Warning: Long read ahead! I did not mean to write it this long, but here it goes.
While everyone was in community quarantine (a cliche for the past few months, I admit) and members of the middle and high class were drowning themselves in Netflix and other streaming websites, this tweet came and rocked the interwebs:
The daily top ten most viewed on #Netflix shows us how our movies and tv are doomed in the future. K-drama galore. Faux cinderella stories with belofied actors whiter than white. And it’s all about love in the midst of this pandemic. 掠
— Erik Matti (@ErikMatti) April 14, 2020
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The great Filipino director, Erik Matti, ranted about how Korean dramas dominate the top ten movies and shows on Netflix Philippines. This was a fact, but he commented on how these were “Faux Cinderella stories with Belo-fied actors,” reflecting how Korean stars are often flawlessly embedded in love stories that could be too good to be true.
Of course, I am writing this piece perhaps 16 days late. Still, I purposely did so after pondering the issue that has enraged Filipinos for almost a week, followed by a barrage of Korean drama and movie recommendations for the director. While I do not despise the Korean entertainment industry and Hallyu as a whole (I follow it, too!), I understand where Direk Matti is coming from and empathize with him.
I have not studied film and media, but I have a lifelong experience watching movies and television. So, for the past 16 days, I thought about the tweet and the truths behind it.
The Filipino Film Industry
I merged television and movies into the film industry for this post to analyze both entertainment streams. I was born into a family that was so into films and television. Before I became aware of this, I always thought that my myopic eyes resulted from overwatching TV.
While enamored with American cartoons, I would also be “forced” to watch Filipino movies at home. I began to enjoy them, at least during my elementary years. I enjoyed the dancing in between films and never found it corny. It all changed when I started prioritizing English films, starting with the Harry Potter series. Of course, I watched other English movies in between, but I think the fantasy series was my initiation toward my movie preference.
But every time I remember Filipino films, I would think of FPJ and Eddie Garcia, TVJ, Bistek, Vilma and Nora, and many more. I remember my grandmother crying alongside Claudine Barreto and Judy Ann Santos when I took my vacations in Negros. I will never forget the awe I felt while watching Jose Javier Reyes’ Hiling.
My mom always bought entertainment magazines for her patients, waiting for their turn at her clinic. I remember a Darna anniversary special where I lavished on old photos of the heroine portrayed by different actresses. The same issue tackled the rich history of Philippine cinema and television with excellent cabaret and theater actors crossing over to then-innovative media.
Around the same time, I saw coverage of the Optical Media Board offering mass support to the Filipino entertainment industry due to the rise of piracy. Eddie Garcia was holding a film reel to symbolize the film business in the country. The mass also became a protest of actors and workers behind the scenes against this illegal act.
You see, I think this is when Filipinos started to lose interest in locally-made products. In the early 2000s, bootleg copies of movies taken with shaky cameras hidden in cinemas began spreading. Most were made in China, and the government actively tried to suppress this illegal trade.
People would only need to wait about two weeks before they can have their movie copy, albeit with shadows and coughs or applauses. And Filipino movies were caught up in this, too.
I remember my dad lamenting that there are no more extended releases of locally-made action movies. So, we resorted to American or European ones through VCDs and DVDs. Foreign films became more available, especially in bootleg 12-in-1 and 25-in-1 packages. Then, you compare these foreign films’ cinematography, plot, and actors to local ones. Is it hard to think about the difference?
Hallyu sa Pinas
The 1990s saw the rise of Latin American telenovelas being dubbed in Filipino, inspiring local TV series’ patterns, designs, and even monikers. Who can forget about Marimar or Rosalinda? These shows featured hypersexed characters which were the image of beauty then to the Filipinos.
But then, ABS-CBN changed the game in 2002 and imported Meteor Garden from Taiwan, which started an Asian craze in the local scene. Soon, GMA released My MVP Valentine, also from Taiwan, which tightened the competition. Eventually, the K-drama family of shows started with Lovers in Paris, Jewel in the Palace, and so on.
It was as if, overnight, Filipinos changed their idea of beauty from dark, muscular men and voluptuous women to porcelain-quality skin of tall and chinky-eyed next-door boys and girls who enamored the nation. Even though the Taiwanese did start this “Asianovela” craze, the Koreans had it better and have taken hold of the Philippines since then. The rising popularity of the internet also gave Hallyu a headstart. The term, which is thought to be Chinese in origin and means “Korean wave,” described the rising popularity of the Korean entertainment industry abroad, encompassing dramas, movies, and music. More than just an exchange of media, it is a cultural invasion even supported by the South Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
Again, through explicit piracy, Filipinos were bombarded with thousands of Hallyu materials like the My Wife is a Gangster series. This made high-rated Korean movies more available in the country, and people fell for the nearly flawless, handsome, and beautiful Korean stars with their untouchable image. Perhaps to counter this, local distribution of Korean movies became available, most notably My Sassy Girl, whose soundtrack was locally interpreted by Jimmy Bondoc and remains famous up to this day.
Adding to this craze is Sandara Park, now a Korean star and a former member of girl group 2NE1, who lived in the Philippines and won first runner-up in a local star discovery reality show. She hosted a show that introduced famous Korean dramas during daytime hours. Soon, almost everything in the media needed to have a Korean twist. It was often done in comedy movies with local actors sporting Korean hairstyles.
I consider this a consequence of the inevitable globalization that has been spreading for many decades. It just so happened that the Korean industry was aggressive in its approach. It must also be noted that the Philippines is not alone in being swept away by this “wave.”
Using simple logic, one would realize that local companies could save more by importing movies compared to producing local films (I have no proof and data; correct me if I am wrong, please), and because local production companies do not have the technology and the budget like that of other countries, the aesthetics of local films would often be considered subpar compared to others.
