IVORY A.

ESTEVES
ANH-REM1A
Instructor: Prof. Ray Mart E. Cruz

MIDTERM: REACTION PAPER (SEN. JINGGOYS ESTRADA’S COMMENT ABOUT KOREAN

DRAMA AND THE EFFECT ON LOCAL PH TV DRAMA AND FILMS)

Yes, it is indeed true that Korean Dramas and personalities are very popular here in the
Philippines, evidence is the wide range of fandoms that are present here in our country. I have
my own bias and favorite movie that I don’t mind watching multiple times: Song Jong Ki and his
movie, Descendants of the Sun. Every time I watch it, I always got the feeling of seeing it for the
first time, I still cried at my favorite parts even if I am aware of what would be the outcome of the
movie that is how it affected me. Aside from the character, the flow of the story, its plot, and the
setting are what I admired about this movie. Watching the movie you can see that there are some
collaborations made, some of the actors were also other foreign nationals and most of the scenes
were shot from other places, which only shows the versatility of the main actors and the
production, there is a cultural exchange. That is how they promote the demand and upgrade their
capacities.

For this reason, Sen. Jinggoy Estrada mentioned, during the budget hearing of the Film
Development Council of the Philippines, wanting to ban K-dramas and other foreign shows in the
Philippines as a way to boost and protect local shows. I strongly disagree with this idea because
it will leave us Filipinos with fewer choices, I believe that this is not the solution to make our local
show boost, Competition is what will make our local show to have room for improvement. The
effect of foreign movies and shows should be constructive, not destructive. I highly believe that
Filipinos are very creative, we can create and produce high-caliber movies, the kind of movies
that will also leave a feeling of wanting to watch them again and again. Hello Love Goodbye, Kita
Kita, Isa pa with Feelings, Kun Maupay it Panahon, On the Job: The Missing 8, Bird Shot,
Hintayan ng Langit, Buy Bust, and many more to mention, are some of the commendable movies
in Philippine Cinemas. For me, some of the reasons why Philippine Drama is behind from Korean
market is first consistency, we tend to explore and explore different genres but failed to maintain
successful stories. We should lessen producing X-rated films, we should invest in inspirational
and educational stories. We should promote our culture such as being family-oriented, respectful
and so on, Seven Sundays and Doll House are some of the examples. Resources are also one
of the major factors, so for me instead of banning foreign shows, support should be given to tell
good stories. A strong entertainment industry requires long-term investment, a combination of
public and private patrons who appreciate the vision of world-class Filipino entertainment without
demanding immediate short-term gain. It is true that we are not lacking in talent; we are simply
lacking in resources and the political will to invest in art and entertainment.
We should emphasize the contribution of art and entertainment in our economy and learn to
maximize its potential such as by widening film exportation. According to Liza Diño former FDCP
Chairperson, we should reach the farthest corners of the world and also reach our kababayans
living outside our borders- our film became a piece of home to them wherever they may be and
whatever time zone they wake up to. Their children get the opportunity to look at the big screen
and see somebody who looks like them. Seeing Filipino films from their part of the world, they can
feel they are not truly far away. And that home can be just a movie ticket away. More than the
accolades, this, for her, is the greater thing. We should not lose our trust in Philippine Teleseryes,
Movies and Music. Our local artists are doing their best to produce products that are worth our
time and effort. ……………………………………………………………………………………………

References:

https://www.fdcp.ph/updates/spotlight-philippines-20-filipino-films-international-recognition-2021

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1683373/k-drama-ban-wont-be-good-use-south-koreas-method-as-a-model-
instead-solon

https://opinion.inquirer.net/158016/dont-blame-k-drama