The control of, and promotion, of culture have been bound up with politics in Korea to a surprising degree. From the period of Japanese colonial rule (1910-45) through the immediate post-war and Korean War periods to the authoritarian regimes of the 1970s and 1980s, cultural policy was used by successive governments to help define national identity, and, more recently, to project soft power abroad. This book traces the development of cultural policy in South Korea, highlighting this strong connection to wider government policy. Amongst many other subjects, the book discusses how the arts...

This book examines music entertainment programmes on China Central Television, China's only national level television network, as well as on nationally-available provincial channels, exploring how such programmes project a nuanced image of China's identity and position in the world. It shows how the images presented - primarily to domestic audiences - are in step with China's party-state nationalism, and at the same time flexible and open to change as China's circumstances change. The book contextualises identity construction in the media by examining the development of television in China...

This book outlines and discusses the very wide range of cinema which is to be found in Singapore. Although Singapore cinema is a relatively small industry, and relatively new, it has nevertheless made an impact, and continues to develop in interesting ways. The book shows that although Singapore cinema is often seen as part of diasporic Chinese cinema, it is in fact much more than this, with strong connections to Malay cinema and the cinemas of other Southeast Asian nations. Moreover, the themes and subjects covered by Singapore cinema are very wide, ranging from conformity to the regime...

The western, one of Hollywood s great film genres, has, surprisingly, enjoyed a revival recently in Asia and in other parts of the world, whilst at the same time declining in America. Although the western is often seen as an example of American cultural dominance, this book challenges this view. It considers the western from an Asian perspective, exploring why the rise of Asian westerns has come about, and examining how its aesthetics, styles and politics have evolved as a result. It analyses specific Asian Westerns as well as Westerns made elsewhere, including in Australia, Europe, and...

The book examines recent developments in Taiwan cinema, with particular focus on a leading contemporary Taiwan filmmaker, Wei Te-sheng, who is responsible for such Asian blockbusters as Cape No.7, Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale and Kano. The book discusses key issues, including: why (until about 2008) Taiwan cinema underwent a decline, and how cinema is portraying current social changes in Taiwan, including changing youth culture and how it represents indigenous people in the historical narrative of Taiwan. The book also explores the reasons why current Taiwan...

This book examines the development of television broadcasting in Japan, Hong Kong and South Korea. It explores the policy regimes guiding the development of television broadcasting as a powerful institution, and the extent to which new forms of television have become part of each country's contemporary media mix. It analyses the interests involved in key policy decisions, the institutional dynamics promoting or inhibiting new media markets, and the relative importance in the different countries of cable, satellite, digital broadcasting, and the use of the Internet for purposes associated...

Promoting China's cultural soft power by disseminating modern Chinese values is a key policy under President Xi Jinping. It is usually understood as a top-down initiative, implemented willingly or unwillingly by writers, filmmakers, artists and other cultural actors, often manifesting itself in clumsy and heavy-handed ways, for example the concept of "the Chinese dream", intended to rival and perhaps surpass "the American dream." Yet, modern Chinese values have been in fact put forward in more complex and varied ways, particularly in screen culture. Through analyses of film...

Digital media in China is at the same time both structured, formal and government-sponsored and also amateur, informal and market-driven. Based on extensive original research including anthropological research, this book explores the tensions between these two different ways of looking at digital media in China. It examines particular technologies such as smart phones and mobile apps, outlining their technological capacities and the market for them. It then considers the actual usage of such technologies, such as the posting of on-line videos and the take-up of mobile taxi apps. Overall,...