Asian culture is gearing away from a Western culture-centered past through a movement influenced by the sudden rise in popularity of South Korean culture.

According to a speech made at a symposium on South Korean culture by Professor Sonoda Shigeto of Tokyo University, Asian countries, which were previously deeply influenced by U.S. pop culture, are attempting to become “Asia-fied” through South Korean dramas or pop songs.

Japanese film critic and film theorist Sato Tadao said in U.S. films, the strong male protagonist wins true love. However, he noted, in Asian culture, there are more situations where the “pretty” male characters fall in love, thus explaining the popularity of drama Winter Sonata in Japan.