Members of the academe, media and the government will be part of the
partnership forum. The first panel will be focusing on analyzing the tourism policies and promotion strategies of the Philippines and Korea. Presenters will be Hon. Daniel Corpuz, Undersecretary for Tourism, Planning and Promotions of the Department of Tourism and
Mr. Sangyong Zhu, Director of the Korea Tourism Organization Manila.

The discussion for the second panel will be zeroing in on the problems and prospects of the Philippines-Korea ties in tourism. Mr. Alexander Lao, Vice-President for Commercial Planning and External Affairs of Cebu Pacific Air, will be discussing the emerging opportunities and challenges of the influx of Korean tourists in the country.

Koreans comprised the biggest number of tourists by nationality with close to a million visiting the Philippines last year. Prof. Reil Cruz from the Asian Institute of Tourism of the University of the Philippines-Diliman will be tackling the future of the sustainable
partnership in tourism.

For more details, contact the Korean Cultural Center at 555-1711 or you can email us at info@koreanculture.ph. You may also visit koreanculture.ph

Talk That is a sultry mid-tempo R&B song that features some of the best vocal work of Hyosung, Sunhwa, Jieun, and Zinger. In particular, rapper Zinger, whose singing voice is actually quite nice (as Secret fans got to hear in the Japanese release So Much for Goodbye), gets some quality singing time here. It rather reminds me of SISTAR’s Alone, which rocketed that K-Pop girl group to superstardom.

TheTalk ThatMV is also another great release from Secret. In the MV, the girls showcase some dramatic acting skills to complement the song. Jieun showcases some bright red hair, while Zinger’s soft locks make her look even more feminine than ever. With the soft lighting and Hyosung’s dance explosion towards the end of the song, the girls are given even more opportunity to show new colors.

What do you think? Will Secret earn its first music show win since Starlight Moonlight with Talk That, or is the competition much too stiff?

Was the wait worth it?

Very much so. I believe that one of the best singing voices in all K-Pop belongs to a Shinhwa member–Hyesung. Even stars like Big Bang, SHINee, 2PM, and others express admiration for Shinhwa specially Hyesung. Hyesung’s voice is pitch perfect, pure, and melodious rendering every song he sings a pleasure to listen to. In “The Return”, Hyesung assumes the lead vocal role and combined with the also exceptional vocal and dance talents of other Shinhwa members, the resulting album delights loyal fans and wins new ones.

“The Return” starts with “On the Road”, an soft pop song with a strong forceful chorus symbolic of the group’s return after a long hiatus. This is followed by the ballad “Hurts”, a fan favorite written and arranged by leader Eric. In “Hurts”, the Shinhwa members sung with an authenticity that can only come from experience. This beautiful ballad also communicates to fans that they are no longer boys but are now men. “Venus”, their title track, is a unique electro-pop track that builds up to a fantastic climax. Those who saw Shinhwa perform “Venus” know that it comes with ultra-sexy choreography further securing their “manly hot” idol status. “Red Carpet” and “Move with Me” are good examples of how Shinhwa has retained their signature dance and pop sound. “Let It Go” is a special gift to Shinhwa by Aziatix member Eddie Shin and Solid member Jung Jae Yoon. Hyesung wrote the lyrics to this electro-club track with multiple rap elements. The resulting track is truly pleasing to the ears. The succeeding tracks “Stay” and “Welcome” did not appeal to me since I do not like too much synth and I feel these tracks lacked excitement. However, any disappointment I felt for “Stay” and “Welcome” were much forgotten after hearing the last three tracks. “Be My Love” is definitely my favorite track from “The Return”. It was the perfect Shinhwa track complete with an infectious melody and an unmistakable sexy vibe. Even my male friends liked this track. In “Re-love”, the voices of the Shinhwa members shine specially in the memorable chorus. I feel that “Re-love” is the best vocally performed track in the album. The final track “Breathin” is another beautiful mid-tempo ballad that highlights the strong voices of the Shinhwa members.

