Several days ago, a Filipino senator stupidly commented that he wanted to ban Korean dramas to force the networks to produce shows that will employ Filipino artists. He later on toned down his stance after the backlash against him, saying that he only wanted Filipinos to support local entertainers.
Look, I’m no Koreaboo. I only like a few K-dramas and K-pop songs. My favorite K-drama is Dae Jang Geum, and I didn’t even finish it because I was so busy. Korean love stories also tend to romanticize too many toxic relationships. Besides, the Korean entertainment industry is notorious for perpetuating abuse, just like its counterparts in the US and the Philippines.
Miracle on the Han River
Despite all that, Filipinos can learn a lot from Koreans, not just in terms of producing works with great artistic and commercial value. For me, we should emulate how South Koreans are striving to contextualize K-dramas in the bigger picture of their country’s history, culture, and social issues. Most Filipino shows, on the other hand, poorly represent the Philippines.
What I also admire about K-dramas is the recurring theme that Koreans can achieve greatness. Their characters excel in demanding professions (Hospital Playlist), establish international brands (Crash Landing on You), serve others despite their disabilities (Extraordinary Attorney Woo), and fight global elites (Squid Game). While I do not agree with every message that these shows convey, it’s impressive that their Korean creators have such a high view of their people. Most importantly, K-dramas send the message that their youth can be the best.
Damaged Culture
On the other hand, Filipino soap operas often revolve around adopted children discovering that their lot will improve because their real parents are wealthy. The others have plots that emphasize corny love triangles or some stupid notion of family togetherness.
I recently watched a few episodes of a Filipino series that epitomizes how much we Pinoys despise ourselves. This Filipino drama is about two siblings who were abandoned by their parents. They provide for their basic needs by selling candles that supposedly bring answered prayers as well as by stealing people’s money.
So far, so good. I was actually quite impressed at first because the show initially captured so well the sufferings of neglected children. I also liked the premise so much that I couldn’t help but root for the protagonists.
Alas, instead of facing the music and becoming better than what they were, the two siblings escape to some backwater sitio with no cellphone signal, no Internet, no groundbreaking technologies, and no decent healthcare. In that remote area, the elder sister and his brother deceive themselves into thinking that their rituals can produce miracles from which they can profit. The sitio residents were stupid enough to believe them! Not only did they buy the siblings’ lies, they also welcomed these thieves with open arms, so the two are never held accountable for their crimes.
The Speck in Your Brother’s Eye
Unfortunately, that soap opera correctly depicted the primary coping mechanism of many Filipinos: cut corners, set low standards, accomplish tasks that are far below one’s abilities, deceive people, and ask god to bless your duplicity. I find this slave mentality scandalous as an occupational therapist. It goes very much against occupational therapy's ethos that the way to heal people of their physical and psychological ailments is to equip them with skills that will empower them to serve others.
The scariest part of all is that I see in myself the tendency to succumb to slave mentality. So far, the antidote that has kept this at bay for the most part is faith in Christ that produces good works. For me, that’s the greatest miracle: that someone sinful, frail, and foolish like myself can serve others as an OT because the Holy Spirit is constantly changing me for the better. I make many mistakes during therapy sessions and in my personal life. But to borrow the words of John Newton, “I may not be what I ought to be, but I am not what I once used to be. And by the grace of God, I am what I am.”
Happy Occupational Therapy Month, fellow OTs! And a Happy Protestant Reformation Day!
(Photo by Vicky Ng)
I have been in the N America workforce for over a decade now and I still have to reprove myself once in a while not to cave in to the " slave mentality " and to the thought that the Western Culture is superior to Eastern. Filipinos too have the penchant to over spiritualize things and to credit good fortune to amulets!🤣 but yeah, our culture is NOT inferior to western.