Since then, it has enjoyed a democratic wave with elected presidents. The country was fortunate to have elections in 1987 and it discarded authoritarianism. The most significant regressive factor was the presence of a dictatorship and its accompanying authoritarian rule. Anyone who visited the country before the 1980s can probably attest to the fact that there was a drab atmosphere not only architecturally, such as all those grey apartment blocks with huge numbering tattooed on the side of the buildings, but also culturally and politically. Looking back, it is easy to forget that there was a war between North and South Korea in the early part of the 1950s and that parts of South Korea were decimated by its impact. The outward impact of that influence in artistic and musical terms (as well as finance and economics) is matched lucratively by the inbound lure of South Korea as the genesis of such culture, acting as a positive pull factor for tourism and goodwill for the country. Recently, the most popular Korean band - BTS - has branched out to offer songs entirely in English as a kind of global, musical Esperanto. Two of the most popular groups - BLACKPINK (all girls) and GOT7 (all boys) both have members from other countries, including Thailand. Members of the groups are well-groomed and cosmopolitan. A clever marketing tool is to sing songs with English titles but with the lyrics mostly in Korean.
The groups are extremely well-rehearsed and the tunes are very catchy, often blending different genres, ranging from general pop/bop music with an easy singalong to jazz, rap and hip hop, vested with their own flavour. In essence, K-Pop is associated with groups of youths singing very synchronised songs and dancing. As Thai policymakers and entertainment industry leaders seek to tap into this process, what are key lessons to be learned from the Korean Wave? And does Thailand enjoy a comparative advantage for artistic empowerment on some fronts? K-Pop and artistic ripples through films and other forms of entertainment from South Korea have been conquering the world in recent years, as part of soft power and smart power.Ĭalled Hallyu or the Korean Wave, this phenomenon is looked upon with envy by other countries aspiring to empower their image through the arts. It has become popular in the Mekong region and mainland China.
#Thailand gay sex scene series
The series has been praised for promoting respect among individuals, gender diversity and democracy. A scene from 'The Miracle of Teddy Bear', which touches on gay relationships and LGBTIQ diversity.