Republic of the Philippines

CENTRAL BICOL STATE UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE

Sta. Rosa Del Norte, Pasacao, Camarines Sur, 4417
Website: www.cbsua.edu.ph
Email Address: ca.pasacao@cbsua.edu.ph
Trunkline: (054) 513-9519

GEC12 Philippine Popular Culture

Course Module
A. Course Overview

GEC 12 (Philippine Popular Culture) course introduces and allows

students to explores the concept of popular culture within the Philippine
context. A multi-disciplinary approach will be utilized to explore the evolution
of pop culture in the country, providing the students with the necessary tools
of analysis to explore the various mediums in which it is embedded in. The
course will discuss how pop culture is present in everyday life: how it
simultaneously influences and is being influenced by the feelings,
performances, and identities of the Filipino people.

B. Course Calendar

Week Topics Assessment

Week Introduction  Lecture
1 VMGO Discussion
Quality Policy  Slides
Course Outline, Grading Presentation
System and Classroom  Recitation
Policies

Week 2-3 Module 1 Introduction to  Lecture

Popular Culture Discussion
 Slides
Module 1.1 Definition, and Presentation
concept of popular culture  Recitation

Module 1.2 An overview of

different cultural theories

 Define and frame the

concepts of culture and the
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popular
 Understand the concept of
Pop Culture
 Understand the
Relationship between
Media and Pop Culture
Week  Lecture
4-5 Module 2 Discussion
 Slides
History and Evolution of Presentation
Pop Culture in the Philippines  Recitation

Module 2.1: Arts and literature

Module 2.2: Lifestyle, Fashion,

and Foods

 Identify arts and literature in

t Philippines.
Recognize the lifestyle, fashion,
and foods in the Philippines
Week 6 Assessment
Week  Lecture
7 Module 2.3: Media and urban Discussion
legend  Slides
 Information literacy, media Presentation
literacy, and technology  Recitation
literacy and their roles in
Philippine Pop Culture
 How they can use
information literacy, media
literacy, and technology
literacy to identify fake
news

Module 3 Foreign Influences  Lecture

Week 8-10 that affect Philippine pop Discussion
culture.  Slides
Presentation
Module 3.1: Mexican and Korean  Recitation
Novela
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Module 3.2: Japanese Animation

Module 3.3: Hallyu culture and

Virality
Week 11 Module 4 Philippine Popular  Lecture
culture and the new form of arts Discussion
 Slides
Module 4.1: Flip top Presentation
 Recitation
Module 4 Philippine Popular  Lecture
culture and the new form of arts Discussion
Week 13-14 (Continuation)  Slides
Presentation
Module 4.2: Stand-up comedy  Recitation

Module 4.3: Vlogging

Module 5 The rise of social  Lecture

Week 15-17 media; The experience economy Discussion
 Slides
Lesson 1: Facebook, Reels, Tik- Presentation
Tok, and YouTube  Recitation

Lesson 2: Meme-ology 101

Lesson 3: The experience

economy
Week 18 Assessment 3 Pen and Paper  Lecture
Test Discussion
 Slides
Presentation
 Recitation
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C. Professor

Rita D. Alarcon is a graduate of Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education

major in Library Science at University of Nueva Caceres where she also took her
master’s unit for master’s in library science. She took her master’s degree for Master of
Library in Information Science at Manual S. Enverga University Foundation in Lucena
City. After graduating in college as administrative assistant, she was hired as library staff
at the main library. A year after 2003, she worked as librarian for almost fifteen years at
AMA Computer College -Naga Campus and applied as campus librarian at Central Bicol
State University of Agriculture in 2019. She took her first teaching job in 2021 as
permanent faculty at the same time designated as librarian at CBSUA Pasacao
Campus. She is teaching General Education Subjects.

D. Assessment

Assessment Type % Course Due Graduate

Learning Date Attributes
Outcomes
Week 1-6 Video 30%
commentary
Week 7-12 Video 30%
(Blogging
style)
interview
Week 13-18 Pen and 40%
Paper Test
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Synchronous Classes (Google Meet)

Week Date Synchronous
No. Class No.
E. 2 2
3 3
4 4 https://meet.google.com/nob-
6 6 gxzo-ssj?
7 7 hs=122&authuser=0
8 8
GEC 12 https://meet.google.com/eic-
9 9
10 10 bnnu-zdp?
11 11 hs=122&authuser=0
13 13
14 14
15 15
16 16
17 17

Module
Chapter 3
Module 3 Foreign influences that affect Philippine popular culture.
(Week 8,9,10)

Introduction

Many foreign countries have influenced and shaped the pop culture of the
Philippines. These include Mexico, Japan, South Korea, and Thailand. Filipinos are
greatly affected by their cultures and have adapted some of their habits and lifestyle to
the pop culture of the Philippines.
In this module, you should be able to trace the history of Mexicanovelas, Japanese
Animation, Hallyu Culture, and Thai Advertisements in the Philippines. Moreover, you
will trace how these popular cultures affect the Filipino popular culture.

Pre-Competency Check
What do you know about the foreign influences that is being part of our culture?
Can you name some of it?
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Learning Resources

4 Teachers. (2006, December 18). Rubric. Retrieved from 4 Teachers :

http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php?
screen=ShowRubric&rubric_id=1357669&.
Bravo, M. B. (2012). Japanese Cultural Influence in the Philippines through Anime's
Popularity and Pervasiveness.
Finlay, L. (2018, February 12). Retrieved from Culture Trip:
https://theculturetrip.com/asia/thailand/articles/wonderful-world-thai-advertising/
Figure 6. Retrieved from Language Magazine:
https://www.languagemagazine.com/2017/07/14/multiling
ual-comics/
Shewan, D. (2020, April 20). Retrieved from Word Stream:
https://www.wordstream.com/blog/ws/2017/12/20/swot-analysis
Transpacific Popular Culture . (n.d.). Retrieved from Transpacific Popular Culture
` ebsite: https://tinyurl.com/ybdqnmje
Yap, D. (2011, December 12). Retrieved from Inquirer Net:
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/109439/filipinos-attracted-to-korean-culture-k-pop-
koreanovelas
Modules from Visayan State University. Retrieved from Studocu.com
https://www.studocu.com/ph/search/Philippine%20popular%20culture

Suggested Readings and Videos

1. Read M. B. Bravo’s whole thesis for additional information about Japanese
animation in the Philippines.
2. Stalk Korean actors/actresses and pop stars. Find out if any of them are racists.
3. Watch these commercials on YouTube. They are Filipino made and compare them
to Thai works. Click these links:

Internet Resources:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Y8VYtHdCq0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikogcHbUNeM
Indeed Editorial Team (22 November, 2022). Indeed career guide.
https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/virality#:~:text=The
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%20company%20calculates%20its%20virality,3)%2C%20represents%20three
%20months.

