Sunday, May 10, 2015

Korean American Youth and Transnational Flows of Popular Culture across the Pacific

Yi Zhou
Section 001
ASA 002
Week 7

The article “Korean American Youth and Transnational Flows of Popular Culture across the Pacific” explores the role of immigrant Korean American youth in the transnational flow of popular culture on both side of the Pacific. Park states that Korean Americans like to consume media abroad because it gives them a feeling of belonging, and connection with their families and friends.

Park also mentions that students who study abroad are the key players in the creation of trans-Pacific popular culture because of their multi-site living arrangements and frequent travel. As an international student from China, I am not sure how Korean international students influence American culture, but I can say that international students indeed have a big influence on their American friends. When I first came to Davis, I was surprised that lots of Americans and American-born Chinese have no idea what Karaoke is. Karaoke is a very popular and common entertainment in China. Karaoke is a type of entertainment where people can select the songs that they enjoy and sing along to the music. Chinese people like to sing Karaoke with their friends frequently. I told my Asian-American friends to hang out with me and try this “new” activity. It turns out that most of those who tried the experience out for the first time really enjoyed it. They have also recommended this activity to others who have not tried it before. Recently, Sacramento opened two new Karaoke places when there was only one Karaoke place three years ago. Karaoke has become huge in the recent years in the US, with people from every background finding something in common in the music that they sing to.

 Below is the poster on my former roommate's wall. A poster of a popular Korean group: EXO



Question: Except China and Korea, what other countries have big influence on American culture?


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