So, this week in class, our reading focused on stereotyping in advertisements. And as it happened it got me thinking about stereotypes while I watched Gilmore Girls this week.
Every so often certain episodes will focus on Rory and Lane's friendship. Lane is Korean and sometimes this poses a problem in her. This week's episode was how Lane's mom was making Lane go on a chaperoned church outing with a boy because he was Koren, studying to be a doctor, and might marry if she would act like a "good" Korean girl.
Well, it got me to thinking if Gilmore Girls was stereotyping Asians. The stereotyping would mostly be about Lane's mom, Mrs. Kim. Some "typical" Asian things I noticed were, obviously, the name--Mrs. Kim. It seems like every show that has an Asian woman in it must be named Kim.
The most noticeable thing is that Mrs. Kim is portrayed as this little woman with a thick American accent who is a stingy business woman. She owns her own antique shop and is always trying to haggle with her customers so she can make the most profit. Plus, she is very traditionalistic and wants Lane to uphold Korean rituals.
For instance, in later episodes, Mrs. Kim wouldn't let Lane's boyfriend propose to her unless he made a hit single (he's in a band with Lane). Then Lane and Zach had to have TWO weddings because of her Korean heritage. The first wedding was everything Korean to make her grandma happy because her mom said, "You must respect your elders." Only then could they have the wedding they wanted.
Mrs. Kim was also really strict because she wanted everyone to think Lane was good a Korean girl. She wouldn't let Lane be alone with boys, listen to rock music (Lane hid rock CDs under a loose wood plank her room), and she made her go to a Korean church, and only date Korean boys.
Well, as we all know, you can't suffocate a person and try to make them to be something their not. As Lane got older, she began to be much more open with her mom. She joined a band at first secretly. Then she started dating Zach. Once her mom realized that Lane could still be a "good" Korean girl, she became okay with what she was doing.
I don't know this at all stereotyping since I don't know much Asian culture, but those were just some thoughts.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
Hmm...I’ll say some of the thing portrayed are really stereotype but most are kind of true because my family too are really old traditional.
I agree a stereotype would be the name “Mrs. Kim.” I also notice a lot of Asian woman in movies/shows that goes by the following name. Not everyone is a “Kim” as it so happen. There are a variety of Korean last name such as Jung, Shim, Moon, Kwon, Jang and etc, but I suppose to reason that last name is used most is because clan of that last name is really popular...how popular? Let’s just say they go all the way back to the highness days. (I believe Kim clans either were once king and queen or worked along side them.)
Enough of me talking about Kim...
I must say it is true about Korean/Asian parents wanting their child to “good” and marry off well. However that do really happen nowadays anymore. So that could fall in the stereotyping category. Nowadays parents actually wants their children to do the best they can (maybe marry well to someone who will be able to help support them in the future, but not marrying well and letting their partner do all the work). I guess the part in which Mrs. Kim owns an antique shop could also be stereotyping. Many Asian do own their own business but that doesn’t mean every Asian does.
Since my family is pretty traditional, the part in which Lane had to have a companion with her on her dates still is true today (or to my family anyway).
I like this blog, I think you wrote it well as well as point out great things. In fact everything you pointed out still are true today.
About the part about letting Lane only date Korean boys. I don’t think it matters any more as long as the family thinks the person can help their child build a good future.
Post a Comment