Santamaria, Carlos (19 September 2012) Korean “Hallyu” and the Pinoy invasion.
Rappler.com.
https://www.rappler.com/entertainment/12681-hallyu-growing-in-ph/#:~:text=MANILA
%2C%20Philippines%20%E2%80%93%20What%20is%20%E2%80%9C,telenovelas
%20aired%20locally%20in%202003.

Explore

Module 3.1 Mexican and Korean Novela

Module Overview
Based on our lesson in Module 1, popular culture came about because of
urbanization and industrialization. One of the things that resulted because of
industrialization is the media. Because of media, it is possible for the popular culture of
other countries to reach other places. This happened in the Philippines. One of the
countries that has greatly influenced the popular culture of the Philippines is Mexico.

Learning Outcomes
In this lesson, you are expected to:
• Trace the history of Mexicanovelas in the Philippines;
• Trace the influence of Mexicanovelas to Filipinos;

Motivation Questions
Are you familiar with Marimar? Have you watched this telenovela? How did you
find this telenovela?

Module Pre-test
Instructions: Write T if the statement is True and F if the statement is False. Write
your answer on the space provided before each number.
_______1. Marimar was one of the first Mexican telenovelas “Mexicanovelas,” imported
to the Philippines.
______2. Thalia played the titular Marimar
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______3. Mexicanovela is a combination of the words Mexican and telenovela.

______4. Manga is a Japanese comic book.
______5. From 2003 to 2015, anime shows had a bit of a downfall.
______6. All Koreans trust Filipinos.
______7. Since 2006, Koreans have been the top visitors to the Philippines.
______8. Wonder Girls popularized the song “Nobody.”
______9. Thai commercial has become a genre in the entertainment industry because
of its popularity.
______10. Marian Rivera played Marimar in the Filipino version of Marimar.

Answers to the Pretest

1. T
2. F
3. T
4. F
5. F
6. F
7. T
8. T
9. T
10. F
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Discussion
Please read the article entitled “Marimar” and other Mexican Telenovelas
in the Philippines. It will discuss the reasons why Mexicanovelas were popular in the
90s and also the similarities of Pinoy TV dramas to Mexicanovelas. Hopefully, the article
will shed a light on the popular consumable themes in Philippine television.
“Marimar” and Other Mexican Telenovelas in the Philippines

Figure 2: Marimar and Maria Mercedes. (Image by Author). (Image

retrieved from https://www.mycast.io/talent/marimar and
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mar%C3%ADa_Mercedes_
%28Mexican_TV_series%29 respectively)

Marimar was one of the first Mexican telenovelas, or “Mexicanovelas,” imported

to the Philippines. It rose to unrivaled popularity—ratings peaked at 61.7% and the
show spawned not one but two Pilipino remakes. Thalia, who plays the titular Marimar,
was even greeted by President Ramos himself when she visited the Philippines. But
why would a Mexican show grow so popular in the Philippines, all the way across the
Pacific Ocean?
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This is often traced to the two countries’ shared history and culture. Both were
colonized by Spain, and both are affected today by the neo-colonial regime of the
United States. This makes for a lot of cultural similarities: widespread Roman
Catholicism, Spanish names, dishes like adobo and lechon. But the effects of
colonialism go deeper. One of these deeper effects is economic status. Spanish
colonizers extracted resources from both countries, and the United States has
continued that legacy by exploiting Mexican and Pilipino workers for cheap labor.
Poverty in both countries is widespread, but until recently, depictions of poverty
were not common on Pilipino television. Meanwhile, Marimar was unafraid to show it.
”It’s different from our soap operas… She has the same problems we do. It shows the
discrimination against poor people,” one interviewee for the New York Times said in
1996.2 Because of this, Marimar was able to gain a wide audience among the lower and
middle class of the Philippines.

Another deeper and more insidious effect of colonialism is the colonial mentality
adapted by colonized people, in which they feel inferior to the people who colonized
them. One way this manifest is through colorism and the sentiment that whiter means
better. There is a large market in the Philippines for skin lightening creams and soaps,
for example. Marimar, with her light skin, sandy brown hair, and hazel eyes “capture[d]
the imagination of a typical colonial-minded Filipino.”

Marimar fulfilled a variety of colonial standards of beauty, but this alone doesn’t
make sense— why not just import an American show with an all-white cast? Wouldn’t
the unrealistic standard of beauty make Marimar less relatable? The answer may lie in
the language. Spanish, once widely spoken, has now been replaced by English. This
means that American shows don’t need to be dubbed, but Spanish shows do. Marimar
was dubbed in the native national language of the Philippines, Tagalog. So, unlike in
American soaps where everyone spoke English, or local teleseryes where often the
poor who spoke Tagalog while the rich spoke the more “intellectual” English, in Marimar,
everyone spoke Tagalog. To hear the native language spoken by these supposedly
“superior” people—white people and rich people— had a profoundly positive effect on
the audience.
In the end, Marimar‘s success goes deeper than a superficial similarity of culture
or language. These things made the show accessible, but the less visible results of
Spanish and US (neo)-colonialism, like the economic realities and shared colonial
mentality, made it relatable on a deeper level. This isn’t to say that Spain and the US
hold all the power in binding these two countries together, though. If anything, the
shared history has opened the doors for cultural exchange and allowed for the creation
of solidarity in new, non-traditional ways—like how Marimar was able to create national
pride through the positive portrayal of Tagalog.
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Source: Transpacific Popular Culture Blog Space (2017). “Marimar” and Other Mexican
Telenovelas in the Philippines. Retrieved from https://tinyurl.com/ybdqnmje.

In the simplest explanation, Mexicanovela is a combination of the words Mexican

and telenovela. Obviously, these telenovelas are imported from Mexico. This craze was
started by RPN, a Philippine channel that was run by the government during the Martial
Law Era, in 1996. Since then, Mexicanovelas have become a dinner companion of
Filipino families. One of the most popular ones and the very first that was aired was
Marimar. It starred Thalia. The actress visited the Philippines and was welcomed by the
whole country. After Marimar, many others came and were almost all a hit.
Mexicanovelas were a hit in the Philippines in the late 1990s and early 2000s
because of many reasons. First, Mexico and the Philippines were both colonized by
Spain. Both countries share similar values and culture. In the article, it is mentioned that
both countries have similar economic status. Filipinos watching Mexicanovelas could
relate to the poor characters, the disheveled setting, and the longing of the maidens to
be out of poverty. The show is unafraid to show bits and pieces of how poor people
lived. But then, the show still has the air of fantasy in it. The whole plot revolves around
exaggeration: using of violence against characters excessively and cartoonishly, the
poor character is actually a daughter of a rich person, and things exploded.

