PUTTING THE J BACK IN POP CULTURE

For uninterested bystanders, J-pop seems to be waning a bit with the forceful crash of the Korean wave, but a closer inspection reveals that Japanese contemporary culture - in all its music, idols, TV drama, anime, manga, fashion, design, arts, literature and games - has been so deeply rooted in Thai psyche that it has become a mainstay for our cultural consumption, making the need to hype itself constantly rather unnecessary. The fact that J-pop culture has been making its way to these shores for decades now has also helped in nailing its strong integration.

The J-pop corner.

The presence and influence of Japanese pop culture in its Thai counterpart is undeniable. If you care to dissect it carefully, you will see that Japanese contemporary culture is a part of our lives - from childhood years (Doraemon, Masked Riders) to the zit encrusted, problematic teenage phase (Smap, News, Hello Kitty!, drag race, AV movies) to career-driven adulthood with spending power (Junya Watanabe, Kawamoto oysters, Mikimoto, Lexus, AV movies). We are surrounded and mesmerised by the Japanese and their ever-evolving culture.

So a recently added Japanese contemporary culture corner at the Japan Foundation Library, which aims to update a well-rounded presentation of its pop culture, is most welcome.

"The Japan Foundation engages in many activities, and we always include pop culture. There are around 70,000 Japanese language learners in Thailand and more than half of them are young students. We feel that pop culture speaks directly to the young ones, which can make them more eager to learn and discover," said Hiroshi Uchida, the Japan Foundation's deputy director general.

"Our library also holds a lot of more serious texts and materials, so we feel that the corner provides an easy access point to the interested public. And when they become interested in pop culture, we hope their interest will lead them to delve deeper into other aspects of Japanese culture such as classic literature and history," he added.

The new corner came with the library renovation, which unveiled itself in April of this year. It seems to add vibrant colours to a rather stoic establishment. Displays are now seasonal with creative artworks. The dedicated space uses light and bright palettes and features modern furniture and Japanese-styled cutesy decorations. The quiet atmosphere provides a perfect sanctuary from the bustling streets of Asoke. The corner houses six DVD players as well as a projector which screens onto a wall. Two DVD players and TVs are dedicated to new-release J-pop tunes. The playlist is updated monthly with at least 30 new songs. Movies, animations and concerts take turns in being screened onto the wall, wireless headsets are provided. Library users can make requests accordingly. Fashion- and J-pop-related magazines are also refreshed every month while manga books are available alongside multilingual books on travelling, graphic design and contemporary art. Those vying for a bit of privacy can check out the vast selection of DVDs which offer feature-length movies, concerts, drama series and anime. Browsing through, you will be able to see that the materials are up to date and lean towards popular demands as well as classic favourites. The wide-reaching range of subjects caters for a variety of different tastes. The authenticity of the material also ensures that the quality is top notch and that it all comes with proper subtitles. All selections are made by the library staff, but visitors can also make requests.

So far, the reception has been good with more youngsters stopping by and spending time browsing through all that is on the offer. Uchida said it's success can still not be fully ascertained just yet since the corner has only been in operation for a mere few months, but he said it's been encouraging to see more and more kids dropping by the library.

The enthusiastic representation of J-pop culture doesn't mean that the more serious facets are being ignored by the foundation.

"We strive to provide and combine all sides of our culture. But for this pop culture project, our target group is a younger audience or those with a passion for it, so we can provide niche information. But the library is still open to wider audience. This new corner is an addition with a clear target group," said Uchida.

Championing popular and youth cultures might seem unfathomable in certain countries or by certain people (hint, hint!) as a consideration of "culture" often overlooks the low brow and contemporary. For them, culture is made up of national treasures from yesterdays that should be frozen, preserved and fermented in conservative vaults. In other words, pop culture is sometimes viewed as being made up of preposterous childplay, useless crazes and cheap thrills in contrast to time-honoured traditions and values, which overlooks the fact that one end cannot exist without another.

"I think the difference is possibly that when Thai people say wattanatham, they immediately think of high culture, while in Japan, people view everything as culture, from whatever segment of society it comes, old or young. In the Edo era, Kabuki and many other performances or art forms considered classical today existed as contemporary pop culture too because they were something people did in their daily lives. For the Japanese, culture is practiced in daily life [at any given time]," said Uchida.

Manga shelves.

Asked if the library plans to stage events involving pop culture or sub culture such as Cosplay convention, fan gathering or something in the same fashion, Uchida still maintains that it's rather troublesome for a library to carry out such activities since its limitations on scope and noise levels.

"I don't think it's necessary for us to do something of that nature. It's also not in our duty to push one certain aspect of pop culture. I think we serve as an introductory foundation," he said.

With the new additional corner and emphasis on youth oriented culture as well as an upcoming contemporary exhibition, it's hard not to speculate whether it's an attempt to compete with the ongoing Korean invasion - a formidable opponent in recruiting young followers.

"We are not competing. It's more like presenting an option to the public. In Japan, many pop cultures from everywhere in the world co-exist. It's similar to the way you always select different meals - there's no need to eat the same food every day. It's a good thing to have options," said Uchida.

The Japan Foundation library.

Relate Search: Library, Japanese contemporary culture