popular culture.

Motivation Questions

Do you see the influence of Mexico, Japan, South Korea, and Thailand in our country in terms of popular
trends? What are they? Do you consume them?

Figure 1: Foreign Lands. (Image by Author)

Module Pretest

Instructions: Write T if the statement is True and F if the statement is False. Write your answer on the
space provided before each number.
_______1. Marimar was one of the first Mexican telenovelas “Mexicanovelas,” imported to the
Philippines.
______2. Thalia played the titular Marimar
______3. Mexicanovela is a combination of the words Mexican and telenovela.
______4. Manga is a Japanese comic book.
______5. From 2003 to 2015, anime shows had a bit of a downfall.
______6. All Koreans trust Filipinos.
______7. Since 2006, Koreans have been the top visitors to the Philippines.
______8. Wonder Girls popularized the song “Nobody.”
______9. Thai commercial has become a genre in the entertainment industry because of its popularity.
______10. Marian Rivera played Marimar in the Filipino version of Marimar.

Lesson 2.1: Mexicanovelas

Lesson Summary
Based on our lesson in Module 1, popular culture came about because of urbanization and
industrialization. One of the things that resulted because of industrialization is the media. Because of media,
it is possible for the popular culture of other countries to reach other places. This happened in the
Philippines. One of the countries that has greatly influenced the popular culture of the Philippines is Mexico.

Learning Outcomes
In this lesson, you are expected to:
• Trace the history of Mexicanovelas in the Philippines;
• Trace the influence of Mexicanovelas to Filipinos;

Motivation Questions
Are you familiar with Marimar? Have you watched this telenovela? How did you find this telenovela?

Discussion
Please read the article entitled “Marimar” and other Mexican Telenovelas in the Philippines. It
will discuss the reasons why Mexicanovelas were popular in the 90s and also th e similarities of Pinoy TV
dramas to Mexicanovelas. Hopefully, the article will shed a light on the popular consumable themes in
Philippine television.

“Marimar” and Other Mexican Telenovelas in the Philippines

Marimar was one of the first Mexican telenovelas, or
“Mexicanovelas,” imported to the Philippines. It rose to unrivaled
popularity—ratings peaked at 61.7% and the show spawned not
one but two Pilipino remakes. Thalia, who plays the titular
Marimar, was even greeted by President Ramos himself when she
visited the Philippines. But why would a Mexican show grow so
popular in the Philippines, all the way across the Pacific Ocean?

This is often traced to the two countries’ shared history and

culture. Both were colonized by Spain, and both are affected today
by the neo-colonial1 regime of the United States. This makes for a
lot of cultural similarities: widespread Roman Catholicism,
Spanish names, dishes like adobo and lechon. But the effects of
colonialism go deeper. One of these deeper effects is economic
status. Spanish colonizers extracted resources from both countries,
and the United States has continued that legacy by exploiting
Mexican and Pilipino workers for cheap labor. Poverty in both
countries is widespread, but until recently, depictions of poverty
were not common on Pilipino television. Meanwhile, Marimar was unafraid to show it. ”It’s different from
our soap operas… She has the same problems we do. It shows the discrimination against poor people,” one
interviewee for the New York Times said in 1996. 2 Because of this, Marimar was able to gain a wide
audience among the lower and middle class of the Philippines.

Another deeper and more insidious effect of colonialism is the colonial mentality adapted by
colonized people, in which they feel inferior to the people who colonized them. One way this manifest is
through colorism and the sentiment that whiter means better. There is a large market in the Philippines for
skin lightening creams and soaps, for example. Marimar, with her light skin, sandy brown hair, and hazel
eyes “capture[d] the imagination of a typical colonial-minded Filipino.” 3

Marimar fulfilled a variety of colonial standards of beauty, but this alone doesn’t make sense—
why not just import an American show with an all-white cast? Wouldn’t the unrealistic standard of beauty
make Marimar less relatable? The answer may lie in the language. Spanish, once widely spoken, has now
been replaced by English. This means that American shows don’t need to be dubbed, but Spanish shows
do. Marimar was dubbed in the native national language of the Philippines, Tagalog. So, unlike in
American soaps where everyone spoke English, or local teleseryes where often the poor who spoke
Tagalog while the rich spoke the more “intellectual” English, in Marimar, everyone spoke Tagalog. To
hear the native language spoken by these supposedly “superior” people—white people and rich people—
had a profoundly positive effect on the audience.
In the end, Marimar‘s success goes deeper than a superficial similarity of culture or language.
These things made the show accessible, but the less visible results of Spanish and US (n eo)-colonialism,
like the economic realities and shared colonial mentality, made it relatable on a deeper level. This isn’t to
say that Spain and the US hold all the power in binding these two countries together, though. If anything,
the shared history has opened the doors for cultural exchange and allowed for the creation of solidarity in
new, non-traditional ways—like how Marimar was able to create national pride through the positive
portrayal of Tagalog.

