The K-obsession among Thai youth

[Scottythai]

K-Pop best watched on mute. If even watched at all.

[sustento]

Singapore gained independence from malaysia in 1965

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Republic_of_Singapore

Before that it was a part of malaysia so please take note of the date in the story.

Please take note of the fact that they mentioned that they had to deal with Singapore immigration officers when they left Malaysia

[Asianbloke]

Is op so ignorant? In western countries they also love korean culture which has superseded japanese culture and mind you japanese culture in terms of say anime, video games etc have long held sway on the western world. Just the word pokemon alone will tell you how many western ppl know what it means and if you don't you're a caveman go ask your grandchildren what that word means. Anyway korean culture is like the new japanese culture of today. Oppa gangnam style is famous world wide. Everyone knows what it is.

I find it laughable that OP would single out the thais in this respect when there are teens in western countries that listen to korean pop music and watch their dramas. SNSD even held a concert in the US and they are something like the korean version of the spice girls but better looking. You know how hard it is for an asian band to do that. They held their concert in some popular stadium or venue. UK bands have problems doing that apart from the oldsters like the beatles.

Well, I am quite acquainted with Oppa Gangnam Style and the likes.

However, K-fever is even stronger and more intense in Thailand since it resonates well with their Asian sensibilities. I was just looking to explore the possible reasons and if you would have read properly, the discomfort of Thai officials everytime, a new wave sweeps over Thailand.

It is only natural for me to discuss the influence of K-fever in Thailand on forum meant specifically for issues pertaining to this country.

I have no hang-ups whatsoever, in discussing about its impact in western countries and Indian too (if at all any)

However, if I do so, there would be some accusing me unfairly of devoting a post to India on a Thai forum.

Alas! I can't always please everyone.

Edited April 7, 2014 by lokesh

[thailiketoo]

Well, I am quite acquainted with Oppa Gangnam Style and the likes.

However, K-fever is even stronger and more intense in Thailand since it resonates well with their Asian sensibilities. I was just looking to explore the possible reasons and if you would have read properly, the discomfort of Thai officials everytime, a new wave sweeps over Thailand.

It is only natural for me to discuss the influence of K-fever in Thailand on forum meant specifically for issues pertaining to this country.

I have no hang-ups whatsoever, in discussing about its impact in western countries and Indian too (if at all any)

However, if I do so, there would be some accusing me unfairly of devoting a post to India on a Thai forum.

Alas! I can't always please everyone.

I missed it. Where did you post the information that Thai Officials disliked K-Pop? The hippie link 40 years ago is nonsense. American/Euro trash Hippies are not K-pop.

So if no information just say you were trying to construct another Thai Bashing post and you were wrong.

[Asianbloke]

Well, I am quite acquainted with Oppa Gangnam Style and the likes.

However, K-fever is even stronger and more intense in Thailand since it resonates well with their Asian sensibilities. I was just looking to explore the possible reasons and if you would have read properly, the discomfort of Thai officials everytime, a new wave sweeps over Thailand.

It is only natural for me to discuss the influence of K-fever in Thailand on forum meant specifically for issues pertaining to this country.

I have no hang-ups whatsoever, in discussing about its impact in western countries and Indian too (if at all any)

However, if I do so, there would be some accusing me unfairly of devoting a post to India on a Thai forum.

Alas! I can't always please everyone.

I missed it. Where did you post the information that Thai Officials disliked K-Pop? The hippie link 40 years ago is nonsense. American/Euro trash Hippies are not K-pop.

So if no information just say you were trying to construct another Thai Bashing post and you were wrong.

Here, I am trying to pay respect to all other cultures too besides Thai and if someone fails to recognize the all-inclusive nature of my post, I am not the one at fault.

It seems that missed out on some relevant facts in my post. I said that similar discomfort has continued till date and is now evident in official advisories that often accompany each K-fad.

Is that worry/discomfort rational? A throwback to the earlier times is definitely relevant to the discussion here.

Edited April 7, 2014 by lokesh

[thailiketoo]

Well, I am quite acquainted with Oppa Gangnam Style and the likes.

However, K-fever is even stronger and more intense in Thailand since it resonates well with their Asian sensibilities. I was just looking to explore the possible reasons and if you would have read properly, the discomfort of Thai officials everytime, a new wave sweeps over Thailand.

It is only natural for me to discuss the influence of K-fever in Thailand on forum meant specifically for issues pertaining to this country.

I have no hang-ups whatsoever, in discussing about its impact in western countries and Indian too (if at all any)

However, if I do so, there would be some accusing me unfairly of devoting a post to India on a Thai forum.

Alas! I can't always please everyone.

