من اعداد وترجمة: امنيه احمد محمد كامل o.a.m
Only 2 episodes of “Cheongdam-dong Alice” have been shown so far, and, although PSH’s performance is vastly entertaining, there is something that deeply disturbs me. And it is the MGY/NGM relationship.
No, it’s not the disproportionate screentime NGM has been given for a cameo (especially considering he’s the “Buy one, get one free” from EYAGI.) It’s the despair their relationship represents. They are young, both university graduates, both have jobs, and yet it appears there is no hope for them. Is this what S. Korean society is really like?
NGM has a mother in hospital, yes, I know this can be a tremendous drain on his finances (and on his spirit). So it appears there is no universal healthcare in S. Korea. Citizens have to take care of themselves when they fall ill because the government doesn’t. I’ve lived in a few countries where I’ve had to buy my own health insurance. So NGM’s plight is not exactly unique. Desperate for money, he resorts to illegal means. While sympathetic, I find this sends the wrong message. By hook or by crook should not be encouraged.
In his hopeless state, NGM does (what appears to him) the honorable thing — he releases MGY from their relationship. They’ve been together for 6 years but he sees no future for them. If two young, able-bodied, employed people feel like this, what hope is there for other Koreans in similar or worse situations? If art imitates life, does this mean the majority of Koreans are toiling hopelessly everyday?
MGY’s motto is “L’effort est ma force” (Effort is my strength — but why does this have to be in French?) In two episodes she has already demolished her own long-held cherished belief. She thinks working under someone she considers her intellectual inferior is intolerable. Grow up, kid! She has almost convinced me that hard work and persistence mean nothing. But how has she exerted her efforts? It is not shown in the drama. We are only told she hasn’t been able to find a job in 3 years. Is this normal in S. Korea? (I wouldn’t know.) If it is, then it’s pathetic. If a university graduate (#2 in her class, proficient in French, is unable to find gainful employment in 3 years, the unemployment rate in S. Korea must be really bad. (And I know it isn’t; I just checked – it is 2.8% in October 2012.)
So these two are forced to part because there is no hope of a future for them. There is a Chinese saying: 貧賤夫妻百事哀 (meaning: “A married couple in poverty is faced with 100 sorrows”.) So what’s new? Life is hard (unless you’re in the Top 1%.) How many of us are born into a chaebol family? Which of us does not have to work hard to get on? If you’re holding a good job now, was it handed to you on a platter? Can we ever forget PSH endured 10 years as an unknown? He never once thought of giving up; he was determined to go forward. If he had succumbed to despair, we would not be meeting here now.
I haven’t watched that many Korean dramas (or perhaps I should say: I haven’t finished that many.) It seems to me Koreans are obsessed with the Cinderella theme. Perhaps this is most appealing to Korean ajummas who have to wash the dishes after cooking dinner before they can sit down to watch their favorite drama. How wonderful it would be if they could 飛上枝頭變鳳凰 (Chinese saying that translates literally as: “Transform into a phoenix and fly up to the top branch”, meaning: rise to the top by a miracle.) Becoming rich, taking their place in the highest echelon of society effortlessly, painlessly ….
I read somewhere that the most admired/envied character in K-drama is Hwang Tae Hee in QOR. All the Korean ajummas want to be in her shoes. A 40-something ajumma, divorced, with a child, not that pretty, however capable, courted by her young, rich, to-die-for chaebol boss — an over-aged Cinderella hooking the cutest prince of all, and she even plays hard-to-get! Fantasy, wishful thinking ….Ah! there’s hope for lesser mortals like us still, so dream on ….
I find it very sad that all Korean women can hope for is to be Cinderella (if it is true.) How many princes are there? I’ve visited S. Korea half a dozen times, and every time I’m impressed by its vitality, vibrancy, color, energy …. Of course there is disparity between rich and poor and even class divisions (like many other countries in the world.) But if the Korean women are all hoping to be Cinderella, what about the men? What are their dreams? How many will start their own business after being abandoned by their father and their lover, like Cha Seung Jo / Jean Thierry Cha in CDDA? Even Goo Yong Shik in QOR has to prove himself when he is relegated to the sidelines by his family.
