||Background...||

Hello! I am Diana Ysabel S. Oliveros, a 2nd year BS Psychology student in Mapua Malayan Colleges Mindanao (MMCM), and I am thrilled to give you a tour of my mind. Especially some things related to Philippine Popular Culture that I find interesting. I prepared five countries that we can explore. First off, let's head over to Shanghai, China where one of my favorite games originated. Mobile Legends (ML). I know a lot of people will agree with me when I say ML has gained popularity over the years. We can even say it affected how people behave and interact, physically and digitally. Though it has a lot of backlash, I still consider it as a good game. Moving on to our next destination, Tokyo, Japan. The birthplace of anime and manga. Similar to ML, Anime also has a very big impact on, not just me, but the whole world. We can see it all around, being the inspiration for films, products, and designs. In my opinion, the number one thing it affected is art. And I'm an artist so I'm kind of guilty. Next on our list is South Korea. Now, let's talk about foods I like. It's almost impossible to not have tasted Korean food. I mean, Korean restaurants are all over Davao. Due to the popularity of Korean culture, people have been trying out their foods to maybe have a glimpse of what's it like there, and though I just eat their food because I like it, I'm no exemption. Heading to England, UK, you'll see my preferred fashion sense. Though the 'Old Money' outfit trend originated in the US, I prefer the UK style of old money. Honestly, I never thought it would become a trend because I've been wearing it and liking that style for as long as I can remember and just recently found out that it has a name. Finally, our last stop for this session. New York, NY, USA where my favorite musical premiered. Hamilton the Musical. I have been a theater kid since I was in highschool, and I still am, thanks to Hamilton. I remember that it was all over the internet. It was a big hit and everyone loved it. Even my friends and, possibly, the whole school knew Hamilton.

||Tour concluded. To proceed, please head to your next station: China. Thank you for stopping by!||

[Mobile Legends: Bang Bang]

[Attack on Titan]

[Dolsot Bibimbap]

[Old money]

[Broadway Musical: Hamilton]

Welcome back, or in Genshin words, Ad Astra Abyssosque! Let's explore the world of Teyvat and how it influenced our society in the Philippines today. I will start off by introducing the background of this popular game. Genshin Impact, created by the Shanghai-based studio miHoYo, is an open-world action RPG that launched in September 2020. Since then, it has gained immense popularity, not just in the Philippines, but all over the world. I personally believe that this game was a success because it was released during the pandemic, where most people were at home and have nothing ese to do due to lockdown. Because Genshin Impact is a fantasy RPG with a good story and visually pleasing characters, it caught the attention of many people. And though it had already been years since it was launched, its popularity still remains today. We can see its influence on fashion and products--especially on products. Due to the game's popularity, many stores sell merchandises, even if they're not from the official stores. And, because people love it, they will no doubt buy.

||Last Stop: Philippines||

I mentioned in our previous stop that Genshin Impact has influence in fashion and products. Here, I will be talking about it's influence in fashion in the Philippines by introducing an already existing fashion trend that always go hand in hand with it. That fashion trend is Cosplay. Cosplay is a form of fashion that has become a popular part of contemporary culture. It's a performance art where people dress up as a character from a fictional work. And given that Genshin is a fictional world with good character designs, it is not a surprise that it also gained popularity in the cosplay community.

By using the Uses and Gratifications Theory, we can say that Genshin Impact cosplay is something Filipinos do to satisfy their social and personal needs. Personally, cosplaying Genshin characters helps people express their creativity, boost their self-esteem, and lose themselves in a fantasy world they admire. It gives fans a platform for self-expression by allowing them to show off their makeup, role-playing, and costume-making skills. Socially, Filipino fans feel more connected to one another through Genshin Impact cosplay. It gives them a way to meet people who share similar interests with them through local events, social media, and conventions. In addition to celebrating their passion for the game, cosplayers are able to gain acceptance and acknowledgment in a lively and encouraging community thanks to this trend.

[...]

||End of tour. Thank you for your time!||