Draft:Transnational Proximity

Transnational proximity explains why global audiences prefer cultural products produced in these regions, as they convey universal messages and themes that contemporary capitalism generates, such as social inequality, injustice, power imbalances, unemployment, and class struggles ^[1]. Transnational proximity refers to the fact that people prefer locally made cultural content that represents universal uniqueness, namely, specific characteristics commonly shared by global audiences who experience similar socio-cultural practices. ^[2]. Transnational proximity may be distinguished from cultural proximity, emphasizing linguistic and cultural similarities, in enjoying popular culture from other countries.

Background Information

In media and communication studies, transnational cultural flows refer to the exchange of popular culture across national boundaries. While transnationalization mainly implies a condition by which various entities, such as people, commercial goods and services, and ideas cross national boundaries ^[3], transnational cultural flows specifically explain how cultural content transcends any particular country to reach other countries through the export of cultural products.

In the global cultural markets, popular culture has flowed in several different ways. In the 1970s and 1980s, a few Western countries, particularly the U.S., were major players in creating and circulating cultural content, often referred to as cultural imperialism ^[4]. However, several countries, such as Mexico and Brazil, developed Telenovelas and exported them to neighboring countries. People in Latin America enjoyed Telenovelas due to culturally and linguistically similar characteristics.

Cultural Proxixmity

The term cultural proximity has been coined to describe the spread of regional cultural influence. ^[5]. In the 1990s, cultural proximity, which was defined by similar characteristics in history, religion, language, and geography, explained the reason why regional audiences in Latin America and Asia enjoyed regional programs rather than American programs, arguing that many audiences selected cultural products proximate to their own cultural backgrounds ^[6]. Cultural proximity is mostly based on similar languages, but there are other factors defining similarity and proximity based on other cultural dimensions, such as ethnic types, dress, body language, and musical tradition^[7]

Despite the validity of cultural proximity theory, this approach cannot explain why Telenovelas flow beyond Latin America. Many people in Europe and the U.S. have enjoyed Telenovelas regardless of different linguistic, cultural, and historical backgrounds. A similar observation is made when Korea develops its cultural products and exports them to various parts of the globe. Asians may enjoy Korean culture due to similar historical and cultural ethos, but people in North America, Latin America, Europe, and even Africa enjoy Korean dramas and K-pop. Due to the lack of clarity, scholars have developed several new approaches, and transnational proximity, emphasizing universality, has become one of the primary frameworks for explaining the global popularity of local culture.

Definitions

Transnational proximity is an alternative to cultural proximity. With the rise of new local programs, particularly Korean cultural products on the global stage, this approach could not explain why Western audiences who do not share similar backgrounds enjoy Korean culture. Therefore, transnational proximity as a new approach, not based on linguistic and cultural affinities, but based on the universal uniqueness--specific characteristics that can be commonly shared by audiences who experience similar socio-cultural practices--can explain the global popularity of local culture^[8]. Global youth in their 20s and 30s, for example, share some universal experiences, such as concerns about social justice and injustice, difficulties due to socio-economic barriers, and cultural turmoils rooted in violence. They like cultural contents that portray these ethos in plot, text, and story. Therefore, transnational proximity highlights the ways in which global audiences respond to universal themes or flattened narratives in contemporary Korean popular culture, as well as elsewhere. ^[9]

Major Characteristics of Transnational Proximity

While cultural proximity still works in certain regional circumstances, transnational proximity is applicable to the shifting media ecology that several global OTT (over-the-top) platforms like Netflix mediate the flow of cultural content^[10] Transnational proximity has clearly indicated that global audiences have continued to enjoy local cultural content as long as they resonate with their universal themes and ethos in the 21st century. People want to see some messages in popular culture that they can identify with, such as the universal uniqueness of the struggles shared by diverse transcultural audiences and "the foundations for hope and mutual support that they have collectively fosters"^[11] Korean popular culture derives from the universal issues and problems at the heart of contemporary society. MZ generations are susceptible to subjects about justice, fairness, and inequalities. ^[12]

For example, the Squid Game series and BTS have clearly developed universal themes that global audiences enjoy, while sharing their opinions on vairous social media platforms, which make them globally popular ^[13]. Indeed, the core reason for the global popularity of Korean culture is not because of the monolithic vision of Koreanness. Rather, global audiences like the universal uniqueness of the struggles shared by diverse transcultural audiences. In addition, global audiences like the foundations for hope and mutual support that Korean culture has fostered ^[14].