Is that all that Korean women can look forward to in life? No wonder there is such a nationwide craze for artificial beauty. If you’re not born beautiful, man can rectify the oversight of God. Once you’re made beautiful, you can be a star, actor, singer, or a Cheongdam-dong wife! So it would seem MGY (already pretty and smart) has decided it is her due to be a CDD daughter-in-law. I guess NGM will “go gently into that good night” after Episode 3 (and I won’t miss him.) Some people say he resembles Bae Yong Jun, well, if I don’t even care for the original, how can I like the copy?
I’m looking forward to the real beginning of the PSH/MGY relationship. It doesn’t quite start off right, but what can be worse than the 3 slaps administered by Dan Ah to Kang Suk in FH? If that could blossom into such a happy union, then I’m sure our King of Reversals has some surprises in store for us in the upcoming episodes of CDDA.
……………
(Credits: Photos from http://sbs.co.kr; gif frojm http://parksihoobar.com. Thanks!)
2012.12.07 (Korea Times)
“Cheongdam-dong Alice” – “Park Si Hoo boasts outstanding athleticism, toned body through yoga”
Park Si Hoo revealed his outstanding athleticism while shooting a yoga scene for the SBS weekend drama ”Cheongdam-dong Alice”.
The Park Si Hoo character is taking yoga lessons from a private instructor at a fitness center in Cheongdam-dong when he is startled by the appearance of his father President Cha Il Nam (Han Jin Hee) and almost falls in mid-pose.
In particular, he repeated these moves in shooting and re-shooting of this scene, and even staff members praised him for maintaining that pose throughout.
Park Si Hoo said, “In fact, I’ve been practising yoga for a long time. Here I’m supposed to not do it well, so I deliberately sway a little for the camera.” He continued, “These days I can’t work out much because of drama shooting, but I still try to do some weight training as well as yoga exercise. And then at night or at dawn I maintain my regimen of fitness walking .”
“Cheongdam-dong Alice” is on SBS every Saturday and Sunday at 9:50 p.m.
2012/12/07 (كوريا تايمز)
"أليس Cheongdam دونغ" - "بارك سي هوو يضم الألعاب الرياضية المتميزة، من خلال تخفيف الجسم اليوغا" كشفت بارك سي هوو الألعاب الرياضية البارز أثناء تصوير مشهد اليوغا للدراما نهاية الاسبوع SBS "Cheongdam دونغ أليس". وبارك سي هوو الشخصية هو تلقي دروس اليوغا من مدرب خاص في مركز اللياقة البدنية في Cheongdam دونغ عند أذهل عليه من قبل ظهور والده نام ايل رئيس تشا (هان جين هيي) ويقع تقريبا في منتصف تشكل. على وجه الخصوص، كرر هذه الخطوات في إطلاق النار وإعادة إطلاق النار، هذا المشهد، والموظفين حتى أثنى عليه للحفاظ على التي تشكل طوال الوقت. وقال بارك سي هوو "في الواقع، لقد تم ممارسة اليوغا لفترة طويلة. هنا أنا من المفترض أن لا نفعل ذلك بشكل جيد، لذلك أنا التأثير عمدا قليلا للكاميرا. "وتابع" في هذه الأيام لا أستطيع العمل بها كثيرا بسبب اطلاق النار الدراما، ولكنني مازال يحاول القيام ببعض التدريب والوزن كذلك ممارسة اليوغا. وبعد ذلك في الليل أو عند الفجر I الحفاظ على نظام بلدي من المشي للياقة البدنية. " "أليس Cheongdam دونغ" هو يوم السبت كل وSBS الأحد في الساعة 9:50
الخبر الثانى لبارك سى هوو
تقرير عن بارك سى هوو ومسلسله الجديد
(باللغه الاجليزيه)
What I don’t like about CDDA
Only 2 episodes of “Cheongdam-dong Alice” have been shown so far, and, although PSH’s performance is vastly entertaining, there is something that deeply disturbs me. And it is the MGY/NGM relationship.
