RANTING/VENTING MEGATHREAD 3.0

Among international marriages between Korean men and foreign women, brides from Vietnam accounted for 73 percent, and it took an average 3.9 days from the couple’s first meeting to the walk down the aisle.

http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20190218000459

Marriage to someone you don't know? (And most likely can't communicate with.) That seems so strange.

Korean TV is utter sh*te.

I spent three lovely weeks back home in England and I couldn't get over how good the TV is there.  Is there anything like the BBC here?  Does that exist? 

As an example, I remember watching a TV program called "The Octopus in my House" about a professor of marine biology who lives at home with an octopus in his living room with a view to learning more about the animal and how it can react to humans.  It was stunning TV.  Beautifully shot, informative, funny, everything you want in a TV program.  It got me thinking that that sort of show doesn't exist here (does it?)

What do we have here?  Epilepsy inducing, eardrum bursting nonsense from what I've seen.  Incidentally I showed my brother a clip of Korean TV and he said something quite interesting.  He said Korean TV seems like what you would end up with if you asked a Westerner to come up with the most stereotypical, annoying and maybe racist depiction of what you think Asian TV is like.  It would be pretty close to reality!

Been here too long and very grouchy now I'm back after my summer holiday 

Korean TV is utter sh*te.

I spent three lovely weeks back home in England and I couldn't get over how good the TV is there.  Is there anything like the BBC here?  Does that exist? 

As an example, I remember watching a TV program called "The Octopus in my House" about a professor of marine biology who lives at home with an octopus in his living room with a view to learning more about the animal and how it can react to humans.  It was stunning TV.  Beautifully shot, informative, funny, everything you want in a TV program.  It got me thinking that that sort of show doesn't exist here (does it?)

What do we have here?  Epilepsy inducing, eardrum bursting nonsense from what I've seen.  Incidentally I showed my brother a clip of Korean TV and he said something quite interesting.  He said Korean TV seems like what you would end up with if you asked a Westerner to come up with the most stereotypical, annoying and maybe racist depiction of what you think Asian TV is like.  It would be pretty close to reality!

Been here too long and very grouchy now I'm back after my summer holiday 

I've heard before part of the reason TV here seems so random and crappy is because they don't take the time to make good content, they just make content and put it out.  I guess the networks expect a show to be planned, written, shot and edited in like a day or two. I remember also hearing about how back in the day dramas were still being written as they were being shot, so actors would be filming one scene and then have to wait for the next scene to be finished before they could continue their shoot for the day. But I also think there is this obsession with variety shows here that is insane! There are so many set-cast variety/talk style shows that are just filmed on a sound stage with like the same 5 comedians over and over. You can only be amazed XYZ idol group's secret hidden talents so many times, ya know?

daytime UK TV is better than prime time Korean TV. every single korean TV show ends up watching people eat, or doing mundane tasks. i mean, i don't want to hoover my house, and i certainly don't want to watch someone else do it on TV. i especially don't want to watch someone chew loudly and talk while doing so. actually, is it a rule for korean TV that you can only talk with your mouth full? jesus christ

my theory about why they put so many replays and sfx in & writing on the screen, is because the actual content is so vapid and mundane, that they need someway to make it seem more interesting.

i don't get it, at all. my wife will happily sit for an hour watching someone eat instant noodles. it's not like this is a one-off thing. the next episode will be exactly the same. nothing happens. but what's weirder is that you're not just watching someone eat ramyeon, you're watching a group of people in a studio watch people eat ramyeon, then they all comment on it. then they all make dumb overreactions about the most mundane, stupid shit ever. "what's he doing?! why's he putting an egg in his ramyeon? what a madman!" - yeah, what are you talking about? people do this all the time. stop overacting like you've never seen basic shit like this. korean tv is basic. it's shit. i hate it. ****

i mean, i don't want to hoover my house, and i certainly don't want to watch someone else do it on TV.

Yesssssssssssssssss, "Look at these 4 people set up a gas stove. Then they will make kimchi jjiage."

