@frenchfan: It gets pretty lonely here at times. I appreciate your views and for speaking up. I just wanted to tell you that and to say thanks. Take care.
@frenchfan and @dncingemma raising the bigger issues on a platform like this takes a lot of guts so it is reassuring when others join the discussion and you don’t feel like a voice crying in the wilderness. I chat to beanies in real life, who have opinions about important issues like this but don’t raise them or join the discussion online. I am sure a lot of lurkers also feel the same. With limited word counts and the context of the discussion it’s hard to go into all the nuances so many beanies choose not to expose themselves so become part of the silent majority.
I think you got an interesting discussion going and found allies. Both of you stayed the course and this will encourage others to think at a different level about what often goes unnoticed or is taken for granted. I hope you continue to counter the alternative perspectives when you feel moved to do so. I hope you are assured that you are not alone in noticing and wanting to widen the discussion beyond the cute actors, scenery and story being shown.
Some of us realised we were in the UK and I wanted to have a Korean drama club where we could meet and chat about dramas, due to distance it is a monthly meet up on zoom. We ended up with European, US and Caribbean members, it includes lurkers and some of the prominent commenters on DB. The club has been going for a year and we have daily contact on WhatsApp. It’s great as we represent different age groups, cultures and religions and have one man in the group.
In open thread and fan wall discussions we started chatting about meeting up in London for the Hallyu exhibition at the V&A with a Korean meal so we finally met in real life there and since then have met for Korean meals tagged on to other events. We are planning a trip to Korea whether we can coordinate it and actually go is another thing!
That’s such a potentially hard thing to get off the ground. Sounds great though. If you happen to be in contact with dramadillo, please say hi to them from me as I haven’t come across any of their comments for a while now.
It wasn’t too difficult and has been well worth it. I am hoping that others will do the same so there are meet ups in different time zones across the globe we are such a diverse group us beanies.
Dearest DancingEmma! I’m sorry I’ve been so absent!🙇🏻♀️ Thank you very much for thinking of me, and I hope you’ve been ok.💗 The world is almost too much (I’d say sometimes, but it’s only really ‘sometimes’ because I suspend all the awful things that are happening into a holdbox in my mind…which is a privilege many don’t have). Thank you for continuing to speak up when you see injustice and prejudice.🙏 I have been thinking a lot about what makes people change their minds (and hearts), and sadly, I’m not sure knowledge and reasoning are enough… At the moment, I am wondering whether the level of collective and individual trauma is so high that we have to start at healing before we can even talk to each other. I honestly don’t know. So I don’t spend a lot of time interacting on the interwebs anymore. Words can feel so flimsy and futile, and they seem to ricochet off everyone’s armour in escalating ways. That’s not to say we should stop pointing out when something isn’t right (so thank you for being strong and continuing!). I just don’t feel like I even have the words most of the time.
I hope you have a support network (virtual or otherwise!) that helps you refuel and recharge when the fight feels particularly lonely! Like @reply1988, call us in when you need us (actually, she messaged me on WhatsApp so if you ever want to be offline friends, let me know! I am not good at sustaining anonymous relationships because I’m a very face-to-face person😅)! Sending you lots and lots of love!💗✨💗✨💗
@mellowarmadillo: It makes me so happy to get your message as you are one of my favourites here but I know real life must take priority as arduous as sometimes it is. So don’t ever apologise. Just stay as healthy, kind and happy as you can.
And, your comment is written as beautifully as many of yours before were. I often feel despondent about the world and what you just wrote resonated with me. I feel the same about not finding words to express how I feel. Just seeing Trump on the Guardian website induced that feeling in me today. Sigh.
Look after yourself and when I feel a bit more robust, would love to meet F2F. Lots of love back to you.
Omg UK! I am in the UK and thought no one from here is! Assumed most of them are from the US or east Asia (based on the time of their comments). I would love love love to join if there is a meet up, virtual or real in London.
Also, I missed the discussion in question here @dancingemma , will go check it out when I get an undisturbed 30 minutes
I have linked you to my fan wall for further info. I can’t believe you missed all the posts we did on Open Thread and our fan walls. So glad you found this discussion at least it will be great to have you join us.
Lurker here just to verify. Not great at sharing my own views, but I do look for @dncingemma ‘s comments for some much needed background info on Korean culture/current events. Please keep shouting into the apparent void (because it is not as empty as it seems)!
Thank you but not because of my ego. It’s because it’s lovely to hear from you. And, I mean it sincerely that you expressed yourself in such a nice way so if and when you have time, please do not hesitate to do it again. I know it isn’t easy to share views. I feel the same just so you know. Take care.