Another one is the colonialism mentality. Marimar is a poor girl, but she is
beautiful and is a mestiza. To the Filipino audience, everything that is of western quality
is of high quality. So, they consumed Mexicanovelas like there was no tomorrow. You
can see that the influence of Mexicanovelas then was not because of the telenovelas
solely, but because of how Filipinos look at themselves, too.
One element that really proved to be effective in Philippine TV is the language
used in the shows. Marimar was dubbed in Filipino, the common language of the
masses. Because of that, it gained a larger audience than other dramas of that time.
Mexicanovelas surely have a soft spot in Filipinos’ hearts. Only time will tell if the
telenovelas with Spanish looking characters will have a comeback in Philippine TV.

Learning Task/Activities
List 10 Filipino TV dramas that have similar content/themes/characters as
Marimar. Include the details of how the Filipino TV dramas are similar to Marimar. Below
is the format for your guidance.
Filipino TV Drama Details
1.
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2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

Assessment
Answer the questions below.
1. What is the last reason mentioned in the article why Mexicanovelas were popular in
the Philippines? Explain in three or more sentences.
2. What is the influence of language in Philippine TV drama? Explain in three or more
sentences.
3. Watch some clips of a Mexicanovela. What is your take on them? Do you think
Mexicanovelas can thrive in your generation? Why or why not? Explain in three or
more sentences.

Module 3.2 Japanese Animation

Module Overview
In the previous lesson, you have learned how the Mexican telenovelas
influenced the popular culture of the Philippines. In this lesson, we tackle will Japanese
anime in the Philippines and how they were loved and are still loved by Filipinos of all
ages.

Learning Outcomes
In this lesson, you are expected to:
1. Trace the history of Japanese anime in the Philippines;
2. Trace the influence of Japanese anime in the Philippines; and
3. Understand deeply the strategies of the Philippines to promote animation.
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Module Pre-test
List down Japanese anime that you know.

Motivation Questions
Have you ever been to Japan? Who among you here are fond of reading
Japanese comic books like manga or watching a Japanese anime?

Discussion

Figure 2: Japanese Animation. (Image by Author). (Image retrieved from

https://uchijapan.com/news/japanese-culture-the-world-of-manga-and-
anime/.)

This topic is close to my heart. I love watching anime shows and reading manga.
They take anyone, including me, in worlds I cannot imagine to be even possible for
other people to write about. But lo and behold, they exist in between pages out of the
imagination of writers. I believe that to be amazing. When I was younger, I thought they
were made by Filipinos because I could understand them through the language I know.
The theme songs in Japanese were quite gibberish, though. But how wrong I was! In
this lesson, we will trace the history of Japanese anime and manga in the Philippines
and how they were loved and is still loved by Filipinos of all ages.
 Module and Learning Management System

My main source for this topic is the dissertation study of Ma. Bernadette Canave Bravo,
entitled
Japanese Cultural Influence in the Philippines through Anime’s Popularity and
Pervasiveness. If you have an internet connection and you want to read the full
discussion of my points here, click this link: file:///D:/Downloads/Honbun-6044.pdf. To
do this tracing, read chapter two of the research study, pages
47 to 82. It is quite long, but you can manage. Read it once or twice. There is no need
for you to memorize everything. However, you need to fully focus on the last page, the
tabular summary of chapter two. The copy of the tabular summary is pasted below.
Table 1: Summa rog Anime’s History in the Philippines
Time Short Sources and Appropriation
Period Description/ Channels
Highlights
Late 70s -introduction of Mostly limited -series are English-
and into anime with mecha to TV dubbed and some are
the series such as Voltes broadcasting acquired from the US
80s V
-only a few -titles and names used
-presidential ban titles were follow the US ones
-introduction of shown by
-the US-acquired were
wholesome anime some TV
presented as is
such as Candy networks
-censorship of violence
Candy
and sexual content
-eventual lifting of the
-marketed towards
ban brought back the
children
mecha
series
-start of the
outsourcing of
animation labor in
Asia
-sentai series
become
popular
Early to -increase of titles -mostly -use of Tagalog-dubbing
Mid-90s concentrated around TV gaining currency
children’s timeslots broadcasting -names and titles are still
-gradual among some Western
diversification in the TV networks
-opening and ending
variety of stories and -limited themes are mostly left
themes availability out; some were changed
-world-famous on into English or Tagalog
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titles video -popular tearjerkers

Dragonball and Princess Sarah and
Sailormoon were Cedie were made into
shown and became feature films
cult hits along with -censorship of violence
Slam Dunk and sexual content
-beginnings of strong -marketed towards
subculture children
Late 90s -TV networks got -anime -anime shown on local
and hold of more titles shown on TV are mostly Tagalog-
Anime from a wider variety most TV dubbed
Explosion of genres channels
-titles were branded as
(2000- and satellite
-Let’s & Go and “the no. 1
2002) or cable TV
Pokemon created from Japan” as a
channels
crazes in toy promotional strategy
merchandize -popular
titles are -Japanese elements
-re-airing of Voltes V were mostly left to their
available on
-Ghosfighter video (official own
becomes a big hit and fan- -opening and ending
-anime reaches the subtitled themes are left running in
biggest market versions as their entirety
segment well as
pirated -censorship of violence
-anime shows takes copies) and sexual content
over primetime slots
-theatrical
-first anime releases of
convention takes the most
place popular
-many observable ones
signs of the anime -private film
boom especially in showings
Metro Manila held by
different
anime
interest
groups
-anime film
festivals
arranged by
organizations
such as
Japan
 Module and Learning Management System

Foundation
Manila Office
-can be
downloaded
through
internet
From -anime fever cools -all-day -most of anime shown on
2003 to down channels and local channels are
Current Tagalog-dubbed
-opening of all-day
Time satellite
anime TV channels -Japanese elements are
channels
mostly left to their own
-anime becomes a
-abundance
mainstream part of -titles’ popularity in
of cheap,
local Japan is not singled out
pirated
TV for promotional purposes
copies
-censorship of violence
-can be
and sexual content
downloaded
or -anime and elements of
watched it become inspirations for
streaming some local productions
from
the internet