Source: Transpacific Popular Culture Blog Space (2017). “Marimar” and Other Mexican Telenovelas in
the Philippines. Retrieved from https://tinyurl.com/ybdqnmje.

In the simplest explanation, Mexicanovela is a combination of the words Mexican and telenovela.
Obviously, these telenovelas are imported from Mexico. This craze was started by RPN, a Philippine
channel that was run by the government during the Martial Law Era, in 1996. Since then, Mexicanovelas
have become a dinner companion of Filipino families. One of the most popular ones and the very first that
was aired was Marimar. It starred Thalia. The actress visited the Philippines and was welcomed by the
whole country. After Marimar, many others came and were almost all a hit.
Mexicanovelas were a hit in the Philippines in the late 1990s and early 2000s because of many
reasons. First, Mexico and the Philippines were both colonized by Spain. Both countries share similar
values and culture. In the article, it is mentioned that both countries have similar economic status. Filipinos
watching Mexicanovelas could relate to the poor characters, the disheveled setting, and the longing of the
maidens to be out of poverty. The show is unafraid to show bits and pieces of how poor people lived. But
then, the show still has the air of fantasy in it. The whole plot revolves around exaggeration: using of
violence against characters excessively and cartoonishly, the poor character is actually a daughter of a rich
person, and things exploded.

Another one is the colonialism mentality. Marimar is a poor girl, but she is beautiful and is a
mestiza. To the Filipino audience, everything that is of western quality is of high quality. So, they consumed
Mexicanovelas like there was no tomorrow. You can see that the influence of Mexicanovelas then was not
because of the telenovelas solely, but because of how Filipinos look at themselves, too.
One element that really proved to be effective in Philippine TV is the language used in the shows.
Marimar was dubbed in Filipino, the common language of the masses. Because of that, it gained a larger
audience than other dramas of that time.
Mexicanovelas surely have a soft spot in Filipinos’ hearts. Only time will tell if the telenovelas
with Spanish looking characters will have a comeback in Philippine TV.

Learning Tasks/Activities
List 10 Filipino TV dramas that have similar content/themes/characters as Marimar. Include the details of
how the Filipino TV dramas are similar to Marimar. Below is the format for your guidance.

Filipino TV Drama Details

1.
M
2
A 3
R 4
5
 6
I
7
M 8
A 9
10
R

Assessment
Answer the questions below.
1. What is the last reason mentioned in the article why Mexicanovelas were popular in the Philippines?
Explain in three or more sentences.
2. What is the influence of language in Philippine TV drama? Explain in three or more sentences.
3. Watch some clips of a Mexicanovela. What is your take on them? Do you think Mexicano velas can thrive
in your generation? Why or why not? Explain in three or more sentences.

Below is the format for your guidance.

Name: (Surname, Given name)

Schedule: ______________________
Course: ______________________

_________________________________________________________________
_________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____
Instructions on how to submit student output
Please read the instructions regarding this part in the Course Policies section of the attached
syllabus of this course.
Lesson 2.2: Japanese Animation

Lesson Summary
In the previous lesson, you have learned how the Mexican telenovelas influenced the popular
culture of the Philippines. In this lesson, we tackle will Japanese anime in the Philippines and how they
were loved and are still loved by Filipinos of all ages.

Learning Outcomes
In this lesson, you are expected to:
1. Trace the history of Japanese anime in the Philippines;
2. Trace the influence of Japanese anime in the Philippines; and
3. Understand deeply the strategies of the Philippines to promote animation.

Motivation Questions
Have you ever been to Japan? Who among you here are fond of reading Japanese comic books like manga
or watching a Japanese anime?

Figure 2: Japanese Animation. (Image by Author). (Image retrieved from

https://favim.com/image/6436240/.)
Discussion
This topic is close to my heart. I love watching anime shows and reading manga. They take anyone,
including me, in worlds I cannot imagine to be even possible for other people to write about. But lo and
behold, they exist in between pages out of the imagination of writers. I believe that to be amazing. When I
was younger, I thought they were made by Filipinos because I could understand them through the language
I know. The theme songs in Japanese were quite gibberish, though. But how wrong I was! In this lesson,
we will trace the history of Japanese anime and manga in the Philippines and how they were loved and is
still loved by Filipinos of all ages.
My main source for this topic is the dissertation study of Ma. Bernadette Canave Bravo, entitled
Japanese Cultural Influence in the Philippines through Anime’s Popularity and Pervasiveness. If you have
an internet connection and you want to read the full discussion of my points here, click this link:
file:///D:/Downloads/Honbun-6044.pdf. To do this tracing, read chapter two of the research study, pages
47 to 82. It is quite long, but you can manage. Read it once or twice. There is no need for you to memorize
everything. However, you need to fully f ocus on the last page, the tabular summary of chapter two. The
copy of the tabular summary is pasted below.
Table 1: Summa rog Anime’s History in the Philippines