Thanks, I had not heard before that the SK administration blames the Itaewon crowd disaster on drug use, and is using that as part of the reason for their recent drug crackdowns.
It’s always “something else” and “someone else” and never just the government itself mishandling and misjudging a situation. The government is never at fault in Korea—in many places, for that matter. Saying that the Itaewon crushing incident is because ‘resources were diverted because of media coverage of the main event (Hallowe’en celebrations after lockdowns)’ and that people were high on drugs is actually quite the disgusting insult, imho
It is disgusting, untrue and just inhuman. This administration is so regressive and dangerous. It bear remembering that SK only relatively recently emerged from their military dictatorships because of the blood, sweat and tears of those who were vilified as North Korean spies and terrorists as well as drug-users. This is straight from their playbook. One of the links I posted a while ago from Hani.co.uk had this to say:
“ The reason the celebrity drug allegations and incidents are stirring up conspiracy theories is because of South Korea’s history, where dictatorships in past eras exploited drug-related issues to redirect the public’s political attention”. This re-direction has been alleged to include the recent celebrity crackdown.
I think all of this drug-related crackdown started as far back as even the Burning Sun scandal. Not to say that the people involved were innocent—they’ve been proven guilty… One of which, Seungri, was even tried in military court, which is even more strict than S.Korea’s court of public opinion, allegedly— but that the whole thing was definitely a cover-up for something. I read somewhere that it was a cover-up for the internal conflicts that were taking place at the time within Samsung Corp., and we all know how highly S.Korea think of the rich and famous (very on brand with their “keeping up with appearances” society). I’ve read opinion pieces about LSK’s case also being a cover-up about something that has happened— maybe still happening?— politically, and I’m not surprised
This playbook predates the Burning Sun Scandal. The DB site doesn’t let me post a quote because of who knows what but this link mentions the political precedent set by the military dictatorships in Korea in using such tactics to deflect attention from their political scandals and failures: https://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_national/1115767.html
Is to an article which mentions
The Korean democracy is still very young and exists because of the blood, sweat and tears shed by the democracy activists. Given how many western countries in what we perceive of/are told are strong democracies have been doing – from waging illegal wars leading to the destabilisation of the middle east to electing charlatans, racists and misogynists like Trump etc, no wonder nascent democracies like SK are struggling to establish accountability and transparency.
Oh yes, theory of using LSK’s case as a cover-up about the bullying is what I read.
It’s a repeated vicious cycle through and through that anyone with half a sense of consciousness can see right through and which one can see the government isn’t doing anything about nor does it feel like they intentionally want to do anything about it, it’s very apparent
I don’t exempt myself from what I am about to say because many actors are objectified on this site, at times repeatedly and blatantly. This is disturbing. I don’t mean acknowledging the physical beauty of someone but those kinds of references which reduce someone to their looks alone and are demeaning.
I try to check myself but I have been involved in it too. Today, this lingering concern has upset me a fair bit and has made me feel like a hypocrite as just because we are interacting anonymously, it doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t be conscious of our attitudes and words because words have power. I’m going to do better.
Thanks for sharing your reflections. This is one of those areas where there is a very thin line between being ok and going too far down the objectification route. It is hard not to get swept up in it when appearance is exploited by the industry when choosing leads as they know who will get the high ratings and therefore make the money. It is shocking how much of a contrast in the looks depart there is when watching dramas from other countries, K-Drama actors are seriously on another level.
I echo Tessa in giving my thanks about your reflections.
I also know that I do this a lot and am not going to look for an excuse to exempt myself from the criticisms. At the same time, it is for the fact that I know how objectifying the entertainment industry is—across the board, not just in S.Korea, East Asia, etc.— it is also SO IMPORTANT and ALL THE MORE important for myself, personally, to be able to find something that is more and that is outside of just looks which I love and adore about the entertainers (actors, actresses, singers, etc.) whom I am a fan of. Their works, their personalities, their integrity, their morals & values, their intelligence, how they treat others and how they present themselves (the “aura” and impression they give off) are all things that are all much more important to me than just their looks and physicality. I always say that the physical looks of a celebrity/artist is just the EXTRA/bonus
Words have tremendous power indeed. And especially here, on anonymous portals, I think it’s important we are kind to actors, writers, producers and to one another.
Like you, I’ve made mistakes too! Loved reading the reflection & sending love 🙂
Thank you for taking the time to reply. I made an error of judgment today which wasn’t malicious or intentional but nevertheless, it blew up in my face. Life is about learning from our mistakes. And, thank you for sharing your values. I loved reading about it.
