Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Mr. Pink]

I hate 90% of the people I see on TV teaching English.

Only show I can truly appreciate is the one my kid watches: Giggles. It's on EBS in the morning, so most posters wouldn't be watching that. The guy and girl can sing really well and kids REALLY love that show.

If there was a hate Isaac club, I'd probably want to join.

As for the guy who said he works at Ariang, I feel sorry for you. That place sucks ass imo. I also hear they are losing money faster than Michael Jackson.

[SuperHero]

[flakfizer]

What's that show where a creepy guy with longish, white hair plays guitar? The weird thing is that he really can play guitar, but every episode they make a song out of the new phrases and he pretends to play the bongos while his Korean co-host pretends to play guitar. Those made up songs, which consist of him singing an English phrase followed but her singing its Korean equivalent, are the worst ever.

Oh yeah, and who's that Korean guy who, though teaching adults, uses a Burt puppet (as in Burt and Ernie)? I like the way he "hides" the connection between his arm and the puppet with an inconspicuously placed plant.

[periwinkle]

Some of these shows I haven't seen (the guy with the guitar, for example). However, speaking from experience, the foreigners are instructed by the PD or AD or even their co-host to pull-out all the stops. I was always being told "Oba" (over act). That's the name of the game. It engages the (Korean) audience. No one wants to watch a stiff teacher standing there doing nothing. They want English to be entertainining, and educational, and they'll try to do every trick in the book to make it more entertaining (hence, the puppet, and the like). On my current show, I have to sing, and they always shoot down my song choices. They want show tunes, and songs that are easily recognizable by Koreans (think "Singin' in the Rain"). I feel like I'm in a skit on "Sat. Night Live" with the lounge singer or church singer spoofs. However, you can't protest, because then you have a "bad attitude" or you're no fun or a spoil sport. And you won't get called for work again if you aren't willing to do what the PD says.

The foreign teacher doesn't control their image. The PD does. We ALWAYS make suggestions, but the suggestions are rarely heeded.

[RACETRAITOR]

[periwinkle]

As for poor Steve Revere and his pink attire, you don't get to choose what to wear. You have to be co-ordinated with the host or co-host, for one thing. Also, the broadcasting company has deals with specific designers or labels. The company is provided the clothes for free in exchange for including the name of the designer or label in the credits. Also, the wardrobe people usually take your picture once you are dressed in their clothes. I'm not quite sure what they do with the photo. I think it's just for proof that the clothes were used.

Another downside is that if you don't have a typical Korean figure or size, it's tough for them to find properly fitting clothes. I used to get squeezed into petite sizes quite often, and it sucked. People don't look good in clothes that are too small for them.