Philippine Pop Culture and

Assimilation:
A Case Study on the
Hallyu/Korean Wave and the
Philippine Culture Industry
Learning Outcomes:
• Analyze how the case study (EAT BULAGA and HALLYU) was
able to integrate in the Philippine Pop Culture
• Utilize theoretical anchoring of Semiotics, Uses and Gratifications
Theory, Culture Industry, and Agenda Setting Theory in order to grasp
a greater appreciation of the process of the cyclic construction,
deconstruction, and reconstruction of the Philippine Pop Culture
What is your childhood
memory of watching
noontime shows?
Highlights. The longest-running
noontime variety show in the
Philippines is Eat Bulaga!, which
celebrated its 42nd anniversary on July
30, 2021.
 EAT BULAGA: A Brief History
• Eat Bulaga! is the longest noon-time variety
show in the country for over 42 years.
• The show has been through different
networks switching through RPN
(1979-1989) to ABS-CBN (1989-1995) to
GMA (1995-present).
• It is being anchored by the classic trio TVJ
who are also the pioneering hosts of the show.
The trio originally came from the by then
current competitor of the show which is
Discorama and Student Canteen which were
among the first noon-time show which aired
in the Philippines.
•The show originally anchored on the slogan "Hangga't
May Bata, May Eat Bulaga!" which is where the
show’s name was coined by Joey de Leon. It was based
on a popular child’s play called “It Bulaga” or
peek-a-boo.
•He replaced the word It with Eat because eating is
what people do at lunchtime.
•And because they intended to fill the show with
surprises, they thought the word Bulaga would be
appropriate. Soon, the name Eat Bulaga! was born.
• The leading noon-time show was Student Canteen
and it sure did gave EB a hard time to start in the
business.
• Eat Bulaga!’s average rating was only 5.2%
against Student Canteen’s 57.6%. Everything was
a struggle to the show until 1980 where Eat
Bulaga introduced the “Mr. Macho” segment
which became an instant hit.
• Not long after that, Eat Bulaga gradually reached
the top-rating status. Eat Bulaga!‘s rating for that
month was 31% versus Student Canteen‘s 29%.
More shows was introduced like Bulagaan, Little
Miss Philippines, Lottong Bahay, Rambulaga,
Meron o Wala and Laban o Bawi which also
brought the advent of Sex Bombs.
• Along side TVJ are also clasic co-hosts
who has been a part of the show for at
least two decades; The co-hosts
includes Jimmy Santos, Keempee de
Leon, Ruby Rodriguez, Allan K. and
Jose Manalo who gave EB their own
contribution to the EB’s success.
• The show was also the origin of
today’s artist Aiza Seguerra who was a
former Little Miss Philippines
runner-up and a great contributor to the
show’s success. EB also showcased
multiple adorable child stars. Some of
them are BJ Tolits, Goyong and the
current show icon, Raizza Mae.
 The Aldub Phenomenon

• Aldub refers to the couple starring in the popular skit series Kalyeserye. Maine
Mendoza and Alden Richards play lovers who act in separate segments,
appearing simultaneously as a split screen.
• They mostly communicate by lip-synching to excerpts from popular love
songs and movies, or by flashing handwritten signs.
• Lastly they have spawned a signature move called the Pabebe Wave.
More on Eat Bulaga
Strength
• Filipino and family cultured show with an adaptable community-friendly
programs.
• Proven creativity to various changes through the decades.

Weakness
• GMA’s viewers has been on decline which affects most of the shows of the
network.
• Current theme does not appeal to the millenials as compared to competitor
More on Eat Bulaga

Opportunity
• Aldub’s success is a proof that the millenial market, who are mostly
not TV viewers, can still be tapped by the TV networks.

Threats
• The market of TV viewers are declining while the current TV
generation is decreasing.
What was the first Korean
drama or movie you
watched?
What do you like / dislike
about the movie?
Beyond the “FAD”: Understanding Hallyu
in the Philippines – Igno and Cenidoza
• KOREAN WAVE, popularly known as Hallyu (한류) is the rapid
spread of Korean popular culture in the form of Korean drama, dance,
music, as well as fan clubs for Korean stars, among others.
• This term is the “Korean wave” written in Chinese characters, said to
have been derived from the title of an album compilation of Korean
popular songs that became a sudden hit in China during the 1990s.
• Some of the people in the Philippines claim that Hallyu is just a fad – a craze, an intense
and widely shared enthusiasm for something, most of the time that is short-lived
• [3] just like its predecessors in the Philippines such as Mexicanovelas, Chinovelas
• [4] or Jpop (Japanese pop) but as time pass by, Hallyu following increases with no hints
of its decline for the next few years.

