K-fashion and Technology-driven

Globalization in the Philippine Setting

CARLO JEJOMAR PASCUAL PALAD SANCHEZ

Continuing Professional Teacher Education (CPTE)
Bulacan State University
coud_niwa70@yahoo.com.ph

Abstract

K-fashion is a manifestation of technology-driven

globalization. Globalization, or the process of across-
borders interaction and integration, has been fueled
by modern advancements in Information and
Communication Technology (ICT). Popular culture, of
which K-pop would be a good example, is a manifestation
of this process. It is likewise fueled by technology, by the
internet, by online means of acquiring data. In this
globalized age, ICT is an open source of information on
the rise and fall of K-pop groups. The access—to these
information—that they give also reflects their role in the
actual rise and fall of these global groups. In the
Philippine setting, technology-driven globalization
manifests in popular culture only indirectly. This process
of interaction and integration can be visibly seen in the
more wearable and more tangible products of K-fashion.
With the internet providing means to download free
music and videos, Filipinos can instead use their
resources to shop for clothes, in both physical stalls and
online stores.

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 As a third-world country, the Philippines finds itself not
far above the modified poverty-line called the wash-line.
Despite this, however, they manage to innovate and find
creative ways to participate—become active receivers—of
the process that continuously connects the technological
world.

The world is like a washing machine: it goes round and round.

For the past decade or so, globalization has been a very

famous topic of discourse among people from various fields. It is
the thing of today; it is what makes our current world turn.
This paper attempts to present K-fashion as a manifestation
of “technology-driven globalization.” Specifically, it aims to
define what technology-driven globalization is, what K-fashion
is, and how the latter is a manifestation of the former in the
Philippine setting.

Technology-driven Globalization
The concept of globalization is known to almost everyone by
now, it having been explained in various forms of informal and
academic media. Still, here is a definition from aptly-named
website globalization101.org: “Globalization is a process of
interaction and integration among the people, companies, and
governments of different nations, a process driven by
international trade and investment and aided by information
technology” (Levin Institute, n.d.) The root of the term is the
word “globe,” and interaction and integration in this regard is
indeed on a global level. One finds further in the definition:
“This process has effects on the environment, on culture, on

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political systems, on economic development and prosperity, and
on human physical well-being in societies around the world.”

As pointed out in the same webpage, globalization is not an

entirely new thing. Its roots have existed thousands of years
back, from the time our early ancestors started trading across
rivers and seas. However, globalization in its present sense goes
way beyond mere instances of perfume or fabric exchange. The
world goes round and round: the process of interaction and
integration among people has progressed from “mere” barter
trades to complex technological networking. Bridges that
connect countries have well advanced: carrier pigeons became
jets, bamboo rafts became high-speed ferries, rivers became
washing machines.
Globalization is not limited to the applications of modern
information and communication technologies (ICT) in the
global scale. It is, however, almost impossible to discount the
fact that technology fueled globalization. Technology made the
world spin faster than ever.
Advancements in information technology and communication
media made the effects of globalization more visible and felt as it
paved way to a much faster and freer exchange among global
nations. “Snails” of the post office have curled up to shiny-ringed
blue “E‟s” of the monitor screen, making mail—and,
consequently, almost any information that would have been
previously difficult to gather—accessible with one computer click.

Several months of waiting for a parcel from overseas has

been vastly reduced, to a few seconds no less. Information on
government policies, economic developments and trade are
travelling the world through the internet, through wireless

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waves and wires in waves (since kilometers of communication
lines are usually installed under bodies of water).

The role of technology is explicitly mentioned in

globalization101.org, as globalization is said to be “aided by
information technology.” Data on human societies, the
environment, political systems—all of these aspects affected by
this process, as in the definition above—are readily and easily
available. More often than not they are available anytime and
anywhere to anyone with an internet connection, to anyone who
has an internet connection anytime and anywhere.

Even without the above, the term “technology-driven

globalization” is almost self-explanatory. Globalization is
process of interaction and integration among different nations.
Interaction and integration are made possible by
communication, or the two-way acquisition and processing of
information. These two are made possible essentially by ICT.

