“WE WANT TO DESTROY THE WORLD”: THE COUNTERCULTURE OF THE SHANGHAI UNDERGROUND CLUB SCENE
The underground club scene in Shanghai, China has emerged as a significant avenue for alternative expression for Chinese youth today. Under the conservative boundaries of mainstream Chinese society, the scene provides an opportunity for them to unleash their unbridled creativity and freedom. In this essay, our group analyses the music and performances of three prominent Shanghai club acts, Asian Dope Boys, Genome 6.66 Mbp, and SVBKVLT. Their work reveals the carnivalesque universe they have created to challenge, destroy, and discard the norms and restraints of Chinese society. By subverting typical formal conventions of visual and aural aesthetics, and even profaning traditional societal expectations by celebrating social taboos of sex and violence, they have obliterated societal constraints. In its wake, they have created a new identity for contemporary Chinese youth, one that is unique and specific to their generation, creating a space to exercise the freedom they so fervently desire.
"We Want to Destroy the World"
LET'S FALL IN LOVE! ♡ : THE PARODY OF SHOUJO CONVENTIONS IN KAGUYA-SAMA: LOVE IS WAR AND MONTHLY GIRLS’ NOZAKI-KUN
In Japan, parody as a genre has been gaining prominence in the mass media since the 1970s as a form of acceptable social commentary. Parody manga, in particular, usually contain satirical humour based on subverting recognisable tropes and concepts—notably, often of gender stereotypes. Through our analysis of Kaguya-sama: Love is War (Kaguya-sama) and Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-kun (GSNK), we seek to explore how parody can be used to challenge gender norms typically seen in shoujo manga, and the potential it has to serve as meaningful commentary.
Kaguya-sama follows the top two students at a prestigious academy as they try to extract a confession from the other in a battle of wits, while GSNK is premised on a highschooler’s crush on her stoic classmate, who turns out to be the author of her favourite shoujo manga. Both series are premised on recognisably shoujo scenarios and reference key shoujo concerns such as emotions and interpersonal relationships; but as parodies of the genre, also challenge and even deconstruct the gender roles ingrained in it. This makes what may seem like frivolous entertainment a source from which we can draw insight into gender roles in Japanese society.
Let's Fall in Love! ♡
POWERED BY DESIRE: THE HONG KONG IDENTITY THROUGH THE CINEMATIC LENS OF WONG KAR WAI
The concept of a monolithic Hong Kong identity is a thoroughly nebulous one. Indeed, the social consciousness of the nation is deeply complex and fragmented, residing in the liminal quandary between socialism and capitalism, between East and West, between freedom and subjugation. This paper explores the representation of desire in three of Wong Kar Wai’s films — ChungKing Express (1994), In the Mood for Love (2000) and 2046 (2004). Through an analysis of these three films, we propose that desire itself is a manifestation of the Hong Kong people’s want for their own identity, and the inability to attain such is what reinforces this desire in many tenets of their life.
Hence, we initiate a reading on the changes in the Hong Kong political landscape, and how this uncertainty suffuses into a drifting sense of rootlessness that permeates the core of Wong Kar Wai’s films, as a sense of loss and unsettled satisfaction consistently drives his characters. His works act as a time capsule, crystallising these intense feelings and personal moments of his experience with Hong Kong. With his filming techniques, Wong portrays desire in his unique way, improving our understanding of the Hong Kong identity.
“BASIC CULTURAL VALUES AND THE TIGHTLY KNIT ASIAN FAMILY SYSTEM...HAVE ENABLED US TO ACHIEVE WHAT WE HAVE” (LEE KUAN YEW, 1972): AN EXAMINATION OF THE PORTRAYAL OF FAMILIES IN SINGAPORE FILMS
The stereotypical nuclear Singaporean-Chinese family unit: a strict ‘Tiger Mum’, a busy and disinterested Father and their stressed-out Children. These are familiar archetypes of the family that we often see portrayed in popular Singaporean films, particularly exaggerated in mainstream ones. Though this portrayal may not accurately capture the diversity of family sizes and structures here, it clearly resonates with a majority of Singaporeans. In our research paper, we explore how accurate these stereotypes really are, the ways that they are employed in film to either build upon established tropes or to subvert them, and consequently the desirability of such stereotypes in our construction of a modern national identity. We will be examining three popular local films, namely Ilo Ilo, I Not Stupid Too and Singapore Dreaming to elucidate the aforementioned points.
