In preparation for the 2022 Philippine presidential election, K-pop fans nationwide united to campaign for presidential candidate Leni Robredo. The most crucial organisation that set this in motion...Show moreIn preparation for the 2022 Philippine presidential election, K-pop fans nationwide united to campaign for presidential candidate Leni Robredo. The most crucial organisation that set this in motion, K-pop Stans 4 Leni, created a community to talk politics, campaign for Robredo, and spread truthful information concerning the election. Through interviewing a member of this organisation and circulating a survey, this research aims to research how and why Filipino K-pop fans used K-pop as a tool for their political expression and activism during the 2022 Philippine presidential election and, therefore, how K-pop can be political. Results show that the participants in the organisation are politically active in character. The organisation became a political force using K-pop mechanisms to mobilise many fans swiftly. This research concludes that the organisation used K-pop since it effectively mobilises a large demographic who support their goals. Furthermore, this thesis concludes that K-pop fandom can be political, as shown by KS4GG. However, it cannot be concluded that all aspects of K-pop are political due to a lack of political participation. As this research primarily analyses participants involved with the organisation K-pop Stans 4 Leni, this should be noted as a limitation and allows for further research to be done.Show less
This paper deals with the correlation between transnationalism and Korean identity in the films of Bong Joon Ho. The aim of this research is to highlight the presence of transnationalism and Korean...Show moreThis paper deals with the correlation between transnationalism and Korean identity in the films of Bong Joon Ho. The aim of this research is to highlight the presence of transnationalism and Korean identity in Bong Joon Ho’s films, by examining specific segments of the films that illustrate this. The research demonstrates the interrelationship or conjunction of both transnationalism, with its influences from other film industries, and the reformulation or re-appropriation of the Korean identity in Bong Joon Ho’s films. The research question reads as follows: “How did Bong Joon Ho develop a transnational style of filmmaking that is successful globally, while still retaining a distinct South Korean identity?” In order to answer this question, the research presents all that has been written previously by scholars on the topic of Bong Joon Ho’s style of filmmaking and the concept of transnationalism in relation to East Asian film. In addition, this paper analyses four of Bong Joon Ho’s films, The Host, Snowpiercer, Okja, and Parasite. This research posits that Bong’s distinctive style of transnational filmmaking has been a worldwide success, due to his ability to accommodate to global audiences by transforming and improving Hollywood genre conventions, while addressing global issues. Furthermore, Bong’s incorporation and expression of Korean identity in his films are perhaps what makes Bong Joon Ho even more successful, due to the renewed interest in globally familiar topics from different cultural perspectives.Show less
