For the past decades of uprising fame of Korean Wave, the influence of it on student’s cultural identities is
globally significant, particularly notable among Filipinos. Despite having a rich indigenous culture and history,
the Philippines experienced challenges in forming this unified cultural identity due to rapid societal change,
colonial legacies and diverse preferences but out of it all, influence from other country greatly contribute to these
challenges. According to Eslit (2024), the Filipino diaspora or dispersion significantly contributes to the
evolution of cultural identity shaping both local and global perception of Filipino-ness. As millions of Filipinos
migrate for economic opportunities, they carry their culture practices and traditions thereby fostering a
transnational identity transcends geographic boundaries (Hannerz, 2021). This vulnerability makes the country
an open opportunity for others to influence and Korean dramas is one of the strong contributors of this
phenomenon. Now the influence of Korean Wave particularly K-dramas on Filipinos are felt and seen
everywhere in schools, malls, shops, jeepneys, and even in parks as well as other tourist destinations.
The uprising influences of the Korean drama wave to the Philippines contributes to a disturbing change and
fading of cultural identity of the Filipinos. “The Philippines and Korea are linked by flows and counter flows of
people,” said Dr. Virginia Miralao of the Philippine Social Science Council in the study on the Korean culture
dispersion in the Philippines. According to Han (2015 as cited by Posadas and Vargas, 2023) the Korean culture
in the Philippines had little influence on the Philippine society until the late 1980s, when the Korean wave started.
They continued to be seen as a closed group by the Filipinos. But in the present time, the Philippines, where
cultural identity is complex and often fragmented due to historical influences and globalization, the
pervasiveness of K-dramas presents a high result that Korean wave thru Korean dramas greatly impact the
changes and losing Philippines cultural identity. Utilized in Korean dramas, the country’s vibrant portrayal of
Korean culture, values, and aesthetics that sparked a significant interest in Korean language, food, fashion, and
tourism. The Philippine’s exposed vulnerability, specifically the students that are still learning from the things
they always encounter, received the impact that contributes to the country’s weak defense in protecting cultural
identity.
Due to the global popularity of Korean dramas, its impact is well documented. But in specific regions,
particularly within a single private school, the impact of the phenomenon remains under-researched. The
widespread evidence of Korean drama viewership within this institution, supported by observable adoption of
Korean culture particularly in fashion, language, cuisine, and product consumption practices signify an
investigation into its potential effects on student’s sense of self and cultural belonging. Therefore, this study
focuses to investigate Korean culture the students adopted and the influence of pervasive Korean drama
consumption on the cultural identity of the student. Through this study, the researchers provide insights into the
cultural implications of the Korean Wave among students.
Statement of the Problem
This study aimed to explore the influence of K-Drama consumption on the cultural identity of students in one
private school. The primary objectives are to describe the experiences and changes of the students pertaining to
cultural identity upon watching K-dramas.
Specifically, it sought to answer the following questions;
1. How do watching K-Dramas influence the cultural identity of students?
2. Based on the results of the study, what initiatives, such as activities can be drawn to strengthen the
cultural identity of Filipino students?
Significance of the Study
The generalization of this study would be great contribution to provide valuable information on how Korean
drama can influence student’s cultural identity. The result of this investigation could be highly significant and
beneficial to the following:
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