In the production of this paper, we based much of our primary research on interviews with local Film and Sociology Professors about current archetypes of the Singaporean family in terms of what they constitute and how accurately they portray Singaporean society in general, and implications on our national identity.
“Basic Cultural Values and The Tightly Knit Asian Family System...Have Enabled Us to Achieve What We Have” (Lee Kuan Yew, 1972)
ON MONSTERS AND SPIRIT BATHHOUSES: AN ANALYSIS OF THE PORTRAYAL OF LIMINALITY AND TRAUMA USING MAGICAL REALISM IN SPIRITED AWAY AND MY NEIGHBOUR TOTORO
Studio Ghibli is a critically acclaimed Japanese film company, known for its use of magic realism. Beneath the cheerful animated exteriors, Ghibli films actually serve to examine the themes of change, loss, and growth, through the innovative lens of magical realism. This technique utilises fantastical elements set within a realistic modern world in order to subtly tease out nuances between our lived experiences and imagined ones.
Altogether, the characteristic of setting these two Miyazaki films with realistic elements of Asian culture while encountering fantastic creatures/events, faithfully reflects the experience of change, which simultaneously can result in loss and prompt growth. In this way the films serve to highlight the coming of age experience in an ever-changing Japanese society. This paper examines Studio Ghibli’s mastery of the technique of magic realism by specifically analysing Spirited Away and My Neighbour Totoro, in order to evaluate how the illustration of the Asian narrative, through employing this technique, successfully portrays themes of change in a manner that is thought-provoking and insightful, and can actually make more comprehensive such ordeals that some youths have to endure, resulting in an empathy that otherwise might not be developed.
On Monsters and Spirit Bathhouses
A PETAL (1996), FORK LANE (2017), AND A TAXI DRIVER (2017): THE CINEMATIC PORTRAYAL OF SOUTH KOREA'S AUTHORITARIANISM THROUGH THE 1980 GWANGJU UPRISING
The 1980 Gwangju Uprising was the cornerstone of a much larger democratisation movement in South Korea, yet it still remains a highly polarising topic between conservatives and liberals among the masses 30 years on, and government investigations into the uprising are still inconclusive. Drawing from the contentious nature of this collectively traumatic historical event, numerous films have been produced to reflect upon, reappraise, and reinterpret what the uprising revealed about the political situation of South Korea in the 1980s, as well as the future of politics there. This paper examines the films A Petal (1996), Fork Lane (2017) and A Taxi annDriver (2017), analysing how each of these films coalesce and contrast in their portrayal of South Korea’s period of authoritarianism, specifically the belief systems (or lack thereof) that undergirded its authoritarianism, the handling of opposition by the authoritarian regime and finally on the future of authoritarianism in South Korea.
A Petal (1996), Fork Lane (2017), and A Taxi Driver (2017)
QUESTIONS
Asked during the Live Symposium
COUNTERCULTURE OF THE SHANGHAI UNDERGROUND CLUB SCENE
How has the Chinese government responded to street culture?
We managed to interview members of two of the club acts — Chen Tian Zhuo (Asian Dope Boys) and Kilo (Genome 6.66 Mbp). They shared that while they are not excessively managed, given that a majority of their creative output is just music and not explicitly political or transgressive, clubs have been subjected to sudden, violent drug raids that have stifled the scene. Moreover, some of their more graphic work, particularly that of the Asian Dope Boys’ visual performances, have been censored, forcing them to perform overseas in places like Europe. In future, they also foresee tightening censorship restrictions and dwindling sources of investments and funds, painting a bleak outlook for the scene.
Do you think that the underground scene is a pressure valve for political dissent to be expressed in an environment that does not actually threaten political stability (as opposed to protests, etc.)?
To some extent, the perspective that the club scene is an outlet for dissent to be dissipated without actually threatening the state is a legitimate one. However, the priority of the scene is not to serve as political opposition or resistance, but more to establish a safe space for the youth community to express their creativity and freedom. As such, we’d say that it is successful in what it sets out to achieve, regardless of its efficacy as a tool of political rebellion.
How are they perceived in the West?
