Week 2 - Regina Kwon

When thinking about re-branding a nation, I prefer the government system of Malaysia. I choose this particular government because it focuses on national sovereignty and is home to multi-ethnic communities. Startups don’t always work out; however, Malaysia’s government seems promising enough to consider, as it has demonstrated the collective ability to grow and prosper rather peacefully. Malaysia is home to tourist attractions, activities, as well as marketing. When most people think of Malaysia, such images of historical buildings or mosques might surface. While it’s true that these historical leftovers have value and had impact on Malaysia’s overall development as a nation, I argue that Malaysia highly embraces the global culture of technology, mainly because technology is nationwide. Haksoon Yim explicitly mentions the phrase “cultural identity” and how this helps regulate effectives states of culture and arts such as cinema, while globalizing national cultures. Nowadays, in terms of the arts, Japan is highly known for its anime while Korea is known for its K-dramas. Therefore, exchange can take place, both socially and economically. In relation to Korean pop culture and nationalism, otherwise considered as the “Hallyu Wave,” Malaysia can achieve maximum “national aesthetics” by introducing filmmakers to new ways of storytelling through transnational film production. For instance, filmmakers can specifically delve into cultural diverse characters and worldly settings. By doing so, filmmakers can begin to make transnational movies that begin to question national policy, deviate from generalized views/quick judgements of ethnicity and race in Malaysian films, and overall, establish a rebranding of Malaysia. In other words, Malaysia can maximize national aesthetics through a new national identity by essentially benefitting from its own communities and projecting it within an international sphere of filmmaking. 

Question: How is malleable cultural identity key to maintaining the idea of fixed cultural traditions amidst globalization?

Sources: Joo, Jeongsuk. “Transnationalization of Korean Popular Culture and the Rise of ‘Pop Nationalism’ in Korea.” The Journal of Pop Culture: 44:3, 2011, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.   

Yim, Haksoon. “Cultural Identity and Cultural Policy in South Korea.” International Journal of Cultural Policy: 8:1, 37-48, 2002. 

<https://cdn01.vulcanpost.com/wp-uploads/2015/04/iflixlocal.png>