No, it’s not the disproportionate screentime NGM has been given for a cameo (especially considering he’s the “Buy one, get one free” from EYAGI.) It’s the despair their relationship represents. They are young, both university graduates, both have jobs, and yet it appears there is no hope for them. Is this what S. Korean society is really like?
NGM has a mother in hospital, yes, I know this can be a tremendous drain on his finances (and on his spirit). So it appears there is no universal healthcare in S. Korea. Citizens have to take care of themselves when they fall ill because the government doesn’t. I’ve lived in a few countries where I’ve had to buy my own health insurance. So NGM’s plight is not exactly unique. Desperate for money, he resorts to illegal means. While sympathetic, I find this sends the wrong message. By hook or by crook should not be encouraged.
In his hopeless state, NGM does (what appears to him) the honorable thing — he releases MGY from their relationship. They’ve been together for 6 years but he sees no future for them. If two young, able-bodied, employed people feel like this, what hope is there for other Koreans in similar or worse situations? If art imitates life, does this mean the majority of Koreans are toiling hopelessly everyday?
MGY’s motto is “L’effort est ma force” (Effort is my strength — but why does this have to be in French?) In two episodes she has already demolished her own long-held cherished belief. She thinks working under someone she considers her intellectual inferior is intolerable. Grow up, kid! She has almost convinced me that hard work and persistence mean nothing. But how has she exerted her efforts? It is not shown in the drama. We are only told she hasn’t been able to find a job in 3 years. Is this normal in S. Korea? (I wouldn’t know.) If it is, then it’s pathetic. If a university graduate (#2 in her class, proficient in French, is unable to find gainful employment in 3 years, the unemployment rate in S. Korea must be really bad. (And I know it isn’t; I just checked – it is 2.8% in October 2012.)
So these two are forced to part because there is no hope of a future for them. There is a Chinese saying: 貧賤夫妻百事哀 (meaning: “A married couple in poverty is faced with 100 sorrows”.) So what’s new? Life is hard (unless you’re in the Top 1%.) How many of us are born into a chaebol family? Which of us does not have to work hard to get on? If you’re holding a good job now, was it handed to you on a platter? Can we ever forget PSH endured 10 years as an unknown? He never once thought of giving up; he was determined to go forward. If he had succumbed to despair, we would not be meeting here now.
I haven’t watched that many Korean dramas (or perhaps I should say: I haven’t finished that many.) It seems to me Koreans are obsessed with the Cinderella theme. Perhaps this is most appealing to Korean ajummas who have to wash the dishes after cooking dinner before they can sit down to watch their favorite drama. How wonderful it would be if they could 飛上枝頭變鳳凰 (Chinese saying that translates literally as: “Transform into a phoenix and fly up to the top branch”, meaning: rise to the top by a miracle.) Becoming rich, taking their place in the highest echelon of society effortlessly, painlessly ….
I read somewhere that the most admired/envied character in K-drama is Hwang Tae Hee in QOR. All the Korean ajummas want to be in her shoes. A 40-something ajumma, divorced, with a child, not that pretty, however capable, courted by her young, rich, to-die-for chaebol boss — an over-aged Cinderella hooking the cutest prince of all, and she even plays hard-to-get! Fantasy, wishful thinking ….Ah! there’s hope for lesser mortals like us still, so dream on ….
I find it very sad that all Korean women can hope for is to be Cinderella (if it is true.) How many princes are there? I’ve visited S. Korea half a dozen times, and every time I’m impressed by its vitality, vibrancy, color, energy …. Of course there is disparity between rich and poor and even class divisions (like many other countries in the world.) But if the Korean women are all hoping to be Cinderella, what about the men? What are their dreams? How many will start their own business after being abandoned by their father and their lover, like Cha Seung Jo / Jean Thierry Cha in CDDA? Even Goo Yong Shik in QOR has to prove himself when he is relegated to the sidelines by his family.