I missed it. Where did you post the information that Thai Officials disliked K-Pop? The hippie link 40 years ago is nonsense. American/Euro trash Hippies are not K-pop.

So if no information just say you were trying to construct another Thai Bashing post and you were wrong.

Here, I am trying to pay respect to all other cultures too besides Thai and if someone fails to recognize the all-inclusive nature of my post, I am not the one at fault.

It seems that missed out on some relevant facts in my post. I said that similar discomfort has continued till date and is now evident in official advisories that often accompany each K-fad.

Is that worry/discomfort rational? A throwback to the earlier times is definitely relevant to the discussion here.

Nonsense. List these advisories? What is a K=fad? Do you mean K-pop. Ten K-pop channels on Thai TV with no problems or advisories. Make some sense. You are a Thai Basher. Plain and simple. If Thailand is discriminating against K-Pop show us??????

[Asianbloke]

Well, this isn't nonsense.

Thai interior minister, Prathuang, during those times had ordered immigration officials to deny entry to any traveller who looked like a hippie and offered a few guidelines on how to spot one. According to the ministry's directive, anyone wearing a singlet or a waistcoat and no vest, or wearing shorts in an impolite manner was most likely a hippie and should not be allowed in.

Anyone who wore slippers or silk trousers, that appear offensive or who had long, untidy hair and a dirty looking appearance should be refused entry as directed by the minister.

He went on further to say that the ban of hippies was necessary because they jeopardised peace & order and damaged the country's reputation.

Edited April 7, 2014 by lokesh

[Asianbloke]

Well, I am quite acquainted with Oppa Gangnam Style and the likes.

However, K-fever is even stronger and more intense in Thailand since it resonates well with their Asian sensibilities. I was just looking to explore the possible reasons and if you would have read properly, the discomfort of Thai officials everytime, a new wave sweeps over Thailand.

It is only natural for me to discuss the influence of K-fever in Thailand on forum meant specifically for issues pertaining to this country.

I have no hang-ups whatsoever, in discussing about its impact in western countries and Indian too (if at all any)

However, if I do so, there would be some accusing me unfairly of devoting a post to India on a Thai forum.

Alas! I can't always please everyone.

I missed it. Where did you post the information that Thai Officials disliked K-Pop? The hippie link 40 years ago is nonsense. American/Euro trash Hippies are not K-pop.

So if no information just say you were trying to construct another Thai Bashing post and you were wrong.

Here, I am trying to pay respect to all other cultures too besides Thai and if someone fails to recognize the all-inclusive nature of my post, I am not the one at fault.

It seems that missed out on some relevant facts in my post. I said that similar discomfort has continued till date and is now evident in official advisories that often accompany each K-fad.

Is that worry/discomfort rational? A throwback to the earlier times is definitely relevant to the discussion here.

Nonsense. List these advisories? What is a K=fad? Do you mean K-pop. Ten K-pop channels on Thai TV with no problems or advisories. Make some sense. You are a Thai Basher. Plain and simple. If Thailand is discriminating against K-Pop show us??????

A fad means a fashion trend which happens to be short-lived and includes K-pop. It's a lot more diverse than that. Warnings were issues as and when these fads emerged and not with each and every K-soap aired on TV. I never said.

I have already listed the concerns of the officials & even an advisory among many others wrt K-culture in my posts here. You can always dig up for more & you will readily find them. I am just being a bit lazy.

[casualposter]

A fad means a fashion trend which happens to be short-lived and includes K-pop. It's a lot more diverse than that. Warnings were issues as and when these fads emerged and not with each and every K-soap aired on TV. I never said.

I have already listed the concerns of the officials & even an advisory among many others wrt K-culture in my posts here. You can always dig up for more & you will readily find them. I am just being a bit lazy.

RE: Hippies.

From Thaivisa back in 2008:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/202164-malaysia-in-the-70s/

RE: Banning fashion trends

http://books.google.co.th/books?id=O0R3uO1d9u4C&pg=PA168&lpg=PA168#v=onepage&q&f=false

In 1969, Prime Minister Field Marshall Thanon Kittikachom condemned girls who wore mini-skirts and told the National Cultural Council to ban short dresses from official buildings.

[thailiketoo]

I missed it. Where did you post the information that Thai Officials disliked K-Pop? The hippie link 40 years ago is nonsense. American/Euro trash Hippies are not K-pop.

So if no information just say you were trying to construct another Thai Bashing post and you were wrong.

Here, I am trying to pay respect to all other cultures too besides Thai and if someone fails to recognize the all-inclusive nature of my post, I am not the one at fault.