In the late 70s to early 80s, anime shows were marketed towards children, so
violence and sexual content were censored. It was also the first time that anime shows
were introduced; therefore, TV channels were still treading thin ice. Not many anime
shows were shown. It was especially so because of Martial Law. Many believed some
anime shows were blocked for they “encourage” rebellion. However, the government
counterargued that the blocked anime shows did not show family values and parents
requested for their blockage. The most important thing to remember in this era is the
language used. Anime shows were dubbed in English, and English names and titles
were retained.
The early 1990s to early 2000s proved to be the golden age of anime in the
Philippines. In the beginning part of this period of anime history, small TV channels
slowly acquire more anime shows and fill their airtime because it was cheap to do so.
Copyrights and distribution rights of anime shows were relatively cheap. Still, anime
shows were not that popular since many were dubbed in English, and Japanese theme
songs were screened. In the early 2000s, there was a change. TV channels deliberately
purchased copyrights of anime shows and put them on primetime slots. They also
promoted them as high caliber. Many were dubbed in Tagalog and Japanese theme
 Module and Learning Management System

songs had airtime. Filipinos were aware that what they were watching came from
Japan. Also, since anime shows were made available through other means like the
Internet, many Filipinos could access them legally and illegally.
From 2003 to 2010, anime shows had a bit of a downfall. The reasons were: (1)
illegal and easy access of anime through Internet and CDs; (2), Taiwanese dramas and
Korean dramas overshadowed anime shows; (3), fewer variations of themes; and (4),
anime shows became a solid popular culture in the Philippines that the hype died down.
An attestation to this is there are many anime channels in the Philippines in the present
time. Moreover, many Filipinos still talk about anime on their social media accounts.
Finally, they still read manga and watch anime shows online.
But why are Filipinos fascinated by anime made by people that have a different
culture from theirs? First, anime shows have different themes and genres. In the 70s to
80s, the family-oriented themes fit the trying times. Second, they cater to all ages
because of reason number one: the varied themes and genres. Children to grown-ups
can find anime shows they can relate depending on their interests. Third, Filipinos do
not make many anime shows. Finally, anime shows shown on Philippine TV are dubbed
in Tagalog, which makes them comfortable to relate to.

Learning Task/Activities /Assessment

Make a poster with the theme: Japanese Anime: Pinoy Fascination. The poster
must include your learnings about this lesson. Required elements in your poster:
slogan/text (must be grammatically correct), good combination of any coloring material,
proper use of space of paper, and relation to the them. You will be grade according to
the rubric below.

Table 2: . Rubric for the Poster Making. Source: Adapted from RubiStar, by 4
Teachers, 2006. http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php?
screen=ShowRubric&rubric_id=1357669&.
CATEGO
RY 5 3 2 1
Graphics - All graphics All graphics All graphics Graphics do not
Relevance are related are related relate to the relate to the
to the topic to the topic topic. Most topic OR
and make it and most borrowed several
easier to make it graphics have borrowed
understand. easier to a source graphics do not
All borrowed understand. citation. have a source
graphics All borrowed citation.
have a graphics
source have a
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citation. source
citation.
Graphics - Several of One or two of The graphics No graphics
Originality the graphics the graphics are made by made by the
used on the used on the the student student are
poster poster reflect but are based included.
reflect a student on the
exceptional creativity in designs or
degree of their creation ideas of
student and/or others.
creativity in display.
their
creation
and/or
display.
Required The poster All All but 1 of the Several
Elements includes all required required required
required elements elements are elements were
elements as are included on missing.
well as included the poster.
additional on the
information. poster.
Attractive ness The poster The poster The poster is The poster is
is is attractive acceptably distractingly
exceptionall in terms of attractive messy or very
y attractive design, though it may poorly
in terms of layout and be a bit designed.
design, neatness. messy. It is not
layout, and attractive.
neatness.
Grammar There are There is There are 2 There are
no 1 grammatical more than 2
grammatic grammati mistakes on grammatical
al cal the poster. mistakes on
mistakes mistake the poster.
on the on the
poster. poster.
 Module and Learning Management System

Module 3.3.1 Hallyu Culture

Module Overview
The Korean Wave (Hallyu) refers to the global popularity of South Korea's
cultural economy exporting pop culture, entertainment, music, TV dramas and movies.
Hallyu is a Chinese term which, when translated, literally means “Korean Wave”.
Let us read below abstract from UP Diliman Department of Linguistic taken
from https://linguistics.upd.edu.ph/publication/beyond-the-fad-understanding-hallyu-in-
the-philippines/
Beyond the “Fad”: Understanding Hallyu in the Philippines

Abstract from the Publication Authored by Jay-Ar Igno and Marie Cielo Cenidoza

The Korean Wave, popularly known as Hallyu (한류) is the rapid spread of
Korean popular culture in the form of Korean drama, dance, music, as well as
fan clubs for Korean stars, among others. This term is the “Korean wave”
written in Chinese characters, said to have been derived from the title of an
album compilation of Korean popular songs that became a sudden hit in
China during the 1990s. Some of the people in the Philippines claim that
Hallyu is just a fad – a craze, an intense and widely shared enthusiasm for
something, most of the time that is short-lived just like its predecessors in
the Philippines such as Mexicanovelas, Chinovelas or Jpop (Japanese pop) but
as time pass by, Hallyu following increases with no hints of its decline for the
next few years. This paper tries to solve and explain the cultural
phenomenon that is revolutionizing the world today which became a mystery
to the eyes of most Filipinos. It expounds the deeper root of Hallyu’s staying
power in the Philippines as well as the challenges it possess through the
concepts of cultural imperialism as explained by Joseph S. Nye’s soft power
and Filipino’s sense of cultural identity.

 Author: Jay-Ar Igno and Marie Cielo Cenidoza

 Publication Date: 2015, September 1
 Publication Type: Journal article
 Published In: International Journal of Social Science and Humanity
 Link: http://www.ijssh.org/index.php?
m=content&c=index&a=show&catid=79&id=1084
 Module and Learning Management System

Netflix is an online platform that shows and produces television dramas and
movies. It is a platform that allows people from different countries to be able to watch
movies and series from all over the world. In the Philippines, foreign content is popular
especially the ones from the US and South Korea. Erik Matti, a Filipino director, has
aired his concerns of the excessive consumption of Filipinos to South Korea’s dramas
on April 14, 2020, on a social media site, Twitter. It received lash back from netizens
and a lot have defended K-drama against the words of Matti. You be the judge if his
concerns are valid or he was just barking at the wrong tree.

Learning Outcomes
In this lesson, you should be able to:
1. Understand how Hallyu culture affect the Filipino popular culture; and
2. To know more about the negative effects of consuming Hallyu culture to Filipinos.

Module Pre-test
What do you know about Korean culture? Can you name some of your Korean
Idols?
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Motivation Questions

Have you ever been to Korea? Now, who among you here are fond of watching K-
dramas or listening to some Korean songs?
Figure 3: A Palace in Seoul, South Korea. (Image by Author) retrieved from
Agoda.com.