Erik Matti’s Reaction
When I read about the ramblings of my social media connections about Erik Matti’s tweet, I immediately remembered a showbiz column I read back when Meteor Garden was still airing. The writer criticized the rise of these Asian flicks and, though excessively racist, called the “cockroach-bitten-eyed” actors ineffective and having no talent. I wish I could have a link for that write-up, but that was in 2003. So, I think the bitterness towards these invading Asian dramas and movies remains.
While I disagree with Direk Matti’s generalization of how these Korean flicks often revolve around love, I do understand how he was wary of Philippine film and TV being doomed. Even though the Philippines still boasts a 23% poverty rate, about 44% of the population has internet access and may have availed of any streaming service, legal or otherwise. Undoubtedly, the top ten most-watched titles on Netflix would reveal how Filipinos behaved during the quarantine.
Aside from the natural effect of the Korean wave, I think that Filipinos do not watch Filipino films because there is a lack of titles on streaming sites. Even if these websites acquire all locally-produced films or dramas, foreign titles would still overcome these. If you ask me why, I think it is because few movies are being produced in the country nowadays!
With around a dozen being released for the annual Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF), plus another dozen shown during the Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino, there could only be around 30-35 mainstream films released in the country every year. Others are primarily independently produced with limited showing in limited movie houses. Plus, these local flicks would need to compete with foreign films that would be given more time and slots in cinemas, especially if they have big productions behind them.
Many people argued that Matti was at fault for airing his sentiments and that people choose Korean-made dramas because locally produced ones lack substance, story, or talent.
The Public’s Response and My Musings
Netizens, especially those fans of Korean flicks, were quick to lambast Direk Matti and his words, which seemed to attack the said works directly. The man has the right to talk about his thoughts, which are valid from his standpoint. But people began resurrecting the memes that showed the sorry state of the local entertainment industry. They even pointed out Erik Matt’s contribution, Gagamboy, starring Vhong Navarro as the main character.
However, it is unfair to pull down our show business just because we disagree with one man. Most of the memes were taken out of context, and those that are valid do not represent everything. People argued that local movies and dramas lacked substance and innovation. Unfortunately, I think people are too invested in these Korean flicks, and their personal biases take over them. Among my friend list, those who immediately said ill against Matti defended local productions in the past.
Remember Pangako Sa’yo, which became a hit in many countries to which it was exported, even having local versions of the series? How about Himala, a movie that propelled Nora Aunor to be one of the best actors in the world? Why am I giving old films and dramas as examples? Because it represents where we came from, where we are, and where we are going.
GMA was very courageous in showing My Husband’s Lover, which introduced a severe boy’s love relationship on primetime despite being cautiously done having a married couple as the center of the story. ABS-CBN is known for its large productions, especially for fantasy dramas. And who will forget the best MMFF ever, MMFF 2016, which had the best titles in one mainstream movie festival?
I saw some replies defending the top ten Korean movies and dramas to showcase a story, reflect on social issues, highlight beauty and positivity, and promote peace and hope. Some people do not realize that all movies or dramas reflect these topics, even though some brush the surface or are subtle at the very least.
Remember the scene where Ryza Cenon pointed a toy gun at Sunshine Dizon in Ika-6 na Utos? It showed how a simple altercation could become significant if society considers the cause a sin. Those wrong tubings in various dramas across different stations? It reflects how little most people know about healthcare and do not care if what is depicted is accurate. That Gagamboy backstory? It was super sad as hell, and its device of parodying superhero movies was acclaimed by people abroad.
My point is that it is unfair to ridicule the work done by other people just because you disagree with someone’s opinion. Do you know how many writers write “lame” shows on TV? Do you know their struggles, together with their talents, to shoot the episodes in time every week? Did you even realize that some of them are as disappointed as you with their final product?
The Sad State of the Local Film Industry
Most of the films in the Philippines are shot in Metro Manila so I cannot provide the correct insights on this but when I learned about how Eddie Garcia died on set, I remembered his face holding that film reel for that OMB mass against piracy. I remembered his interview, just weeks before he died, how he wanted to act as long as he lived, and his partner’s interview seconded this, how he was jolly the morning he died, eating his breakfast early and looking forward to his day. It was just fitting that he died doing what he loved the most.
While it seemed that I defended Erik Matti in the previous part of this post, I think that the netizens’ concerns are valid. It is sad that the reasons for the problems in the industry needed a martyr before they were realized.
It was clear that they had limited equipment for that production as they had to repeat the shots that Garcia was in. It was obvious that the talents and staff were not given suitable precautions for their work. The pay, which I do not know, could have been unjust, too.
As Congress tries to understand all these, it is clear now that these subpar productions and unfit state could be due to the companies that finance and back them. They are forced to adapt to the short formats (of course, except Ang Probinsyano) akin to Korean dramas. Movies need to provide fan service to the people as the titles could experience losses if the people do not like them. The latter is due to the companies’ understanding that the typical Filipino is not intelligent enough to understand shows and movies with concrete plots and ideas.
Conclusion
This is one of my longest posts on this blog, but I am pretty satisfied with it. Do not get me wrong, I love Korean movies and dramas. I adored Jeon Ji-hyun for so long, watching her films. I liked the Kingdom series on Netflix. Parasite was a masterpiece. Who would not love Crash Landing On You? I am gearing up for The King and Itaewon Class. But I do understand Erik Matti and his sentiments.
Thanks to the quarantine (or not), local productions have made their movies available online for free. Let us refresh our minds about how great the Philippine film industry is. Let’s wish Direk Matti the best and enjoy dramas and movies as art forms, falling in love with them and embracing the hope they give in these trying times.
Cease not.
PS Here are some links to the local films that are available online for free! Enjoy!
Other titles are also available on iWant and iflix for free!
