Let's Talk Media Stereotypes

According to the ANN (Asian News Network), Multiple U.S dramas are distorting the South Korean Image. Shows such as Lost, CSI and 24 portray South Korea as a tool for the rest of Asia, the "glory" of the country are put down and portrayed as less magnificent.

 One example is Lost, which has gained much popularity here thanks to Korean-born actress Kim Yun-jin. In it, the Han River, regarded as one of the iconic landmarks in the capital of Seoul, was described as a small stream in a village, the lawmaker said. The 1-kilometre-long bridge over the river was shown as an old small bridge, he added.

In another scene, a fishing village in Namhae, South Gyeongsang Province, was described as if it were located in Southeast Asia. In the scene, there is a villager wearing a traditional Vietnamese hat and a small sailboat, which can hardly be seen in Korea given its shape and size, was also shown, Hong said.

Also in the television series, a person seen drinking soju, a traditional Korean alcoholic beverage, uses a glass different from the typical Korean glass for the drink. Korean houses and Buddhist temples were also different from those commonly seen here.

“In short, it was a mix-up of elements from China, Japan and Southeast Asia,” said Hong in a press release.

In the TV series 24, a scene where a person suffers harsh torture in Seoul is shown, which could tarnish the overall image of the capital city even though it was a fictional one, Hong said.

In CSI, there was a scene of a Korean community in the United States where a North Korean song regarding an allegiance to the communist state’s ruling Workers’ Party was played as background music.

Viewers in other countries experience foreign countries such as South Korea through dramas and other entertainment forms.