Shinhwa is indeed one of the top Korean stars of their generation. The quality of their album “The Return” ensures that they did not only return but are here to stay.
Shinhwa “Venus”

Mega Bloks, on the other hand, is my daughter’s favorite. She has various versions and sizes of Mega Bloks. Mega Bloks was also a huge part of my “kuya” transition for Nathan. When I brought Nicki home from the hospital, our press release was that Nicki had a gift for her kuya. The gift? The exciting Diego the Explorer Mega Bloks kit. Guess who is playing with it now? Yes, you are right. Nicki is. Just goes to show you how long V-Tech and Mega Bloks toys last.

The Importance of Investing on Educational Toys for Our Children

For parents, no sight is more gratifying than seeing one’s child having the time of his life by merely playing: pretending to be a superhero; or building, breaking and rebuilding colorful blocks. There is no limit to their imagination as to what they could build: be it a house or an imagined “colossal” structure.  Just hearing their innocent laughter, glee and excitement is enough to make a parent’s day.

That’s why it is important for parents to invest on educational toys: toys that enhance a child’s development by allowing his imagination to soar, expand his currently limited world, and even prepare him for leadership in the future. These toys however, should be appropriate to his age and development.

Among the learning benefits children ought to derive from their toys are creativity and imagination, fine motor skills, reasoning and problem-solving.  Manipulating their toys would help them develop muscle movement and hand-to-eye coordination. These toys will also keep them mentally active, allow them to interpret sensory information while playing, as well as expand their ability to reason and solve problems.

Everything a baby learns during the first year of his life starts with the senses. In fact, sensory stimulation actually “lights up” key areas of a baby’s brain. It is thus important for a parent to choose a baby’s toys wisely and pick only ones that stimulate the newborn’s sense and development right from the start.

From 6 months to 2 ½ years of age, it is important to bring out the best in the baby or toddler. This could be done by encouraging them to play, learn and discover to stimulate their imagination and senses and introduce age-appropriate concepts such as letters, numbers, shapes, colors,  sounds and textures. It is equally important that they develop their mental and physical abilities at this stage in their lives.

When children reach pre-school, toys ought to engage their brains as they learn basics like spelling, language skills, math and so much more. Motion-activated educational gaming systems encourage them to learn and interact with their favorite characters, as it is easier for them to learn if they are familiar with or really like a particular cartoon character like Dora the Explorer or Spongebob.

As children grow older, they learn faster when they have interactive school essentials such as phonics, letters, numbers, spelling and letter writing. Faux laptops for instance usually offer superior-quality and appropriate activities so the child could progress confidently in various fields of learning.

Nowadays, there are cool, aspirational and inspiring – albeit age-appropriate – computers for kids aged 4-10 for curriculum-related learning.  There are animated storytelling devices that enable kids to watch the story and read games. Some of them even carry a story dictionary which lets children check the meaning of difficult words! Sometimes, they come with parent-friendly extras like reading records, website-based progress trackers and downloadable content.

There even are handheld educational video gaming systems that are finger touch-sensitive and have easy-slide QWERTY boards.

Take note that advanced learning through educational toys – modified with fun and games — are good foundations for your child’s early development and future role as a leader.

Among the products parents could trust are Mega Bloks – a family of quality-trusted brands. Mega Bloks has building blocks targeted to children aged 6-24 months (Maxi), 3+ years (Mini), as well as for kids in pre-school (Micro).

VTech Baby toys for newborns to 3-year-olds stimulate the senses and interest in different concepts such as textures, sounds, shapes and colors. VTech Pre-School for 3 to 6-year-olds market interactive toys that develop the imagination of children and encourage language development; and for 4 to10-year-olds, electric learning computers. VTech also has interactive e-reading systems and touch learning systems.

For inquiries, contact Richprime Global, Inc. at 732.5141 to 47 local 210, e-mail  mktg2@richwell.net or visit www.richprime.net.