Time Short Sources and Appropriation

Period Description/Highlights Channels
Late 70s -introduction of anime with Mostly limited to -series are English-dubbed and
and into the mecha series such as Voltes TV broadcasting some are acquired from the US
80s V
-only a few titles -titles and names used follow the
-presidential ban were shown by US ones
some TV
-introduction of wholesome -the US-acquired were presented
networks
anime such as Candy as is
Candy
-censorship of violence and sexual
-eventual lifting of the ban content
brought back the mecha
-marketed towards children
series
-start of the outsourcing of
animation labor in Asia
-sentai series become
popular
Early to -increase of titles -mostly TV -use of Tagalog-dubbing gaining
Mid-90s concentrated around broadcasting currency
children’s timeslots among some TV
-names and titles are still Western
networks
-gradual diversification in
-opening and ending themes are
the variety of stories and -limited
mostly left out; some were
themes availability on
changed into English or Tagalog
video
-world-famous titles
-popular tearjerkers Princess Sarah
Dragonball and Sailormoon
and Cedie were made into feature
were shown and became
films
cult hits along with Slam
Dunk -censorship of violence and sexual
content
-beginnings of strong
subculture -marketed towards children
 Late 90s -TV networks got hold of -anime shown on -anime shown on local TV are
and Anime more titles from a wider most TV mostly Tagalog-dubbed
Explosion variety of genres channels and
-titles were branded as “the no. 1
(2000- satellite or cable
-Let’s & Go and Pokemon from Japan” as a prom otional
2002) TV channels
created crazes in toy strategy
merchandize -popular titles are
-Japanese elements were mostly
available on
-re-airing of Voltes V left to their own
video (official
-Ghosfighter becomes a big and fan-subtitled -opening and ending themes are
hit versions as well left running in their entirety
as pirated copies)
-anime reaches the biggest -censorship of violence and sexual
market segment -theatrical content
releases of the
-anime shows takes over
most popular
primetime slots ones
-first anime convention
-private film
takes place
showings held by
-many observable signs of different anime
the anime boom especially interest groups
in Metro Manila
-anime film
festivals arranged
by organizations
such as Japan
Foundation
Manila Office
-can be
downloaded
through internet
From 2003 -anime fever cools down -all-day channels -most of anime shown on local
to Current and satellite channels are Tagalog-dubbed
-opening of all-day anime
Time channels
TV channels -Japanese elements are mostly left
-abundance of to their own
-anime becomes a
cheap, pirated
mainstream part of local -titles’ popularity in Japan is not
copies
TV singled out for promotional
-can be purposes
downloaded or
-censorship of violence and sexual
watched
content
streaming from
the internet -anime and elements of it become
inspirations for some local
productions

In the late 70s to early 80s, anime shows were marketed towards children, so violence and sexual
content were censored. It was also the first time that anime shows were introduced; therefore, TV channels
were still treading thin ice. Not many anime shows were shown. It was especially so because of Martial
Law. Many believed some anime shows were blocked for they “encourage” rebellion. However, the
government counterargued that the blocked anime shows did not show family values and parents requested
for their blockage. The most important thing to remember in this era is the language used. Anime shows
were dubbed in English, and English names and titles were retained.
The early 1990s to early 2000s proved to be the golden age of anime in the Philippines. In the
beginning part of this period of anime history, small TV channels slowly acquire more anime shows and
fill their airtime because it was cheap to do so. Copyrights and distribution rights of anime shows were
relatively cheap. Still, anime shows were not that popular since many were dubbed in English, and Japanese
theme songs were screened. In the early 2000s, there was a change. TV channels deliberately purchased
copyrights of anime shows and put them on primetime slots. They also promoted them as high caliber.
Many were dubbed in Tagalog and Japanese theme songs had airtime. Filipinos were aware that what they
were watching came from Japan. Also, since anime shows were made available through other means like
the Internet, many Filipinos could access them legally and illegally.
From 2003 to 2010, anime shows had a bit of a downfall. The reasons were: (1) illegal and easy
access of anime through Internet and CDs; (2), Taiwanese dramas and Korean dramas overshadowed anime
shows; (3), fewer variations of themes; and (4), anime shows became a solid popular culture in the
Philippines that the hype died down. An attestation to this is there are many anime channels in the
Philippines in the present time. Moreover, many Filipinos still talk about anime on their social media
accounts. Finally, they still read manga and watch anime shows online.
But why are Filipinos fascinated by anime made by people that have a different culture from theirs?
First, anime shows have different themes and genres. In the 70s to 80s, the family-oriented themes fit the
trying times. Second, they cater to all ages because of reason number one: the varied themes and genres.
Children to grown-ups can find anime shows they can relate depending on their interests. Third, Filipinos
do not make many anime shows. Finally, anime shows shown on Philippine TV are dubbed in Tagalog,
which makes them comfortable to relate to.