This is the same reason I don't play sports video games. (I do understand why people so, I'm not ragging on them).

I could go outside and throw a ball around. Yes, I know, I'm not playing in the huge field with a 30 000 strong crowd I get that, but I can play baseball. I can play golf.

Deus Ex: Mankind Divided? I can't do that, that's the draw. I'm not a cyborg, I can't run around a warehouse, slaughtering 100s of baddies to save the world.

TV should be thought provoking and deep, at least sometimes. Broadchurch is realistic, sure, but it's not something I can do. I'm not a detective and I don't have the mind for that.

"Look! This man is driving his daughter to the daycare! Wanna watch a dashcam of him driving for 6 mins?"

Hell no, I get enough of that in real life.

i mean, i don't want to hoover my house, and i certainly don't want to watch someone else do it on TV.

Yesssssssssssssssss, "Look at these 4 people set up a gas stove. Then they will make kimchi jjiage."

This is the same reason I don't play sports video games. (I do understand why people so, I'm not ragging on them).

I could go outside and throw a ball around. Yes, I know, I'm not playing in the huge field with a 30 000 strong crowd I get that, but I can play baseball. I can play golf.

Deus Ex: Mankind Divided? I can't do that, that's the draw. I'm not a cyborg, I can't run around a warehouse, slaughtering 100s of baddies to save the world.

TV should be thought provoking and deep, at least sometimes. Broadchurch is realistic, sure, but it's not something I can do. I'm not a detective and I don't have the mind for that.

"Look! This man is driving his daughter to the daycare! Wanna watch a dashcam of him driving for 6 mins?"

Hell no, I get enough of that in real life.

Not with that attitude you can't!
(And not yet because of technology limitations but, give it a couple years, and I'll be one of the cyborgs killings 100s of bad guys to save the world too! :d )

I agree that a lot of the programming is pretty bad, but I think a really large part of the appeal comes after you start to know and care about the people on the show, who are usually either regular hosts or guest celebrities. We don't really care because we don't care about the people on the show.

But like, if there was a show where I could watch Robert Smith eat a bowl of noodles, I would absolutely tune in to watch every little detail of him eating noodles. People doing dumb everyday stuff is boring, unless it's someone with whom you're familiar, and then it's interesting to the degree that you're interested in the person. 나 혼자 산다 (I Live Alone) is a lot less grating once you get kind of used to the hosts and what their individual character gimmicks are. People develop an affinity for the characters they like,

The programming generally isn't very good, but I can completely understand why people enjoy it. The only two Korean shows I ever watch of my own accord are 대한외국인 (the quiz show) and 어서와~ 한국은 처음이지? (the one where the foreigners visit). The former is fun because I can actually answer some of the questions, and it shows foreigners not being dumb, which is nice. The latter is super hit or miss, but if it's a good group of people on, it's pretty entertaining. And the production is a lot less annoying than most shows.

Anyways, yeah. I'm not a big fan of Korean TV at all. And the dramas are, for the most part, unwatchable, to me. But I get why people like it.

I've heard before part of the reason TV here seems so random and crappy is because they don't take the time to make good content, they just make content and put it out. 

What you wrote has a lot to do with this, also I'd always thought part of it was due to the secrecy and hierarchy of Korean society.  It's quite rare for people to go around to another person's house or have some such relationship that we have in the west, that's why it's eye-candy to watch other people doing boring as shit stuff at home that make me want to pull my hair out.  People don't really go around to someone else's house, so you are kind of unaware of someone else's life.  In all my time here, and with all my Korean friends, I've only been to three houses.  People just meet out at a restaurant or coffee shop.  No wonder it's a draw to watch some tw atty Korean celeb guy trying to do his laundry.   

and 어서와~ 한국은 처음이지? (the one where the foreigners visit).