Air mail used to be the fastest across-the-globe carrier. The

mail jet, however, has been “replaced” by a much smaller yet
more efficient paper jet, a digital folded plane called the cursor.

K-Pop and K-Fashion

As mentioned, advancements in information and

communication technology fueled globalization and made its
effects more apparent. Among these, there might be nothing
more apparent than its effect on culture, on popular culture
specifically. Extremely easy access to data in this case is more
frequently not limited to statistical or scientific information.
Data in this sense is both information on the latest trends, and
the latest trends themselves.

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 The latest on the popular culture trade, of which K-pop
would be a very good example, is readily available with just a
few clicks. Be it news articles, lyrics, or concert updates, all that
needs to be done is to “search” and the internet will provide in
seconds. Pop stars can be brought down the same way they shot
to fame; performing groups get even more and more popular
with every single view of their video. Through cursors and a
song, people can interact with societies around the globe.
The world is like a washing machine: after warming up, it
turns really, really fast.

In this world of across-borders ICT, networks are being built

at a rate that arguably has never been as fast as any time before.
From “Idol History: K-pop By The Numbers,” a June 6, 2012
article of Dana of seoulbeats.com, technology-driven
globalization in general popular culture can be seen in the
growth of Korean popular culture or K-pop.

According to the author, between the years 1999 and 2005,

50 new K-pop groups had their debut. The number increased to
30 new groups in the year 2010 alone. In 2011, however, a sea of
50 new groups--the total of a previous seven-year period--
debuted in one single year (Dana, 2012).

In total, the number of new groups formed between 2009

and the year the article was written—a short span of four years—
far exceeds the number of groups that have debuted during the
13-year period between the years 1996 and 2008. Most of these
groups were made known in Korea, and especially in the world,
through information and communication technology. Video and
music streaming websites (such as Youtube), free blog portals
(such as Multiply and Tumblr), and social media websites (such

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as the then-popular Friendster, and the more recent Facebook
and Twitter) are obvious manifestations of modern ICT.

These groups were known, commended, made famous, and

brought to the top of the world charts and the peak of their
global careers through technology. It is also in the same manner
that they were bashed, associated with controversies, forgotten,
and replaced with new song and dance groups that will be
subjected to the same popular-culture cycle.

Dana‟s (2012) article “Idol History: K-pop By The Numbers”

accounts for the number of groups that debuted in specific time
periods. A debut, however, does not automatically translate to
seconds of fame, even more so to a sustainable career. Not all 50
new groups that debuted in the year 2011, for example, were
able to survive the spinning world of popular performing arts.
Groups shoot to fame as fast as other groups are abandoned.
With modern technology, 100 new K-pop groups could debut in
a single year, but the same number can also fail to become more
than flat statistics.
The above information was accessed with a few taps in a
keyboard, in a span of even fewer seconds. Data on the rise and
fall of K-pop groups, and their actual rise and fall, can be
acquired, influenced, or controlled with just a few clicks.
Technology powers the globalization washing machine that
spins popular culture.

Information on the existence of a single rising group alone

facilitates the spread of popular culture across countries. The
extent of this spread is even greater since on top of their
identity, their albums, promotions, charities, scandals,
breakthroughs and achievements travel throughout the globe.

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With our current technologies, integration among nations in
terms of tradable popular culture can occur faster than a
washing cycle.
The world is like a washing machine: in it is a bit of
everything.

If we find time to look at every single piece of clothing that

we dump in a washing machine, we will see how this current
wave of globalized popular culture has reached the fibers that
we use. Washing machines have replaced rivers not only in the
laundry sense, but in a way, in its transportative essence as well.

In general, the clothes that we wear and the look we get from
it resemble, no matter how vaguely, a popular “pop culture”
character or idea. The colored pants, the skirts, the neon shirt:
these are parcels of globalization that come in our personal
colors and sizes.
Aside from the look, we see this modern river barter in the
brands of the clothes themselves. Cotton On, Uniqlo, Giordano:
these global brands will go round and round in the machine side
by side with our favorite regional and indigenous brands,
advertised by or with our favored popular culture personalities.
We see manifestations of culture bridges in the H&M that
tumbles with the Zara, in the Samsung phone being rinsed in
the pockets of a 501.

