Overview
This lesson examines how Asian cultures influence each other in performance and visual arts, focusing on cultural homogenization, interculturalism, Asianness, and cultural collaboration. It highlights how Asian countries connect, blend, and shape each other's art, music, fashion, and traditions, leading to both shared and unique cultural expressions.
Learning Competencies and Goals
- Analyze the cultural influences, relationships, and characteristics, as well as the similarities and differences, of emerging and contemporary concepts, techniques, processes, and practices in various Asian popular performing and visual arts.
- Characterize the commonalities of art in Asian countries in terms of cultural influences, relationships, and characteristics.
- Relate the characteristics of performance and visual arts in Asia.
- Explain emerging and contemporary concepts, techniques, processes, and practices in various Asian performing and visual arts.
Key Concepts: Cultural Homogenization and Asian Popular Arts
- Cultural homogenization is the process where cultural diversity is reduced as customs, ideas, and values become widely shared and popular, making cultures more similar.
- Interculturalism refers to the interaction, connection, and influence between two or more different cultures, leading to the sharing and blending of cultural elements.
- Asianness describes the rise and global spread of Asian popular culture, such as anime, K-pop, and manga, not only within Asia but also in other parts of the world. It also includes how non-Asian countries create their own versions of Asian pop culture, often for commercial reasons.
- Cultural collaboration involves artists from different Asian countries working together to create new and meaningful works, reflecting shared influences and creative exchange.
Examples of Cross-Cultural Influence
- K-pop in Southeast Asia: K-pop has become extremely popular in Indonesia and Thailand, driven by catchy music, synchronized choreography, and high production values. South Korean companies use K-pop artists to reach Southeast Asian markets, and local fans are drawn to the unique choreography and visuals.
- Thai artists in K-pop: Lisa of Blackpink, a Thai artist, has achieved international fame in the K-pop industry, showing the cross-national success and collaboration within Asian pop culture.
- J-pop in Vietnam: Japanese pop music (J-pop) has influenced Vietnam’s music scene, blending foreign music traditions with a Japanese twist. This hybrid style offers variety and appeals to Asian fans, contributing to a multicultural and interconnected music landscape.
- These examples show how Asian cultures inspire and adapt each other's artistic forms, leading to a rich and dynamic cultural scene across the region.
Contemporary Arts Trends in Asia
- Asian popular arts often combine visual spectacle, music, storytelling, and fashion, creating engaging and innovative performances.
- There is a trend of blending traditional and modern elements, resulting in new hybrids in both performance and visual arts.
- Collaboration between artists from different Asian countries leads to fresh, meaningful, and innovative works that reflect both shared and unique cultural influences.
- The global popularity of Asian arts, such as K-pop, anime, and cosplay, demonstrates the power of cultural exchange and adaptation.
Cultural Collaboration and Global Influence
- K-pop’s global rise: K-pop gained worldwide attention with Psy’s “Gangnam Style” in 2012, which became the first video to surpass 1 billion views on YouTube. Events like KCON and BTS’s stadium performances in the US have further established K-pop as a global phenomenon and a multi-billion dollar industry.
- Anime’s influence: Anime, once limited to Japan, has become popular worldwide. Western artists now collaborate with and draw inspiration from anime, leading to creative exchanges and new storytelling styles. This cross-cultural interchange expands creative perspectives and fosters appreciation for diverse artistic traditions.
- Cosplay’s global spread: Cosplay began in Japan in the 1970s and quickly became popular among fans of anime, manga, and video games. It spread to the West in the 1980s and has since become a global phenomenon, with large conventions, elaborate costumes, and vibrant fan communities. Cosplay is a vivid example of how cultural practices can travel, evolve, and bring people together through shared passion and creativity.
Activities for Deeper Understanding
- Review and recall: Begin with a short review of previous lessons by identifying key terms and concepts.
- Crossword puzzle: Solve a crossword puzzle using clues related to emerging and popular performance and visual arts.
- Video viewing: Watch a video about the global influence of Korean culture and answer process questions about what makes Korean culture unique, its worldwide popularity, key events in its rise, and its influence on other countries’ arts.
- Music performance analysis: Watch and analyze sample videos of Asian music performances. Observe and describe the movements, choreography, stage and costume design, and share your thoughts on the music.
- Article reading: Read “The Popularization of East Asian Pop Culture” and answer questions to deepen understanding of the rise and global appeal of East Asian pop culture.
- Essay writing: Read an article about the influence of K-pop groups like SB19 and Beanie in the Philippines, then write an essay reflecting on their similarities to K-pop groups, your views on cultural homogenization, and how you appreciate other cultures.
- Picture analysis: Examine images of different Asian performance and visual arts, describing the characteristics, design, movement, costumes, colors, and themes of each artwork.
- Group discussions: Participate in group activities focused on K-pop, cosplay, or animation. Discuss, record, and present your group’s insights.
- Reflection activities: Write down three things you learned, two fun facts, and one question you still have about the lesson.
- One-word closure: Summarize your learning experience with a single word and share it with the class.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Cultural homogenization: The process where cultural differences are reduced as common ideas and practices spread widely, making cultures more similar.
- Intercultural: Activities or interactions that occur between different cultures, involving sharing and blending of cultural elements.
- Asianness: The growing prominence and global adaptation of Asian popular culture, such as anime, K-pop, and manga, both within Asia and internationally.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Complete the crossword puzzle and answer video viewing questions in your notebook.
- Watch, observe, and analyze the assigned music and performance videos, noting details about movement, choreography, costumes, and stage design.
- Read the assigned articles and thoughtfully answer the reflection questions provided.
- Write an essay on the influence of K-pop in the Philippines, addressing the similarities to K-pop groups, your perspective on cultural homogenization, and ways you appreciate other cultures.
- Participate actively in group discussions, picture analysis, and self-reflection exercises.
- Prepare for the formative assessment by reviewing key terms, concepts, and examples discussed in the lesson.
- Submit your completed activities and reflections to your teacher as instructed.