Samsung Madness at English Village

January 6:  Samsung has sent its employees’ children to the English Village for two weeks.  ‘Alice’ is running around like a headless chicken because the company is making nonsensical demands like making Amalani and Albert switch classrooms because they want the higher level kids to be on the second floor.

January 7:  Had to figure out reading class at lunch and switch math with reading because ‘Alice’ neglected to tell me that a) there was a daily reading class and b) I needed to prepare my own materials for it.  She did however, spend an excessive amount of time explaining the “rolling paper” which is insignificant. 

Samsung switched out all the textbooks.  The new ones were identical to the old ones--the only difference: the front cover says ‘Samsung’ instead of a photo of the English Village campus.  They have money to burn. 

January 8:  Went for my medical check.  HorseYear from the headquarters building told me that I needed ₩20,000. So that’s what I took.  The cost turned out to be ₩84,000.   He ended up having to use his credit card, and I’d reimburse him later. 

Bill told my classes that I had gone to the hospital.  Upon returning, several rushed up to me asking, “Teacher are you okay?  Are you sick?”  Then later, one kid said “Teacher, Albert said you died!”  

2014

What is an English Village?

An English village is a sort of an English camp that people (usually kids) go away to for anywhere from one to four weeks.  It's set up like a North American college campus.  There are dorms, several classroom buildings, a gymnasium, cafeteria, administrative building, etc.  They get intensive English instruction concentrating on listening, speaking and reading.  Even electives like crafts, cooking and recreation are conducted in English.  The concept was originally created to give students a chance to participate in an immersion program without having to fly out to Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the Philippines, the U.K., U.S., or whatever other country people ship their kids off to for English language learning. 

Sometimes university students came for a few weeks.  A couple branches of the military also sent cadets and officers to do language learning. 

There are several English villages around Korea.  I taught at a larger one.  At the time, there were about 30 teachers from AU, CN, IE, NZ, SA, UK, and US.  There were also about a dozen Korean teachers. 

Sesaengs

Sesaengs (extreme Korean fans) are so obsessive.  They act as if they own their idols.  Not all of them are in the 14-25 age range, either.  Some are grown-ass adults.  They need to get a life.  Even regular fans are too much.  Don’t you dare ever criticize a beloved idol because their fans will come after you.  I’ve seen it on comment sections of Kpop videos.  It’s almost laughable how rabidly loyal they are to someone who is essentially a stranger with a well-crafted public persona. 

So many Korean celebrities hide the fact that they’re dating or married, not so much for privacy’s sake, but because the moment they announce their engagement or a new romantic partner, they lose thousands of fans.  It’s insane.  As if any of their fans had a chance with him.  A true (read, sane) fan would be happy that their idol has found love, but that’s not how their minds work.  And when fans turn against you, it can get really ugly.  They’ll spread nasty rumors all over the internet, dox idols, stalk and attack them, demand that idols commit suicide.   Straight up gangster criminal behavior.  

That’s how I once scored a Rain CD.  I was in my Korean friend’s car looking through her CDs, came across a Rain album and asked if we could listen to it.  She said, “You can have it.  He’s dating that ugly actress now.”  She’s a middle aged divorcée with two teenaged kids.  I’m pretty sure Rain wouldn’t be interested in her.  Yet, still, she was holding on to that fantasy until it was shattered by his new girlfriend.  Okay…

So many Korean celebrities hide the fact that they’re dating or married, not so much for privacy’s sake, but because the moment they announce their engagement or a new romantic partner, they lose thousands of fans.  It’s insane.  As if any of their fans had a chance with him.  A true (read, sane) fan would be happy that their idol has found love, but that’s not how their minds work.  And when fans turn against you, it can really get ugly.  They become anti-fans, which are a celebrity’s worst nightmare. They’ll spread nasty rumors all over the internet, dox idols, stalk and attack them, demand that idols commit suicide.   Straight up gangster criminal behavior. 

Many fangirls often ship gay relationships for their idols because that means that they won’t be dating any other women (their rivals).  That is completely warped and on the verge of mentally ill.  Possessiveness is unattractive and unhealthy in any relationship, but being possessive of someone you’ve never met is a whole other level of crazy. Ironically, if an idol were to come out as gay, fans still wouldn’t be happy.  I can’t even begin to imagine the backlash. 

Check out what Wikipedia has to say about sesaengs & anti-fans: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sasaeng_fan

Sunhkyunkwan Scandal What If

What if Kim Yoon Hee had accepted Minister Ha’s offer to become his second wife to repay her family’s debt? 

And what if Lee Sun Joon had married Ha Hyo-eun? 

What if they all ended up living together in the same house?

What if Lee Sun Joon then fell in love with his young stepmother-in-law? 

Talk about scandal!  This could be a whole new miniseries or movie! 

Random Short Posts

What was the best book you read in 2011?

Girl in Translation by Ann Kwan

Mourning What was Left on the Cutting Room Floor

Rumor has it that the kiss between Raizo and Mika in the film Ninja Assassin was cut because people were not ready for a Blasian coupling at the time.  The ladies over at the Blasian Narrative are very upset about it.  They might just self-combust if they see Rain’s kissing scenes from the film I Am Cyborg… (starting at 1:13) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGGyXU8luYs and the drama A Love to Kill [kissing video no longer available]  There will be much gnashing of teeth over what could have been. 



Marriage Advice from AskAKorean

When I was about to get married, my aunt -- one of the wisest persons I know -- gave me this advice, which I now give to all my friends who are close to getting married: "Make a list of things you absolutely cannot let go. Important, petty, it doesn't matter. After you have that list, give up on everything else." For me, the list included books, video games, poker, sports on TV and driving to work. And though it may be still early, my marriage is going swell.



Re:  KTown Cowboys Web Series

The norebang episode had my straight up hollering.  I was watching it at four in the morning, though, and possibly woke up my neighbors.  Sorry!

Also, I was so not feeling Peter Jae’s character until he broke out with the Lionel Richie.



What’s Up With These Massive Kpop Groups? 

Five should be the limit.  After that you’re a choir/dance troupe.   I refuse to pay any attention to these massive groups.  It’s members are obviously good-looking and seen talented, but the group sizes just make no sense.  I kind of understand why they exist, but still.  It’s too much!


Super Junior should change its name to The Korean Young Men’s Dancing Choir

Girl Generation should change its name to The Korean Chorus Line

Why do you enjoy k-dramas so much?

Why do you enjoy k-dramas so much? 

-Because they provide a wonderful escape after a stressful day at work. 

-Because the actors are so cute!

-Because the soundtracks are good.

-Because they have a beginning and an end unlike U.S. soap operas which literally go on for decades.

-Just because.  




You know your Kdrama hobby has become a problem when…

…you’re willing to watch raw video rather than to wait for subtitles to be added.

…you regularly dream about the actors or the drama or both.

…you find yourself singing the words to the shows’ theme songs despite the fact that you do not speak the language.  

…your eyes are constantly bloodshot from staying up ‘til ridiculous hours watching “one more episode.” 

Never Say Never

I had never before been interested in travelling to Korea.  Had never considered learning the language.  Had never considered Asian men as potential romantic partners.  Had never cared one way or the other about their music.  Then I began watching Kdramas and everything changed.  Before this, the Asian countries that almost exclusively held my interest were India and Japan, but now Korea has sneakily managed to squeeze itself onto that short list.  


A couple of friends and a few acquaintances have worked as English teachers in Korea for a year in the 1990s.  All of a sudden I’m full of questions about their time there.  And they’re looking at me like, “You didn’t seem too interested then, what’s up with you now?”