HALLYU ON EVERYONE’S FINGERTIPS:

The Role of the Internet in Sustaining Filipinos’ Interest in Hallyu

By Catherine Deen

Yahoo! Southeast Asia

The “Hallyu” phenomenon or the “Korean Wave” has become an unstoppable force in today’s pop culture. Initially coined by Chinese journalists in the late nineties, the term “Hallyu” was used to describe the popularity of Korean dramas in China. Ten years later, the terms “Hallyu” and “Korean Wave” have become common knowledge and largely understandable in mass media and academic circles. For this paper, I shall adapt the definition of Yang (2012), which states that:

“Hallyu means both the flow and popularity of Korean popular cultural products, specially media contents, in other Asian countries and beyond, as well as exported Korean popular cultural products themselves. (p. 104)”

Falling in Love with Korean Pop Culture

I first fell in love with Korean pop culture after watching the drama “Boys Over Flowers” back in 2009. Some of my closest friends were already heavily into K-Pop and have been encouraging me to try the genre. I resisted for a long time until peer pressure won over and I gave in.

The Korean drama “Boys Over Flowers,” a remake of a Japanese and Taiwanese drama, tells the “Cinderella” story of a simple young woman who falls in love with an arrogant rich heir. With its universal theme reminiscent of the classic plot of “Pride and Prejudice,” “Boys Over Flowers” won the hearts of many female fans including mine.

Just like a smitten teenager, the Internet quickly became my portal to the K-Pop world. For many hours, I scoured the Internet for information about my favorite Korean stars. Since I was from the Philippines, where else could I go to feed my curiosity? My initial plan of simply reading about the artists led to discovering more Korean music videos, movies, and television shows. I found myself falling deeper and deeper into the K-Pop spell and, obviously, I did not stop. The Internet become my friend, my enabler, and in some ways, my enemy in sustaining my passion for K-Pop.

The Internet and the Hallyu Phenomenon

The Internet is attributed to having a large role in the proliferation of the “Hallyu” phenomenon. Although the Internet is not the direct cause of the Korean wave, no one can deny that it has a role in its rapid expansion.

In the past, it was incredibly difficult for Korean artists to have their music heard in other parts of the world. Today, it is as easy as uploading a music video on YouTube or posting a music file on an artist’s official website. A recent example of how the Internet can facilitate a breakthrough for a Korean artist comes in the form of YG Entertainment artist PSY, whose “Gangnam Style” music video went viral with more than 100 million views and counting. This kind of crossover phenomenon is unheard of before the Internet age.

In an article by Maqsudul and Billah (2012), they expressed that Koreans, aided by the Internet revolution, are proactively promoting their cultural values and economic accomplishments abroad while their music, drama, and arts are becoming more and more popular in Japan, China and the United States. In a recent New York Times and International Herald Tribune article by Sang-Hun and Russell (2012), they said that:

“The Korean Wave has long conquered Asia, but before the proliferation of global social networks, attempts by K-pop stars to break into Western markets, including the United States, has largely failed…but now YouTube, Facebook and Twitter make it easier for K-pop bands to reach a wider audience in the West, and those fans are turning to the same social networking tools to proclaim their devotion.”

So what is the main function of the Internet in spreading Hallyu? The answer is clear. The Internet is, without doubt, the most powerful facilitator of the Hallyu phenomenon. Let me discuss how the Internet facilitates the Hallyu phenomenon using two perspectives: (1) The Internet and the Filipino Hallyu Fan, and (2) The Internet and the Hallyu Star.

The Internet and the Filipino Hallyu Fan

The Philippines, a Southeast Asian country characterized by a unique archipelago of 7,107 islands, is a highly wired nation. In the recently concluded “Ad-Tech Conference” in Singapore, comScore, a respected firm specializing in digital measurement research, revealed that the Philippines is one of the world’s fastest growing online populations, increasing 11% in 2012 from 2011. They also expressed that Southeast Asia accounts for half of the world’s youngest markets (i.e., below 35 years old) with the Philippines accounting for 70.6% of users, a few percentage points away from the leader India at 74.1%.

A Filipino Hallyu fan utilizes the Internet for three main reasons: (1) information, (2) social networking and community, and (3) purchases.

Information

When I speak of information, I refer to all types of K-Pop information including text, photos, and videos. Filipino Hallyu fans spend hours on the Internet looking for available information on their favorite stars, dramas and shows.

The Internet is full of websites, blogs, and video channels devoted to K-Pop news and views. Websites such as soompi, allkpop, and dramabeans are just some examples of top K-Pop websites frequented by ardent fans. Many of these websites started as blogs run by passionate K-Pop fans which later grew into viable income-generating ventures.

