Asian Quiz for my Theater 465 Class

THE FOLLOWING POST IS A QUIZ THAT WAS ASSIGNED BY A PROFESSOR OF CULTURAL DIVERSITY AT SAN DIEGO STATE UNIVERSITY. THIS QUIZ IN NO WAY REFLECTS THE PERSONAL VIEWS OF MY PROFESSOR OR MY UNIVERSITY. ANY REMARKS MADE IN THE FOLLOWING ASSIGNMENT ARE OF MY OWN. ALTHOUGH I HAVE READ AND DISCUSSED THE CENTRAL THEMES OF ASIAN THEATER AND WHAT THE ASIAN CULTURE MEANS IN CLASS FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT READ THIS AND FIND IT OFFENSIVE OR PREJUDICED I AM SORRY. THANK YOU.

QUIZ ASSIGNMENT: Please explain and connect any central themes of the film Better Luck Tomorrow and the play Hip Hop Kim Bap if any.

In the film Better Luck Tomorrow the central characters were attempting to live the american dream but as young rebellious teenagers they chose a completely opposite path that had been laid in front of them by their parents. It is a common Asian stereotype that the parents of an Asian child expect their son or daughter to become, lawyers, doctors, nurses or engineers. Something that will make them a lot of money so that they can live well. In my opinion this is simply an addicted version of the American Dream, rather than a parent saying "it'd be nice if you can do this" the Asian culture has exuded the belief that "this is the only way to live". Although I disagree with this "addicted american dream" it is evident as a part of the Asian American culture. In the play Hip Hop Kim Bap there are a few characters that seem to be living this addicted American dream as well. Those characters are living their lives in order to live successfully, Mimi is the trophy wife of a rich american man in hopes of getting pregnant and divorcing him for the settlement money while Mia is a Korean woman who was married off to another Korean man before her parents returned to Korea without her, she has spent her life proving her worth to her parents by going to college and receiving multiple degrees. In Mia's story she is performing this addicted American Dream in order to get into the good graces of her Korean parents but instead they shun her for divorcing her Korean husband and not bearing any children. In BLT, the teenagers of the film rebel through the most opposite track they dive into a world of drugs alcohol sex and eventually murder. Rather than slacking on homework cutting back on the study time these students change their life radically and eventually kill one of their own in a final struggle of acceptance.

Although I found both of these stories to be very interesting and compelling the truth behind Asian culture can be summed up in a single word: Success. As long as people are successful in their careers and schooling the Asian culture will be happy with them.