Notable Cultural Programs Showcasing Transnational Proximity

Several cultural products demonstrate that global audiences prefer local cultural content to American or Western culture in general because these local programs portray universal values that people resonate with in the early 21st century.

• Squid Game (drama) - As one of the most popular drama series, it delves into a survival genre, portraying the latest capitalism. Global audiences, including younger generations, appreciate this series as it portrays people's dire situations, characterized by job losses, financial difficulties, and soaring housing prices.^[15]
• The Glory (drama) - It is about school violence, known as bullying, which global teens and twenties commonly experience. Therefore, the theme of the drama resonates with international audiences' experience.
• Parasite (movie) - Directed by Bong Joon-ho, an Oscar-winning Korean auteur director, this movie represents social inequality and destructive capitalism, comprising universal virtues that people share.
• BTS (K-pop) - As one of the most popular Korean idol groups, BTS has created several songs that express hope, unity, and shareness; therefore, many fans in different regions follow their music.
• All of Us Are Dead (webtoon and drama) - As a zombie genre, it successfully portrays cyberbullying and social deconstruction as well as youth culture^[16]

References

1. Template:Santi, M. (2024). Perspective Chapter: The Illusion of Dystopian Justice as a Means Toward Social Justice. K-drama's Global Success Unveiled. In Dahl, I. (ed). Exemplifying Contemporary Challenges in Global Politics and Societies, 1-25. IntechOpen
2. Template:Yoon, H., & Lee, J. (2024). Genre in Transnational Television: A Case of Netflix Originals Korean Dramas. Television & New Media, 26(2), 243-258.
3. {{Watson, James L. (ed). (1997). Golden Arches East: McDonald’s in East Asia. Stanford: Stanford University Press.
4. Schiller, Herbert I. (1992). Mass communications and American empire (2nd ed., updated ed.). Boulder: Westview Press. ISBN 0-8133-1439-9. OCLC 25874095
5. Straubhaar, J. D. (1991). Beyond media imperialism: Assymetrical interdependence and cultural proximity. Critical Studies in Mass Communication, 8(1), 39–59. https://doi.org/10.1080/15295039109366779
6. Straubhaar, J. (2021). Cultural Proximity. In Jin, D.Y. (ed.). The Routledge Handbook of Digital Media and Globalization (pp. 24-33). Routledge
7. Template:La Pastina, A., & Straubhaar, J. (2005). Multiple proximities between television genres and audiences. Gazette, 67(3), 271–288.
8. Yoon, H., & Lee, J. (2024). Genre in Transnational Television: A Case of Netflix Originals Korean Dramas. Television & New Media, 26(2), 243-258
9. Fu, Gina Junhan; Wang, Huiyi (June 17, 2025). "Mapping transnational flow of C-dramas through cultural assemblages: Platformized audiencing as living practices". Global Media and China 20594364251349860. doi:10.1177/20594364251349860 – via SAGE Journals.
10. Jin, Dal Yong (December 29, 2022). "Theorizing the Korean Wave| Transnational Proximity of the Korean Wave in the Global Cultural Sphere". International Journal of Communication. 17: 20 – via ijoc.org.
11. Template:Kim, D. O. (Donna), & Wu, F. (2025, online first). Meaningfully playful: Gender, sexuality, and civic imaginations in Korean and Chinese fandom cultures. International Journal of Cultural Studies, 1-14, p. 8).
12. Template:Lee, J. (2022). The Hallyu Korean wave is not just here to stay — it's gaining momentum. Korea JoongAng Daily. 22 October. https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/2022/10/23/culture/features/Hallyu-Hallyu-30-Squid-Game/20221023161627136.html
13. Kim, Gooyong (November 29, 2023). "BTS's Pandemic Hits and Their Implications: Discursive Re-vitalization of Neoliberal Hegemony in K-pop Industry". International Journal of Communication. 17: 22 – via ijoc.org.
14. Kim, Do Own (Donna); Wu, Fang (July 8, 2025). "Meaningfully playful: Gender, sexuality, and civic imaginations in Korean and Chinese fandom cultures". International Journal of Cultural Studies 13678779251351997. doi:10.1177/13678779251351997 – via SAGE Journals.
15. https://theconversation.com/squid-game-season-2-is-a-dystopian-reflection-of-capitalisms-dark-side-246633
16. Heritage, S. (2022). All of Us Are Dead: Netflix’s Korean zombie show will blow you away. The Guardian. 28 January.https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2022/jan/28/all-of-us-are-dead-netflixs-korean-zombie-show-will-blow-you-away