“Like Flowers in Sand”: I’m not a fan of this new development. Not at all. Sigh. Why can’t we have a good thing? The KD Goddess is not giving us a break.
Trigger Warning: Discussion of Suicide
“Lee Sun-kyun\’s alleged blackmailer taken into custody”.
“https://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20231228000377”
“In November, Lee tested negative in both a reagent test conducted during police investigations and a comprehensive lab-based drug analysis of his hair samples by the National Forensic Service”.
“Alleged drug use by Korean A-listers rocks nation – but not for the first time”.
This is an interesting and troubling article which inter alia suggests that there might be a political reason for the police crackdown but the DB site doesn’t allow me to post any excerpts.
Trigger warning: Discussion of Suicide
“A closer look into Korea’s suicide statistics
New data reveals where the front lines are in the country’s battle against suicide”.
“The data, released by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, looks into all “deaths caused by external harm,” which includes deaths caused by external factors such as accidents, violence, suicide, poisoning or natural disasters.
Of the 26,148 such deaths that occurred in Korea in 2021, suicides accounted for nearly half of the cases at 13,352. And in the 10-49 age group, suicide’s share of the deaths rises to over 70 percent.
These 13,352 suicides a year translate to 36.6 deaths per day — one suicide every 39 minutes”.
This is heartbreakingly sad.
I wish there wasn’t so much pressure for people to be perceived as perfect in South Korea.
I wish Mental Health was not stigmatised.
I came across this interesting interview with Chae Jonghyeop where he mentioned going to auditions for Sisyphus and Hot Stove League among other tidbits.
I agree. He has a lovely Korean name but clearly had to choose an easy English name when he was sent to South Africa. And, I do mean “sent”. The poor kid seemed not to have had much of a choice as in another interview he mentioned how lonely and homesick he was for quite some time.
Why didn’t anyone tell me how good “Hot Stove League” is? Ok, I might not have listened but have seen the error of my ways. Every actor is great in it and in particular PEB and NM! I’m tolerating BB!
I spent a long time trying to imagine which actor was “BB.” Then I was all, oh, Emma means baseball. 😉
I’m not a fan of many of this year’s rule changes, but baseball can be a great game when you go to the park!! You sit there forever and very little happens. That’s why the best stadiums in America have this great view over the outfield wall…so you can stare, imagining alternative futures for yourself for loooong stretches of time, when suddenly CRACK!!!! someone hits the ball and it soars into your field of view and you think, “Oh, yeah, I’m at a baseball game!” 🤣
Self-harm related post: Trigger warning
I only started watching JDramas in late ‘21 so I have been slowly learning about the actors who I like and their work. In other words, there are a lot of gaps in my knowledge. I wanted something light and came upon this workplace comedy called. “Last Cinderella”. Despite a number of dodgy bits, LC is animated by Shinohara Ryoko’s charming performance as Sakura, a hair stylist who doesn’t like being glammed up in her day to day life but is surrounded by clients who want the very same thing which she avoids. Her character is unpretentious, loyal, honest and ends up falling for a much younger man, Hiroto, who initially lies about liking her but then grows to appreciate, support and love her. This is where the sadness came in (for me) as I only discovered yesterday – after finishing it that the actor who played Hiroto, Miura Haruma took his own life in 2020. MH was a child actor who grew up to be a prolific and successful actor with a reputation for being a decent human being. The cause was said to be depression and anxiety. I found it incredibly sad and wished that he had managed to feel better and keep living.
Beanies, please seek help if you are struggling with mental health issues and talk to a counsellor at a helpline if it is hard to talk to your loved ones. It may seem like you’re alone but you’re not. Aim for living for each day and don’t be ensnared by your thoughts. Each day can be a better day.
Miura Haruma was best friends with Satoh Takeru — it was very tragic, i don’t think anyone knew he was in such a deep state of depression… he was very talented, such a huge loss.
celebriety comes with such a huge price… i worry for all the young actors and idols, especially the asian countries. the netizen vocalizations/pressures seem to be inordinately extreme for them. too many young lives have been lost recently…
He seemed so natural and likeable on screen. Such a loss. I will look up Satoh Takeru. I read in an article that one of his other friends, Shirota Yu, had to perform just after he heard the news and did it with red, swollen eyes. How awful it must have been. Every suicide is such a profound loss for the loved ones in any context.
And, I agree. Also, some might have been struggling with being forced to hide aspects of their true selves like sexuality, etc which makes their losses even more poignant.
A lot of people do not want to seek help specifically because they know exactly what they would hear from a counsellor.
