Manufactured Idol
Oliquino, M. S. N. (2017). Manufactured Idol: A Study on the Commodification of the Korean Pop Icon BoA Kwon. Unpublished Undergraduate Thesis, College of Mass Communication, University of the Philippines Diliman.
Abstract
The Korean Wave, also known as the Hallyu phenomenon, has been a huge hit across different countries ever since its boom in the year 2000s. Its manifestation would take on the form of Korean pop songs and dramas which were admired by numerous fans around the globe. In the Philippines, South Korean acts such as Super Junior, 2NE1, and Rain made their mark while dramas such as “Full House” and “Boys Over Flowers” were well-received by the Filipino audiences.
However, criticism on the Korean Wave started to arise upon its expansion. As Korean pop was tagged as “South Korea‟s Greatest Export” by Time Magazine in its March 2012 issue, it is recognized that huge profits are gained by the entertainment labels through their talents‟ global expansion.
This paper will focus on BoA Kwon, SM Entertainment‟s solo artist who became a renowned pop icon across Asia since her debut in the year 2000. Using the Political Economy lens, the study aims to seek how she was treated as a commodity throughout her experiences as a Korean Pop act by analysing different media texts about her.
Keywords: Commodification, Political Economy, BoA Kwon, Korean Entertainment, Hallyu