In terms of reception to their work, Western audiences have been quite enthusiastic - when the Asian Dope Boys performed in Germany for instance, which can be perhaps attributed to the rich history of rave culture in Berlin. In terms of perceiving these acts in the context of the Chinese political scene, there has been a largely monolithic perspective of these acts as solely in opposition to existing societal and authority structures. However, this is not necessarily true. The acts do recognise their complicity in these very systems, producing a capitalist market for Chinese patrons and consumers, all under the auspices of the Chinese state - it’s a much more nuanced and complex relationship of wanting greater freedom and expression yet recognising their inextricability from the influences and circumstances of the Chinese context they operate in.
LET'S FALL IN LOVE! ♡
Why did you guys focus on these anime?
There are numerous reasons for this. We wished to focus on parody anime to highlight parody’s subversive potential, which we felt would be most evident in parodies of shoujo due to the rigid gender roles that characterise most shoujo anime. Furthermore, these particular anime parodies were very well-received by both the Japanese and international audience, which could suggest a greater cultural significance to these anime and perhaps deeper audience identification with these anime. However, none of this would have been of great importance if we did not enjoy the media we analysed.
Do you think the way they portray the characters in this anime reflects a realistic expectation of what gender roles in Japan is like today?
Parody is inherently exaggerated and hyperbolic for comedic effect, which makes it rather unrealistic. However, we do feel that Kaguya-sama portrays the way in which different characters grapple with gender roles, though in an exaggerated manner. This may be a result of authorial intention, with Akasaka wishing to realistically portray the dynamics between men and women (Okamoto, 2020).
On the other hand, GSNK’s author, Tsubaki, has often focused on gender deviance in her oeuvre, with a desire to subvert the tropes of shoujo manga. Through GSNK, she envisions an ideal world free from the constraints of gender roles, where individuals are accepted and celebrated due to their deviance from gender roles. Therefore, instead of reflecting a realistic expectation of Japanese gender roles, GSNK seems to articulate an alternative, more desirable status quo that Japanese society should strive for.
HONG KONG IDENTITY THROUGH THE CINEMATIC LENS OF WONG KAR WAI
How does WKW reveal sentiments from the wider community?
As a fellow Hong Kong-er, Wong draws upon motifs and stories which his (largely Hong Kong) audience can relate to. For example, the nearing of Hong Kong's union with China is clearly seen both with the motif of pineapples, and in the movie 2046. Besides these direct links, our paper argues that Hong Kong's desire for an identity suffuses into every Hong Kong-er's daily life, in experiences of love, space and time. Hence, in looking at the character's different desires for the above three elements, we can gain a better understanding of their sentiments towards Hong Kong and its identity.
PORTRAYAL OF FAMILIES IN SINGAPORE FILMS
Can you tell us more about the child stereotype?
I think as teenagers ourselves we’re probably familiar with the need to perform well academically and do things that will have a definite purpose in life. In Singapore, children tend to be very acquiescent to the demands of their parents (which are often academically-focused in nature) , and often when they don’t, it’s out of a need to rebel in order to have their voices heard. Their narratives often center around internal and external pressures imposed on them to excel - reflected in Ilo Ilo and I Not Stupid Too. In Ilo Ilo, Jiale is pressured to perform well despite his parents often missing due to financial concerns (the economic narrative is also a significant trend amongst local films!) and he eventually finds the parental guidance and concern he lacks in his domestic helper Terry, which causes tension between her and his mother. In I Not Stupid Too, Jerry Yeo loves performing arts, and wants to ask his parents to support him in a play which he worked hard on. Yet, the dismissive attitude of his parents toward his hobbies lead him toward eventually resorting to stealing to “buy an hour” of his father’s time, just so he would be willing to support his own child’s performance.
I think something else we covered less in our paper is the commercialised nature of local films as well - part of the reason why the child stereotype is exemplified and common throughout local films is due to filmmakers prioritising catering to the masses, who are unfortunately used to the drivel of the need to excel.
Do the films actually resonate with Singaporeans?
Yes. Using a blend of voices, social messages and jokes that are coloured in a fashion that is so recognisably Singaporean, like the archetypes of strict tiger mums and their fed up children, along with the invoking of the everyday sights and sounds of Singapore, the films do tend to strike a chord with local viewers who don’t often see themselves represented on the big screen. Honestly, it can be said that Singaporean films are a visual and aural representation of the essence of being Singaporean.
