Post #2: Culture as Communication - How JPOP has changed me

Defining communication as culture is easier but saying that culture communicates, I think it is a little bit harder than I thought.

But come to think of it, experience tells you how culture communicates, may they be of different cultures or of the same culture but of different beliefs. I think the best example of how culture communicates is how Filipino’s get fond of watching Korean Dramas or in my case, Japanese dramas.

When I was still on my first year in college, my dream job was to be a Japanese translator. I asked one of my professors in school how to study Japanese even if I have limited study materials and can’t afford to study at a language school. She said that in order to learn one’s language, one should watch and listen to their dramas and songs, and so I did. I immersed myself on studying Nihonggo and maybe, just like KPOP fans, I got ‘hooked’ with the JPOP (Japanese Pop) and ever since then it already became part of my life. Some of the shows I watch are similar or contradicts our real life experiences.

Actually, the main reason why I love watching Japanese dramas or Jdorama, as some JPOP enthusiast calls it, is that the story line was so interesting. Some drama genres are not that quite popular here in the Philippines like detective dramas. Most of the Filipino media consumers love to watch love stories but I for one am not a fan of those stuff, especially if you are a Mass Communications graduate who has already mastered the skill of ‘guessing’ what would be the ending of the story. In short, I want a story that has so many twist and you will never know or cannot guess the what-would-be the ending of the story. I kind of understood why some of their love stories are very erotic, why their horror movies are really horrifying and why their detective movies are very gruesome, and it was because of their culture. Some Japanese people do not believe in ghost, some are still single and some love extremes. But I think, on my opinion, the best drama genre are the human interest stories, and the best storyline that ever catch my attention even though I am not a fan of love stories (hehe) is the drama ‘Smile’.

(c) http://3.bp.blogspot.com

Vito Hayakawa has a Filipino father, and a Japanese mother. Since he is not a full blooded Japanese citizen, he is referred to as a low class citizen. His father left him in Japan while his mother ran away with her boyfriend. Vito was employed by a good old man who owns a factory that produces rice cakes. His life was almost perfect when suddenly all was turned upside down when he was accused of being a drug dealer at his part time. He was found not guilty with the help of a Korean-Japanese lawyer but was again accused of killing someone just because he wanted to protect his girlfriend. He was nearly sentenced to death when his lawyer saw a good evidence to prove that he is not guilty.

The story was very interesting and at the same time it puzzles me why he was regarded as a ‘low class’ citizen wherein fact he was born in Japan. All along I know that being a lady makes one a second class citizen but the low class... very weird... According to my Japanese students, Filipinas are known in Japan as entertainers and most of them works as hostesses. Japanese think that being a hostess is the most ‘dirtiest’ job ever, and they (Japanese) view Filipinos that they are all dirty. I did ask some of them about how they were treated in Japan, and they all have the same response:  “Our classmates do not like us and they think we are stupid…” That reality just saddens me.

Also, Anime or Japanese Cartoons are also popular among children and young adults alike and who have never watch the Detective Conan anime series:

 (c) http://www.anime-planet.com/

Conan Kitagawa or Shinichi Kudo is a little detective wherein he was forced to drink a drug which makes an adult shrink into a small child. The cartoon depicts the young detective, with the help of an adult detective and his friends solve mysteries and the use of some highly technological gadgets that help him even solve the hard cases.

The cartoon has made everyone fascinated on how skilled and critical thinker Conan is, which makes its viewers think critically by trying to solve cases while the show is going or some recreational activities derived from detective shows. Some of my friends who watch this show sometimes compare PNP on how they solve crimes. They think that, if some countries can solve a crime within a day, why can't the Philippines do that? 

Aside from watching Jdoramas, I also love to listen to JPOP. I find it inspiring because according to my own point of view I guess most of the Filipino popular music now a days are inclined to love songs (it’s not that I don’t like love songs… but I just find it too cheesy…) and what I like about JPOP songs are that all of their songs are not about relationships. Some are very inspiring about how to reach your dreams and such. Some of the songs that I have listen to lightens up my mood. Also, most of the bands that I listen to are very close to each other that makes me want to value the people around me even more, just like my favorite Japanese band ‘Arashi’.

(c) http://nipponheavenjp.files.wordpress.com

This band was formed by Johnny’s Entertainment just to cheer their national team that is competing for a volleyball match overseas. Just like every other band, it is very hard to keep up their popularity status especially if KPOP is on the verged of making its way to the Japanese Music Industry, but still they kept producing songs that will still attract their fans all over the world. Recently, the band has held their 15^th anniversary in Hawaii and has boost the local economy in the state. (aramatheydidnt.com)

Another thing that fascinates me about this boy band is how they  produce their concerts. They have so many colorful lights and even a rotating stage! I thought that if such big productions will be made here in the Philippines it will be totally awesome!

Some people find me unique because of my interest while some find me weird, even my parents who have a little experience of how hard the Japanese occupation saga was, but still what entice me to like JPOP was their culture J How Japanese people treat each other with respect even though the antagonist and the protagonist in some dramas are very much irritated with each other. Also, how conservative they are in terms of being in a relationships, may they be in high school or part of the working force. But sometimes I find their culture a bit creepy because some of the detective dramas that I have watched are more into domestic violence (DV). Some of the people who can “understand” my interest are of course, are of the same boat as I do.