Yahoo! Southeast Asia recognized the growth of the K-Pop subculture in the Philippines back in 2010. To address the growing demand, the regional editor suggested that Yahoo! OMG!, the entertainment news arm of the company, host a blog called “oK Pop” to cater to all things K-Pop. Today, “oK Pop” has become a respected blog for Korean pop culture in the Philippines and has readers from all over the country and the world. Blog articles in “oK Pop” are also published in other regional sites including Yahoo! Singapore, Malaysia, UK and Ireland.

As the resident K-Pop blogger of Yahoo! “oK Pop”, I witnessed the growing demand for K-Pop content which propelled Yahoo! Southeast Asia to expand its K-Pop coverage from one blog to a whole new entertainment section called “Korean Wave”. “Korean Wave” was launched in May 2012 and features a comprehensive coverage of the “Korean Wave” including news, drama and movies, photos, fashion, and videos. Addressing the power of Hallyu in the region, “Korean Wave” was made available in other Yahoo! Southeast Asia sites, including Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia.

Social Networking and Online Community

According to comScore, the 2011 average Internet user spends nearly 1 in 5 minutes online on social networks, with 1 in 7 minutes online spent on Facebook. Interestingly, the Philippines was found to have the highest reach of visitors for social networks in the world with 96%, and is the second most engaged social networkers with an average of 8 hours per visitor (Dale, 2012). Given the state of Filipinos’ use of social networks, it is not surprising that Hallyu fans use these to sustain their Hallyu interests.

The Filipino Hallyu fan naturally seeks the company of others who share the same passions. The easiest way to do this is through the Internet. In my article, “Experiencing the K-Pop Subculture,” I described the development of friendships from online forums and communities devoted to particular K-Pop artists or products (i.e, drama, television shows).

Although local fan clubs and forums have separate websites for their members, all of them keep Facebook and Twitter accounts. Through these channels, fans are constantly connected and their interests in “Hallyu” are further strengthened and sustained.

To illustrate the power of the online communities and social networks in sustaining Hallyu interest in the Philippines, let me discuss how the first and largest organized group of K-Pop fan clubs in the world was formed.

The Philippine K-Pop Committee is the first non-profit K-Pop organization in the Philippines. It started as a group of various K-Pop fan club administrators meeting to discuss how to increase the impact of the local K-Pop fandom. Inspired by their common interests and goals, these fan clubs joined together to form the “Philippine K-Pop Committee.” That was back in 2007. Today, the “Philippine K-Pop Committee” is officially registered with the country’s Securities and Exchange Commission and the Bureau of Internal Revenue. It is composed of more than 60 fan club affiliates and boasts of more than 77,000 members on Facebook and 7,800 followers on Twitter. The group has organized numerous activities, most notably three annual “Philippine K-Pop Conventions,” with proceeds going to Gawad Kalinga beneficiaries.

Purchases

In the Philippines, the availability of K-Pop products, including CDs, DVDs, photo books, lightsticks, and the like, is not as widespread as the demand for them. Hence, the Filipino Hallyu fan uses the Internet to purchase K-Pop products. One of the most popular Filipino-initiated online stores is “Fangirl Asia.” Officially registered in May 2010, “Fangirl Asia” has become a premiere source for K-Pop items and even expanded to include concert travel packages called “Field Trips.”

“Fangirl Asia” is just one of the many online stores that cater to the Filipino Hallyu fan. There are online stores from the more professional YesAsia.com to the entrepreneur-driven Facebook- and Multiply-hosted stores catering to a K-Pop fan’s every whim.

The Internet and the Hallyu Star

It was established that the Internet is a facilitator of the “Hallyu” phenomenon. This does not only have implications on the fans but more so on the K-Pop artists themselves.

An internet-savvy K-Pop artist has the potential to reach greater heights than those who do not know how to harness its potential. A good example of an Internet-savvy K-Pop artist is Jay Park. Park has utilized Twitter and YouTube to his greatest advantage, allowing him to successfully return to the K-Pop scene after suffering a seemingly career-ending scandal back in 2010.