There is a ginormous misunderstanding when it comes to suicide. It’s not necessarily that you are struggling with YOUR life but more with life in general. It appears pointless because it is, and when a lot of helpline talks are about making the other person feel heard or cared for, this is missing the bigger point. They don’t care about feeling cared for anymore. They just don’t buy into the masquerade of life.
Unfortunately, contrary to common belief, while this is described as depression, it’s also a heightened sense of realism rather than pessimism.
No, I don’t want to pretend that life can be great because, right now, I am bored of it. Not my life. Life in general. It is a small point of difference but one that speaks volumes. When a person gets into that mindset, they do not experience it as suffering from mental health issue. They are not sad. They are just bored of pretending that things should matter when, essentially, things only matters as much as we can be bothered to make them. And, as the saying goes, they ran out of f to give… I often wonder how well helpline teams are trained for handling that.
I would agree here. I also found during my own years of depression that people around me weren’t equipped to deal with it – I reached out, I asked for help, but no one knew what to do. No one even understood.
And I’ve seen this happen with others. Someone who tried to take her own life. Thinking back now. She definitely reached out to people. She also reached out to me. And despite having previously been in similar shoes, I still missed the signs.
So all in all, agreed. The messaging to seek help is the right one, but we also need to do better teaching as to how to help.
I’m really sorry. I understand from personal experience and empathise with you. And, I agree with you. I know what I wrote was brief and appeared superficial but I didn’t want to send the brutal message that it is pointless to reach out to others for help when one feels so alone. You’re absolutely right that both professionals and loved ones should be taught better and be equipped to help people with severe depression and suicidal ideations.
Thanks for sharing. It is really gut-wrenching for me to think of anyone in so much pain.
I wish I could find more of Miura Haruma’s work. I haven’t seen “High School Samurai” but would really like to. I hope more of his work will be streamed in my region. If you have time and think of others, I’d love to know.
I’m not Korean so my opinion doesn’t count. BUT! I don’t like this idea! Korean names are beautiful! I also hate it when cultures tries to copy everything USA to the detriment of your own culture disappearing. This has been happening here in Brazil, where I’m from. Hardly anything from our culture is BR anymore, and even though I wouldn’t say our culture was ever “rich” to begin with, as this land was colonized by Portuguese (and later Italians and Germans) who brought African slaves and mostly killed off the Natives. So we have almost nothing original to the land, everything else being a mishmash of old European traditions and American things. The “real” Brazilian today is Portuguese-Black-Native, but with no real strong ties to anything from these cultures, instead, modern Brazilians are American wannabes and I HATE IT. So it makes me sad – again, my opinion doesn’t count – that Koreans are changing their names inside Korean companies inside Korea, for the benefit of maybe international investors or business partners (if I got it right)!!! Please, Korea, keep your names and traditions and let outsiders adapt!
I think the idea of this is a good one, but it sounds like it’s been a bit of a disaster in practice. Also, why not just use their Korean given names? Or even their full name, just without the position or honorifics? Or just make a rule that everyone speaks politely to everyone else and attaches -shi at the end of their names? It seems like there are lots of ways to handle this that might work better.
The article mentions the prevalent cultural taboo of not using honorifics. Cultures are not immutable but this one is woven so tightly into the Korean linguistic framework and is reflective of the Neo-Confucian hierarchical values.
Doesn’t using given names have its own hierarchical implications? For example, older siblings call their younger siblings by their names but not the other way around. Full-name-plus-shi seems more reasonable from this outsider’s perspective but I don’t know how much that would do to get around the respect/hierarchy relationships, since that sends its own message about closeness/distance.
I think all of this would have hierarchical implications, but that’s sort of the point, right? You just have to decide some equal way to address each other if you are trying to achieve a more horizontal culture. Whether that equal way is more casual or more formal seems relatively arbitrary as long as everyone is doing it, and it seems like more formal would make more people feel at ease. I just think there must be easier ways to do it than using English names, particularly if people aren’t allowed to choose any name they like, and using their own names might cut down on the “you can’t use that one because the director is using it” type of logic.
I wonder if giving English names to most of the dogs at the vet hospital in My Man Is Cupid is poking fun at this practice – especially since they’re long ones that could be a bit unwieldy for Korean speakers (Alexandra, Elizabeth …).
DancingEmma
January 30, 2024 at 3:16 AM
Korean women who challene their patriarchal and regressive systems deserve karmic hugs and victories:
https://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_national/1126548.html
DancingEmma
January 30, 2024 at 3:10 AM
The poor working conditions at Korean streaming platforms: https://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20240129000666
DancingEmma
January 30, 2024 at 3:06 AM
The Yoon Government is brutal and a disgrace: https://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20240130000616
DancingEmma
January 25, 2024 at 3:04 PM
@frenchfan: It gets pretty lonely here at times. I appreciate your views and for speaking up. I just wanted to tell you that and to say thanks. Take care.