Is that all that Korean women can look forward to in life? No wonder there is such a nationwide craze for artificial beauty. If you’re not born beautiful, man can rectify the oversight of God. Once you’re made beautiful, you can be a star, actor, singer, or a Cheongdam-dong wife! So it would seem MGY (already pretty and smart) has decided it is her due to be a CDD daughter-in-law. I guess NGM will “go gently into that good night” after Episode 3 (and I won’t miss him.) Some people say he resembles Bae Yong Jun, well, if I don’t even care for the original, how can I like the copy?
I’m looking forward to the real beginning of the PSH/MGY relationship. It doesn’t quite start off right, but what can be worse than the 3 slaps administered by Dan Ah to Kang Suk in FH? If that could blossom into such a happy union, then I’m sure our King of Reversals has some surprises in store for us in the upcoming episodes of CDDA.
(Credits: Photos from http://sbs.co.kr; gif frojm http://parksihoobar.com. Thanks!)
الخبر الاول لبارك سى هوو
متاخر
2012.12.07 (Korea Times)
“Cheongdam-dong Alice” – “Park Si Hoo boasts outstanding athleticism, toned body through yoga”
Park Si Hoo revealed his outstanding athleticism while shooting a yoga scene for the SBS weekend drama ”Cheongdam-dong Alice”.
The Park Si Hoo character is taking yoga lessons from a private instructor at a fitness center in Cheongdam-dong when he is startled by the appearance of his father President Cha Il Nam (Han Jin Hee) and almost falls in mid-pose.
In particular, he repeated these moves in shooting and re-shooting of this scene, and even staff members praised him for maintaining that pose throughout.
Park Si Hoo said, “In fact, I’ve been practising yoga for a long time. Here I’m supposed to not do it well, so I deliberately sway a little for the camera.” He continued, “These days I can’t work out much because of drama shooting, but I still try to do some weight training as well as yoga exercise. And then at night or at dawn I maintain my regimen of fitness walking .”
“Cheongdam-dong Alice” is on SBS every Saturday and Sunday at 9:50 p.m.
2012/12/07 (كوريا تايمز)
"أليس Cheongdam دونغ" - "بارك سي هوو يضم الألعاب الرياضية المتميزة، من خلال تخفيف الجسم اليوغا" كشفت بارك سي هوو الألعاب الرياضية البارز أثناء تصوير مشهد اليوغا للدراما نهاية الاسبوع SBS "Cheongdam دونغ أليس". وبارك سي هوو الشخصية هو تلقي دروس اليوغا من مدرب خاص في مركز اللياقة البدنية في Cheongdam دونغ عند أذهل عليه من قبل ظهور والده نام ايل رئيس تشا (هان جين هيي) ويقع تقريبا في منتصف تشكل. على وجه الخصوص، كرر هذه الخطوات في إطلاق النار وإعادة إطلاق النار، هذا المشهد، والموظفين حتى أثنى عليه للحفاظ على التي تشكل طوال الوقت. وقال بارك سي هوو "في الواقع، لقد تم ممارسة اليوغا لفترة طويلة. هنا أنا من المفترض أن لا نفعل ذلك بشكل جيد، لذلك أنا التأثير عمدا قليلا للكاميرا. "وتابع" في هذه الأيام لا أستطيع العمل بها كثيرا بسبب اطلاق النار الدراما، ولكنني مازال يحاول القيام ببعض التدريب والوزن كذلك ممارسة اليوغا. وبعد ذلك في الليل أو عند الفجر I الحفاظ على نظام بلدي من المشي للياقة البدنية. " "أليس Cheongdam دونغ" هو يوم السبت كل وSBS الأحد في الساعة 9:50