These traded piles of clothes can be considered as direct

merchandise and “products” of K-pop. As K-pop groups, and
their music and videos, are being sold and bought by
consumers, they could also be considered as products in their
own regard. This allows for the occasional “product on a

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product” merchandise in closets, for the Korean-style shirts silk-
screened with a photo of K-pop superstars.

One would best explore the K-pop phenomenon, and

subsequently articulate its extent in a certain country, by
looking into album sales charts. K-pop groups, first and
foremost, sell their music, their songs, their videos. Album sales,
therefore, are the most relevant source of information on the
said topic, but it is not the only source. Data on K-fashion can
also be useful in exploring the extent globalization has been
made manifest by Korean popular culture. In fact, in some
instances, it could be a more suitable source.

In the Philippine setting, the consumer aspect of K-pop is

more apparent in clothing industries. Music albums in general
are pretty expensive. Additionally, the value of music albums
lies in the satisfaction a customer gets from playing it through a
computer or music player. As music is virtually “downloadable”
from the internet at no cost, it would be understandable if K-pop
fans would rather spend their money on Korean clothes.
K-fashion is more wearable, and consequently more tangible
and visible than music albums. Indeed, some of these
downloads are essentially forms of piracy, but non-illegal
avenues where fans can download free music and videos do
allow them to allot their purchasing resources to the more
“practical” goods of K-fashion.

Globalization in the Philippines

The cursor has influenced the direction of the world. True to
what a digital arrow does, it has “pointed” nations to new
currents, to entirely new rivers to traverse. Modern ICT allowed

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for the concretization of globalization that is visible even in the
soapiest parts of the house.

Although possibly unaware, we encounter this concretization

in almost everything, even the clothes we wear. Still, this is all
thanks to the advancement we have achieved in mediums of
global exchange. As previously introduced, information on the
latest trends, profiles of potential buyers and sellers, contact
between parties, and actual delivery can be made with a click of
a mouse. Even the integration among people, companies, and
governments that accompany all of these are made possible
through global technologies. It is globalization ferried into our
closets.

As previously mentioned, international brands Cotton On,

Uniqlo, Giordano, Zara, and H&M were welcomed into the
Philippine shores with much anticipation. Filipino K-pop fans,
therefore, would be much more thrilled to welcome Korean
brands that bring Korean fashion right at their local mall‟s
doorsteps.
Jica Lapeña of gmanetwork.com reports the “arrival” of
Korean Fashion in the country (2013). The article narrated the
opening of the first branch of Basic House last December 2012.
The said shop is located at The Shops in Greenhills. A May 31,
2013 article from inquirer.net then featured the Korean
fashion brand‟s second store at SM Megamall in Mandaluyong.

Aside from Basic House, the Philippines also became a new

home to global brand Mall of Korea. The headline of an article
by Jamie Sanchez (2016) of spot.ph reads: “Now Open: Mall of
Korea, a fashionista's shopping paradise.” The said shopping
center opened July 14 of that same year, at Metro Walk in Pasig.

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 In addition to the above, globalization can also be seen—and
arguably better seen—in the buffering symbol that turns round
and round.
Korean popular culture—which thrived and has conquered
the world through ICT—is concretized by the same technological
media. Online shopping has been a thing of the global age, and
Filipino boats have some of the most avid rowers in this digital
floating market. An article by David Dizon (2015) of abs-
cbnnews.com shares a WeAreSocial report stating that “Pinoys
are top in Internet, social media use.” From these, one would
not be surprised to find out that the Filipinos‟ passion for
shopping translated to a love of its online counterpart.

Online shopping is self-explanatory: it is shopping on the

line, through the internet, through ICT. Technology-driven
Korean pop culture, and K-fashion, has made its way not only
toward physical stalls but even in virtual stalls. In a July 4, 2016
article by Louren, powerpinoys.com ranked the “Top 5 Online
Shopping Sites in Philippines.” Ranked from fifth to first, in the
list are Widget City, WeeMall, Goods.ph, Zalora Philippines, and
Lazada Philippines (Louren, 2016). The top two online shopping
sites are used as references for this paper, also because the other
three sites mostly cater to shoppers of gadgets and non-clothing
merchandise.