Reply1988 -❣️Mother Bean❣️
January 25, 2024 at 7:33 PM
@frenchfan and @dncingemma raising the bigger issues on a platform like this takes a lot of guts so it is reassuring when others join the discussion and you don’t feel like a voice crying in the wilderness. I chat to beanies in real life, who have opinions about important issues like this but don’t raise them or join the discussion online. I am sure a lot of lurkers also feel the same. With limited word counts and the context of the discussion it’s hard to go into all the nuances so many beanies choose not to expose themselves so become part of the silent majority.
I think you got an interesting discussion going and found allies. Both of you stayed the course and this will encourage others to think at a different level about what often goes unnoticed or is taken for granted. I hope you continue to counter the alternative perspectives when you feel moved to do so. I hope you are assured that you are not alone in noticing and wanting to widen the discussion beyond the cute actors, scenery and story being shown.
DancingEmma
January 25, 2024 at 7:36 PM
Thanks. I appreciate your comment.
How did you get to pierce the veil of anonymity? Was it because of Covid or are you a magician?
Reply1988 -❣️Mother Bean❣️
January 25, 2024 at 8:08 PM
Some of us realised we were in the UK and I wanted to have a Korean drama club where we could meet and chat about dramas, due to distance it is a monthly meet up on zoom. We ended up with European, US and Caribbean members, it includes lurkers and some of the prominent commenters on DB. The club has been going for a year and we have daily contact on WhatsApp. It’s great as we represent different age groups, cultures and religions and have one man in the group.
In open thread and fan wall discussions we started chatting about meeting up in London for the Hallyu exhibition at the V&A with a Korean meal so we finally met in real life there and since then have met for Korean meals tagged on to other events. We are planning a trip to Korea whether we can coordinate it and actually go is another thing!
DancingEmma
January 25, 2024 at 8:43 PM
That’s such a potentially hard thing to get off the ground. Sounds great though. If you happen to be in contact with dramadillo, please say hi to them from me as I haven’t come across any of their comments for a while now.
Reply1988 -❣️Mother Bean❣️
January 25, 2024 at 9:15 PM
I will call her in so you can speak directly ❤️@mellowarmadillo
Reply1988 -❣️Mother Bean❣️
January 25, 2024 at 9:19 PM
It wasn’t too difficult and has been well worth it. I am hoping that others will do the same so there are meet ups in different time zones across the globe we are such a diverse group us beanies.
dramadillo
January 26, 2024 at 2:23 AM
Dearest DancingEmma! I’m sorry I’ve been so absent!🙇🏻♀️ Thank you very much for thinking of me, and I hope you’ve been ok.💗 The world is almost too much (I’d say sometimes, but it’s only really ‘sometimes’ because I suspend all the awful things that are happening into a holdbox in my mind…which is a privilege many don’t have). Thank you for continuing to speak up when you see injustice and prejudice.🙏 I have been thinking a lot about what makes people change their minds (and hearts), and sadly, I’m not sure knowledge and reasoning are enough… At the moment, I am wondering whether the level of collective and individual trauma is so high that we have to start at healing before we can even talk to each other. I honestly don’t know. So I don’t spend a lot of time interacting on the interwebs anymore. Words can feel so flimsy and futile, and they seem to ricochet off everyone’s armour in escalating ways. That’s not to say we should stop pointing out when something isn’t right (so thank you for being strong and continuing!). I just don’t feel like I even have the words most of the time.
I hope you have a support network (virtual or otherwise!) that helps you refuel and recharge when the fight feels particularly lonely! Like @reply1988, call us in when you need us (actually, she messaged me on WhatsApp so if you ever want to be offline friends, let me know! I am not good at sustaining anonymous relationships because I’m a very face-to-face person😅)! Sending you lots and lots of love!💗✨💗✨💗
DancingEmma
January 26, 2024 at 3:14 AM
@mellowarmadillo: It makes me so happy to get your message as you are one of my favourites here but I know real life must take priority as arduous as sometimes it is. So don’t ever apologise. Just stay as healthy, kind and happy as you can.
And, your comment is written as beautifully as many of yours before were. I often feel despondent about the world and what you just wrote resonated with me. I feel the same about not finding words to express how I feel. Just seeing Trump on the Guardian website induced that feeling in me today. Sigh.
Look after yourself and when I feel a bit more robust, would love to meet F2F. Lots of love back to you.
