From: Thomas mountain (thomascmountain@yahoo.com)
Date: Thu Oct 15 2009 - 08:33:14 EDT
Here in Asmara, as in an ever expanding portion of the third world, international television via satellite dish is unleashing a variety of cultural phenomena. For example, while the great American cultural imperalism fostered by the dominance of American cinema internationally (if you can call much of the garbage produced by Hollywood these days cinema) has lead to multiple 24/7 American program television channels available to much of Africa, the middle east and south Asia ie MBC 2, 4, Action, Persia, Fox Series and Fox Movies etc. what programs have increasingly become young Asmarinos favorites?
Would you believe Korean dramas on KBS World? Thats right, what could be called Korean soap operas have become must see almost every night for those young people, while still in the minority, who have access to satellite television here in Eritrea.
I must admit that we have become fans, spontaneously, independently and only became aware of how popular Korean dramas have become when we started to talk about them to our circle of family and friends. The older folks are not so interested but the young people? Almost every young person we have talked to who have a dish at home or at their friends house agree that da-korea (and I dont mean the apartment complex in Sembel) is the best option when Eri-TV is not offering what you want.
Why is this you may wonder, what makes Korean language television so popular amongst the liberation generation in Asmara?
To start, the dramas are about real life situations in a still very traditional Korean culture. And interestingly enough, Korean society is a lot like Eritrean society, with respect for family and culture still very strong. Young people live with their parents, are even expected to do so, for years after marriage. Family consent for your marriage is extremely important and family to family contact is critical once a relationship becomes serious.
There are a lot of other cultural similarities Eritreans apparently share with Koreans, who were colonialized by the Japanese and forced to speak Japanese in public and even take Japanese names, and Koreans are not about to forget those really bad days. Sound familiar?
Koreans still venerate their patriots and martyrs in the struggle against Japanese colonialism and are very proud of the fact that they never quit resisting Japanese occupation.
The Koreans also value hard work, honesty, and of course respecting, even honoring, ones parents, and especially so, ones grand parents. Sounds more and more like Eritreans doesnt it?
The Korean dramas are subtitled in English but we find ourselves turning up the volume so we can “feel” the show better, even though the extent of my Korean is how to say thank you.
The content of the programs is what make them so popular. They are about real life problems, relationships and the struggle to survive and provide a better future for your children. Korean television does not include any nudity, sexuality or even cigarette smoking, though alchohol is pretty ubiquitous. Compared to the rubbish on American television, and unfortunately, all to much of what passes for cinema in Eritrea these days, Korean television is a breath of fresh air. The Korean producers dont shy away from the negative side of Korean life, with corrupt politicians and business people, both men and women as targets of derision and scorn. Korean dramas tells stories that make you feel the whole range of emotions, from dismay to embarrasment, from disgust to hilarity and most importantly, a really deep and meaningful empathy with the struggles and tribulations that seem to echo those we face in our own lives here in Asmara every day.
When compared to what passes for drama on the American channels, and having recently returned from the USA, Korean dramas stand head and shoulders above American television.
Interestingly, you dont really notice how you are becoming a regular viewer. At first you start watching the programs out of desperation, when there is nothing on Eritrean television or any other channel you want to see. Then in time you find your self thinking about the programs during the day and looking forward to the next in the series. After a while you start looking for the new series and then you start to realize that in the wasteland of television besides Eri-TV, hundreds of channels and nothing to watch, Korean television is GOOD, and the stories told could realistically be retold as happening right here in the land of the free and the home of the brave, beautiful, tranquil, Asmara.
Selam and Rain for Eritrea (and the rainy season seems to have started in the eastern lowlands)
Thomas C. Mountain
Asmara, and, Massawa, Eritrea
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