Reasons and purpose for these stereotypes?
These stereotypes exist because of how frequently these character archetypes appear in reality. Within the traditional Singaporean family unit, these character archetypes are usually shaped by the societal financial concern. Historically speaking, this could be due to the values set forth by the government during the initial years of Singapore’s establishment, which saw a focus on the economy for the sake of the nation’s survival. Purpose-wise, these stereotypes exist in the films to challenge the norm: the economic, success-based mindset that is deeply rooted in the Singaporean identity and our familial interactions. They encourage viewers to rethink this perspective and reflect on the place of these values in modern day Singapore.
How do you think these Chinese values interact with this conception of identity in Singaporean films?
n our research, we examined how the Singaporean-Chinese filmic family relates to the national identity, and we specified this family structure in our paper because we are wary of claiming that this fully or primarily represents all Singaporean families. However, given the scope of our project, we had to narrow the type of family we were examining down to strict parameters, and so inevitably were unable to include the diversity of family structures and types in our analysis. On a superficial level, we believe that examining the Singaporean-Chinese family can be helpful to further understanding the conventional Singaporean family structure because it is one of the most common families here, as a major subset of the Singaporean population in general - but beyond this, our research has shown that these values, and even archetypes such as the Tiger Mum, are also shared by most Asian Singaporeans here. In particular, the idea of tight-knit families and the cultural championing of family over self is something that is observable in collectivist Asian values, particularly used by Lee Kuan Yew and Mahathir to explain our regional success for a good part of the 1990s.
How Singaporean films may affect Singaporean society in return
When we watch these films without a critical lens, we allow society to normalise them. For example, we found that corporal punishment is quite common, and many of us accept that it is just a normal punishment in Singapore, and believe that it is not significantly damaging that many of us went through that. In one of the films we studied, the character who used physically harsh discipline methods on his child was redeemed at the end of the film, as he proved that he loved his son all along. What was problematic about films like that (Jack Neo’s films) is the son was expected to show ‘filial piety’ and forgive his father, as if the years of physical abuse should outweigh this sudden act of love. This makes us, the audience overlook the problem of corporal punishment in favour of the emotional moment instead, so we don’t critically question why Singaporean parents still use physically abusive methods to ‘discipline’ our children. Instead, we accept the status quo, that although it’s not ideal, these methods are still acceptable within the Singaporean context. The other two films we studied provoked the opposite reaction, which makes the audience more critical of Singaporean families and thus themselves.
The impact it has on society is so pronounced because some of these films were produced when a lot of local media was homogenous in terms of language and the more polished, limited dimensions of Singapore that could be portrayed. These films tend to have a lot of dialect and Singlish used, and with some level of criticism, provides a lot more honest representation than audiences were (and perhaps still are) used to.
PORTRAYAL OF CHANGE USING MAGICAL REALISM
Why did you pick these specific films? A lot of them have the same magic realism
We chose these two films out of all the films that studio ghibli has produced because we wanted to examine the portrayal of trauma in studio ghibli films. It’s most apparent in Totoro and Spirited Away and there were certain points of comparison that we found interesting and wanted to examine. There are definitely elements of trauma in other films, but for the purposes of this paper, we had to scale it down and we thought that these two were the most interesting to look at.
Why do you consider Spirited Away to be magic realism?
It is. There are distinct magical and realist elements in the film. The line between magical realism and fantasy is a little thin but ultimately it’s up to interpretation. We personally felt that the integration was seamless but I suppose it’s contentious.
Is there a reason for magical realism being a prevalent form in japan?
We think that it is due to the rich culture and history of Japan that provides a plethora of materials for creators to base magical realism settings on, such as the various spirits and Gods used in Totoro and Spirited Away. Furthermore, the traditions and visual architecture of Japan allows for adaptations in the setting of films using magical realism, as seen from the mythical bathhouses in Spirited Away.
Could you elaborate on the use of magical realism?
They capture small details in our own lives which are very intricate. Our paper focuses on themes of change, and magical realism is definitely a good medium through which these themes are displayed.
Do you feel that magical realism is a feature that lends itself better to the POV of a child protagonist?
Meant to bring certain heavy elements across in a lighter way. Seen in a lot of Ghibli films but tackles mature topics.
Etc. Danger of climate change in Ponyo → interpreted as a more palatable way.