Discussion
Read the news article below about Hallyu culture.
Let us read below abstract from UP Diliman Department of Linguistic taken from
https://linguistics.upd.edu.ph/publication/beyond-the-fad-understanding-hallyu-in-the-
philippines/
Beyond the “Fad”: Understanding Hallyu in the Philippines

Abstract from the Publication Authored by Jay-Ar Igno and Marie Cielo Cenidoza

The Korean Wave, popularly known as Hallyu (한류) is the rapid spread of
Korean popular culture in the form of Korean drama, dance, music, as well as
fan clubs for Korean stars, among others. This term is the “Korean wave”
written in Chinese characters, said to have been derived from the title of an
album compilation of Korean popular songs that became a sudden hit in
 Module and Learning Management System

China during the 1990s. Some of the people in the Philippines claim that
Hallyu is just a fad – a craze, an intense and widely shared enthusiasm for
something, most of the time that is short-lived just like its predecessors in
the Philippines such as Mexicanovelas, Chinovelas or Jpop (Japanese pop) but
as time pass by, Hallyu following increases with no hints of its decline for the
next few years. This paper tries to solve and explain the cultural
phenomenon that is revolutionizing the world today which became a mystery
to the eyes of most Filipinos. It expounds the deeper root of Hallyu’s staying
power in the Philippines as well as the challenges it possess through the
concepts of cultural imperialism as explained by Joseph S. Nye’s soft power
and Filipino’s sense of cultural identity.

Author: Jay-Ar Igno and Marie Cielo Cenidoza

Publication Date: 2015, September 1

Publication Type: Journal article

Published In: International Journal of Social Science and Humanity

Link: http://www.ijssh.org/index.php?
m=content&c=index&a=show&catid=79&id=1084

Filipinos attracted to Korean culture, K-pop, Koreanovelas

By: DJ Yap – Reporter
Beyond kimchi, K-pop and Koreanovelas, Koreans are becoming a ubiquitous
presence in the Philippines with tourist arrivals estimated to reach the one million mark
by yearend, up by 30 percent from 2010.
Based on the data gathered by Inquirer Research, the figure would make them
the largest group of foreign citizens to ever have landed on Philippine soil in a single
year.

ADVERTISEMENT
In addition, according to Korean Ambassador to Manila Hye Min Lee, Koreans
studying or working in the country now number more than 100,000.
“This is a sign of the strong and growing people-to-people relations between
Korea and the Philippines which help promote mutual understanding between us,” he
said at the 2nd Philippines-Korea Partnership Forum held at the Intercontinental Manila
last week.
“More than 740,000 Koreans visited the Philippines in 2010, ranking Korea as
the top tourist arrivals. This year, a million Koreans will be visiting the Philippines, an
increase of 30 percent compared to last year,” Lee added.
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According to him, some 115,000 Koreans are residing in the Philippines, drawn
by practical living in the country, English-speaking locals and a shared history and
values.

More flights
Airline linkage has also been on an upswing with 150 flights between the
Philippines and South Korea on a weekly basis, or more than 20 flights every day, Lee
said.
Since 2006, Koreans have been the top visitors to the Philippines, followed by
Americans who previously dominated the ranking, and the Japanese, government
figures showed.
But more than people-to-people exchange, Lee said he was cheered by the ever
deepening “heartto-heart” relations between the two countries and the Filipinos’ growing
fondness for Korean popular culture under the so-called Korean wave, or “hallyu.”
“Since my assumption in July 2010, I have seen growing interest by Filipinos
toward Korean telenovelas and K-pop,” he told an audience of diplomats and
academics in the forum jointly organized by the University of the Philippines Asian
Center and Ateneo Center for Asian Studies.
Lee cited the creation of the Korean Cultural Center in the Philippines “in order to
sustain the growing cultural affinity” between the two countries and to further promote
cultural exchange and enhance cooperation.
A study by the market research firm, TNS Global, titled “Filipino Perception of Korea
and the
Koreans” found that Korean culture was among the top three cultures Filipinos were
attracted to, along with that of the United States and Japan.
In her presentation, Marie Lee of TNS Global said the most popular Korean
cultural activities among Filipinos were pop concerts, food festivals and Korean
telenovelas (or Koreanovelas).
The most recalled Korean celebrities, according to the study, were the Korean girl
group “Wonder
Girls,” which popularized the song “Nobody,” pop star Rain, girl band 2NE1, whose
members include Sandara Park who started her career in the Philippines and boy band
Super Junior.
“Baker King” topped the list of popular Korean dramas, followed by “Jewel in the
Palace,”
“Temptation of Wife” and “Boys over Flowers.”
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Filipinos also showed awareness of Korean food and drinks such as kimchi,
ginseng and soju, Korean brands such as Samsung, Kia and LG and most knew of
Taekwondo’s Korean origins.
‘Still largely unfamiliar’
But the study found that “traditional Korean culture and language are still largely
unfamiliar to Filipinos.”
“Nearly everybody knows there is a North and a South Korea, but only about half
of those who have seen the South Korean flag know that it is South Korea’s,” it added.
The study, conducted from April 6 to 11, used a random sample of 300 Metro
Manila respondents between 15 and 45 years old, from all economic classes, and who
must be aware of Korean culture and who do not reject Korean culture in general.
Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Laura Del Rosario, speaking at the same forum,
said the affinity between South Korea and the Philippines could be traced back to the
Korean war when the Philippines sent some 7,500 expeditionary forces to help defend
Seoul from the invading communist North. (Former President Fidel V. Ramos was
among the Filipino Korean War veterans, while martyred Senator Benigno
“Ninoy” Aquino Jr. covered the war as a correspondent for the Manila Times.) “I would
like to believe that the reason they [Koreans] are here is because we were there,” Del
Rosario said.
But the presence of more Koreans has also increased the potential of cross-cultural
conflict.
Another study presented at the forum by the International Organization for
Migration (IOM), “Korean Community in the Philippines: Existing and Emerging
Challenges,” discussed language and other barriers between the two cultures based on
interviews with Koreans living in the Philippines. In a presentation, Wansoo Lee of the
IOM Migration Research and Training Center said the study found that some Koreans
had exhibited “self-centered perception, attitude, behavior” and “disregard of Filipino,
rules, legal process,” as well as “reckless behavior, less effort to acculturate.”

