The Korean Drama Wave

Boys over flowers, a recently broadcasted Korean drama is popular among Singaporeans and many others around the world. The storyline of the movie centres on an ordinary girl from a low income family who gets sponsored to attend Koreas’ prestigious school where she meets 4 rich boys, the F4. The drama will illustrate the friendship she shares with the F4 as well as the trials and tribulations of her romantic relationship with the F4’s leader.

Like many other Korean dramas, Boys over Flowers serves to entertain and invite its viewers into a world of fantasy which is void of reality. Still, Korean drama fans, young and old, continue their support for these dramas. In Singapore, the Internet and cable networks have made Korean dramas accessible to many. As such the viewership and support for these dramas have increased in recent years.

Singaporeans who do not know the Korean language are attracted and some obsessed over Korean dramas. This is because these dramas often feature a family-centred storyline which is favoured by many in our Asian collectivist culture. Also, the lead character, often a regular person, winds up in extraordinary romances or whimsical experiences and in the end, lives happily ever after. As viewers can identify and sympathize with these ordinary characters, they continue their support for these dramas.


Singaporeans, hit by the Korean drama wave, are studiously learning the Korean language, replacing traditional food for Korean cuisine, jumping on planes to see the drama sets in Korea and wearing fashionable clothes as seen on their Korean stars. The influence and increase in support for Korean popular culture may cause cultural imperialism to occur.

Singapore, though diverse in race, religion and culture share subsets of our traditional cultures. As a follower of a few Korean dramas, i was attracted to the Korean culture. However it did not prompt me to emulate the culture as i was content and unwilling to give up mine. Therefore, should Singaporeans continue to be influenced by other cultures and give up our Malay, Indian or Chinese cultures? Should we allow the imperialism of Korean or American cultures to occur? Will char kway teow or roti prata make way for kimchi in the future?

I Am Prejudiced

The society we live in today generally hold prejudices. For instance, some of us are prejudiced against foreign workers, homosexuals, ex-offenders etc.In Singapore, each year, thousands of ex-offenders complete their sentences and are released from prisons and drug rehabilitation centres into our society.

An ex-offender Samuel Chow, talks about his journey from an ex-offender to an entrepreneur. Samuel, who was convicted for armed robbery and served eleven years in prison, states that after his release, he changed his mind set on life and wanted to be a better person. However, like many other ex-offenders he faced many problems such as rejection by employers, mistrust, suspicion and discrimination. Samuel now, runs his own business and has a few ex-offenders on his payroll. (News Article)

To remove the social stigma faced by ex-offenders and change the society’s perceptions of them, the yellow ribbon project was initiated. The project, together with various partners provides social, financial, employment assistance as well as counselling for ex-offenders.


As part of the yellow ribbon project’s effort to generate acceptance of ex-offenders, many television and print advertisements, TV shows, roadshows were created. As a result, many Singaporeans have been primed to view the acceptance of convicts positively. This is evident in the increase in supporters for events organised by the yellow ribbon as well as employers change in perceptions of employing ex-offenders. However, the social stigma related to ex-offenders still remains among some.

Personally, I support the integration of ex-offenders into society to a certain extent. Humans in general do make mistakes. Some criminal acts can be attributed to circumstances or desperation and most of them done without rational thought. I feel that ex-offenders who belong to this category should be given sufficient opportunities, support and acceptance into society.

However offenders who commit criminal acts such as rape, molestation or calculated murder should not be readily accepted into our society. This is because these acts are often committed rationally and with the intention to inflict harm or cause danger by satisfying their socially unacceptable needs or desires. As such, allowing these individuals to integrate into society and socialize in places such as schools or work will most likely provide them with opportunities to repeat their offences.

What are your views on accepting ex-offenders?

Death for Honour

In the rural areas of India, killing for honour is still widely practised. In the video, a mother strangled her pregnant daughter of six months and her daughter’s lover to death. A newly married couple were shot to death by the bride’s father, relatives and brother. Also, a 19 year old woman was thrown to death in a canal, but survived. Their offence was marrying outside of their caste.