Dramaforever
January 26, 2024 at 12:12 AM
Omg UK! I am in the UK and thought no one from here is! Assumed most of them are from the US or east Asia (based on the time of their comments). I would love love love to join if there is a meet up, virtual or real in London.
Also, I missed the discussion in question here @dancingemma , will go check it out when I get an undisturbed 30 minutes
Reply1988 -❣️Mother Bean❣️
January 26, 2024 at 12:51 AM
I have linked you to my fan wall for further info. I can’t believe you missed all the posts we did on Open Thread and our fan walls. So glad you found this discussion at least it will be great to have you join us.
Suspicious_Elephant
January 25, 2024 at 7:42 PM
Lurker here just to verify. Not great at sharing my own views, but I do look for @dncingemma ‘s comments for some much needed background info on Korean culture/current events. Please keep shouting into the apparent void (because it is not as empty as it seems)!
Reply1988 -❣️Mother Bean❣️
January 25, 2024 at 7:48 PM
Oh wow,👋🏾 welcome to the discussion. Thanks for jumping in to share these encouraging words.
DancingEmma
January 25, 2024 at 7:55 PM
Thank you but not because of my ego. It’s because it’s lovely to hear from you. And, I mean it sincerely that you expressed yourself in such a nice way so if and when you have time, please do not hesitate to do it again. I know it isn’t easy to share views. I feel the same just so you know. Take care.
FrenchFan
January 26, 2024 at 6:17 AM
Oooooh thank you @dncingemma & @reply1988 for your very kind words! It’s very touching!! <3
I'm lucky to be very well surrounded in real life and find support when I need to, so it's ok if sometimes it can feel lonely here and there.
I sometimes just think of one lurker out there who could read my opinion and that's enough to motivate me to write : )
Wish you two all the best! Take care! <3
DancingEmma
January 12, 2024 at 2:20 AM
Trigger Warning: Suicide related
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/jan/12/parasite-director-bong-joon-ho-leads-artist-outcry-over-death-of-south-korean-actor?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other
bbstl 🧹
January 12, 2024 at 7:55 AM
Thanks, I had not heard before that the SK administration blames the Itaewon crowd disaster on drug use, and is using that as part of the reason for their recent drug crackdowns.
Bebe | Nessa❣️
January 12, 2024 at 10:15 AM
It’s always “something else” and “someone else” and never just the government itself mishandling and misjudging a situation. The government is never at fault in Korea—in many places, for that matter. Saying that the Itaewon crushing incident is because ‘resources were diverted because of media coverage of the main event (Hallowe’en celebrations after lockdowns)’ and that people were high on drugs is actually quite the disgusting insult, imho
DancingEmma
January 12, 2024 at 11:23 AM
It is disgusting, untrue and just inhuman. This administration is so regressive and dangerous. It bear remembering that SK only relatively recently emerged from their military dictatorships because of the blood, sweat and tears of those who were vilified as North Korean spies and terrorists as well as drug-users. This is straight from their playbook. One of the links I posted a while ago from Hani.co.uk had this to say:
“ The reason the celebrity drug allegations and incidents are stirring up conspiracy theories is because of South Korea’s history, where dictatorships in past eras exploited drug-related issues to redirect the public’s political attention”. This re-direction has been alleged to include the recent celebrity crackdown.
Bebe | Nessa❣️
January 12, 2024 at 11:35 AM
I think all of this drug-related crackdown started as far back as even the Burning Sun scandal. Not to say that the people involved were innocent—they’ve been proven guilty… One of which, Seungri, was even tried in military court, which is even more strict than S.Korea’s court of public opinion, allegedly— but that the whole thing was definitely a cover-up for something. I read somewhere that it was a cover-up for the internal conflicts that were taking place at the time within Samsung Corp., and we all know how highly S.Korea think of the rich and famous (very on brand with their “keeping up with appearances” society). I’ve read opinion pieces about LSK’s case also being a cover-up about something that has happened— maybe still happening?— politically, and I’m not surprised
DancingEmma
January 12, 2024 at 12:00 PM
This playbook predates the Burning Sun Scandal. The DB site doesn’t let me post a quote because of who knows what but this link mentions the political precedent set by the military dictatorships in Korea in using such tactics to deflect attention from their political scandals and failures:
https://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_national/1115767.html
Is to an article which mentions
DancingEmma
January 12, 2024 at 12:12 PM
The Korean democracy is still very young and exists because of the blood, sweat and tears shed by the democracy activists. Given how many western countries in what we perceive of/are told are strong democracies have been doing – from waging illegal wars leading to the destabilisation of the middle east to electing charlatans, racists and misogynists like Trump etc, no wonder nascent democracies like SK are struggling to establish accountability and transparency.