this is probably the worst one, on all of tv. foreigners doing stuff that koreans do every day. "wow, look how much foreigners love korea!", "haha! look! a foreigners is eating spicy food. it's too spicy for him!", "omg the foreigners just said the subway is really efficient. look how great us koreans are". it only EVER shows things in a 100% positive light- gratingly so. it feels like the main purpose of the show is so the korean audience can give themselves a big ol' pat on the back. after all, judging from this tv show, korea is amazing and all foreigners love it so much that they have absolutely 0 negative things to say

and 어서와~ 한국은 처음이지? (the one where the foreigners visit).

this is probably the worst one, on all of tv. foreigners doing stuff that koreans do every day. "wow, look how much foreigners love korea!", "haha! look! a foreigners is eating spicy food. it's too spicy for him!", "omg the foreigners just said the subway is really efficient. look how great us koreans are". it only EVER shows things in a 100% positive light- gratingly so. it feels like the main purpose of the show is so the korean audience can give themselves a big ol' pat on the back. after all, judging from this tv show, korea is amazing and all foreigners love it so much that they have absolutely 0 negative things to say

I... what? Have you literally ever actually watched it? There are the parts that are obviously scripted where the producers told them to say some dumb overly positive stuff about how great Korea is, but if you actually watch it, there are lots of times when people are less than impressed with what they're doing or seeing.

It's definitely one of the least insulting and condescending portrayals of foreigners on TV that I've seen. Not to mention it's one of the few times that you'll see foreigners being normal people, instead of acting how Korean producers think foreigners should act.

Every time I've seen it I just hear things like, "this is the most delicious thing I have ever eaten" or "Korea is the most impressive place I've ever been". It's so cringe worthy. I have to leave the room. I literally cannot stand it

Every time I've seen it I just hear things like, "this is the most delicious thing I have ever eaten" or "Korea is the most impressive place I've ever been". It's so cringe worthy. I have to leave the room. I literally cannot stand it

When Oglop has his kid/s, I'm well going to sign him up for one of these shows. 

Narrator:  'Look at this shattered British guy coming home from his long day at work, and then doing the 50/50 housework'

Oglop:  '뭐야' 

Narrator:  'Look, he spilled the washing powder all over the floor before stepping on a soiled nappy'
*repeated three times with a boing sound* 

Wife:  오빠 바보!

*canned laughter* 

Oglop:  FML 

there's a dystopian future if i've ever heard one

well, as long as the tv company pays me to see what a pathetic loser i am, it wouldn't be so bad

well, as long as the tv company pays me to see what a pathetic loser i am, it wouldn't be so bad

Hmmm, I had you down as more of a loveable Hugh Grant kind of guy...

Every time I've seen it I just hear things like, "this is the most delicious thing I have ever eaten" or "Korea is the most impressive place I've ever been". It's so cringe worthy. I have to leave the room. I literally cannot stand it

Oglop, why do you think Koreans are always looking for this kind of affirmation?  I haven't come across it in other countries.

I'm utterly burnt out.

In his infinite wisdom, the principal at my main school (3 days a week), decided to reduce the summer holiday period to 7 weekdays! They didn't keep on top of the maintenance and the school will be undergoing renovations from January to late February, meaning there'll be no 2 week school period at the start of February. Still, the point of summer holidays is to take a break during the hottest weeks of the year and a break from a pretty stressful job; you don't go 2 days without eating and expect to gorge yourself on the 3rd day.

Since I had to do a week of camp, I had 2 days of holiday before coming back to school, this was after a long and stressful first term. The students are all miserable and unmotivated making it even more difficult to teach them,  my CT, who never complains, is complaining. The license given to each principal to basically whatever the hell they want is one of the stupidest things in this countries education systems.
 
For the first time in my life, I'm getting headaches for no reason, I'm cutting almost every workout short and I just don't have the energy to do anything but waste time playing computer games.

This year cannot end fast enough.

I'm utterly burnt out.