It seems that missed out on some relevant facts in my post. I said that similar discomfort has continued till date and is now evident in official advisories that often accompany each K-fad.

Is that worry/discomfort rational? A throwback to the earlier times is definitely relevant to the discussion here.

Nonsense. List these advisories? What is a K=fad? Do you mean K-pop. Ten K-pop channels on Thai TV with no problems or advisories. Make some sense. You are a Thai Basher. Plain and simple. If Thailand is discriminating against K-Pop show us??????

A fad means a fashion trend which happens to be short-lived and includes K-pop. It's a lot more diverse than that. Warnings were issues as and when these fads emerged and not with each and every K-soap aired on TV. I never said.

I have already listed the concerns of the officials & even an advisory among many others wrt K-culture in my posts here. You can always dig up for more & you will readily find them. I am just being a bit lazy.

Other than one quote about Hippies 40 years ago you didn't list anything. Thais like K-Pop and that includes the TV stations which operate with the approval of the government. You are posting nonsense again.

Thailand would block K-Pop if they didn't like it. They don't block K-pop.

Thais don't like certain ethnic minorities. K-Pop is not in that group. Wise up.

If you want to attack Thailand do it for something they discriminate against. There are enough nationalities to list. Korea and Japan aren't among them. Sorry.

[IMA_FARANG]

Similar concerns were raised in past too, way back in 1960s and 70s when the 'hippies' arrived from Europe and US on backpacking trips to Asia. The Thai interior ministry in 1968 declared that 'Hippie' culture won't become fashionable in Thailand because it is too crude and dirty for the sophisticated Thai people. It ordered Thai embassies to bar entry of Hippies into their country and Foreign ministry agreed. It called such scruffy backpackers 'crazy people'.

Singapore was worse.

Hippies transiting Singapore had their passports stamped with:

Suspected

Hippy

In

Transit

I've never seen a SHIT stamp, by the way, and some people claim it's just an urban myth.

I think it is.

But I do remember "hippies" being stopped at the crossing from Malaysia imto Singapore and being told their hair was to long.

They were told to get a haircut before being allowed to enter Singapore.

I also had a friend who was married to a Thai.

He had to leave Thailand to get a new visa .... that was somewhere in the late1970's

As he left Thailand he was told he wouldn't be allowed back into Thailand unless his beard was trimed .... cut half your beard off or I won't let you bak into Thailand was the immmigration supervisor's words.

So he came back into Thailand with half his beard shaved off. It was on the left side he shaved completely, nothing cut off on the right side.

Whem he got back to Thailand the Thais thought he was crazy.

But they let him back in, he was so " crazy Farang Ba" they just laughed at him and let him enter.

He had called the supervisors bluff. and they thought him just to crazy to mess with.

They had a sense of humor then, and they knew when they had been bested.

It was all a great joke.

From whatI heard his Thai wife was as loony as he was.

They owned a Thai restaurant and bar up in Korat I believe.

From the stories I heard she used to get high and walk around the bar and restaurant naked.

But that's another story.

Edited April 7, 2014 by IMA_FARANG

[Scottythai]

Hmm I don't see it as an issue. Thais had a huge hello kitty thing for a while. wait it out if you don't like it OP all fads do end....

[Asianbloke]

Hmm I don't see it as an issue. Thais had a huge hello kitty thing for a while. wait it out if you don't like it OP all fads do end....

And, that's why they are called fads. It isn't to do with my preferences & issues with it but with the discomfort that Thai authorities seemed to have had with some of these 'waves' from other cultures.

Some of them feel that aping styles from 'popular media' of other cultures and the mass hysteria surrounding it, dents Thai nationalistic fervour.

Should the K-fever among Thai really be seen as unpatriotic? Does it really dilute the Thai cultural legacy that they have held to close to their hearts for ages?

That is one of the questions I asked in my post.

Edited April 7, 2014 by lokesh

[thailiketoo]

Hmm I don't see it as an issue. Thais had a huge hello kitty thing for a while. wait it out if you don't like it OP all fads do end....

And, that's why they are called fads. It isn't to do with my preferences & issues with it but with the discomfort that Thai authorities seemed to have had with some of these 'waves' from other cultures.

Some of them feel that aping styles from 'popular media' of other cultures and the mass hysteria surrounding it, dents Thai nationalistic fervour.

Should the K-fever among Thai really be seen as unpatriotic? Does it really dilute the Thai cultural legacy that they have held to close to their hearts for ages?

That is one of the questions I asked in my post.

