Media popularizes Asian culture

spotlight on asian culture

Media representation popularizes Asian culture

NATALIE VU ONLINE NEWS EDITOR

At one point in time, the scariest place for an Asian American student was the cafeteria. As their lunches were met with confused stares and offhand comments, Asian Americans became conditioned to feel embarrassed of their culture.

Other Asian-associated interests, from K-pop to anime, have faced their fair share of ridicule. But as Asian culture has taken center-stage in various Western countries, Asian American students are finally able to share aspects of their identity after years of hiding them.

“I feel like there’s definitely been more Asian culture appreciation in Western culture, which has been really big for me,” said senior Songhan Pang, president of the Asian American Association (AAA). “Growing up I didn’t really see that much representation of Asian culture.”

Last year, after continual association with the COVID-19 virus, Asians faced a wave of racism and hate crimes.

“For someone who has really strong ties with her Chinese American heritage, it’s really disheartening to see,” Pang said. “I really hope that people grow to notice that the coronavirus is not race-based—it’s a public health concern for everybody.”

Recently, as a result of increased representation in the media, Asian culture is finally being celebrated and appreciated. The release of the hit series Squid Game, BTS shattering records, Asian-dominated casts in Hollywood movies, popular anime releases and Eastern films making their way into the U.S. are just a few examples of how Asian culture has grown.

“I feel like there was a sudden rise [in appreciation] with ‘Gangnam Style,’ then it kind of went down until BTS and Squid Game came along,” junior Kevin Lim said. “I feel extremely proud personally because mostly we see Asian culture, and it’s Korean right now, so it makes a Korean very proud.”

Representation for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) had been lacking in Hollywood until 1993 when The Joy Luck Club, the first all-Asian mainstream film, was released, but this generation didn’t see that kind of representation until 2018’s Crazy Rich Asians.

“I have noticed a recent uptick of inquiries asking me about Asian American society in general and of requests wanting me to share insights of contemporary Asian culture, [especially] after Crazy Rich Asians debuted in 2018,” said Chinese language teacher Wendy Pearson, the AAA sponsor.

In 2020, the South Korean Film Parasite won an Oscar for best picture, making it the first non-English language film to win the award. Since then, the film industry has become noticeably more inclusive, especially with the 2021 release of Marvel’s Shang Chi, an Eastern-based film with an Asian-dominated cast. With all this content being produced, trends have started to revolve around them, including the use of Eastern beauty products, making dalgona candy from Squid Game and learning K-pop dances.

“While it may not be a surprise for the younger generation who have grown up with social media, knowing that Asian culture has become a ‘trend’ among them is quite a surprise for me,” Pearson said.

Representation has grown in all aspects of Asian culture, especially in the music industry. BTS, a well-known K-pop band, has gained massive popularity in the U.S. over the years.

“In eighth grade, I had just gotten into K-pop, but I wasn’t really sharing

School sQUID GAME — Natalie Ng and Rosa Kwon try to cut out a shape in dalgona candy during the Asian American Association’s version of Squid Game after school on Nov. 10. The show exposed viewers to aspects of Korean culture.

it with the people around me,” Pang said. “Then all of a sudden when BTS came to the American Music Awards, people started doing their dance and listening to them, and I was so excited because this was the first time I saw people really enjoying Asian culture in such an outgoing way.”

From first performing at the American Music Awards in 2017 to winning Artist of the Year in 2021, BTS is one example of the evergrowing appeal of Asian culture. Fans of all races are eagerly awaiting BTS’s next album.

“Asian culture is just part of a bigger globalization trend that’s been going on for a while now, and I think it’s just a natural progression,” senior Jackson Chadwick said.

Globalization and representation in the media have also led to an increase in the popularity of Asian food. What was once something to be embarrassed of is now starting to be appreciated.

“Growing up you see the typical thing, like I would bring some food that my mom made me, and then people would be like..., ‘Oh, what’s that? It smells funny,’” Pang said.

After years of being made fun of for their uncommon meals, people have learned to appreciate various Asian cuisines. Dishes such as pho, sushi and ramen are now casually enjoyed among all cultures. Boba tea, which originated in Taiwan, has become a staple.

For years, these forms of Asian culture have been enjoyed, but it is now that the spotlight is finally shining on them. Whether it is sharing an interest in K-pop, films or various Asian dishes, they have all brought together people of all cultural backgrounds.

“The Chinese have a saying, ‘物以 类聚.’ Roughly translated, this means, ‘Things of a kind come together,’” Pearson said. “The K-pop movement exemplifies this; it connects with people on a global scale through a shared love of music and cultural diversity.”

While K-pop and anime are major interests among the current generation, there are many more aspects to Asian culture. Along with the AAA, McLean offers a variety of student-run cultural clubs. Some recently started clubs include the Vietnamese Student Association and the Japanese Cultural Club.

“There are instances where you can see how prominent Asian culture has become. Last year, the Japanese Club was not even a club—it was just a group of friends wanting to watch anime together,” senior Jay Shin said. “This year a lot of people joined the club without prior knowledge of what it was. They just joined because they liked Japanese culture.”

THE CHINESE HAVE A SAYING, ‘物以类聚.’ ROUGHLY TRANSLATED, THIS MEANS, ‘THINGS OF A KIND COME TOGETHER.’”

- WENDY PEARSON CHINESE LANGUAGE TEACHER

With this rise in popularity, some students are concerned by the sudden growth of Asian culture. By viewing these media, misconceptions can be formed, as some may associate a certain country with what they see on the screen, without any other knowledge of the culture.

“I think that it’s really important to remember that cultural appropriation is never OK, and it’s really important to learn about a culture, as opposed to just enjoying it without any context,” Shin said.

In Western films and shows, many Asian characters have been portrayed in an offensive and false way. Watching these films growing up, many Asian Americans have not only felt insecure about not fitting in, but also angry about the misrepresentation of themselves.

“We have to keep in mind the journey that Asian Americans have gone through to become more represented in America, and we shouldn’t forget all the struggles and all the trials that they went through,” Pang said.

For years, Asian Americans have faced stereotypes that have been ingrained into society and portrayed through the media. Despite not all being harmful, they still hold an impact on the way Asians are perceived.

“We’ve all heard, ‘Oh, Asians are good at math; Asians are doctors, lawyers, engineers,’” Pang said. “I’ve heard that growing up, and it’s really this one-sided narrative that has encapsulated Asian Americans, but they are a diverse group of people, each with their own aspirations and goals, and they should be recognized for that.”

Though these stereotypes may appear as compliments, they can actually be quite harmful.

“You should never stereotype anyone. Everyone is an individual with their own unique potential,” Pearson said. “Don’t blindly believe that dexterity in math or science belongs to Asian students—anyone can excel in these subjects.”

As representation continues to increase, the nuances of Asian culture will become more widely known and accepted, moving beyond the surface.

“It’s said that culture is the ways of life, including the arts, beliefs and institutions of a community that are passed down from generation to generation,” Pearson said. “Today, I retain the same basic Asian cultural principles as earlier generations of my family.”

After all these years of growing up afraid of sharing their culture because it was different, Asian culture will only continue to grow and reach people.

“The majority of non-Asians are coming from a point where they haven’t really been exposed to all this culture yet,” Pang said. “I just feel like keeping an open mind and also [being] willing to take in different perspectives is just my suggestion for people wanting to learn more about Asian culture.”