Coming Home: Lukthung Music Videos and the Returning to Hometowns

Abstract

        Lukthung music videos are another area of communication that interacts with the narratives, lifestyles, and ideologies of contemporary Thai society. This academic article stems from the observations of the author regarding communication through Lukthung music videos disseminated via YouTube between the years 2020-2023 (B.E. 2563-2566), which contain content and storytelling aimed at inviting people to return home. This led to the research question aimed at studying the communication of meaning around the theme of “returning to hometowns”, which seeks to reveal the meanings and communication strategies related to people returning to their hometowns, including the ideologies hidden within that communication. This will be done through content analysis of visuals and lyrics from a sample group of 14 music videos.

         The results of the study found that the sample group of Luk Thung music videos used in this study communicates meanings about people returning to their hometowns in a new form of rural life through a significant communication method, namely, contrasting urban and rural settings. For instance, Bangkok is portrayed as a bustling city where people lack sincerity, experience uncertainty, and may not be the only place for survival. Moreover, the videos also highlight the advantages of returning home, including social capitals in local areas, resources for self-sufficiency, and access to communication technology in rural communities. This allows the younger generation to utilize these capitals, resources, and knowledge to establish careers and generate income without needing to migrate to urban areas for employment. Our analysis suggests that these Lukthung music videos are actively constructing a social reality while also fostering an ideology of localism among the younger generation.