McLuhan and why I chose my medium | Blog post #16

McLuhan's famous aphorism is "Media is the Message". Do you agree or disagree?

“The medium is the message.” In this day and age, there are lots of different mediums which a message can be delivered through. The same message can be perceived differently through different mediums. It could sound official in newspapers and sound like a rumour or interesting, silly, repeated by small unprofessional news outlets through social media platforms like TikTok. We as a society have created certain views about each medium and each medium has a distinct way of delivering a message which is why I agree that the medium is the way we perceive a message.

What medium has changed your world the most?

Any social media site has changed my way of receiving a message and the media that I consume. I used to watch TV and had little control over what show I wanted to watch as the only choice I had was to switch to another channel or wait until the show started to air. Nowadays, I have a thousand different options to choose from which sometimes even overwhelms me as it’s hard to choose something to consume.

I also get updated on the latest news on the topics that I’m interested in by following Facebook pages that specialise in those areas, run by people that have the same interest as me. However, since it’s run by a group of people, I perceive the message as a biased delivery rather than a “neutral” one that I might get from a legit news outlet. I have become doubtful of the news that I read and a lot of times have the need to read people's comments to hear their opinions on the issues.

Why did you choose your specific medium for your Component 3 portfolio (music video, trailer, short film...)?

At first, it was hard for me to decide between a music video, a trailer or a short film. But I settled on short films for many reasons. But mostly because the medium is suitable for what I desire to deliver. And the most suitable to my ideas, and what I can create with what I have access to.

I created a short story so it won’t be as interesting as a trailer. And I want to have full control over the sound or have found a song that suits the story that I want to convey which is why I chose to do a short film. It also feels more artistic and not as mainstream when I have it as a short film. And it’s how I want it to be perceived, as art and not something mainstream.

Self-regulation | Blog post #15

When you were developing your project:

Did you have to worry about whether certain materials would be inappropriate for school?

My project kind of addresses suicide and mental health issues. It also has a lot of swearing included. While I did not feel like it was inappropriate for school or Cambridge submission, I did think about it would be appropriate under my country's regulations. A famous singer arguably the most successful V-pop artist with the biggest following compared to others was forced to remove his music video after its release on all platforms and re-film and release a new one a few months later. Because it showed him jumping off a building at the end of the music video.

Mental health is viewed differently here and the music video was also released sometime after a high school student did the same thing as what was at the end of the video. And so people were concerned about if others would be influenced by this which is why I think that they had to remove the video. While I of course don’t go off and jump off a building, it still makes me wonder what the regulatory boards in my country would think of when they see my project and the little hints of depression in it.

Is artistic freedom limited with regulatory boards?

Yes, there are certain things that regulatory boards view as inappropriate for some audiences and in some cases even ban them from showing in their respective countries. For example, the music video that I mentioned above or many different films that Vietnam has banned just because it included one small detail that is offensive to us. Or many of the movies that wanted to be shown in China had to completely change certain details of the original story to satisfy the Chinese regulatory board. Taking away the artistic freedom from the filmmakers. While some things might be added to help in the portrayal of the meaning in the films, regulatory boards might view it differently and might find it offensive. This is why there is a certain limit to artistic freedom all because of regulatory boards.

Regulation Case Study: Kim Ji Soo - South Korean Actor | 23.11.2022

Kim Ji Soo is a South Korean Actor known for his looks and acting abilities. Before his scandal, he was receiving more and more main roles and was at the peak of his career yet all of it came falling down after accusations about his past started to circulate the Internet. In March 2021, an anonymous, who claimed to be Ji Soo's classmate from Seorabeol Middle School between 2006 and 2008. Accused the actor of bullying them and other classmates. Saying that he had a bigger build compared to other people in the class and behaved like a “gangster”. He made others pay for his cigarettes and often insulted and blackmailed them. The actor was also accused of being a sexual perpetrator and a 'womaniser'.

Following the accusations, many Korean netizens started to come forward with shocking allegations against the actor. Resulting in him getting lots of backlash from the general public as well as negative media coverage. Soon, Kim issued an apology letter on his Instagram, apologising for his past. While his agency, KeyEast Entertainment released a statement stating that they are probing into the matter and will be verifying facts without any bias.

When the scandal broke out, Kim was filming a Korean drama called “River Where the Moon Rises”. This resulted in many viewers turning away from the drama, forcing the broadcasting company and film studio to recast another actor to replace his role as the male lead. Despite having 6 episodes released and 18 out of 20 total episodes filmed.

After the scandal, Kim Ji Soo parted ways with his agency. KeyEast Entertainment claimed that they terminated their contract with Ji Soo after a mutual agreement with the actor. Legal actions have been taken and all of his accusations were proven to be false claims. However, Kim has not returned to acting or had any other activities since the event. Mostly due to his enlisting into the military in October 2021 but it is still unclear if he will ever be able to continue as an actor.

His case is among many Korean celebrities’ bullying accusations which have been proven to be false statements published by anonymous users who have little relation to them. All of this could have not happened without the use of the Internet. The claims started as posts on online forums which then spread at an astonishing speed without having to fact-check the information published. While celebrities like Ji Soo have their careers ruined and them getting cancelled, despite legal actions taken, many of the anonymous users who posted the misinformation face no consequences as they can just delete the posts.

Despite having all of the accusations proven to be false, the damage done to Ji Soo’s career is irreversible. Many have turned away from him. At the heart of the scandal, many believed in the accusations and little knew that it is all false. So the public now sees him as a bully and in an ocean of other actors, it would be hard for Ji Soo to return to showbiz.