In Lazada Philippines, typing the keyword “Korean” in the

search box will generate 27,540 results. From these, 18,079
items fall under the “Women” category while 8,498 are under
the “Men” category. In the “Girls” tab, meanwhile, are 756 items
while 208 search items appear in the “Boys” section.

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 The popularity of K-pop and Korean fashion is more
apparent in Zalora Philippines. One finds in its home page a
section dedicated for “K-Fashion.” It has become a stand-alone
category, side by side with “Clothing,” “Shoes,” and “Beauty.”
Clicking the “K-Fashion” tab will show two categories:
“Women‟s Korean Fashion” and “Top Brands.”

Under general “Women‟s Korean Fashion” are 2364 Items

the categories “Premium Brands,” “Yoco,” “Stylenanda,”
“Maxqullo,” “Eyescream,” “Mayuki,” “KLEEaisons,” and
“Sesura.” A total of 342 items fall under “Premium Brands”
inclusive of “Among,” “Another A,” “DEBB,” “Highfur,” “ILC,”
“Judy Judy,” “Mag&Logan,” “Nohant,” “Rawrow,” “Rocket x
Lunch,” “91,2" and “Workwear.” Finally, under the “Premium K-
Fashion,” tab are brands “KLEEaisons” (111 items), “Maxqullo”
(94 items), “Headline Seoul” (26 items), and “Sesura” (1233
items).
Under the “Men‟s Korean Fashion” category are 82 Items.
These include products under the “Premium Brands” tab, which
is divided to brands “Ceemarket,” “ILC,” “Nohant,” “91,2" and
“Rocket x Lunch.” Clicking “Premium K-Fashion” in the men‟s
category will show items from “Customellow,” “Rawrow,” and
“Ceemarket.” Typing the keyword “Korean” in the general
Zalora Philippines search box, meanwhile, will generate 2706
items.

The world is like a washing machine; it turns, but

sometimes not as fast as others.
The fresh scent of globalization, like almost everything, is not
felt by everyone. There is this side where things are not as
“globalized.”

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 In a TED conference presentation, Hans Rosling (2010)
presents in his talk “The Magic Washing Machine” the
differences in costs of living per day of people. It is no new
knowledge that there are groups of people living above, way-
above, and below the poverty line. What is notable from his talk,
however, is his new take on the topic.

For Rosling, the absence or presence of a washing machine in

“less-globalized” households can show us the extent of
integration that “the rest of the nations” are experiencing.
Indeed, there are still a lot of people who “waste” their time
washing clothes by hand, whose “experience of the world” does
not go beyond the mass-produced and mass-consumed
detergent that roughens their hands.
Introducing the terms “air line” and “wash line” that go with
“poverty line,” Rosling (2010) discussed the idea of washing
machines, light bulbs and poor people moving up the highly
globalized economic ladder. There are people—these people—
who reside on the other side of the washing machine. It is the
side that, amidst all the „up and down‟ cycle of each turn, never
gets to ascend from the bottom of the round round world.

More than researching for statistics, it is important to take

note that these people, regardless if they wash their clothes with
their hands or with machines, come across the same inter-
societal bridges as people above the “wash line.” Be it on less-
advanced media, or through other means that they can barely
afford to voluntarily gain access of, globalized popular culture
interacts with them.

The Philippine context, being a third-world country, is not far

above the “wash line.” What seems unusual, however, is how the

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fandom of Filipinos is comparable to that of highly-
industrialized countries. A few taps in ticket-selling websites will
show that concert prices of international acts—including K-pop
groups—are usually a lot higher in the Philippines than in the
rest of Asia.
The Philippines is not far above the wash line, yet it can
afford the generally pricey K-fashion goods. This could signify
two things: that Filipinos allot most of their usually limited
resources for popular culture products, or they make the most
out of what they have.