Lacking in basic social skills

The attitude of Koreans toward Filipinos also showed the former’s “lack of basic
social skills,” according to the study, which found that only 14 percent of the
respondents answered yes when asked whether they trust Filipinos while 42.9 percent
replied no.
More than a third, or 38.3 percent, agreed with a statement that “Filipinos take
advantage of others,” and only 22.1 percent did not. But almost half, or 42.7 percent,
did not agree that “Filipinos complain a lot.”
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Two-thirds of the respondents, or 64.7 percent, answered no when asked if “Filipinos

follow the rules” while a scant 6.8 percent said yes, the study found. About an equal
number of the Korean respondents said yes and no when asked whether they had
Filipino friends, with 26.4 percent saying yes, and 26.9 percent saying no. But more of
the respondents, 26.9 percent, answered in the affirmative when asked if there were
“Filipinos who like me” than those who said no, at 19.3 percent. An overwhelming
majority, or
86 percent, of the respondents disagreed that there are “Filipinos who bother/threaten
me.”
The same study also found that more than half of the respondents answered yes
when asked if crimes were increasing against Koreans in the Philippines while only 11.7
percent disagreed. Another 36.1 percent agreed that crimes committed by Koreans
were increasing against nine percent who did not. “But most respondents consider that
their living area (61.5 percent) and working place (49.7 percent) are safe,” according to
the study which used quantitative surveys for 592 respondents and in-depth interviews
with 21 participants.
The respondents considered the most serious crimes committed against Koreans
as robbery at 50.8 percent, theft at 48 percent, fraud at 45.6 percent, kidnapping at 37.3
percent, murder at 19.9 percent and gambling at 17.9 percent. By contrast, crimes by
Koreans that were considered most serious were gambling at 62.2 percent, fraud at
57.9 percent, sexual exploitation at 22.6 percent, violence at 22.1 percent, drugs at 20.4
percent and bribery at 16 percent.
The study found that the respondents admitted they did not feel safe with
Filipinos and strangers, with 45.8 percent afraid of a crime committed by Filipinos and
42.2 percent of a crime carried out by strangers. Some 26.5 percent said they feared
crime by their compatriots.

Show respect for Filipinos

Under the section “Way Forward,” the study recommended that Koreans living in the
Philippines
“learn English and Tagalog asap, understand [the] culture, ways of life and history of the
Philippines, and show respect [for] and trust [in] Filipinos, behave properly.”
Koreans were also advised to “smile more, speak peacefully and listen carefully,”
as well as to try to find a Filipino mentor, the study said.
In response to the growing Korean community, the Philippine National Police created in
July a “Korean desk” in offices of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group
nationwide, which was aimed at catering to Koreans involved in crimes, either as a
victim or a suspect.
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Source: Yap, D. (December 12, 2011). Filipinos attracted to Korean culture, K-pop,
Koreanovelas. Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved from
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/109439/filipinos-attracted-tokorean-culture-k-pop-
koreanovelas

Explanation
Understanding Hallyu culture and how K-dramas have impacted the Philippines
is quite easy since it is a phenomenon at the moment. Filipinos, especially in our
quarantine days, in any age group, but mostly women, are crazy over K-dramas. By
watching, Filipinos are enticed to visit South Korea (where K-dramas are from), and
learn more about its culture.
Primarily, Hallyu culture constitutes many parts of Korean culture, not only its
entertainment. It is a combination of Korea‟s ancient culture and modern ideas. In this
lesson, we shall focus more on the negative effects or disadvantages of consuming
Hallyu culture to Filipinos.
In the news article published by Inquirer (Yap, 2011), South Korea has brought a
lot to the Philippines. Their citizens visit the country yearly in increasing number. They
also invest in the Philippines through their academy set up, employing Filipino teachers.
They build Korean restaurants and still employ Filipino workers. Moreover, South
Korean K-pop idols hold their concerts in the Philippines.
But who really gains from these investments? Surely, Filipinos who consume
parts of Hallyu culture are entertained. Aside from that, what else? Workers from the
restaurants and academies get to have jobs, but at what cost? The answer is low. For
example, in Korean academies, teachers are usually paid minimum wage compared to
Japanese academies. I can attest to this because I worked in a Korean academy before
and a Japanese academy. My friends, who have also worked in both, also say the
same thing. Furthermore, when K-pop idols hold their concerts in the Philippines, who
gets more money? When Filipinos emulate Korean stars and buy Korean products, who
gets more money?
Many might say that enjoying Hallyu culture is a part of the Philippines’
globalization efforts. Also, an exchange of culture happens. But, does it really happen?
In the same news article mentioned above, many Koreans who visit the Philippines do
not trust Filipinos. Many of them visit and study in the Philippines because it is cheap
here. Many of them also disregard Filipino values, considering themselves as a higher
race.
This foreign influence in the popular culture of Filipinos is a warning enough that
consumption of any pop culture should be walked with caution. Are we losing our
identity when we follow the trends of other countries? Are we making our country lose
money? Are we doing our country a disservice? Are we valuing more the culture of
others than our own? These might be trivial things to you, but if everyone does ask
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these questions before blindly consuming any popular culture, it might help the country
more as a whole.
In the lesson summary, Erik Matti was mentioned. He posted on his Twitter account that
K-dramas are “faux Cinderalla stories” and that the Philippine film industry is doomed.
Many have pointed out that Filipinos watch K-dramas because they are not generic.
They tackle societal issues, unlike Pinoy’s works in which a third-party plot is mostly the
content. Do you agree with this? To this question, the answer is up to you.

Korean ‘Hallyu’ and the Pinoy invasion

MANILA, Philippines – What is “Hallyu” and how has it impacted the Philippines?

“Hallyu” refers to the “wave” of the popularity of South Korean entertainment and
culture starting in the late 1990s. It reached the Philippines with the first Korean
telenovelas aired locally in 2003.

The Korean Wave (Hallyu) refers to the global popularity of South Korea’s cultural
economy exporting pop culture, entertainment, music, TV dramas and movies.

Hallyu is a Chinese term which, when translated, literally means “Korean Wave”. It is a
collective term used to refer to the phenomenal growth of Korean culture and popular
culture encompassing everything from music, movies, drama to online games and
Korean cuisine just to name a few.
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Hallyu has been a blessing for Korea, its businesses, culture and country image. Since
early 1999, Hallyu has become one of the biggest cultural phenomena across Asia. The
Hallyu effect has been tremendous, contributing to 0.2% of Korea’s GDP in 2004,
amounting to approximately USD 1.87 billion. More recently in 2019, Hallyu had an
estimated USD 12.3 billion boost on the Korean economy.

Over the last two decades, South Korea has become very rich and very futuristic. In
1965, Korea’s GDP per capita was less than that of Ghana. Today, South Korea is the
world’s 12th largest economy.

