Struggles of The Film/Music Industry as an Asian American
Written by Esther Li, Edited by Bianca Kamath, & Researched by Tony Infante
Imagine: it’s the year 2010. You’re walking home from school and once you get back, you beg your guardian to watch just 20 minutes of TV. Your eyes shine as you watch those beautiful characters with blonde hair and blue eyes, they look just like that girl at school, but never like you. Your eyes light up when you finally see that character that reminds you of yourself but wrinkles your nose in distaste. That character is nothing like you: they care too much about grades, they’re meek, and have exaggerated accents. Upset, you choose to ask your guardian if you could go on YouTube. Looking through the music videos you see familiar faces, Katy Perry, One Direction, Carly Rae Jepsen. You wonder if there’s anyone who reminds you of yourself, but gives up after your efforts become futile. Let’s shift the perspective: it’s the year 2010, and you’re a young Asian child.
Hollywood can only be described as the epicenter of the entertainment industry, where major celebrities on the big screen can enter the music industry and vice-versa, the outcomes are endless. But along with the glamour comes with its own set of problems. The American entertainment industry is very selective when it comes to casting Asian roles. The lack of Asian involvement in casting calls can lead to the rise of harmful stereotypes, many of which are farfetched, such as thick nerd glasses, awkward smile, overbearing parents, and the perfect SAT score at the age of 10.
Another recurring issue is the fetishization of Asian women, most commonly the Dragon Lady, Lotus Blossom Babies, and China Dolls. Dragon Lady is a term given to Asian women who often display a clever, deceitful, and domineering personality, as opposed to lotus Blossom Baby, who are often perceived as quiet, obedient, and submissive. Neither has contributed well to the look that is being pushed upon Asians.
Similarly, In the music industry, there are very litte to few Asian-Americans who have truly made it. There are many Asian artists who have found temporary stardom in America such as PSY, Girls Generation, and Coco Lee (to name a few). In recent years, K-Pop has been steadily rising in American pop culture but not without its struggles. Take it from Paul Kim, a Korean-American American Idol contestant. In his own words, he talked about the difficulties he experienced in the music industry, “They told me straight to my face that I have talent, but they wouldn’t be able to market me. I appreciate it now because they told me upfront, but back then I didn’t like that answer. That was 10 years ago, but what they said than can still hold true in today’s times. Record labels may like an Asian artist, but they are always thinking, ‘How are we going to market you?’”
Keeping that in mind, there is something important to point out: Why does the music industry find it so important to market someone of Korean ethnicity differently than someone of another race? Why is there such a need to categorize Asians as “other”? When it comes down to it all, it will end up being the studio’s loss anyways, as the increase in diversity in the music/entertainment industry will invite new audiences and lead to a surge in viewership and sales
Sources:
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/06/t-magazine/asian-american-actors-representation.html
