Korean Job Discussion Forums

Gopher · Joined: 04 Jun 2005

Remember Odd Job from Goldfinger? His English skills consisted of "Ah-ah" and he killed people with his hat.

Then there's the unimaginative, churlish shopowner who refused to give Michael Douglas quarters for the pay phone in Falling Down.

Both were Koreans, or at least Korean-Americans. Unfair portrayals?

But the Koreans I see depicted on Korean television are very suave and wordly, no hint that ajummas or ajoshis even exist, no one puking or urinating on the sidewalk, either.

What's up with that? I wonder if the Korean-American in Falling Down is closer to how Koreans are, and the Koreans on Korean tv is how they want to be...just a random thought that occurred when I saw a Korean commercial a moment ago...

peppermint · Posted: Sun Jul 10, 2005 3:31 am Post subject:

Seeing anything in a Bond movie as a reflection of real life is stretching things, isn't it?

eamo · Joined: 08 Mar 2003 Location: Shepherd's Bush, 1964.

The way I see it the vast majority of Koreans don't expect realism when the watch TV. Nor do they want it, probably.

TV here is seen as a vehicle for 'the beautiful people' to present an ideal life that Koreans should strive towards. It reminds me of western TV in the 50's and 60's. Idealised. The movement for realistic art forms that became popular in Europe and North America in the 60's and 70's never really happened here.

I guess Koreans don't really see the point of watching something on TV that they could see if they went for a walk outside.

Gopher · Joined: 04 Jun 2005

Son Deureo! · Joined: 30 Apr 2003

Korea's Deliverance? Probably the closest I can think of in terms of gritty realism is Kim Gi-deok's movies. Bad Guy/Nabbeun Namja is a shows a brutal behind the scenes view of a red-light district brothel and Oasis is a gripping tale of two handicapped people (one mentally one physically) and the virtually criminal neglect from their families. Samaria takes a look at "compensation dating".

He's very controversial among Koreans, but I think he's probably the best director in Korea.

ulsanchris · Joined: 19 Jun 2003 Location: take a wild guess

On the other hand · Joined: 19 Apr 2003 Location: I walk along the avenue

Gopher · Joined: 04 Jun 2005

...available with English subtitles?

On the other hand · Joined: 19 Apr 2003 Location: I walk along the avenue

numazawa · Joined: 20 Mar 2005 Location: The Concrete Barnyard

bellum99 · Joined: 23 Jan 2003 Location: don't need to know

Remember the riots in L.A

The African American rioters targeted the Korean shops and shop owners because of the years of insults. The rioters said openly that the Korean business owners in their community were terrible people. I have heard the word "nigg*&" many times in korea and they have a word in korea that means the same thing. I can only imagine the attitude some of these Korean shop owners have.

But on T.V they all look so nice, educated and polished. T.V is a reflection of real life in South Korea but it is a reverse reflection. Actual people and situations are totally the opposite.

Butterfly · Joined: 02 Mar 2003 Location: Kuwait

Korea's most popular recent film Old Boy hardly presents Korea in a romantic light either - very bleak. In fact, I don't think I've seen that many films that do present Korea in such a way.

This is more eslcafe.com folly.

billybrobby · Joined: 09 Dec 2004

yeah, there's this idea that gets tossed around here on eslcafe that koreans don't acknowledge their own darkside in movies and on tv. but i think it's BS. have you ever seen a movie called...um...i think the title translates to "the blue gate." it's about a prostitute that lives with a korean family and it's incredibly sad and gritty. it not only shows the more extreme dark side of korea (prostitution) but also the everyday downside (like people washing up with water from some rusty old spigot). its not a great movie, but its realistic, and there's plenty more like it out there.

tv is more sanitized, but its tv. i see a lot of those reality expose shows on nowadays where peoples voices are blurred and their voices obscured. i don't know what they're doing but it looks seedy. saw one show where the police were investigating a murder and it showed blood all over the apartment and the bloody knife. stuff you probably couldn't see in america.

eamo · Joined: 08 Mar 2003 Location: Shepherd's Bush, 1964.

Swiss James · Joined: 26 Nov 2003 Location: Shanghai

I've seen a lot of soldiers on gameshows- there's a good one where they have to call up their Mum, friend or brother/sister (decided by the spin of a wheel) and get them to say certain words against the clock.
Then some Private with bad acne will sing a bit of karaoke, and I turn the TV to another channel.