Newsletter# 2: Anime, Korean Dramas and RRR! The Take Over of International Entertainment

By Kerry @Nerdygirlcreates

This morning I was going through my Netflix que to see what I need to catch up on. Outside of Extraction 2 and Strange Things I realized 95% of my que was either anime or Korean dramas. It made me realize I watch and read less western made entertainment. I have traded in new DC and Marvel comics for Japanese manga,

on social media I follow actors like Park Seo Joon instead of Hollywood elites like Chris Evans, most of my streaming apps are entirely devoted to anime and Korean drama, my iTunes are devoted to K-pop rather than western pop and I am even started diving into Japanese collectibles. The question is why?

If the recent disappointment of the Flash movie from WB and DC reflects anything it is that the audience has had enough with poor quality. Over the pass 10+ years the western based consumer has been exposed to multiple remakes, unnecessary sequels, unwanted character reinventions and forced plot points that are unappealing. The start for me was the introduction of the new Star Wars trilogy from Disney. The creatives behind it appeared to have no understanding of the universe or the fan base that followed it. The release of The Last Jedi caused a tidal wave of fan outrage meet with corporate responses like “It wasn’t made for you” or “you’re a misogynist”. Hollywood had appeared to take a “Stand” as they put it against “Toxic Fans”. Now I do not deny there were some individuals who either took advantage of the situation or did not handle it in the best way possible; however, a good majority of fans were expressing their disappointment and instead of trying to listen to the criticism the Hollywood elite labeled them inappropriate names (which I will not list here). The rest of Hollywood appeared to follow the lead of Disney and Lucasfilm’s by remaking, producing sequels and reinventing characters that have been beloved. Instead of giving the audience what they were hoping for fans instead watched as their favorite characters were deconstructed and/or replaced by what Hollywood considered to be more appropriate. It wasn’t just movies affected by this.

As a long time, Marvel comic book fan, I witness the decline of such greats as the XMen, a team of mutant superheroes that dominated the comic sales charts long before the movies made their first appearance. These characters now reflect more of their villainous counterparts known as The Brotherhood of Mutants, by alienating themselves from the people they swore to protect on a planet deemed a mutant sovereign. Other great Marvel characters like Captain America Steve Rogers and Iron Man Tony Stark were either killed off or sent away to be replaced by inferior characters. Once they did return, their stories felt like a mission to expose them as “problematic” despite their heroic legacies. I can take so much Hellcat “womansplaining” to Tony about how he is a privileged cis white male before I need to read My Hero Academia to wash it from my brain. Now I am not blaming this on the usual complaints heard around social media. I am also not denying some of didn’t greatly influence these changes. I am blaming Marvel themselves for their lack of control and hiring people who do not have the skill set to produce a great story or respect the legacy of the characters they have written. When you push away your core fanbase with mediocre work you cannot be surprised when your sales start to plummet. It’s this kind of approach that drives the consumers to find alternatives.

So why is the international media so popular? Let’s start with anime and manga. I group them together because they have a very synergistic relationship. If the manga is popular, it will help get the anime produced. If the anime is successful, it will help the manga sales. Anime rarely diverts from the source material. Unlike comic books and their movie counterparts, fans can trust that the adaption will follow the story very closely. Another reason is that manga focuses on telling a story. Yes, I know that sounds ridiculous, but the creator’s main goal is to build a world and develop the characters within it. Eiichiro Oda, the creator of “One Piece”, is hailed as a master of world building. From the beginning of the series,we are introduced to characters who hail from a small area of the world known as the East Blue. The characters themselves are at a developmental stage. There is a lot of room to grow both physically and mentally. As the series progresses, we see those same characters overcome obstacles and develop their abilities. These characters also mature and gain more knowledge. The islands that are visited also become larger and more complex the further the journey takes them. They face greater challenges that will eventually lead to a final climactic battle with the ultimate antagonist of the series. American comic book characters are at a standstill. They do not have room to grow or at least the writers in charge do not know how to expand their world. Another problem with mainstream comics like DC and Marvel, it is not easy to tell a new reader where to start. There isn’t a defining entry point. Manga on the other hand has a volume one. Where do you start with One Punch Man? Volume one.

