Cultural Impacts of Globalisation

Question 1

Give an example of a Spread of Culture

Answer 1

The Korean wave has gained global popularity and its influences have spread through beauty products, television dramas, K-pop music and electronics. K-Pop groups like BTS have been made global ambassadors for Korean electronic brands and products such as the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 phone which has become popular globally as global consumers seek to emulate the lifestyles of their idols.

Question 2

Give an example of Dilution of Culture

Answer 2

Xinyao is a genre of music featuring Mandarin ballads composed by young Singaporeans that was popular in the 1980s amongst Singaporeans. Unfortunately, the rise of international megastars like Andy Lau has led to radio stations playing more of their songs over Xinyao songs which allowed these international stars to dominate the music culture of Singaporeans.

Question 3

How can countries and individuals accept cultural influences?

Answer 3

Individuals
* The award-winning film Braveheart led to a 300% increase in tourist visits to the National Wallace Monument in Scotland the year after its release. The teen comedy To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before also caused a rise in interest in Yakult, a drink from Japan that was featured in the comedy. This shows the power of individual choice when they actively consume foreign cultural products and allow it to influence their lifestyles.
Countries
* In February 2023, a dance cover of an award-winning Indian song Naatu Naatu by South Korean diplomats in India went viral on social media. This was a tribute to the success of Indian cinema and music, since K-pop and K-drama has also been increasingly popular in India. This shows that countries may also be embracing of other cultures and facilitate cross-cultural appreciation.

Question 4

How can countries and individuals reject cultural influences?

Answer 4

Individuals
* While the Korean Wave has enjoyed great popularity in Japan, there were growing protests from individuals. The first protest was on August 7 which involved 2500 people and the second protest was on August 21 which involved 6000 people. The protest was **aimed at expressing concern over Japan’s Fuji Television for allowing Korean dramas to dominate local variety shows. **
Countries
* In 1993, France had a rule requiring 40% of TV programmes to be in French. In 1994, another rule stipulated that 40% of the songs played over the radio must also be in French. France employed these measures in order to counter rising cultural influences from English-speaking countries brought about the spread of entertainment products