Sean of Jinusean in Christian Documentary

[jia-zhang.livejournal.com]

1040 is an upcoming documentary/film set to premiere in LA on March 12th. It explores the current Christian movement in Asia, and features many top Asian celebrities, such as Sean of Jinusean, Vanness Wu, rapper Jin, as well as MC Hammer. 

Credit. 1040Movie


I am both fascinated and slightly perturbed. Something about Christianity in Asia screams cultural hegemony to me. I dunno. This reminds me a little of "Jesus Camp". I feel Shiwon should be part of this.  

Comments

[decodexx.livejournal.com]

and features many top Asian celebrities, such as Sean of Jinusean, Vanness Wu, rapper Jin, as well as MC Hammer.

MC Hammer is Asian?

Lol. That was worded funny.

[crystaltear.livejournal.com]

Whenever I see these documentaries, I fear for the world a little more.

[akaich0u.livejournal.com]

Korea is predominately Christian/Catholic, so this doesn't come as a surprise to me. Especially Sean, lol, he is always quoting the Bible.

MC Hammer? O_O Asian? lol that must be a translation error...

[crystaltear.livejournal.com]

Okay, I'm glad I'm not the only one who thought that. And then I thought maybe it was someone else with the same name.

[decodexx.livejournal.com]

Me too, but that's the only MC Hammer I know, lol.

[akaich0u.livejournal.com]

Really? I've been there twice so far and based on what I've seen/been told by the Koreans I know (whom are Christian), I would beg to differ... also the five Korean Christian churches within a 10-mile radius here...

[bilijoon.livejournal.com]

I just read "Vanness Wu" and went YAY. Just 'cause I love Vanness so much, haha.

[kuroidi.livejournal.com]

Tru Fax the main religion in Korea is Buddhism. :D Wikipedia it if you think I'm wrong XD

[nene718.livejournal.com]

...oh

lol Jin. I remember you.

[akaich0u.livejournal.com]

I just did out of curiosity:

According to 2005 statistics compiled by the South Korean government, approximately 46.5% of the South Korean population express no religious preference.[2]

Of the religious population, 29.3% are Christian (of which 18.3% (on total) profess to be Protestants and 10.9% to be Catholics), 22.8% are Buddhist,

Also:

South Korea had the third highest percentage of Christians in East Asia or Southeast Asia, following the Philippines and East Timor.

So the difference is by less than I remembered, but it appears that out of those who ARE religious, there are more Christians than Buddhists.

[xshinebrighterx.livejournal.com]

wikipedia is quite the reliable source

[xshinebrighterx.livejournal.com]

nice

[earthequality.livejournal.com]

While Buddhism is still strong in Korea, Christianity has slowly been gaining a foothold over the past 50 years (I checked after I first noted in Korea how many of my favorites were Christians). I'm hoping this is saner than Jesus Camp and who knows, Shiwon will probably say something of great sadness about NOT being in it.

[decodexx.livejournal.com]

This. xD

[bilijoon.livejournal.com]

HAHA.

Seriously, MC Hammer was just randomly thrown in.

[bilijoon.livejournal.com]

Does MC Hammer have some long lost Asian grandmother we don't know about?

[callmeliyah.livejournal.com]

How is Brian not in this? O_O

[akaich0u.livejournal.com]

I was thinking that out of those who ARE religious, most are Christian (which appears to be true?). But when you put it that way, that could also make sense.

I've been away at college so I've been pretty nonpracticing, but I'd still classify myself under "Buddhist". =\ Oh well.

[bilijoon.livejournal.com]

Actually, I wonder this too.
I mean, Brian would be less random than MC Hammer!

True Story -.-

[jyurian21.livejournal.com]

My "best friend" is christian and doesn't accept the fact that I'm gay...at all! I told him there are open minded christians out there and he said "They are not really christians and should know better"

So I'm a bit meh about this, I believe in God but I'm not religious and that doesn't mean I hate religions, jsyk

[sincronia.livejournal.com]

I really really really really want to go to this. Gahhhhhh~

Re: True Story -.-

[extraenchanted.livejournal.com]

Just had to comment. My cousin is gay, we're both practicing Christians, and I love him to bits and pieces. That is all. :)

Re: True Story -.-

[jyurian21.livejournal.com]

I wish everyone was like you, my friend cannot comprehend that he can learn to accept me and still be a Christian :( he says the bible should be followed 100%

Re: True Story -.-

[jyurian21.livejournal.com]

Lol, 사랑해 ㅋㅋ

[cruel-disorder.livejournal.com]

So are non-Asian Buddhists appropriating our culture???

Idk, I don't care much for religion but I wouldn't go so far to say that Christianity in Asian countries is cultural hegemony... And being Christian can mean lots of different things in different parts of the world (or even in a single country); not all necessarily fundamentalist wingnuts.

Re: True Story -.-

[to-the-wick.livejournal.com]

Thumbs up from this bisexual Christian. Don't let haters get you down, even if they call themselves your friends. ♥

[d-magix.livejournal.com]

Oh, no Siwon? That's a big surprise o.o.