Bebe | Nessa❣️
January 12, 2024 at 12:24 PM
Oh yes, theory of using LSK’s case as a cover-up about the bullying is what I read.
It’s a repeated vicious cycle through and through that anyone with half a sense of consciousness can see right through and which one can see the government isn’t doing anything about nor does it feel like they intentionally want to do anything about it, it’s very apparent
DancingEmma
January 12, 2024 at 1:57 AM
I don’t exempt myself from what I am about to say because many actors are objectified on this site, at times repeatedly and blatantly. This is disturbing. I don’t mean acknowledging the physical beauty of someone but those kinds of references which reduce someone to their looks alone and are demeaning.
I try to check myself but I have been involved in it too. Today, this lingering concern has upset me a fair bit and has made me feel like a hypocrite as just because we are interacting anonymously, it doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t be conscious of our attitudes and words because words have power. I’m going to do better.
Reply1988 -❣️Mother Bean❣️
January 12, 2024 at 4:28 AM
Thanks for sharing your reflections. This is one of those areas where there is a very thin line between being ok and going too far down the objectification route. It is hard not to get swept up in it when appearance is exploited by the industry when choosing leads as they know who will get the high ratings and therefore make the money. It is shocking how much of a contrast in the looks depart there is when watching dramas from other countries, K-Drama actors are seriously on another level.
Bebe | Nessa❣️
January 12, 2024 at 11:03 AM
I echo Tessa in giving my thanks about your reflections.
I also know that I do this a lot and am not going to look for an excuse to exempt myself from the criticisms. At the same time, it is for the fact that I know how objectifying the entertainment industry is—across the board, not just in S.Korea, East Asia, etc.— it is also SO IMPORTANT and ALL THE MORE important for myself, personally, to be able to find something that is more and that is outside of just looks which I love and adore about the entertainers (actors, actresses, singers, etc.) whom I am a fan of. Their works, their personalities, their integrity, their morals & values, their intelligence, how they treat others and how they present themselves (the “aura” and impression they give off) are all things that are all much more important to me than just their looks and physicality. I always say that the physical looks of a celebrity/artist is just the EXTRA/bonus
DancingEmma
January 12, 2024 at 10:46 PM
Thank you for your lovely reply and for taking the time to elaborate on your values. I completely agree.
Isa is always time travelling
January 13, 2024 at 1:25 AM
Totally agree. Thanks for explaining it so nicely 😊
greenfields
January 12, 2024 at 10:14 PM
Words have tremendous power indeed. And especially here, on anonymous portals, I think it’s important we are kind to actors, writers, producers and to one another.
Like you, I’ve made mistakes too! Loved reading the reflection & sending love 🙂
DancingEmma
January 12, 2024 at 10:50 PM
Thank you for taking the time to reply. I made an error of judgment today which wasn’t malicious or intentional but nevertheless, it blew up in my face. Life is about learning from our mistakes. And, thank you for sharing your values. I loved reading about it.
DancingEmma
January 2, 2024 at 8:53 PM
We could all use an article with pics of Fu Bao, the panda frolicking in the snow.
https://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_national/1122587.html
owl 🦉 🫰
January 2, 2024 at 9:02 PM
Omo, so adorbs! Thanks, DancingEmma, for the bright spot today!
DancingEmma
January 2, 2024 at 9:04 PM
Happy to oblige. I know my posts are often on serious things so wanted to include this even if entirely unrelated to KDs.
🌸 Cera (@Seeker) 🌸
January 2, 2024 at 9:23 PM
It is related to self-care which I would say is K-drama related. Thank you. ❤
DancingEmma
January 2, 2024 at 8:38 PM
Trigger Warning: Suicide related
“[Column] Lee Sun-kyun deserved a better ending than this”.
https://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_editorial/1122705.html
DancingEmma
January 2, 2024 at 5:04 PM
SK begins its tenure as a non-P5 member at the UNSC.
https://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20240102000676
Also, terrible news from yesterday about Lee Jaemyung’s stabbing in Busan.
DancingEmma
December 31, 2023 at 9:00 AM
Let’s caption this pic. It made laugh as they seemed to miss the memo about smiling, and the one on the R?
Seon-ha
March 28, 2024 at 4:10 PM
Comment was deleted
DancingEmma
March 28, 2024 at 4:15 PM
Ahhh, thanks for choosing to answer. You will be a formidable baaaaaad cop!
Seon-ha
March 28, 2024 at 4:17 PM
Comment was deleted
DancingEmma
March 28, 2024 at 4:22 PM
“Mother Gothe” is a cool nickname. I hope once in a while you dress up to complement the effect.
