Home Is Where Hollywood Isn’t: Recasting East Asian Film Industries

Abstract

Echoing some scholars who have challenged the Hollywood-centric view with respect to East Asian film and television,2 I provide an up-to-date review of the ways East Asian industries have protected their economic interests and conserved local culture through moving images. Despite strong Hollywood marketing in East Asia, local films have experienced a resurgence since 2008— especially in Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and China, While Hollywood has continued to launch blockbuster franchises—weapons of mass distraction—to capture markets around the globe, local films in East Asia have been able to survive, and even outperform, Hollywood pictures. Government protection and the rebalancing of distribution and marketing might have galvanized the revival of East Asian film industries, but, more importantly, it is audience interest in locally produced media content that has sustained the continuing growth of East Asian cinemas.