Origins of Hallyu

The popular media in the region has attributed the origins of Hallyu to a couple of
movies and TV dramas that were released in 1999. “Swiri”, an inspiring movie about the
North Korea/South Korea espionage released in 1999, gave Hallyu the public face as it
became hugely successful across South East Asian countries. It was followed by a
drama called “Autumn in my heart” in 2000 that sustained the excitement created by
Swiri. These were followed by “My Sassy girl” in 2001 and “Winter Sonata” in 2004. All
of these became very popular not only in Korea but also in Singapore, Japan, Taiwan,
Hong Kong, China and Vietnam. The success of these entertainment products created
a tremendous buzz about the exploding popularity of Korean culture. Regional media
sources were quick enough to pick up the cues and collectively announce the birth of
Hallyu.

The Korean Cultural Center in Manila recently organized Hallyu sa Pinas, a forum
about the impact of the so-called “Korean Wave” in the country, where Korean cultural
products are becoming increasingly popular.

Expansion of the middle class

Since 2003, the influence of “Hallyu” has been particularly significant in the production
of telenovelas, the first success of the Korean Wave in the Philippines, according to
Dr. Crisanta Flores.
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Dr. Flores, a professor of Filipino Literature at the University of the Philippines in

Diliman, told RAPPLER that Korean soap operas were initially quite different from the
locally-produced series.

“From the usual poverty-ridden (Filipino) narratives, the (Korean) stories are light,” she
said.

This is because the target audience of the Korean drama is not the poor but the lower
middle class, with aspirations to advance in their economic and social status.

“The effect on the Filipino audience,” Dr. Flores explained, “Is that when they view
urban scenes of Seoul, there is a dream, an aspiration to go to Korea.”

Korean soap operas “are an expression of the expansion of the lower middle class,”
she said.

Better storytelling

“The primary reason why Filipinos are so enamored with Korean dramas is the
storytelling. It’s not as much about the plot as about the way stories are told,” noted
Florinda Mateo, another professor from UP.

Mateo explained that many Filipino viewers are amazed at “how fast a story could be
told, how fast a plot can develop and the kind of acting — which is quite different from
the brand of acting that we know from Filipinos

“They find it refreshing and appealing that these (Korean) actors can do dramas but at
the same time infuse some sense of humor.”

According to Mateo, the influence of “Hallyu” in today’s Filipino soap operas is in the
stories now told.

The plots “tend to develop faster and the pace is quicker compared to dramas in the
past that could run for as long as two years and create a lot of subplots.
Now, they are more straightforward.”

K-Pop also on the rise

But “Hallyu” is not just about telenovelas.

K-Pop is also becoming more and more popular among the Filipino youth, thanks to
the Internet and crowdsourcing, according to marketing consultant Katherine Choy.

Choy, who works for music events organizing company Astroplus, said that
crowdsourcing enables the fans to feel closer to their idols in a way that Western
music cannot give them.
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“The fans are able to (share) their fan art, (get) info about their idols, and the idols
themselves are able to communicate with their fans in a personal way through online.”

Choy stressed that Korean cultural products in general are “not a fad anymore” and K-
Pop in particular should now be considered a musical genre on its own, especially
now that it is “infiltrating the global scene” beyond Asia.

Influence in Pinoy films

The Korean Wave has also influenced recent Filipino movies such as “Kimmy Dora,” a
huge box office success followed by a sequel shot in South Korea and based on a
Korean-inspired plot.

“Filipinos like Korean films because they are fresher, less formulated and with a
degree of violence and eroticism that appeals to the local audience, who are just being
bombarded by teenybopper and romantic comedies in their local cinemas,” said
“Kimmy Dora” writer Chris Martinez.

Martinez noted that Koreans “do their movies very well. They are very technically
polished, the cinematography is always great, (as well as) the production design.”

“They invest a lot of money in their films, so hopefully Filipinos can learn to do the the
same.

3.3.2 VIRALITY
Virality is a powerful strategy employed by influencers, brands, and marketers to amplify
their content and create a buzz around their brand or message.
the condition or fact of being rapidly spread or popularized by means of people
communicating with each other, especially through the internet: We're looking for ways
to increase the virality of our web content.
Viral phenomena or viral sensation are objects or patterns that are able to replicate
themselves or convert other objects into copies of themselves when these objects are
exposed to them

"Virality" can be defined as the likelihood of something being shared and spread widely
among different users, readers, or customers online. Some examples of things that can
go viral are blog posts, websites, apps, games, or products.
 Module and Learning Management System

Virality Formula

C(0) * k = # of customers at end of time period

The product virality formula is calculated by multiplying the number of customers at the
beginning of a time period by the viral k coefficient, which measures the conversion rate
of new customers invited by existing customers to start using a product.
The formula for calculating viral growth is centered around the viral coefficient, also
referred to as the k coefficient, that measures the number of new customers or users
each existing customer can successfully convert.
(It's important to note that the k coefficient harkens back to this term's roots in viral
diseases: The biological version of the k coefficient would refer to how many other
people to which one could reasonably expect a sick patient to spread the virus. Yuck.)
C(0) = the number of customers at the beginning of the time period you're measuring
i = the number of invitations each customer shares
c = the percent conversion rate of each invitation
k = the number of new customers each existing customer can convert (i * c)
The k coefficient must be greater than 1 in order to achieve true "virality."
So, in order to determine the degree to which your product can go viral during a given
time period, you multiply the number of customers at the beginning of the time period by
the k coefficient to determine how many customers you'll have at the end of the time
period.
Next, let's dig into the ways companies can achieve product virality. To learn more
about calculating and measuring virality, you can use David Skok's excellent
downloadable spreadsheet to play around with the inputs and track your
own k coefficient.
5 Methods of Achieving Product Virality
There are several methods of achieving product virality, and they fall within two basic
categories:
Pull Product Virality

This occurs when product virality is achieved by users or customers spreading

awareness of the product within their network. Instagram was an example of pull
product virality when it launched with a feature to cross-post images on Facebook and
Twitter. Their friends didn't need to be Instagram users to see the images, but it spread
awareness of the photo editing and filtering app.

1. Word-of-Mouth Virality

Word-of-mouth virality is what a lot of people first think of when they hear about
something "going viral:" It occurs when a product is so good, fun, or interesting that
people can't stop telling their friends and colleagues about it, to the point where they
start using it, too.
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A long time ago, Google was the perfect example of word-of-mouth virality: When
friends or colleagues asked a question, you could reply with a cheeky "Google it" in
order to spread the word.

2. Demonstration Virality

Demonstration virality occurs when products catch on thanks to users and customers
showing them off simply because they liked using them. Instead of telling people about
a product, users would show how they used the product -- which usually led to people
asking about it and then trying it out for themselves.

