Intra-Asian Cultural Flow: Cultural Homologies in Hong Kong and Japanese Television Soap Operas

This paper examines and theorizes the intra-east-Asian cultural flow of televisual imaginaries between Japan and Hong Kong. With an analysis of survey data, in-depth interviews, and the comparison of soap operas of Hong Kong and Japan in terms of audience interpretation of gender values, marriage, capitalistic relationships, and love, the author illustrates that there is a strong degree of cultural homologies between Japan and Hong Kong and argues that the regional values from Japan have gradually displaced the global culture to become Hong Kong's emancipatory power to resist the control of the state.