Kenrick Chiang: Week 1 & 2

Week 1:

Nation Branding is an idea in which carries a heavy impact on a specific nation. It allows different nations to get on the map due to a specific trait they may possess. Nation Branding can be powerful in the sense that it holds the opinions of many people. Nation Branding can give a country a good name such as the United States. Many outside countries see the United States as a land of opportunity and freedom which is something other countries do not have. This leads to people wanting to travel to the United States and have a life there. Because of having a good name, it can help countries greatly as more people become interested about the country, leading to more travel and eventually contributing to the economy. However, Nation Branding can give countries a bad name as well. A common example is Ireland. Many people associate the Irish with being drunk or violent to each other. This wards off potential tourists, but it can also encourage many people to try the many drinks in Ireland. Due to this nation branding, a pitfall can be seen in the sense that it creates negative stereotyping and/or racism. We see it a lot today in the news, conversations, movies, etc. A common example is China for its pollution and factories. Many people are eventually against the idea of the mass pollution that affects the lives of its citizens. Personally, due to the constant media coverage of different countries, we all subconsciously nation brand different nations. People in the United States even do it to other states such as California being the surfers and how everyone knows a celebrity or Texas being the land of cowboys and guns. So by having a “brand,” countries are able to benefit or fall from these brands that people give them.

Question: We have seen countries start from little, rise due to branding, but is there an example where a nation has fallen due to this?

Source: https://img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-static/static/2014-04/enhanced/webdr08/25/9/original-28973-1398433674-13.jpg?downsize=715:*&output-format=auto&output-quality=auto

Week 2:

Personally, I feel like South Korea’s National Branding has a big part of South Korea’s National Aesthetic. Since the split between North and South Korea, we have seen the United States help South Korea rebuild and shaped to have more of a western influence on the country. We see this in its most notable brands such as plastic surgery and pop culture. In Jeongsuk Joo’s article, Joo brings up the notion of the Korean Wave. This is when Korea makes social changes for a few years and is essentially dubbed “a new center of cultural production in Asia” (Joo 490). This essentially states that South Korea’s National Aesthetic is its own pop culture. By revamping the country within a few years, South Korea was able to give itself a brand. Now, we can see South Korea's pop culture influencing many different countries and people across the world. Whether it is through their pop-stars or drama shows, South Korea was able to captivate the interest of many people which then helped make its mark on the map. By marking itself in the world, it gives them some sort of identity that will be carried on until the next major change in its aesthetic.

Question: How drastic of a change would it be if a different country helped out South Korea instead of the USA such as Japan or England?

http://image.kpopstarz.com/data/images/full/472717/gaon-combined-jpg.jpg?w=650