It refers to the fact that the most successful film about two of China’s national symbols-Kung Fu and pandas-could only be made by a foreigner because Chinese filmmakers would never try to play with such solemn subjects. In Chinese cultural circles there is a name for this: the “ ‘Kung Fu Panda’ problem,” named for the 2008 DreamWorks movie. But China, especially acting in its official, soft-power capacity, is only comfortable exporting things that show off the greatness of its ancient civilization or economic development.
And I think somehow people all over the world feel invited to join in, despite a huge cultural difference, when someone from a foreign place is making a bit of fun of themselves. “Korea tends to have more irony and satire in its comedy than China, and there aren’t the impediments to exporting things that question or poke fun of Korean society, politics, etc. “PSY is a satirist, making fun, and having fun,” said John Delury, an expert on China and Korea who teaches international relations at Yonsei University in Seoul. So, should we expect a Chinese Gangnam soon? Don’t count on it. Last year, the Communist Party even declared culture a national priority and vowed to produce its own share of global cultural brands. Chinese political leaders are constantly talking about the need for “soft power”-they have dotted the globe with Confucius Institutes to rival the Alliance Française, and they have expanded radio and television stations in smaller countries that might be tired of American-dominated news. It has left people asking, Why couldn’t we come up with that? China, after all, dwarfs Korea in political clout, money, and market power, and it cranks out more singers and dancers in a single city than Korea does nationwide. In China, the Gangnam phenomenon carries a special pique.