Since I had to do a week of camp, I had 2 days of holiday before coming back to school, this was after a long and stressful first term. The students are all miserable and unmotivated making it even more difficult to teach them,  my CT, who never complains, is complaining. The license given to each principal to basically whatever the hell they want is one of the stupidest things in this countries education systems.
 

   Burnout sucks. I hate that feeling of knowing that your classes could be better, but can't summon the motivation to grind out the quality prep that it requires. Combine that with unhappy kids, and, well... my condolences. 


    Oh, and make doubly sure that your school understands the new contracts (I'm assuming you're EPIK!): since you only took 2 vacation days this summer, they are obliged to give you the remaining 24 (minus whatever discretionary holidays the school has taken, which won't be more than 3) over the winter holidays.
That's nearly five weeks of vacation!
If the school doesn't schedule a long enough break to accommodate that, then they're SOL: our vacation days take precedence over their scheduling (although the *scheduling* of our vacation days does not, unfortunately.    )

Oglop, why do you think Koreans are always looking for this kind of affirmation?  I haven't come across it in other countries.

They're between China and Japan. I think most Westerners could tell you some things about the two countries..... but prod them about Korea and it becomes a lot less evident. Canadians have the same problem with the US as neighbours.

We love ANY attention we get.

Every time I've seen it I just hear things like, "this is the most delicious thing I have ever eaten" or "Korea is the most impressive place I've ever been". It's so cringe worthy. I have to leave the room. I literally cannot stand it

Oglop, why do you think Koreans are always looking for this kind of affirmation?  I haven't come across it in other countries.

If I could have a go at answering this, Western tourists coming here is still a comparatively novel thing. Obviously if it's an important enough event to make a TV show about it, viewers would rather see Western tourists liking stuff here than slagging it off. Koreans also get a lot of propaganda at school - in particular in English lessons they're specifically taught how to tell foreigners how great Korea is. Hence you only have to mention K pop to a Korean adult and they will tell you apropos of nothing that K pop is famous all over the world. Straight from Middle School English unit 10.

Every time I've seen it I just hear things like, "this is the most delicious thing I have ever eaten" or "Korea is the most impressive place I've ever been". It's so cringe worthy. I have to leave the room. I literally cannot stand it

Oglop, why do you think Koreans are always looking for this kind of affirmation?  I haven't come across it in other countries.

If I could have a go at answering this, Western tourists coming here is still a comparatively novel thing. Obviously if it's an important enough event to make a TV show about it, viewers would rather see Western tourists liking stuff here than slagging it off. Koreans also get a lot of propaganda at school - in particular in English lessons they're specifically taught how to tell foreigners how great Korea is. Hence you only have to mention K pop to a Korean adult and they will tell you apropos of nothing that K pop is famous all over the world. Straight from Middle School English unit 10.

Every time I've seen it I just hear things like, "this is the most delicious thing I have ever eaten" or "Korea is the most impressive place I've ever been". It's so cringe worthy. I have to leave the room. I literally cannot stand it

Oglop, why do you think Koreans are always looking for this kind of affirmation?  I haven't come across it in other countries.

If I could have a go at answering this, Western tourists coming here is still a comparatively novel thing. Obviously if it's an important enough event to make a TV show about it, viewers would rather see Western tourists liking stuff here than slagging it off. Koreans also get a lot of propaganda at school - in particular in English lessons they're specifically taught how to tell foreigners how great Korea is. Hence you only have to mention K pop to a Korean adult and they will tell you apropos of nothing that K pop is famous all over the world. Straight from Middle School English unit 10.

yeah, of course it's this. but it feels like not liking a single korean food/thing is slighting the whole country and causes outrage. it's okay not to enjoy every single aspect of a country. i would never feel offended if somebody doesn't like fish and chips or english public transportation (i'd actually be curious about non-british peooples' *actual* thoughts more than anything)

wasn't there one episode with some russian girls and one girl diidn't have a very good time? something about her getting sick and staying in the hotel most of the time, and really just wanting to go home. apparently it received a lot of complaints as people took it to her hating korea. i'd like an article about that if anyone has one.