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Troll_Bait
Joined: 04 Jan 2006
Location: [T]eaching experience doesn't matter much. -Lee Young-chan (pictured)
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 Posted: Wed Apr 11, 2007 10:37 pm Post subject: Koreans complain about how they're portrayed in Hollywood |
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From today's Chosun Ilbo ...
No End to Korea's Rough Ride in Hollywood
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Following the recent release of two U.S. soldiers who sexually assaulted a female Korean police officer, another Hollywood movie is stoking criticism of U.S. attitudes toward Koreans. The romantic comedy "Because I Said So", released in Korea last Thursday, features a Korean-run massage parlor at the beginning where the staff shout �fast, fast�, are atrocious at massage, listen in on the conversations of the customers and talk about them behind their backs in Korean. Many viewers here felt it was hard to concentrate on the rest of the movie because of the unpleasant feelings that generated.
Koreans have on the whole had a rough ride in Hollywood movies. The Oscar-winning anti-racism tract "Crash" was criticized for portraying only Koreans among the multiple races it featured as greedy without redemption. In the film, an exploitative Korean who is in hospital after being hit by a car driven by African-Americans is seen as talking to his wife about money even in extremis.
The most egregious example was the movie "Falling Down," directed by Joel Schumacher and starring Michael Douglas. It was released here in 1997, a full four years late, due to opposition from civic groups. In the early part of the movie, a recalcitrant Korean shopkeeper is subjected to a tirade by Michael Douglas� Angry White Guy. "You come to my country, take my money and don't even learn my language?" Douglas asks. "Do you have any idea how much money my country has given your country?"
In "Outbreak," about the Ebola Virus, Korea is a breeding ground for viruses. In "Do the Right Thing" by Spike Lee, a Korean appears as the owner of a grocery shop who is insulted by African-Americans.
North Korea, meanwhile, is of course convenient shorthand for evil. Examples are the James Bond film "Die Another Day", on a lighter note "Team America: World Police", and "Stealth." When it comes to Hollywood insults, it seems, the two Koreas are already united.
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Koreans saying "빨리빨리" ("Hurry, hurry!")? How inaccurate!
Koreans talking about people "behind their back" (in front of them, but in Korean)? How inaccurate!
(By the way, does anyone else remember the Seinfeld episode where that happened to Elaine?)
And somebody needs to inform them that Team America: World Police was a comedy. Anyone who gets worked up over Kim Jong-il as a marionette deserves to stew in the juices of their own self-inflicted misery.
Last edited by Troll_Bait on Wed Apr 11, 2007 10:44 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Junior
Joined: 18 Nov 2005
Location: the eye
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| Posted: Wed Apr 11, 2007 10:43 pm Post subject: |
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| a Korean-run massage parlor at the beginning where the staff shout �fast, fast�, are atrocious at massage, listen in on the conversations of the customers and talk about them behind their backs in Korean. |
But thats a 100% accurate portrayal. 
Funny to see the boot on the other foot. Haha. But I'm sure SBS will be able to come back with a renewed attack on the waeguk community. |
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swetepete
Joined: 01 Nov 2006
Location: a limp little burg
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| Posted: Wed Apr 11, 2007 10:44 pm Post subject: |
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| At least they GET portrayed in Hollywood. I wish MY ethnicity rated a stereotype...(snif, choke, whimper,suck, cry.) |
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antoniothegreat
Joined: 28 Aug 2005
Location: Yangpyeong
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| Posted: Wed Apr 11, 2007 10:45 pm Post subject: |
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of course, in Korean movies, they only portray America in a good way, right?
the only time i have seen foreigners in a Korean movie was when there was a Korean girl in the street and some drunk white guys drive by going really fast and almost hit them. the Korean guys jump in the car and chase them down to pull them out of the car and beat them. Then they went and ate samgyeobsal and joked about it.
The other time was a white guy got eaten by a monster.