In the past, Hindus were defined by their caste. The caste system divided the society and dictated that a person born into one caste is not allowed to change castes or mix with members of other castes. Therefore, the lower castes were forbidden to marry the upper castes. Today, the caste system which has been made illegal for more than fifty years has prompted the majority of Indian citizens to eradicate the division in society and treat all as equal. To the minority, however, the caste system which is a part of their culture is still being practised.

The parents, relatives and siblings, who murdered their kin, share the same belief that marrying outside of their caste brings great dishonour to the family. In their opinion, such an act of betrayal to one’s caste and shame to the family deserves a severe punishment in the form of murder. Often, the families’ communities largely support these murders.

These acts of murder clearly illustrates that culture has a huge influence on society. In the abovementioned society, their cultural beliefs represent their understanding about what is true. Heavily influenced by their ancestors practise of only marrying into ones caste, the society has created an understanding that this practise is true and should be followed. Not doing so, will cause shame, dishonour and ridicule to the family by society. And thus, they feel that the offenders should be punished severely regardless of the questions on morality and human rights it poses.

The practise of honour killing transcends cultures and religions. It is committed for various offences such as refusal to follow religion, refusing arranged marriages, marital infidelity, pre-marital sex etc. Apart from India, the countries that commonly practise it are Egypt, Israel, Pakistan, Iraq, Iran and Afghanistan.

Though cultural values and beliefs should be practised and preserved through the passage of time, I believe that it should be done with proper understanding and accurate knowledge. Perhaps a lack of education and blind faith or misinterpretations of religious teachings with a personal agenda has promoted the idea of honour killings in many cultures and religions. I feel that the government of countries that practise honour killings should take steps to eradicate this practise by implementing stricter laws and educating the minority groups on eliminating this practise.

What are your views on honour killing?

Arranged Marriages

Arranged marriages are commonplace in many countries such as Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Japan and India. The world today may have become more modernized and liberal, but it is not so for some cultures who hold true to their religious beliefs and customs. Shelina Zahra Janmohamed, the author of Love In a Headscarf writes about her 10 year quest to find a husband through the arranged marriage process. Shelina is an Oxford University graduate and she lives in London.(Click here for the article on Shelina.)

In the past, parents chose spouses for their children and the married couple would not have met or shared any knowledge of one another before their holy union. However, in most countries, times have changed and customs are more relaxed. Today, education and financial independence has led men and women to choose their suitors and make better decisions on marriage.

Typical of most arranged marriage meetings, Shelina met her suitors, who were approved by her parents, in her parents’ front rooms and in the outdoors. In the initial meetings, Shelina would exchange conversations on introductions and shared interests. (Initiating)

When both parties share a certain amount of liking for one another, more meetings are arranged and at times phone numbers are exchanged. This would give them more opportunity to share information and develop an understanding of one another. (Experimenting)

The couple would then decide if they are compatible for matrimony. Though it is impossible to predict if this union will be successful, couples with faith and support from family and friends get married. (Bonding)

To understand arranged marriages, one has to understand the cultures they originate from. Cultures that practise arranged marriages usually view family as an important form of identity and a social security net. As such, an addition to the family will be chosen based on traditions, habits and the social security benefits they can provide to the family. This practise was not meant to crush the individual’s spirit and desires but to provide children with what their family viewed as best.

While it can be argued that arranged marriages may be restricting, Shelina states,“ so is the constant wondering about whether someone is going to call you and the dreaded C word-commitment. Laying out all the issues out in the open and discussed would be a basis for a good relationship.”

Most arranged marriages do not always paint a rosy picture. Women suffer from spousal abuse, extra marital affairs and neglect leading to the stagnation of the relationship. Often these women do not find an exit to these relationships due to fear and societal pressures from family and friends.

To me arranged marriages may also be viewed as blind dating with parental involvement. Contrary to what people may believe, in the modern arranged marriages, couples meet for months or years before they decide on marriage. Therefore if pressure is not exerted by family and freedom to select suitors is given, i find no harm in taking part in matchmaking.

What are your views on modern arranged marriages? If given the opportunity would you find love through this process?