KOREA FOUNDATION

Cambodia is a youthful country, with those under the age of 24 accounting for more than half of the population. The young people of the country, who have become a new consumer group, are more assertive in enjoying the cultures of other nations than any other demographic by age, and are simultaneously creating their own unique trends. In the April issue of our newsletter, we’ll look into the present situation in Cambodia, along with some of the country’s cultural trends in the areas of music, movies, and festivals. 

   Popular music since is said to be a mirror reflective of a given era. The youth of Cambodia, who enthusiastically follow and enjoy foreign music such as EDM and K-pop, readily join in the excitement of the music with eager dancing. This is also true of domestic popular music as well, into which local artists have adapted EDM and K-pop influences in their own distinct ways. Rom Jek (រាំអ៊ីចេះ) is an example of a nationally popular song that has been received favorably across all demographics due to its articulate rhythm and easy-to-follow choreography. This song, which many foreign visitors to Cambodia have searched for on the internet with lingering curiosity (”What was that song again?”), recorded the highest number of views by audiences on YouTube Cambodia in 2018. Cambodia had already created a completely new genre of popular music by the early 1970’s, combining psychedelic rock with traditional sounds. In a not so distant future, we may experience another musical golden age ushered in by this country through their unique music. 

   Another aspect of Cambodian culture with significant potential is the movie industry. The demand for the movie media market has increased rapidly since the 2010s on the foundation of accelerated urbanization, and several multiplex operators, including Legend Cinema, Major Cineplex, and Prime Cineplex, have established their presence in most of the shopping malls in major cities. Although the majority of such multiplexes primarily feature Hollywood movies, the number of theaters screening domestic Cambodian productions has been on the rise in recent years. In particular, low-budget Cambodian-style horror movies to which B-grade special effects have been applied have become a popular trend among local consumers in their teens and twenties. Rather than simply enjoying such films, young Cambodians also actively share their opinions and impressions of the movies with one another through social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram, and even submit their self-produced short films to the International Cambodian Film Festival.

   Continuing in the field of festivals, let’s examine changes to Bon Om Touk, the famous Cambodian water and moon festival held along the banks of the Mekong River. In the past, the core component of this festival was boat riding and locals made up the majority of the festival-goers. However, major changes began about two years ago. More diversified, enjoyable events were added in alignment with trends popular among the Cambodian youth, who display great interest in overseas music and party cultures. Now, visitors to the festival can hear enrapturing club EDM from the Diamond Island of Phnom Penh and enjoy splendid fireworks shooting over the river, adding to the brilliant lighting effects created by countless yachts on the water. These delights also enrapture the hearts of many foreign tourists throughout the festival period.

   The main keywords in today’s rapidly advancing Cambodia are “youth” and “communication.” The country’s popular culture is undergoing continuous growth by means of communication with other cultures, spearheaded by the nation’s young people. Cambodia, currently striving forward with the energy of youth as her driving power, is definitely in her youthful years.