[d-magix.livejournal.com]

Or maybe he isn't as 'religious' as everyone thinks *cough gaying around in ss2 all over asia cough*

[newlines.livejournal.com]

hm, im not really surprised, i mean there have been missionaries there for a while, i mean yonsei was founded by missionaries (at least thats what i think based on when i went there?) and some of the churches are huge, but i guess thats cuz theyre in the city lols.

i do think though that the knowledge of christianity and its teachings (or like parts/bits of it) is super wide spread in korea. or just the fact that a religion called christianity exists at least har har

[newlines.livejournal.com]

:0 its third behind the phillipines and east timor? lol i dont even know where east timor is XD i didnt know that there were so many christian filipinos, but i guess i should have known since i watched a video once where there was this filipino guy and he would crucify himself every year for like 10 years or something. omg and i freaked out b/c of the blood @_@

i thought islam was mainly prevalent in southeast asia, but i guess filipinos are just... outliers? lol.

[atarashiiyoake.livejournal.com]

Interesting.

Although the trailer scares me like nothing else. I'd have liked it better if it were an objective documentary about things, but the trailer could have been one for 'Left Behind Pt 25'

it's slightly disturbing that half of my favourite Asian artists are hardcore Jesus freaks.

Re: True Story -.-

[atarashiiyoake.livejournal.com]

An old classmate of mine works at the church and he's gay (and has a boyfriend, I'm pretty sure they all know about it).

It's all in the way you perceive the Bible, bb. Try not to worry too much about it.

[xiola-azuthra.livejournal.com]

>_>... i suppose it's only for more "mature" famous people but man, half of U-Kiss belongs there too... they even spend *new years eve* at church (Kevin/Eli/Alex). none of the christians i know here even do that! ^^;

[xiola-azuthra.livejournal.com]

... OT, but i approve of your icon XD ...are you watching Bloody Monday 2? ♥ I missed Nari so much before it came out. (I hope he's in something good/subbed again after this for more than just a cameo unlike all last year~ T_T;)

[lyssakim.livejournal.com]

Wasn't this already posted, or am I just going crazy?

[kawaiiairbender.livejournal.com]

Oh yeah I remember my bro telling me about Jin becoming a Christian.

MC Hammer... wat?

[kawaiiairbender.livejournal.com]

"it's slightly disturbing that half of my favourite Asian artists are hardcore Jesus freaks."
oh bb, I'm sorry. :( but it makes it fun for me XD

[jia-zhang.livejournal.com]

Well, you have to consider the historicity of Christianity in general, especially in relation to colonialism. Many non-Asians became interested in Eastern practices throughout the 19th century when Orientalism was extremely strong in the West (especially the British Empire). However, there has never been Buddhist missionaires. Buddhism was adopted by the West, it was never preached.

I would argue Christianity as culturally hegemony by nature because Christianity has a history of using God to justify Western imperialism and control over other peoples. This can be best seen with the assimilation of the Native people of North America, who were victims of missionaries and residential schools. In this way, Christianity was used as a method of eradicating culture.

Christianity is not a "pure" religion, it has a lot of agenda attached, not that other religions don't. Especially Christianity in non-European countries has had a very critical role that hasn't been completely positive.

I'm not saying religion is a bad thing--I am an Asian and I'm a Christian--but from a social-historical perspective, one could argue that Christianity can be a culturally hegemonic force.

This was unnecessarily long and pointless. I'm sorry. *bows*

[jia-zhang.livejournal.com]

It's mostly Christianity is the most popular in Korea. China and Japan are more "eh we don't care".

[brianathebard.livejournal.com]

K guys.

Jesus camp =/= the vast majority of Christians.

Bible thumping, homosexual hating bigots =/= all Christians.

You're allowed to participate in whatever religion you're in (or none at all.)

You should let them participate in whatever they want.

That said, idrc about the documentary :/ Looks kinda boring.

[honeebs.livejournal.com]

lstms snark*

[bilijoon.livejournal.com]

(:

Yeah, I've been watching Bloody Monday 2, but I can't say I'm happy with it.
Nari's character bores me so much right now. :| XD

[honeebs.livejournal.com]

not pointless and but on point.

[yvonne-b.livejournal.com]

lol what about tiffany? isn't she a big bible thumper too?

[paigeeybby.livejournal.com]

wtf is going on @ 0:48?

[redhandedjilll.livejournal.com]

I'm not a religious person, but religion and how it interacts with culture is fascinating to me. I think I'd actually like to watch this.

[nori-sumire.livejournal.com]

I understand you. It comes off to me as slightly creepy. And I'm Italian, we got the pope and so on.
Still, those preachers and the masses shakin and crying ala Missisipi 1960 makes me think more about cults than church.

[nori-sumire.livejournal.com]

You may not want to know.
And the " a movement is on the rise" sounds quite menacing to humble self.