Assessment
Make a poster with the theme: Japanese Anime: Pinoy Fascination. The poster must include your
learnings about this lesson. Required elements in your poster: slogan/text (must be grammatically correct),
good combination of any coloring material, proper use of space of paper, and relation to the them. You will
be grade according to the rubric below.

Table 2: . Rubric for the Poster Making. Source: Adapted from RubiStar, by 4 Teachers, 2006.
http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php?screen=ShowRubric&rubric_id=1357669&.

CATEGO
RY 5 3 2 1
Graphics - All graphics are All graphics are All graphics Graphics do not
Relevance related to the topic related to the topic relate to the topic. relate to the topic
and make it easier and most make it Most borrowed OR several
to understand. All easier to graphics have a borrowed
borrowed graphics understand. All source citation. graphics do not
have a source borrowed graphics have a source
citation. have a source citation.
citation.
 Graphics - Several of the One or two of the The graphics are No graphics made
Originalit graphics used on graphics used on made by the by the student are
y the poster reflect a the poster reflect student, but are included.
exceptional degree student creativity in based on the
of student their creation designs or ideas
creativity in their and/or display. of others.
creation and/or
display.
Required The poster includes All required All but 1 of the Several required
Elements all required elements are required elements elements were
elements as well as included on the are included on missing.
additional poster. the poster.
information.

Attractive The poster is The poster is The poster is The poster is

ness exceptionally attractive in terms acceptably distractingly
attractive in terms of design, layout attractive though messy or very
of design, layout, and neatness. it may be a bit poorly designed.
and neatness. messy. It is not attractive.

Grammar There are no There is 1 There are 2 There are more

grammatical grammatical grammatical than 2
mistakes on the mistake on the mistakes on the grammatical
poster. poster. poster. mistakes on the
poster.

Instructions on how to submit student output

Please read the instructions regarding this part in the Course Policies section of the attached
syllabus of this course.
Lesson 2.3: Hallyu Culture

Lesson Summary
Netflix is an online platform that shows and produces television dramas and movies. It is a platform
that allows people from different countries to be able to watch movies and series from all over the world.
In the Philippines, foreign content is popular especially the ones from the US and South Korea. Erik Matti,
a Filipino director, has aired his concerns of the excessive consumption of Filipinos to South Korea’s
dramas on April 14, 2020, on a social media site, Twitter. It received lash back from netizen s and a lot have
defended K-drama against the words of Matti. You be the judge if his concerns are valid or he was just
barking at the wrong tree.

Learning Outcomes
In this lesson, you should be able to:
1. Understand how Hallyu culture affect the Filipino popular culture; and
2. To know more about the negative effects of consuming Hallyu culture to Filipinos.

Motivation Questions
Have you ever been to Korea? Now, who among you here are fond of watching K -dramas or
listening to some Korean songs?

Figure 3: A Palace in Seoul, South Korea. (Image by Author)

Discussion
Read the news article below about Hallyu culture.

Filipinos attracted to Korean culture, K-pop, Koreanovelas

By: DJ Yap – Reporter
Beyond kimchi, K-pop and Koreanovelas, Koreans are becoming a ubiquitous presence in the
Philippines with tourist arrivals estimated to reach the one million mark by yearend, up by 30 percent from
2010.
Based on the data gathered by Inquirer Research, the figure would make them the largest group of
foreign citizens to ever have landed on Philippine soil in a single year.

ADVERTISEMENT
In addition, according to Korean Ambassador to Manila Hye Min Lee, Koreans studying or
working in the country now number more than 100,000.
“This is a sign of the strong and growing people-to-people relations between Korea and the
Philippines which help promote mutual understanding between us,” he said at the 2nd Philippines -Korea
Partnership Forum held at the Intercontinental Manila last week.
“More than 740,000 Koreans visited the Philippines in 2010, ranking Korea as the top tourist
arrivals. This year, a million Koreans will be visiting the Philippines, an increase of 30 percent compared
to last year,” Lee added.
According to him, some 115,000 Koreans are residing in the Philippines, drawn by practical living
in the country, English-speaking locals and a shared history and values.