• This research tries to solve and explain the cultural phenomenon

that is revolutionizing the world today which became a mystery to
the eyes of most Filipinos.
• It expounds the deeper root of Hallyu’s staying power in the
Philippines as well as the challenges it possess through the
concepts of cultural imperialism as explained by Joseph S. Nye’s
soft power [4] and Filipino’s sense of cultural identity [5].
THE KOREAN WAVE IN THE PHILIPPINES:
HISTORY AND CURRENT STATUS

• The term Hallyu first mentioned in Chinese media and was used to
refer to the popularity of Korean cultural products abroad, which
include dramas and music.
• It also means ― a sudden cold wave, a warning for the Chinese people
to be cautious of Korean popular culture [2].
 But this drama was not the one that
gave much impact to the Filipino
television viewers, until the next
Koreanovela, Endless Love 1: Autumn
in My Heart in 2003 paved the way for
the rest of the successful Korean
dramas in the Philippines.
 Then, Koreanovelas
became part of the
Filipinos daily dose of
television scenes.
•The next Koreanovelas that became more popular were of different genres that
added flavor to the tastes of dramas Filipinos wanted to watch for.
 Korean Music
• Korean music compared to Korean drama was not that popular because in
terms of music, Filipinos are limited to Korean drama theme songs.
• Korean singers were not as popular as Korean actors are back then. Maybe
the reason why KPop is less popular is because Korean songs were not
dubbed.
• Thus, Filipinos would hardly understand what it means.
• But recently KPop became popular because of the internet sites
and blogs that promote Korean singers thus engaging their
audience with their upbeat music and catchy songs with cute girls
and boys dancing in accord.
• Because of curiosity some people would search through the
internet about those artists and end up loving them. These days
most of the concert acts were filled with these artists’ avid
fandom.
 Why the Korean culture
appealed to the Filipinos and
had a cult following that
seems to last?
KOREAN WAVE AS A REFLECTION OF
FILIPINO CULTURAL IDENTITY
For one, both nations have a trace of
colonialism by another country such
as Japan.
The history of Korea reveals that
like the Philippines, Japanese
invaded their land and Americans
helped both of them to repel the
gain of their freedom
Second, the commonalities
Filipinos and Koreans share is
the value of things being
communal, particularly sharing
of food and things we have.
Third, both nations have very close
family ties, whether it is immediate or
an extended one. Adults still live with
parents and some are even already
married yet living in the same roof
with parents.
Old parents are taken care of by their
children and not sent to nursing
homes.
Daughter-in-law moves to the house
of their husband. Aunts, uncles, and
cousins are considered important part
of the family.
 Expressive and Hospitable Respect to elders
romantic
Filipinos tend to believe that because we share a lot in common with Korea, not to mention their proximity, we
can also attain what they have if not became like them thus accepting the fact that their culture is better than
ours which in turn increase the chance of cultural incorporation. Korean culture gave Filipinos a sense of hope
that we can attain that better culture.
 Beauty and Cosmetics
• Most Filipinos before tend to like those with
light to fair and white skin, high-bridged
nose, differently colored-eyes and hair, and
even towering height and good physique
(just like the Caucasians and Americans).
• This is manifested with the Filipinos
undeniable patronization of different
whitening products, supplements for
growth, hair-dyes, colored contact lenses,
and even undergoing surgical
enhancements.
Korean Power is here to stay..
 Lastly, beyond the vulnerability and other concepts mentioned
above, Hallyu is here to stay because Filipinos are great patron
(that most international acts are really fond of the Filipinos way
of showing their support and appreciation).
Conclusion
• Hallyu in the Philippines is not just a mere cultural phenomenon that
will suddenly vanish.
• It shows the identity of the Filipinos, its history as well as its cultural
weakness and strength.
• Korean wave might be popular, but still it cannot escape criticisms.
They say that embracing Korean wave is setting aside Filipino
material culture.
• However, that holds true for some but we can find actual benefits from
it. Filipinos can learn a lot from Hallyu – the way Koreans promote
themselves and believe in their culture that we can make our culture in
the same level as others as well as it can further develop people to
people relation.
References:
• Ar M. Igno, J., & Cielo E. Cenidoza, M. (2016). Beyond the “Fad”:
Understanding Hallyu in the Philippines. International Journal of
Social Science and Humanity, 6(9), 723–727.
https://doi.org/10.7763/ijssh.2016.v6.740
• Arceo, G. M. M. (2017). Traditional and New Media Convergence on
Philippine Noontime Show, Eat Bulaga. SHS Web of Conferences, 33,
00019. https://doi.org/10.1051/shsconf/20173300019