5/4 Long Bui's Reading “Globalization and the Public Cartographies of Vietnam Idol”

5/4 Angel Truong Long Bui’s Readings Journal

            Long Bui’s reading mentions how the issue of gender is found within Vietnam Idol. I found it interesting that Vietnam used the female contestant Phuong Vy’s feminity as a symbol of the country where modern-day Vietnam includes women outside the traditional and domestic setting. However, the article also points out how Vy’s image also hides the other side of reality where Vietnamese women are victims of the cheap labor force within the developing nation. Through this contradiction, it seems that the Vietnam Idol is a flawed tool for Vietnam to globalized in the entertainment industry because the country is ignoring the consequences of post-colonial war where most of the country’s population is living in rural areas away from the modern world. In other words, the TV show is a romanticized symbol of Vietnam’s attempts to modernized and catch up with Western and East Asian countries. Also, while reading the article, I could not help but think about how Vietnam’s growing entertainment industry is like South Korea’s entertainment industry. As an international K-POP fan, I saw the similarities between the two Asian countries trying to use globalization in the entertainment industry to reach America’s international level. For example, both Vietnam and Korea are trying to use reality TV shows and media to display music and the stories of young people starting from the bottom and growing to international super stars. This tactic not only contribute to their countries’ economy and image outside domestic borders but it also increases the feeling of national pride. Nevertheless, in the end, I believe if Vietnam wants to reach K-POP international success, the country needs to focus on their marginalized citizens who are still suffering from post-colonialism and war. 

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