More flights
Airline linkage has also been on an upswing with 150 flights between the Philippines and South
Korea on a weekly basis, or more than 20 flights every day, Lee said.
Since 2006, Koreans have been the top visitors to the Philippines, followed by Americans who
previously dominated the ranking, and the Japanese, government figures showed.
But more than people-to-people exchange, Lee said he was cheered by the ever deepening “heart-
to-heart” relations between the two countries and the Filipinos’ growing fondness for Korean popular
culture under the so-called Korean wave, or “hallyu.”
“Since my assumption in July 2010, I have seen growing interest by Filipinos toward Korean
telenovelas and K-pop,” he told an audience of diplomats and academics in the forum jointly organized by
the University of the Philippines Asian Center and Ateneo Center for Asian Studies.
Lee cited the creation of the Korean Cultural Center in the Philippines “in order to sustain the
growing cultural affinity” between the two countries and to further promote cultural exchange and enhance
cooperation.
A study by the market research firm, TNS Global, titled “Filipino Perception of Korea and the
Koreans” found that Korean culture was among the top three cultures Filipinos were attracted to, along with
that of the United States and Japan.
 In her presentation, Marie Lee of TNS Global said the most popular Korean cultural activities
among Filipinos were pop concerts, food festivals and Korean telenovelas (or Koreanovelas).
The most recalled Korean celebrities, according to the study, were the Korean girl group “Wonder
Girls,” which popularized the song “Nobody,” pop star Rain, girl band 2NE1, whose members include
Sandara Park who started her career in the Philippines and boy band Super Junior.
“Baker King” topped the list of popular Korean dramas, followed by “Jewel in the Palace,”
“Temptation of Wife” and “Boys over Flowers.”
Filipinos also showed awareness of Korean food and drinks such as kimchi, ginseng and soju,
Korean brands such as Samsung, Kia and LG and most knew of Taekwondo’s Korean origins.
‘Still largely unfamiliar’
But the study found that “traditional Korean culture and language are still largely unfamiliar to
Filipinos.”
“Nearly everybody knows there is a North and a South Korea, but only about half of those who
have seen the South Korean flag know that it is South Korea’s,” it added.
The study, conducted from April 6 to 11, used a random sample of 300 Metro Manila respondents
between 15 and 45 years old, from all economic classes, and who must be aware of Korean culture and who
do not reject Korean culture in general.
Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Laura Del Rosario, speaking at the same forum, said the affinity
between South Korea and the Philippines could be traced back to the Korean war when the Philippines sent
some 7,500 expeditionary forces to help defend Seoul from the invading communist North. (Former
President Fidel V. Ramos was among the Filipino Korean War veterans, while martyred Senator Benigno
“Ninoy” Aquino Jr. covered the war as a correspondent for the Manila Times.) “I would like to believe that
the reason they [Koreans] are here is because we were there,” Del Rosario said.
But the presence of more Koreans has also increased the potential of cross-cultural conflict.
Another study presented at the forum by the International Organization for Migration (IOM),
“Korean Community in the Philippines: Existing and Emerging Challenges,” discussed language and other
barriers between the two cultures based on interviews with Koreans living in the Philippines. In a
presentation, Wansoo Lee of the IOM Migration Research and Training Center said the study found that
some Koreans had exhibited “self-centered perception, attitude, behavior” and “disregard of Filipino, rules,
legal process,” as well as “reckless behavior, less effort to acculturate.”

Lacking in basic social skills

The attitude of Koreans toward Filipinos also showed the former’s “lack of basic social skills,”
according to the study, which found that only 14 percent of the respondents answered yes when asked
whether they trust Filipinos while 42.9 percent replied no.
More than a third, or 38.3 percent, agreed with a statement that “Filipinos take advantage of others,” and
only 22.1 percent did not. But almost half, or 42.7 percent, did not agree that “Filipinos complain a lot.”
Two-thirds of the respondents, or 64.7 percent, answered no when asked if “Filipinos follow the
rules” while a scant 6.8 percent said yes, the study found. About an equal number of the Korean respondents
said yes and no when asked whether they had Filipino friends, with 26.4 percent saying yes, and 26.9
percent saying no. But more of the respondents, 26.9 percent, answered in the affirmative when asked if
there were “Filipinos who like me” than those who said no, at 19.3 percent. An overwhelming majority, or
86 percent, of the respondents disagreed that there are “Filipinos who bother/threaten me.”
 The same study also found that more than half of the respondents answered yes when asked if
crimes were increasing against Koreans in the Philippines while only 11.7 percent disagreed. Another 36.1
percent agreed that crimes committed by Koreans were increasing against nine percent who did not. “But
most respondents consider that their living area (61.5 percent) and working place (49.7 percent) are safe,”
according to the study which used quantitative surveys for 592 respondents and in -depth interviews with
21 participants.
The respondents considered the most serious crimes committed against Koreans as robbery at 50.8
percent, theft at 48 percent, fraud at 45.6 percent, kidnapping at 37.3 percent, murder at 19.9 percent and
gambling at 17.9 percent. By contrast, crimes by Koreans that were considered most serious were gambling
at 62.2 percent, fraud at 57.9 percent, sexual exploitation at 22.6 percent, violence at 22.1 percent, drugs at
20.4 percent and bribery at 16 percent.
The study found that the respondents admitted they did not feel safe with Filipinos and strangers,
with 45.8 percent afraid of a crime committed by Filipinos and 42.2 percent of a crime carried out by
strangers. Some 26.5 percent said they feared crime by their compatriots.