Last edited by antoniothegreat on Wed Apr 11, 2007 10:47 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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laogaiguk
Joined: 06 Dec 2005
Location: somewhere in Korea
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| Posted: Wed Apr 11, 2007 10:46 pm Post subject: |
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| antoniothegreat wrote: |
| of course, in Korean movies, they only portray America in a good way, right? |
Or foreigners. Just look at how the token foreigners in their commercials or domestic movies/shows are protrayed... Both are wrong, but man is that hypocritical. |
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jdog2050
Joined: 17 Dec 2006
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| Posted: Wed Apr 11, 2007 10:48 pm Post subject: |
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| antoniothegreat wrote: |
of course, in Korean movies, they only portray America in a good way, right?
the only time i have seen foreigners in a Korean movie was when there was a Korean girl in the street and some drunk white guys drive by going really fast and almost hit them. the Korean guys jump in the car and chase them down to pull them out of the car and beat them. Then they went and ate samgyeobsal and joked about it.
The other time was a white guy got eaten by a monster. |
"Host" I'm lookin' in your direction.
On that note, there's a curious lack of foreigners even *in* Korean movies. Like...not even waking down the street. |
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doggyji
Joined: 21 Feb 2006
Location: Toronto - Hamilton - Vineland - St. Catherines
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| Posted: Wed Apr 11, 2007 10:53 pm Post subject: |
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| Accuracy? Would you be so happy if Korean TV gathers all kinds of bad stereotypical things about foreigners living in Korea? I have seen quite a few people here complaining about 'clown waygooks' on Korean TV (not 'representing' them in a cool/favorable way?) Not being the 'mainstream' of the society, I guess people just become a little sensitive and nitpicky about the media depiction of them in general. Hollywood movies are even more interesting because the viewers are the world. |
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dmbfan
Joined: 09 Mar 2006
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| Posted: Wed Apr 11, 2007 10:56 pm Post subject: |
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So, the Koreans are mad because of how they are being portrayed? Hmm.........are they upset about how everyone else is portrayed?
These people are in so much denial, it is unhealthy.
dmbfan |
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hubba bubba
Joined: 24 Oct 2006
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| Posted: Wed Apr 11, 2007 10:59 pm Post subject: Re: Koreans complain about how they're portrayed in Hollywoo |
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| Following the recent release of two U.S. soldiers who sexually assaulted a female Korean police officer, |
Un, completely irrelevant.
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| Many viewers here felt it was hard to concentrate on the rest of the movie because of the unpleasant feelings that generated. |
Or, maybe it was hard to concentrate due to the smell of dried squid. |
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Yu_Bum_suk
Joined: 25 Dec 2004
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| Posted: Wed Apr 11, 2007 11:05 pm Post subject: |
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| That's so funny. At least they occasionally get portrayed in American films and on American TV in ordinary, everyday roles. Korea is so lucky most Americans don't really know anything about Korea and Koreans or they would become the ultimate source of piss-taking. |
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billybrobby
Joined: 09 Dec 2004
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| Posted: Wed Apr 11, 2007 11:10 pm Post subject: |
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| I don't really care if Koreans are stereotyped but it makes me angry the way they get all angry about being stereotyped when they don't care if we are stereotyped! f*cking hypocrites! |
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RACETRAITOR
Joined: 24 Oct 2005
Location: Seoul, South Korea
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| Posted: Wed Apr 11, 2007 11:26 pm Post subject: |
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| Well on the one hand Koreans are stereotyped in this movie as sex workers, but on the other hand it portrays Americans who are going to massage parlours. Lose-lose. |
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The_Conservative
Joined: 15 Mar 2007
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| Posted: Wed Apr 11, 2007 11:31 pm Post subject: |
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| dmbfan wrote: |
So, the Koreans are mad because of how they are being portrayed? Hmm.........are they upset about how everyone else is portrayed?
These people are in so much denial, it is unhealthy.
dmbfan |
Replace the word "Koreans" with "Western teachers in Korea"....hmm it works just as well. |
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gsxr750r
Joined: 29 Jan 2007
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| Posted: Thu Apr 12, 2007 12:17 am Post subject: Re: Koreans complain about how they're portrayed in Hollywoo |
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| Troll_Bait wrote: |
"You come to my country, take my money and don't even learn my language?" Douglas asks. "Do you have any idea how much money my country has given your country?" |
I can understand their anger at this, now that I've walked in these shoes from their angle.
Even still, Korea is sort of creating a bad reputation for itself in business. Many of us can understand how. |
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peppermint
Joined: 13 May 2003
Location: traversing the minefields of caddishness.
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| Posted: Thu Apr 12, 2007 12:32 am Post subject: |
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| All issues of how Koreans are portrayed in Hollywood aside, I'd be more upset that I paid money to see "because I said so" which was the worst of a bad genre to begin with. |
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