The submission to counterfeit clothes—those with fake

brands or imitated prints of the latest in popular culture—is not
an unusual thing in Philippine markets. Similar to how most K-
pop fans download their music from free websites, they get their
K-fashion fix beyond “authentic” clothing stalls and shopping
sites that directly import Korean products.

The Filipinos are versed with the non-traditional media that

will allow them to consume goods for a much lower price—or
even for free. More so, they may even be part of the production
of these mass-produced goods, a trend that has numerously
been associated with small-time entrepreneurship and the
increased access to machines and raw materials. The same ICT
that allows for free music and video downloads makes it easy for
almost any computer-literate person to layout t-shirt designs. It
is also the same globalization-driving technology that will allow
him or her to manufacture, and eventually sell, these products—
counterfeit or not.

The world is like a washing machine: It could stop turning,

but it will eventually begin another wash cycle.

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 Globalization is driven by international trade and
investment. Through the kind of information and
communication technology that we have, it has been rendering
generally positive effects on culture, on economic development
and prosperity, and on human physical well-being in a number
of societies. The Philippines, though not “yet” a highly-
industrialized country, has been highly efficient in harnessing
the benefits of ICT.
Technology-driven globalization—of which popular culture is
a very powerful manifestation—would ever-continuously turn
and bridge and integrate nations, and would eventually fully
integrate the world into the world. Today, communication
media are aplenty: people have boats, people have the internet,
people have powerful ideas and trends. In a globalized world,
nations continuously interact in a give-and-take fashion that
goes round and round.
K-fashion is a manifestation of technology-driven
globalization. This process of interaction and integration has
brought forth a positive and felt effect on human well-being
around the world. The technology that drove it to its current
speed, and that continuously powers it, allowed Filipinos to
consume K-pop and patronize K-fashion within their own ways
and means. Technology has allowed Filipinos to dominantly
“receive” popular culture of the globalizing world. It also shows
promise to allow the Philippines—and its technologically
articulate people—to be, eventually, on the dominantly “giving”
end of globalization.

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 References

Dana. (2012, June 6). Idol history: K-pop by the numbers. Soulbeats.
Retrieved from http://seoulbeats.com/2012/06/idol-history-k-pop-
by-the-numbers/

Dizon, D. (2015, January 22). Pinoys are top in Internet, social media
use: Report. Retrieved from http://news.abs-cbn.com/focus/01/
22/15/pinoys-are-top-internet-social-media-use-report

Korean fashion brand opens second store in Megamall. (2013, May 31).
Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved from http://lifestyle.inquirer.net/
105949/korean-fashion-brand-opens-second-store-in-megamall/
#ixzz4vkawe048

Lapeña, J. (2013, February 6). Why foreign clothing giants are coming
to Manila. Retrieved from http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/
story/292455/lifestyle/why-foreign-clothing-giants-are-coming-to-
manila#sthash.XyTOGM1n.dpuf

Levin Institute (n.d.). What is globalization? Retrieved from

http://www.globalization101.org/what-is-globalization/

Louren. (2016, July 4). Top 5 online shopping sites in Philippines with
cash-on-delivery. Retrieved from http://powerpinoys.com/best-
online-shopping-sites-philippines-cash-delivery/

Rosling, H. (2010, December). Hans Rosling: The magic washing

machine [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.ted.com/talks/
hans_rosling_and_the_magic_washing_machine/transcript?langua
ge=en

Sanchez, J. (2016, July 20). Mall of Korea, a fashionista‟s shopping

paradise. Retrieved from http://www.spot.ph/shopping/the-latest-
shopping/67134/mall-of-korea-metrowalk-pasig-city-a00023-20160720

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 * * *

Carlo Jejomar Pascual Palad Sanchez has been fascinated with

various media of communication, both of the informative and the
expressive. The rise of Korean popular culture, for example, is an
excellent manifestation of both art and inter-border globalization.
His interest in Korean culture began when he presented his paper
“Once Upon a Time: Koreanovelas and the Galleon Trade of the
Digital Age” in the 2014 AIKS Korean Studies Conference. He
finished his Bachelor of Arts, Major in Philosophy degree in the
Ateneo de Manila University last December 2016.

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