Reflect on certain assumptions they had
CINEMATIC PORTRAYAL OF SOUTH KOREA'S AUTHORITARIANISM
Have these films also dealt with the celebration of the common person, the heroism of a citizen in rising up against authoritarianism? A Taxi Driver in particular seemed to do this rather than examining the impact of authoritarian regimes on South Korea.
Actually all films deal with the presence of authoritarianism but the responses to them differ- for instance, as you mentioned, A Taxi Driver does portray a more celebratory aspect and is considered the more positive one out of the bunch. However, when you read our paper, you will realise that A Petal and Forklane do not really show the celebratory aspect of such, which might be more in-line with the historical aspect of this Uprising- which was silenced by the regime and democracy only took off in the later 1980s. A Petal shows the trauma of authoritarianism and the Uprising as a whole while Forklane shows us the Uprising from the perspectives of the soldiers involved, as well as explores the purpose behind the military’s brutality.
Nonetheless, despite these differences, we figured out that there were some common elements of authoritarianism shown in the film that we could cover in our research paper. Rather than focusing on these aspects on its own entirely we used it as a cross-reference
Does the portrayal of the gwangju massacre in these anti-establishment films differ from that of the history curriculum in south korea
From what we know of, the history curriculum in South Korea is regularly changed. For instance, in 2011 a new curriculum was introduced and implemented 2 years later, in 2013. From our understanding, there is a lack of literature and research on the Gwangju Uprising which prevents it from being taught in depth like other South Korean historical events (Korean War, colonisation by the Japanese etc.) which is why Moon Jae-In declared that there would be an opening up of reports related to the Massacre. Hopefully, with time, the Gwangju Uprising will be represented in South Korea’s curriculum for South Korean history in a factual manner, that is free of political bias and standings :)
What is the modern implication of the Gwangju Uprising now?
While one might expect that people would have an overwhelmingly critical view of the authoritarian government and have reached a concrete resolution to investigations on the Uprising after these 40 years, this is not necessarily the case now. There is an ongoing conflict between liberals and conservatives in South Korea regarding who is to blame for the suppression of protests, and the real identity of protestors (who some still argue were communist insurgents), etcetera. Other than that, another implication of the Uprising we see today is the way in which it is used as a means of forming national identity. President Moon Jae-in frequently invokes the Uprising to celebrate citizens’ heroism, and this in turn has won him and his liberal Democratic Party much continued support from the Jeolla Province (where Gwangju is located). So it’s definitely not an understatement to say that South Korea is still trying to come to terms with how they wish to view the Gwangju Uprising in collective memory.
How did South Korea transit to the democracy it is today, from the authoritarian country it was 40 years ago? What are the historical factors that led to Korea become authoritarian nation in the first place? (After ww2) does the uprising still resonate with the public today?
The origins of authoritarianism in South Korea lie in the division of the Korean peninsula into two regions, one to be overseen by the US, the other to be overseen by the USSR. The US thus installed Sygnman Rhee to run South Korea, and with the US’s economic and political backing Sygnman Rhee ran South Korean in an authoritarian fashion. ,
There isn’t a consensus on the specific factors that led to democracy in South Korea, but the general consensus is that South Korea’s economic boom, the development of local media as well as its connectedness to the international media, the rise of social consciousness in the universities are some factors that led to greater demands for representation, and ultimately democracy. Additionally, South Korea’s democratic process was not a simple linear transition, but rather a lengthy transition that started with nascent liberal movements like the Gwangju Uprising, a period of silence of about 8 years, and then a resurgence in democratic movements yet again.
Yes the uprising resonates well with the public particularly in recent times, given the hindsight that democracy did indeed triumph over authoritarianism in modern day Korea, as well as government attitudes towards the Uprising shifting from condemnation, to dismissal, and now to the promotion of the uprising as a part of South Korea’s national history. The commercial success of A Taxi Driver is thereby not a surprise, but rather a reflection of the rehabilitation of the image of the Gwangju citizens from lawless rebels to democratic patriots, and the acceptance of this rehabilitated image into public consciousness. Admittedly, far right groups still oppose such a remembrance or commemoration of the Gwangju Uprising, they continue to assert that the uprising was not a genuine articulation of democratic demands but rather due to communist infiltration from the north. However, these groups are a small margin of South Korean society and they do not represent the majority of the Korean populace.