Show respect for Filipinos

Under the section “Way Forward,” the study recommended that Koreans living in the Philippines
“learn English and Tagalog asap, understand [the] culture, ways of life and history of the Philippines, and
show respect [for] and trust [in] Filipinos, behave properly.”
Koreans were also advised to “smile more, speak peacefully and listen carefully,” as well as to try
to find a Filipino mentor, the study said.
In response to the growing Korean community, the Philippine National Police created in July a “Korean
desk” in offices of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group nationwide, which was aimed at catering
to Koreans involved in crimes, either as a victim or a suspect.

Source: Yap, D. (December 12, 2011). Filipinos attracted to Korean culture, K-pop, Koreanovelas.
Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved from https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/109439/filipinos-attracted-to-
korean-culture-k-pop-koreanovelas

Explanation
Understanding Hallyu culture and how K-dramas have impacted the Philippines is quite easy since
it is a phenomenon at the moment. Filipinos, especially in our quarantine days, in any age group, but mostly
women, are crazy over K-dramas. By watching, Filipinos are enticed to visit South Korea (where K-dramas
are from), and learn more about its culture.
Primarily, Hallyu culture constitutes many parts of Korean culture, not only its entertainment. It is
a combination of Korea‟s ancient culture and modern ideas. In this lesson, we shall focus more on the
negative effects or disadvantages of consuming Hallyu culture to Filipinos.
In the news article published by Inquirer (Yap, 2011), South Korea has brought a lot to the
Philippines. Their citizens visit the country yearly in increasing number. They also invest in the Philippines
through their academy set up, employing Filipino teachers. They build Korean restaurants and still employ
Filipino workers. Moreover, South Korean K-pop idols hold their concerts in the Philippines.
But who really gains from these investments? Surely, Filipinos who consume parts of Hallyu
culture are entertained. Aside from that, what else? Workers from the restaurants and academies get to have
jobs, but at what cost? The answer is low. For example, in Korean academies, teachers are usually paid
minimum wage compared to Japanese academies. I can attest to this because I worked in a Korean academy
before and a Japanese academy. My friends, who have also worked in both, also say the same thing.
Furthermore, when K-pop idols hold their concerts in the Philippines, who gets more money? When
Filipinos emulate Korean stars and buy Korean products, who gets more money?
Many might say that enjoying Hallyu culture is a part of the Philippines’ globalization efforts. Also,
an exchange of culture happens. But, does it really happen? In the same news article mentioned above,
many Koreans who visit the Philippines do not trust Filipinos. Many of them visit and study in the
Philippines because it is cheap here. Many of them also disregard Filipino values, considering themselves
as a higher race.
This foreign influence in the popular culture of Filipinos is a warning enough that consumption of
any pop culture should be walked with caution. Are we losing our identity when we follow the trends of
other countries? Are we making our country lose money? Are we doing our country a disservice? Are we
valuing more the culture of others than our own? These might be trivial things to you, but if everyone does
ask these questions before blindly consuming any popular culture, it might help the country more as a
whole.
In the lesson summary, Erik Matti was mentioned. He posted on his Twitter account that K-dramas
are “faux Cinderalla stories” and that the Philippine film industry is doomed. Many have pointed out that
Filipinos watch K-dramas because they are not generic. They tackle societal issues, unlike Pinoy’s works
in which a third-party plot is mostly the content. Do you agree with this? To this question, the answer is up
to you.

Assessment
In Philippine television, there are themes or plots that are recurring. For example, a poor female character
is actually the long lost daughter of a rich family. Do this with K-dramas. List at least 3 recurring themes
or plots. Below is the format for your guidance.

Name: (Surname, Given name)

Schedule: ______________________
Course: ______________________

1._________________________________________________________________
_______2.______________________________________________________
______3.
___________________________________________________________________
___ .

Learning Task
In an essay form, identify two things in which an average Filipino citizen can help promote Philippine
entertainment to the world. Allot one paragraph for each solution. The paragraph should have at least 5
sentences. Below is the format for your guidance.
Name: (Surname, Given name)
Schedule: ______________________
Course: ______________________

___________________________________________________________________
______
____________________________________________________________.
____________________________________________________________.

Instructions on how to submit student output

Please read the instructions regarding this part in the Course Policies section of the attached
syllabus of this course.
Lesson 2.4: Thai Commercials

Lesson Summary
Thailand is one of the countries that contributed to the development of pop culture in the Philippines
especially in the entertainment industry. The Thais are famous for their "sadvertising" which tugs the heart
of its viewers. Aside from making a sad storyline for their advertisement, they also produce funny or
eccentric commercials which also tugs the heart of its viewers through laughter.
Furthermore, most of Thailand’s commercials have lessons. In this lesson, you will learn more
about Thailand’s sadvertising history.

