Why do nerds love East Asia so much?

[Bedrockgames]

I'm old, I don't keep up with pop culture over the past decade or so

But you're right. In recent years, Korea certainly has exploded in popularity with film in particular. I was speaking more of in the RPG context.

I think when people say east asian, they mean Korea, China or Japan. But if we are talking 70s through the 90s, I think you are right most people were thinking Japanese or Chinese (though if you go back a suprising number of those movies involve Tang Soo Do, Hapkido or Taekwondo).

But Korea is pretty popular. If you go on Netflix there are a ton of Korean dramas. I used to watch a lot of Chinese dramas and it was actually hard to find them on certain platforms because they were mixed in with the K dramas (and kind of overwhelmed by them). My wife is very into K Pop and that is a huge global phenomenon (seems to have some traction with geeks and nerds too). Taekwondo has been one of the more popular martial arts (and it is an olympic sport). I started out in taekwondo for that reason when I first got into martial arts.

 

[Sacrosanct]

I think when people say east asian, they mean Korea, China or Japan. But if we are talking 70s through the 90s, I think you are right most people were thinking Japanese or Chinese (though if you go back a suprising number of those movies involve Tang Soo Do, Hapkido or Taekwondo).

But Korea is pretty popular. If you go on Netflix there are a ton of Korean dramas. I used to watch a lot of Chinese dramas and it was actually hard to find them on certain platforms because they were mixed in with the K dramas (and kind of overwhelmed by them). My wife is very into K Pop and that is a huge global phenomenon (seems to have some traction with geeks and nerds too). Taekwondo has been one of the more popular martial arts (and it is an olympic sport). I started out in taekwondo for that reason when I first got into martial arts.

Sure. But most people don't think of Korea at all when talking about tropes (like Shaolin Monks, Samurai, or Ninja). Which is a shame, because many historians argue that the Samurai were based off of the Korean Hwarang, which pre-dated samurai by centuries. If you ask your western nerd to think of a famous Chinese or Japanese trope, and you'll get an answer. Ask about Korean, or Philippine, or other and you won't find many. How many people know who the Hwarang were compared to how many know what samurai are?

 

[Eyes of Nine]

Wait, did someone say ninjas?

The Official Ninja Webpage: REAL Ultimate Power!!!!

 

[Bedrockgames]

Sure. But most people don't think of Korea at all when talking about tropes (like Shaolin Monks, Samurai, or Ninja). Which is a shame, because many historians argue that the Samurai were based off of the Korean Hwarang, which pre-dated samurai by centuries. If you ask your western nerd to think of a famous Chinese or Japanese trope, and you'll get an answer. Ask about Korean, or Philippine, or other and you won't find many. How many people know who the Hwarang were compared to how many know what samurai are?

I don’t know much about the Hwarang so I can’t comment on the historical aspects of that. But Ivthink when people talk about samurai, ninja, etc they are really invoking genre more than history. Samurai movies, Kung fu movies, ninja movies these were highly exportable genres that became popular world wide.

 

[bloodtide]

I'm not a young man, so of course I'm a survivor of the Great Martial Arts Crazy of the 1970s and 80s. An era where the coolest kids had Chinese throwing stars and Todd, the 9th grader who smoked, had some nunchaku he was just waiting to bust out to take care of some fools

Setting the Wayback Machine for 1980 something: At the Mall was a store called Asian Art. They sold all srts of artys things......and weapons. Because, of course they did. As a KID you could walk right in the store and buy ANYTHING. Throwing Stars, no problem. Nunchakus, here you go. Super Bright Flash Powder Eggs, they are two for one. And swords, yep. If you had the money, they would add up your total on a pad of paper(no register) and always put a bamboo kite/floating lantern in your bag for free. And then you could.......walk around the mall with weapons(I'm sure it was against the rules, but no one enforced it).

I think when people say east asian, they mean Korea, China or Japan. But if we are talking 70s through the 90s, I think you are right most people were thinking Japanese or Chinese (though if you go back a suprising number of those movies involve Tang Soo Do, Hapkido or Taekwondo).

There is no doubt Japan stands far above all others for media, both movies and TV shows, and have for a long time. But branching out:

Martial Arts: Even in the 80s there were plenty of places to find classes for: Karate, Kung Fu, Akidio, May Thai, Judo, Takewuando, and more.

People have done Feng Sue for ever. Same as with Yoga(though that's not so "east").

Food: Even in the 80s we had a huge choice of Asian foods. A typical big mall had at least three Asian food places in the food court.

 

[grankless]

Orientalism (book) - Wikipedia

 

[MGibster]

Orientalism (book) - Wikipedia

That doesn't quite explain it all. As your own link says, orientalism is a "critical concept to describe the West's commonly contemptuous depiction and portrayal of the East." The rise in popularity of martial arts movies didn't involve contempt from the West. Not every cultural exchange is negative.

 

[Bedrockgames]

That doesn't quite explain it all. As your own link says, orientalism is a "critical concept to describe the West's commonly contemptuous depiction and portrayal of the East." The rise in popularity of martial arts movies didn't involve contempt from the West. Not every cultural exchange is negative.

We had to read that book when I was a history student. People should read it for themselves and judge and read the critical responses to it. But the one thing I will say is it isn't an uncontested thesis and it is the kind of thing that often gets dropped in these conversations like a rhetorical hammer.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Why? Because it has never been at war with Oceania…

 

[Kaodi]

Perhaps someone who is familiar with Indian pop culture could speak to this but I do not know that Hindus are as happily sacrilegious as Westerners and East Asians. Like, I am not sure that it is nearly as accepted to exploit Hindu mythology the was you can exploit Christian, Shinto, and Buddhist mythology. And if you cannot work Hindu mythology into your Indian fantasy, well, what elements do you have to draw on?