Since the early 1999, ‘Hallyu’ or the ‘Korean wave’ has become one of the biggest cultural phenomena across Asia, resulting in a surge in foreign demand for all things Korean. Hallyu first spread to China and Japan, later to Southeast Asia, including the Philippines. The present study delves into ‘Hallyu,’ more specifically, the K-dramas. This study is a feminist reading of the female reception on how women are portrayed in K-dramas, specifically the empowered female characters, in terms of the Western values and ideologies. This study also aims to understand how middle-aged Filipino women gaze at the empowered/disempowered female characters in relation to their own lives. This study employed mixed method approach using online survey (N=34) and in-depth interviews for data collection. Textual analysis of the data is anchored in Hall’s encoding-decoding theory, dual-systems theory and the concepts of the female gaze. The results reveal that the middle-aged Filipino women perceive the interaction of power and oppression brought about by the influence of Western values and ideologies of patriarchy and capitalism as depicted in the male villains’ aggressive and violent behavior, the male dominance over women, and the perennial characterization of heroes as heirs to the family-owned companies. Using the female gaze, the middle-aged Filipino women’s dominant readings of the characterization of empowered/disempowered women in the K-dramas uncover values of self-confidence, independence, competence, hard work, leadership, perseverance and determination.

Authors:
Maria Rhodora Salazar, AMA University, Philippines

About the Presenter(s)
Ms Maria Rhodora Salazar is a University Doctoral Student at Enderun Colleges in Philippines

See this presentation on the full schedule – Tuesday Schedule

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