Learning Outcomes
In this lesson, you will be able to:
1. Trace the history of Thai commercials,
2. Know the reasons why Thai commercials have blossomed; and
3. Understand how Thai commercials have greatly influenced Philippine pop culture in terms of
advertisings.

Motivation Questions
Do you watch TV commercials? Do you consider them as art? Or do you think they are not valuable?

Discussion
Read the article below before the full discussion of this lesson. In the article, some videos are
present. Access the article so that you can watch the videos through this link:
https://theculturetrip.com/asia/thailand/articles/wonderful-world-thai-advertising/. The videos are sample
Thai commercials.

The Wonderful World of Thai Advertising

By: Leslie Finlay
Consider this scenario: you’re watching TV, and an advertisement comes on. You’re engrossed in
the storyline and captivating visuals, forgetting that you’re watching a commercial. By the time the product
is revealed, you’ve been hit with an emotional punch, and you’re unprepared to return to regular
programming. Welcome to the weird world of Thai advertising.

Background on Thai advertising

 Advertising in Thailand has rapidly grown into a full-blown entertainment genre, packed with
cultural cues, developed narratives, and deep messaging, as in this example from CP All, wh ich runs 7-
Eleven stores in Thailand. Leading international firms have flocked to the capital to open offices and
embrace these eager consumers, delivering over-the-top, emotional, and downright hilarious content that is
only semi-aligned with any specific product.
To understand the effectiveness of Thailand’s bold advertising strategy, we first must appreciate
the country’s rich, tradition-laden culture and history. Economically, Thailand is considered a developing
country, but in the past decade, it has launched into an age of modernity. Bangkok has become an
international commercial hub. Consumers have more disposable income than ever before, but they are not
typically loyal to any particular brands—they’re still unfamiliar with many of them—and they value their
freedom of choice. This mindset makes Thais dream consumers for advertising agencies, who can use
humor, culture, tragedy, and other emotional cues to attract attention to a product, thereby increasing its
commercial value.
How Thailand’s history affects advertising
Thailand’s recent history has made the advertising evolution possible as well. The government
amended its constitution in 1997 to include freedom of speech, which changed the media dynamic in
Thailand altogether. While journalists still struggled with some censorship—particularly concerning
criticism of the monarchy or government—the advertising industry found its roots in this environment.
Then in 2001, Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra limited freedom of expression yet again. His control of
advertising budgets through his own, expansive personal network meant that only media supportive of the
government would be awarded budgets. The 2014 military coup restricted free speech further under
the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO). The nascent industry responded by appealing to
consumers in its own, uncontroversial way, through feeding a consumer appetite by appealing to humor
and drama, as in the video above.
Entertainment value in Thai advertising
Today, some of the restrictions have gradually lifted—although criticism of the government is still
closely censored—and advertisements now deliver commentary on topics dear to Thai culture, like
overcoming personal challenges, the importance of family, community, and personal sacrifices. The local
advent of online entertainment generated even more opportunity for advertisers, as many governmental
restrictions do not yet extend to the Internet, and online content is often locally considered more credible
than state-sponsored news sources. Plus, Thailand leads the world in mobile Internet use, since 70 percent
of Thais own smartphones. Digital media has become ubiquitous to citizens’ everyday lives, and they’re
eager to be entertained for five minutes (or even fifteen) at a time during their daily commute.
This Internet revolution has completely energized Thai advertisers, who now depend less on state-
controlled Thai TV, and produce their spots in efforts to elicit a viral response. Narratives, like the
advertisements by 7-Eleven, are more complex and feature top celebrities, production value is higher than
ever, and plotlines often border on the controversial; the Asian markets savor it all. The industry has evolved
from simply selling products to Thai consumers, to entertaining the masses in far-flung places like China,
Japan, and even the United States. As restrictions continue to abate and audiences grow, experts predict
new trends will emerge, like engaged mobile campaigns and personalized content. What’s unlikely to
change, however, are the cultural elements that make these advertisements uniquely Thai, and their ability
to tug at our heartstrings in one moment, and make us laugh out loud in the next.