It seems the discomfort stopped in 1968 as you have posted nothing newer. We could go back to 1938 and get more stuff or we could get the policies of any number of countries restricting immigration or visitation at the turn of the century. The issue is ancient. You can't give it legs. Thais have always disliked certain groups of people they disliked them 200 years ago and still do today. So? Tell us your real story?

[Escapologist]

Why? There is but one reason and that reason is THIS! Okay, so I'm only speaking for myself and all other fellow pervs!

[Asianbloke]

@Thailiketoo

It didn't stop there in 1968 and continued through the 70s

My intentions are being misread. The Thai press has called these Korean and Korean-inspired collective trends ‘Kim Chic’ – as a play on the popular Korean menu item Kimchi.

Thai authorities recognized the 'dangers' of this craze years ago and began warning the Thai teens.

The Korean ‘look’ for the ladies included wearing coloured contact lenses that made one's eyes look bigger with oversize glue-on eyelashes to enhance the effect. Thai officials had sent out warnings that the contacts can make one go blind and even spread HIV infections if they are swapped between friends.

Another public service announcement warned against imitating Korean looks through skin-lightening creams.

This is in the same line as blaming the spate of dengue cases among Thai women on the Korean import, black hosiery and claimed that mosquitoes are able to hide in the dark colours and more likely to bite such Korean-fashion inspired women.

Some Thai authorities have also cast Korean Fever as a threat to Thai culture

However, few concerns among the government officials seem valid. The ones where Thai are ready to risk, going under the knife, to acquire a surgically-enhanced dolled-up look of the Korean pop stars - heightened noses & oval facial structures. This is an unhealthy obsession with one's looks.

Edited April 7, 2014 by lokesh

[sustento]

Lots of unhealthy obsessions around here.

[thailiketoo]

@Thailiketoo

It didn't stop there in 1968 and continued through the 70s

My intentions are being misread. The Thai press has called these Korean and Korean-inspired collective trends ‘Kim Chic’ – as a play on the popular Korean menu item Kimchi.

Thai authorities recognized the dangers of this craze years ago and began warning the Thai teens.

The Korean ‘look’ for the ladies included wearing coloured contact lenses that made one's eyes look bigger with oversize glue-on eyelashes to enhance the effect. Thai officials had sent out warnings that the contacts can make one go blind and even spread HIV infections if they are swapped between friends.

Another public service announcement warned against imitating Korean looks through skin-lightening creams.

This is in the same line as blaming the spate of dengue cases among Thai women on the Korean import, black hosiery and claimed that mosquitoes are able to hide in the dark colours and more likely to bite such Korean-fashion inspired women.

Some Thai authorities have also cast Korean Fever as a threat to Thai culture

However, few concerns among the government officials seem valid. The ones where Thai are ready to risk, going under the knife, to acquire a surgically-enhanced dolled-up look of the Korean pop stars - heightened noses & oval facial structures. This is an unhealthy obsession with one's looks.

South Korea is the number one consumer of plastic surgery.

According to the report, more than 360,000 total procedures were performed in 2010, with the most common procedures being liposuction, nose jobs and blepharoplasty, or double eyelid surgery. More than 44,000 double eyelid surgeries were performed in 2010.

"In Asia, it's very common for patients to want more Western-looking eyes," said Dr. Malcolm Roth, president of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. "So that's really no surprise there."

Thailand is not on the list. http://abcnews.go.com/Health/niptuck-nations-countries-cosmetic-surgery/story?id=16205231

It seems Koreans don't want to look like Koreans either. Everybody wants round eyes, so say the doctors.

Or this list, "No. 10: Germany: 187,000 surgeries in 2011

No. 9: India: 191,000 surgeries in 2011

No. 8: France: 207,000 surgeries in 2011

No. 7: South Korea: 258,350 surgeries in 2011

No. 6: Mexico: 300,000 surgeries in 2011

No. 5: Italy: 316,000 surgeries in 2011

No. 4: Japan: 373,000 surgeries in 2011

No. 3: China: 415,000 surgeries in 2011

No. 2: Brazil: 905,000 surgeries in 2011

No. 1: U.S.: 1.1 million surgeries in 2011

http://www.theapricity.com/forum/showthread.php?97055-Vainest-nation-See-which-10-countries-get-the-most-plastic-surgery

Edited April 7, 2014 by thailiketoo

[Asianbloke]

@thailiketoo

Now, that's a problem too and I would have gladly discussed it on a Korean forum or if my post was about the Korean obsession.

Dr. Malcolm Roth is wrong for he feels that all/most Asians have 'Oriental' facial features and hence, they aspire to have western-looking eyes.

[thailiketoo]

@thailiketoo

Now, that's a problem too and I would have gladly discussed it on a Korean forum or if my post was about the Korean obsession.

