Miguel Rafael R.

Remoroza September 28, 2017

COM 115.8 (Asian Cinema) Fr. Nicasio Cruz, SJ
Reflection #3
After watching all movies from Japan, China, Taiwan, and South Korea, I
realized that there are very similar aspects in all of their cultures. An example would
be how respect and honor is very important for an individual living in each of the
countries. These cultures put respect and their dignity with utmost importance
hence, they seem to all work towards their respective goals, whether it would be
playing the violin, learning how to cook, or finding their one true love. Also,
embedded in their norms are certain societal roles in which individuals are expected
of certain actions stemming from their behavior and life decisions. One example
would be of Chinese/Taiwanese children wherein they are expected to be gifted in the
musical arts or academics. Another would be for Korean men who are expected to
join the military at a certain age as it is mandated by Korean law. Same goes for the
Japanese where certain jobs and endavours such as being a nokan and dancing with
other women would be looked down upon.
With regards to parent-children and husband-wife relationships, there is a
similarity in which as said above, there are certain roles that are need to be met as
the norms suggest. In which, a child usually follows the steps of the parent in terms
of their aspirations. In the same manner, in the traditional sense, the wife usually is
submissive to the husband implying gender inequality. In the movie The Classic, it
can be implied that there was no gender equality nor democratic reforms in the past
generations but as the movie jumps to the present, it can be seen that all of these
have been acquired, having a more liberal world. Similarly in the other movies
featuring traditional practices, genders have specific roles to fulfill given that these
were set in a time where everything is made conventional. This can be applied to
parent-child relationships in most of the movies where the parent is actively
participating in their children's lives.
Given this, I am glad to say that I am a Filipino because it is not imbibed in
Philippine culture certain expectations and roles to be fulfilled. For example, in
South Korea, men are required to join the military whereas in the Philippines, it is
not. In Japan and many other Asian countries, failure seems to not be an option in
whatever aspect you look at. This can cause stress and mental health problems which
is the reason why the suicide rate is high for these countries due to immense pressure
and stress. Meanwhile in the Philippines, it is very laid-back where you can still
succeed without the unnecessary pressure of society. Even until now, some of these
Asian countries still have certain norms which impose different roles and
expectations which I believe is not needed to live a happy and successful life which is
why being in the Philippines as a Filipino is very rewarding and I'm grateful for it.
If I were to choose, I would want to be a Korean but a Korean in modern
times. The reason for this is I really like their culture and I am a fan of their pop
culture. Also, I know basic Korean grammar and vocabulary since I studied it for my
foreign language class in Ateneo. Aside from this, Koreans tend to be loving of one
another and that they are very caring with their relationships, whether with their
families, friends, or romantic relationships. Putting aside the Korean military service,
it could be seen as a patriotic way for supporting the country which is not bad at all.