Pinterest achieved demonstration virality. Users could share their Pinterest boards with
friends (or significant others they were hoping would propose), and, although they didn't
need to download Pinterest in order to see the user's board, in many cases, seeing the
cool visual app would prompt the friend to download it and create their own board.
3. Outbreak Virality

Outbreak virality occurs when a product is so fun, engaging, or interesting to use, that,
all of a sudden, it seems like everybody around you is using it, too. Whether the product
or app is addicting, fun, or popular, it achieves virality simply because everyone else is
doing it.

An example of outbreak virality you might remember is Pokémon GO. For a few weeks
in 2016, it seemed like everyone around you was playing the viral game on the streets
of whatever city you lived in.

Distribution Product Virality

This occurs when product virality is achieved by users or customers inviting people into
their network to join in order to gain more value from the product. Facebook was an
example of distribution product virality when high school and college students invited
their friends to join the social network in order to connect with more people at once.

4. Infectious/Network Virality

Infectious virality, which is sometimes known as network virality, is achieved when

customers and users invite other people to start using a product because the strength of
the product is in its network. In other words, the product becomes more useful the
bigger the network is, so users want to invite others to join so they can start getting
value from friends and colleagues using it, too.

A classic example of network virality is Dropbox. When the cloud-based file sharing app
was released, the first users had to invite people to join Dropbox. They derived more
value from the app by inviting members of their personal and professional networks to
join -- people whom they wanted to quickly and easily share files with, but they needed
to sign up for Dropbox to do so.
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5. Incentive Virality

Incentive virality is similar to word-of-mouth virality, but with one crucial difference -- the
incentive.

Incentive virality occurs when users or customers are incentivized to refer their friends.
Whether the incentive is a discount, a gift card, money, or storage space, users have a
great reason to get more people using the product or app. In some cases, the incentive
goes both ways, and both the referrer and the new user get a benefit.

Lyft uses incentive virality to inspire riders to refer their friends. Each rider gets a
personalized link they can share with people, and, when it's redeemed, both the referrer
and the new rider get a free Lyft ride.

It's important to note that, although "viral marketing" is a term that's used a lot,
virality isn't something you can create with marketing alone.
Virality needs to be built into your product from the start so it becomes easy to share
and evangelize. You have to build your product in a way that allows it to achieve viral
growth. This blog post won't get into the weeds of product development, but this
fantastic article by Viral Loops gives you a few places to start when you start designing
and shipping.
How to achieve virality
Several factors can contribute to the sharing frequencies of content or advertised goods
and services. The following strategies can help you create content with higher odds of
going viral:
Create original content
Your first step in achieving virality is to create an original piece of content. While it's
possible to gain virality by copying something popular, original content often earns more
respect in online spheres. You could offer a new approach or a fresh perspective on
something.
For example, you might research competitor products to enhance your own offerings or
create new and better-developed versions of things your consumers value. You might
also research your market's needs and create a video tutorial with ways that help solve
a particular problem in a creative way.
The ultimate goal is to create value. By offering advice, a new perspective, humor, or a
fresh idea, you can engage with audiences more effectively. Many people online crave
novelty and original ideas. No matter the content you create, brainstorm a creative
approach to something that piques the audience's interests and provokes a response.
Consider your platform
Social media sharing makes it much easier for ideas and content to spread extremely
quickly. Many marketers understand the value of social media marketing and digital
 Module and Learning Management System

content because of its shareability. That said, different strategies can be better for
specific platforms.
Consider the type of content that typically goes viral on the platform you're using.
Professional networking sites often like useful, practical and valuable advice. Other
platforms might like more authenticity, vulnerability and less polished or staged content.
Creating content or products with your audience in mind can influence your ability to go
viral greatly.
Make your content relatable
Making your content relatable to your audience is an essential factor in motivating
viewers to share it within their social media networks. For instance, if your target
audience comprises parents, you might create a video for parents of young teens
highlighting the humorous aspects of raising kids in this age group.
Relatable content works by provoking an emotional response in your viewers, resulting
in your audience finding meaning in your content. Making your content relatable can
increase the likelihood that your viewers share it.
Address a common complaint or interest
To get content to the point of virality, you could also address a common complaint,
interest or question that continues to appear in internet searches. For example, you
could create a blog post around a growing political concern like the next presidential
candidate or an economic question about tax rates. You might structure your content in
a way that addresses the topic directly and provides a specific answer.
Create visually appealing content
There's a reason certain videos, graphics and other images achieve virality, and often,
it's because they're visually appealing and well-produced. People are often more drawn
to visual images than they are to written language because, for many, visual
representations are easier to process than written information.
Consider using a variety of visuals like pictures, charts or even short video clips that
relate to the content you're producing. Likewise, if you're selling a product, you could
use pictures or videos showing how the product works or how it can solve a customer's
problem or fulfill a need.
Discuss current events or popular trends
You can also center your content on current events or trends that are popular in your
target market. In the example of a parenting blog, you could introduce popular products
or trending advice to your audience. Offering intriguing, valuable and credible
information to your audience is important.
Upgrade your resume
 Module and Learning Management System

Showcase your skills with help from a resume expert

Virality example
A company manufactures vacuums and has recently developed a new type of wireless
vacuum with the same capabilities as a corded vacuum. The company markets and
begins selling the wireless product. Achieving virality in this sense might mean the
company offers a more efficient design or incorporated full-size features in a smaller
product.
As more customers purchase the product and share their satisfaction with how well it
performs, they generate additional interest in the product. As the company sells more
wireless vacuums, it applies the virality formula to evaluate whether its new model has
achieved virality.
The company calculates its virality with the formula:
C(3) x K = The number of customers at the end of the time period, where the time, C(3),
represents three months.
Using sales and marketing data, the company determines that there were 325
customers at the beginning of the period who initially purchased the new vacuum
products. Then, the company determines that the number of product referrals
customers share is 150, and the conversion rate for each product referral is 17%. Using
the formula, the company's product virality looks like this:
(325)(3) x (150 x 17%) = 975 x 25.5 = 24,862.5
After calculating its product virality, the company estimates that after three months, the
number of customers purchasing the new vacuums amounts to approximately 24,863
people. If the company continues at this rate, executives can expect the popularity of
their new wireless vacuums to grow within their target market.

Learning Task/Activities
1. In Philippine television, there are themes or plots that are recurring. For example,
a poor female character is actually the long lost daughter of a rich family. Do this
with K-dramas. List at least 3 recurring themes or plots. Below is the format for your
guidance.
2. List Down at least Ten (10) issues that has been viral in social media.
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