Dr. Malcolm Roth is wrong for he feels that all/most Asians have 'Oriental' facial features and hence, they aspire to have western-looking eyes.

My point was it is not a Thai thing. Thais are not even in the top ten. Look at the facts. Look at the skin whitening creams sold in India, Pakistan and Thailand. People always want to be what they are not.

Which nation wants to look least like they now look? It's not Thailand.

[smileydude]

The K-Pop phenomenon did not happen just by accident.

Korea though a very old country has for most of its history been ruled by either China or Japan. In a way their ingenuity has been suppressed in the past but they are rebounding fast with a vengeance and conquering the world through the economics of supply and demand.

The government is actively supporting the export of not only its industrial products but also its cultural products e.g. K-Pop, K-Drama, K-plastic surgery etc.

They have surpassed Japan not only technologically (leaders in LED tech in TV's and smartphones) but also in terms of trendy marketing.

It will be interesting to see how they will dominate in the future.

[fatdrunkandstupid]

What's not to like:

[Asianbloke]

@thailiketoo

Now, that's a problem too and I would have gladly discussed it on a Korean forum or if my post was about the Korean obsession.

Dr. Malcolm Roth is wrong for he feels that all/most Asians have 'Oriental' facial features and hence, they aspire to have western-looking eyes.

My point was it is not a Thai thing. Thais are not even in the top ten. Look at the facts. Look at the skin whitening creams sold in India, Pakistan and Thailand. People always want to be what they are not.

Which nation wants to look least like they now look? It's not Thailand.

I never denied the sale of skin-whitening creams in India. Some say it is a British hangover in India while others feel it has much to do with status being connected to skin complexion (the idea being that the poor are the ones with darker skin tone since they have to slave-it off under the sun). There are biases everywhere in India.

India is a diverse country with an entire range of skin tones from very fair to dark, a lot of times within the same closely-related family.

And, just because the K-obsession doesn't apply exclusively to Thailand, that doesn't stop us from examining its influence in Thailand?

[thailiketoo]

@thailiketoo

Now, that's a problem too and I would have gladly discussed it on a Korean forum or if my post was about the Korean obsession.

Dr. Malcolm Roth is wrong for he feels that all/most Asians have 'Oriental' facial features and hence, they aspire to have western-looking eyes.

My point was it is not a Thai thing. Thais are not even in the top ten. Look at the facts. Look at the skin whitening creams sold in India, Pakistan and Thailand. People always want to be what they are not.

Which nation wants to look least like they now look? It's not Thailand.

I never denied the sale of skin-whitening creams in India. Some say it is a British hangover in India while others feel it has much to do with status being connected to skin complexion (the idea being that the poor are the ones with darker skin tone since they have to slave-it off under the sun). There are biases everywhere in India.

India is a diverse country with an entire range of skin tones from very fair to dark, a lot of times within the same closely-related family.

And, just because the K-obsession doesn't apply exclusively to Thailand, that doesn't stop us from examining its influence in Thailand?

The government could care less about music. Now they are into shirts.

[Guitar God]

My thoughts too...

I thought we were talking about ketamine....

[funnyguy69]

It's simple. Everyone finds catchy, pop music fun to listen to, but each song gets SO annoying after a number of listens. When you listen to a song in another language that you don't understand, the number of times you can listen to it before you are annoyed is drastically increased.

It used to be Jpop that people would listen to for this. The music was fun, catchy, and provided a different source of music over the Thai music. But then Japan started making it near impossible for foreigners to find and listen to Japanese music.

This is where Korea comes in. The music market in SK is much smaller than in Japan, so K-idols rely largely on revenue from other countries. Because of this, they are marketed as much more approachable and serviceable to foreign fans than any Japanese music ever was. The popularity of Korean entertainment continued to grow, and here we are now.

[Maestro]

Removed a troll post and the reply to it.

[stickylies]

The girls are good looking and the pop music sucks, just like Thailand.

what u actually mean is the girls are white skinned and the pop music sucks.

my neighbour (my parameter here in LOS) loves S-Korea porn since the girls are "chumpoo" (pink) inside (and not dam like thai women).

Edited April 7, 2014 by stickylies

[ota101]

I like Korean Soaps because they often have a better story line then what's left of American Soaps like General Hospital. I'd watch Thai Soaps if they had English subtitles as the Koreans do, albeit pretty bad translations. Also they would have to be view able on HULU or Netflix or another channel from ROKU etc.

[metisdead]

Korean wave has become so popular that some worry it might 'compromise' their Thai culture.

Seems the OP is over sensationalizing this "culture", just another passing trend among some but not all Thais.

Closed