Source: Finlay, L. (2018, February 12). Retrieved from Culture Trip:

https://theculturetrip.com/asia/thailand/articles/wonderful-world-thai-advertising/.
 Thai commercial has become a genre in the entertainment industry because of its popularity. How
does a Thai commercial attract viewers? It is actually a concoction of different elements. Basically, the
commercial runs long. It has a story and is narrated thoroughly. Its creators exert effort in making its visual
effects. Most of all, its storyline is either full of emotions you want to bawl, or so funny you still bawl. A
twist at the end is always almost present. You would think that the commercial is a short film, but the end
surprises you with an introduction of a product.
The commercial industry of Thailand has roots with economic activity and the culture of the people
of the country. In the article, Finlay (2018) points out the roots of Thai commercial. It started with the
amendment of the country’s constitution that lead to the loosening of restrictions to art and freedom of
expression.
The global success of Thailand’s commercial industry has grounds in the development of
technology. Internet usage of the country is high; thus creators/artists have more opportunity to share their
works to the world. This also allows their business sector to flourish resulting to more push and investment
on the industry.
Philippine commercials have followed suit. Many of the famous products in the Philippines have
become talk of the town because of their commercials that have a storyline suitable for a movie. An example
is a commercial of Jollibee with the tagline Kwentong Jollibee. These commercials are shareable on
Facebook and YouTube. Upon its release, many netizens share them, meaning that the commercials have
captured the Pinoy heart.
Filipinos and Thais almost have the same level of internet usage. Both races surf the net quite often.
This similarity is also the reason why Philippine commercials is a success in the country. The online
community is a platform that gives Filipinos freedom to watch anything they want. Filipino commercials
on TV are visually laden, and are too colorful. Their aim is only to sell, so they are done with gimmicks
and are short. This is opposite to the commercials online. They are well-thought, long, and reflect the values
and culture of Filipinos. For example, a Joy (dishwashing brand) commercial is about an OFW mother.
Many Filipinos are overseas workers and can relate to the commercial.
Thai and Filipino commercials are comparable in many ways such as in culture, emotional effect,
and storyline. However, there is no doubt that Thais have started the industry. With the change of
commercial line in the Philippines, from the short, full of dancing and singing combo, it has become literary.

Learning Tasks/Activities
Create a SWOT analysis of the commercial industry in the Philippines. Refer to Dan Shewan’s (2020)
explanation on how to do a SWOT analysis. Click this
link:https://www.wordstream.com/blog/ws/2017/12/20/swot-analysis. Provide at least 5 in each. Below is
the format for your guidance.
STRENGHTS WEAKNESSES OPPORTUNITIES THREATHS
Assessment
Cite two reasons why the commercial genre in Thailand has blossomed. Give a brief explanation for each.
Below is the format for your guidance.

Name: (Surname, Given name)

Schedule: ______________________
Course: ______________________

_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________

Instructions on how to submit student output

Please read the instructions regarding this part in the Course Policies section of the attached
syllabus of this course.
Module Posttest

Instructions: Write T if the statement is True and F if the statement is False. Write your answer on the
space provided before each number.

_______1. Marimar was one of the first Mexican telenovelas “Mexicanovelas,” imported to the
Philippines.
______2. Thalia played the titular Marimar
______3. Mexicanovela is a combination of the words Mexican and telenovela.
______4. Mangga is a Japanese comic book.
______5. From 2003 to 2015, anime shows had a bit of a downfall.
______6. All Koreans trust Filipinos.
______7. Since 2006, Koreans have been the top visitors to the Philippines.
______8. Wonder Girls popularized the song “Nobody.”
______9. Thai commercial has become a genre in the entertainment industry because of its popularity.
______10. Marian Rivera played Marimar in the Filipino version of Marimar.

References and Additional Resources

4 Teachers. (2006, December 18). Rubric. Retrieved from 4 Teachers :

http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php?screen=ShowRubric&rubric_id=1357669&.
Bravo, M. B. (2012). Japanese Cultural Influence in the Philippines through Anime's Popularity and
Pervasiveness.
Finlay, L. (2018, February 12). Retrieved from Culture Trip:
https://theculturetrip.com/asia/thailand/articles/wonderful-world-thai-advertising/
Figure 6. Retrieved from Language Magazine:
https://www.languagemagazine.com/2017/07/14/multilingual-comics/
Figure 8. Retrieved from Favim.com: https://favim.com/image/6436240/
Shewan, D. (2020, April 20). Retrieved from Word Stream:
https://www.wordstream.com/blog/ws/2017/12/20/swot-analysis
Transpacific Popular Culture . (n.d.). Retrieved from Transpacific Popular Culture Website:
https://tinyurl.com/ybdqnmje
Yap, D. (2011, December 12). Retrieved from Inquirer Net:
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/109439/filipinos-attracted-to-korean-culture-k-pop-koreanovelas
Suggested Readings and Videos
1. Read M. B. Bravo’s whole thesis for additional information about Japanese animation in the
Philippines.
2. Stalk Korean actors/actresses and pop stars. Find out if any of them are racists.
3. Watch these commercials on YouTube. They are Filipino made and compare them to Thai works.
Click these links:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Y8VYtHdCq0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikogcHbUNeM

Answers to the Pretest

1. T
2. F
3. T
4. F
5. F
6. F
7. T
8. T
9. T
10. F

Answer to the Posttest

Answers to the posttest is the same as the answers to the pretest.