The aim of this paper is firstly to determine if the Korean television drama Winter Sonata and its spinoffs are contributing to contemporary cross-cultural diffusion in Japan. Secondly, if cross-cultural diffusion is ...The aim of this paper is firstly to determine if the Korean television drama Winter Sonata and its spinoffs are contributing to contemporary cross-cultural diffusion in Japan. Secondly, if cross-cultural diffusion is occurring, is it contributing to a loss of local identity？ Winter Sonata is a small but significant part of the Korean Wave and in the vanguard of Korean television drama content viewed in Japan. There have been macro political changes in East Asia, largely driven by Korea, resulting in an easing of restrictions on cross-border media trade. These in turn have progressively created a new dynamic in content and volume. The methodology used for the study is triangulation including document analysis, audience analysis, and commercial outcomes. The convergent validation derived from the three parameters advances the proposition that Winter Sonata has contributed to cultural diffusion from a Japanese perspective but not to a loss of local identity. Arguably, the process is an enriching one in East Asia reinforced by multi-lateral media trade.展开更多
文摘The aim of this paper is firstly to determine if the Korean television drama Winter Sonata and its spinoffs are contributing to contemporary cross-cultural diffusion in Japan. Secondly, if cross-cultural diffusion is occurring, is it contributing to a loss of local identity？ Winter Sonata is a small but significant part of the Korean Wave and in the vanguard of Korean television drama content viewed in Japan. There have been macro political changes in East Asia, largely driven by Korea, resulting in an easing of restrictions on cross-border media trade. These in turn have progressively created a new dynamic in content and volume. The methodology used for the study is triangulation including document analysis, audience analysis, and commercial outcomes. The convergent validation derived from the three parameters advances the proposition that Winter Sonata has contributed to cultural diffusion from a Japanese perspective but not to a loss of local identity. Arguably, the process is an enriching one in East Asia reinforced by multi-lateral media trade.
