Jocelyn Yi-Hsuan LaiHollywood is no longer the only media center, it might be the most prestigious stage for many
entertainers. Based on capital concentration, the American media/star system is still the most
powerful media system in the world.
Inter-asian star studies: Exploring East asian media dynamism
and the geocultural politics surrounding asian stars
While the Western media systems seem to be in a post-national phase, East Asian media are
closer to cultural nationalism, which is, in fact, the consequence of the former. The pros-
perous East Asian economic growth led by strong nation-states in the twentieth century has
provided material conditions for the development of various media entertainment systems
and star systems based in the East Asian national markets. The power hierarchy of these
regional media centers, which are all under global Hollywood domination, is fairly dynamic
and changeable. Long under the influence of Hollywood, the East Asian states and media
systems are very aware of the ideological and economic power of media, witnessing how the
Hollywood media have articulated the American mainstream ideologies, promoted American
lifestyles, and contributed to the American economy. They also desire to become at the very
least a regional power in East Asia, and at the most a power extending beyond their borders
(Chua 2012). The East Asian media systems are constantly connected to the nationalist politi-
cal forces that control the media and so either function as a national ideological apparatus
or as an important part of the national economy to which the nation-state offers supporting
policy. Chinese media is state-owned. Media conglomerates in Japan and Korea are also
closely connected to the state. East Asian media, especially mainstream East Asian media,
have not yet entered a post-national age characterized by the domination of civil societies
pursuing public agendas.
Consequently, stars embody national aspirations and patriotic spirit. An actor’s rise to inter-
national stardom is the symbol and the result of national economic and cultural development
in an East Asian country. This phenomenon is most clearly illustrated in Korea. Labeling stars
with nicknames, such as national actor/actress or children/brothers/sisters, suffices to explain
the nationalization of Korean stardom (Kim 2011, 338). Inside and outside, they are expected to
be national representatives and ambassadors. All the above factors help explain why class, race,
gender, and other post-national issues have seldom reached the same level of attention, since the
East Asian public sphere is primarily nationalistic by nature.
transnational stars and dynamism of nations,
media systems, and enterprises
Paradoxically, East Asian states allow regional interaction in order to increase economic and
media development since restricting such interaction has been shown to be counterproductive.
Inter-Asian star studies was born in this context. These studies aim to critically capture the East
Asian media dynamism and the geocultural politics surrounding East Asian stars, thus placing the
topographically varied star persona in comparative perspective (Tsai 2005).
In the media intersections, stars also function as image, labor, and capital, all in different
contexts. First, the East Asian media systems have been competing for regional empire status by
employing elements from other East Asian media systems. A talent would pursue a career in a
stronger and more affluent media center than his or her original media center. A good example
is the collective experience of ethnic Chinese Singaporean, Malay, or Taiwanese talents debuting
in the stronger Hong Kong, Chinese, or Japanese media. To counteract this effect, a media in the