According to Bernie Cho, the president of DFSB Kollective, Park’s management, “Thanks to Twitter, Facebook and YouTube, Jay Park is not just an artist but also his own P.R. agent, fan club president, and TV network.” Through the Internet, Jay Park is bypassing traditional media gatekeepers and gate-crashing his way into the global market (Sang-Hun & Russell, 2012).

Other examples of Hallyu stars that successfully harnessed the power of the Internet include Super Junior’s Kim Heechul, JYJ’s Kim Jae Joong, and 2NE1’s Sandara Park. These days, the business and marketing strategies of all K-Pop artists, including debuting and established artists, have an Internet strategy.

Closing Remarks

The Internet indeed has a tremendous role in sustaining the Filipino’s interest in K-Pop. However, it also poses specific challenges. The biggest challenge is the problem of piracy or the violation of intellectual property rights. With the demand observably more than the supply coupled with the cost of entertainment products, piracy prevails and affects the industry.

According to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry, sales of Korean CDs dropped by 70.7% from 2000 to 2007 due to digital piracy (Sang-Hun & Russell, 2012). This does not even include piracy of the top Korean entertainment export—Korean dramas.

Still, in this situation, the enemy can become a friend. Companies producing the selling Korean entertainment products are already utilizing the Internet as a major driver of its business model. One such success story is DramaFever, a New York-based online video service offering English-subtitled Korean dramas to fans in North America. DramaFever was launched in 2009 and now has more than 2 million monthly users. According to Oh (2012), DramaFever is preparing to start streaming videos in South America, Europe, South Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Australia very soon.

Indeed, the Internet is an indispensible tool in the proliferation of the Hallyu phenomenon. Without it, the movement would not have spread as fast as it has. In the Philippines, the people’s Internet habits will only serve to support and solidify the further growth of the Korean wave.

References

Sang-Hun, C. & Russell, M. (2012, Mar 06). Bringing K-pop to the west.

International Herald Tribune. 19.

Dale, G. (2012). State of the Global and Local Internet: Lessons learned from the digital measurement trenches of online advertising. comScore. Available online from the adTech Singapore website: http://www.adtech.com/singapore/presentations/index.aspx

Maqsudul, H.N. & Billah, M. (2012, Jan 12). Rising soft power of South Korea. Pakistan Observer.

Oh, J. (2012, Jan 11). Field guide to post-‘Winter Sonata’ hallyu. McClatchy-Tribune Business News.

Yang, J. (2012). The Korean Wave (Hallyu) in East Asia: A comparison of Chinese, Japanese, and Taiwanese audiences who watch Korean TV dramas. Development and Society, 41(1). 103-147.

About the author

Catherine Deen is the resident K-Pop blogger of Yahoo! Southeast Asia. Her blog called “oK Pop” may be viewed on the Yahoo! OMG! Philippines’ Korean Wave section.

Catherine Deen blogs about her views on K-Pop subculture, K-Pop stars, Korean fashion and food. She is on Twitter as @cathsdeen and on Facebook as catherine.deen.writer. Yahoo! OMG! oK Pop may be accessed at http://ph.omg.yahoo.com/blogs/okpop.

Lemon Squares Recipe

For the crust, you will need:
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup of white granulated sugar
2 cups of all purpose flour

For the topping, you will need:
4 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups of white granulated sugar
1/4 cup of all purpose flour
2 lemons, juiced
1 teaspoon of grated lemon zest

Procedure:

I will definitely be there! Entrance fee is PhP50.00.

September 1 will feature the following specialized talks:

• Breastfeeding Basics
• Swimming as a Sport for Life
• Life is Better When You Surf
• Healthy Cooking Demo
• Dealing with Picky Eaters
• Raising an Early Reader
• Sing and Sway: Music for Language Stimulation
• Healthy Eating for Kids
• Skin and Allergies in Children

September 2 will feature the following talks:

• Pediatric Eye Exam Pearls
• Primer for Pediatric Dental Care
• Protect Your Child from the Sun
• Sports and Fitness
• Bone Health
• Yoga: Why It’s Good to Start Young
• Lifestyle Management
• Urinary Screening
• When to Worry about Fever and Rash
• Teenage Pregnancy on the Rise