Anime is also quickly getting a foot hold on the western market. Juggernauts like Disney animation and Pixar are losing their hold on movie audiences. Once known as the gold standard of American animation, Disney has been focused on less thrilling animation and storytelling by settling for computerized bland generic tales that are unappealing to families. A good example is the recent “Elemental” which looked like a reskin of a more popular Disney film “Inside Out”. There seems to be no effort put into making great stories and unique art that stands apart like it once did. Anime on the other hand has wider appeal. Like manga you find an anime based on all different types of genres and are designed for different age groups. Yes, anime does use computer animation, but it is balanced out with the hand drawn stylistic art that Japanese anime is known for. The stories are also compelling and tend to draw an audience into the world. I know not everything is perfect in Japanese media. There are failures and some problematic elements but overall, I feel the industry understands who their target audience is unlike modern mainstream.

Korean dramas have become my live action entertainment. Sure, I still indulge in some Hollywood productions but there are fewer than before. The Korean industry is made up of different genres. Sometimes they are originals, or they might adapt WEBTOONS or even Manwha (Korean comics). I recently got hooked on two very different shows. “Alchemy of Souls” is a fantasy action drama that takes place in a historical fictional Joseon period. In this world magic exists and it is combined with Korean martial arts. The two main characters are a body swapping woman looking for revenge and a young man who is prevented from using magic due to a spell. The other drama is “Bloodhounds” set-in present-day Seoul it centers on two amateur boxers dealing with a loan shark that has taken advantage of the damage caused by the recent COVID pandemic. Their goal is to stop the wealthy loan shark after his people trick one of their mothers into signing a deal, she believes is a government funded loan to help struggling businesses. The action sequences in both series are amazing but it is the stories that keep you invested. Korean dramas are not the only ones catching on with western audience. I have a coworker who has become obsessed with Turkish dramas such as “Magnificent Century” that centers on the Sultan’s harem and the Russian woman who rises to power and “Early Bird” about an office romance between two unlikely colleges. Then there is the success of “RRR”. An Indian produced film that became so popular it made its way to the Oscars. The story focuses on Raju and Bheem, two Indian men on opposing sides during the 1920 British occupation. Bheem who is determined to rescue a young girl from his village who was taken by the new British Governor, enlists the help of Raju unaware that he is spy sent to prevent Bheem from succeeding. What makes the plot so compelling is the unlikely friendship that develops between the two and the impending realization that could destroy that newfound relationship.

So, the question is why can’t the western entertainment industry make compelling stories? In all honesty I think it is because they have painted themselves in a corner. Hollywood has become so reliant on established franchises they will keep reproducing them until the box office finally falls out from under them. They are too afraid to attempt to produce a new possible successful franchise unless it has name recognition and/or a built-in fanbase. The other problem is mainstream media is not making talent or experience a priority. People have become so obsessed over appeasing political standards that they forgo if an individual has the skill set needed for the position in favor of “checking boxes”. Do I believe Hollywood has a representation problem? In some areas yes but I do not think the correct way to address it is just by hiring anyone who says that they want the job. The other problem this affects is leadership. Those in positions of power are afraid to attempt to fix any issues plaguing the industry because they are afraid of being accused of something on social media that they may or may not have done. It’s a recipe for disaster that has finally start to come to fruition. In the past many consumers would excuse bad products in a franchise due to either prior successful entries, nostalgia, or chalking it up to “The next one will be better”. Guess what? It is not getting better and paying customers are starting to move on.

In conclusion, While Hollywood tries to figure out how to repackage the next Fast and the Furious series or bring another beloved Disney animated feature to live action, I will spend my time journeying into worlds I haven’t explored before. Maybe it will be a manga like “Saint Young Men” about Buddha and Jesus Christ sharing an apartment in modern day Tokyo while dealing with their opposing religious views. I’ll watch “Kingdom” on Netflix, a Korean Zombie drama set in historical Korea where a prince battles a zombie horde about to invade the kingdom with a new twist on how the virus was contracted. Finally, I’ll hang out with my favorite Pirate crew as Luffy and his friends battle new and exciting challenges on their way to the “One Piece”. Oh yes there are alternatives and unfortunately, they aren’t many coming from our side of the ocean. Maybe in due time an awakening will happen but for now…..I’m good.