DancingEmma
December 28, 2023 at 11:17 PM
A small step forward in extending social welfare support to single-parent families and teenagers.
https://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20231228000628
DancingEmma
December 28, 2023 at 8:40 PM
“Like Flowers in Sand”: I’m not a fan of this new development. Not at all. Sigh. Why can’t we have a good thing? The KD Goddess is not giving us a break.
DancingEmma
December 28, 2023 at 6:05 PM
Trigger Warning: Discussion of Suicide
“Lee Sun-kyun\’s alleged blackmailer taken into custody”.
“https://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20231228000377”
“In November, Lee tested negative in both a reagent test conducted during police investigations and a comprehensive lab-based drug analysis of his hair samples by the National Forensic Service”.
🌸 Cera (@Seeker) 🌸
December 28, 2023 at 6:39 PM
I hope they are investigated as per due procedure and not pushed into a corner.
DancingEmma
December 28, 2023 at 2:36 PM
“Alleged drug use by Korean A-listers rocks nation – but not for the first time”.
This is an interesting and troubling article which inter alia suggests that there might be a political reason for the police crackdown but the DB site doesn’t allow me to post any excerpts.
https://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_national/1115767.html?_ga=2.1823345.1597610960.1703721288-1991354265.1703721288
DancingEmma
December 27, 2023 at 1:46 PM
Trigger warning: Discussion of Suicide
“A closer look into Korea’s suicide statistics
New data reveals where the front lines are in the country’s battle against suicide”.
“The data, released by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, looks into all “deaths caused by external harm,” which includes deaths caused by external factors such as accidents, violence, suicide, poisoning or natural disasters.
Of the 26,148 such deaths that occurred in Korea in 2021, suicides accounted for nearly half of the cases at 13,352. And in the 10-49 age group, suicide’s share of the deaths rises to over 70 percent.
These 13,352 suicides a year translate to 36.6 deaths per day — one suicide every 39 minutes”.
Mrs Buckwheat
December 27, 2023 at 2:00 PM
This is heartbreakingly sad.
I wish there wasn’t so much pressure for people to be perceived as perfect in South Korea.
I wish Mental Health was not stigmatised.
DancingEmma
December 27, 2023 at 1:30 PM
Good news (well..): “Gender gap at work improving, albeit slowly
Korean women still earn 70% of what men earn”.
https://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20231227000532
And really awful news: This hideous misogynist is launching his own hard right party in SK. That’s all they need. May it tanks.
https://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20231227000554
DancingEmma
December 22, 2023 at 2:58 AM
I came across this interesting interview with Chae Jonghyeop where he mentioned going to auditions for Sisyphus and Hot Stove League among other tidbits.
https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/kdramareports/id1531287531?i=1000511138584
Seon-ha
December 22, 2023 at 6:43 AM
OK, here’s something for damn sure. I’m never, NEVER, going to think of CJH as “Jimmy.” NEVER. Sorry, dude. Nah. 😂
DancingEmma
December 22, 2023 at 7:27 AM
I agree. He has a lovely Korean name but clearly had to choose an easy English name when he was sent to South Africa. And, I do mean “sent”. The poor kid seemed not to have had much of a choice as in another interview he mentioned how lonely and homesick he was for quite some time.
DancingEmma
December 21, 2023 at 10:55 PM
Why didn’t anyone tell me how good “Hot Stove League” is? Ok, I might not have listened but have seen the error of my ways. Every actor is great in it and in particular PEB and NM! I’m tolerating BB!
Elinor is trapped in the timeslip
December 21, 2023 at 11:12 PM
LOL, we all told you, but did you listen? 😆
Glad you like it! The whole cast is terrific.
DancingEmma
December 21, 2023 at 11:23 PM
Haha! I’ll slap myself! I’m enjoying it so much.
Seon-ha
December 22, 2023 at 6:54 AM
I spent a long time trying to imagine which actor was “BB.” Then I was all, oh, Emma means baseball. 😉
I’m not a fan of many of this year’s rule changes, but baseball can be a great game when you go to the park!! You sit there forever and very little happens. That’s why the best stadiums in America have this great view over the outfield wall…so you can stare, imagining alternative futures for yourself for loooong stretches of time, when suddenly CRACK!!!! someone hits the ball and it soars into your field of view and you think, “Oh, yeah, I’m at a baseball game!” 🤣
DancingEmma
December 22, 2023 at 7:19 AM
Nicely put!
Kurama
December 22, 2023 at 12:05 AM
Hum… I’m pretty sure everybody who watched it, said it was good. Where were you? 😅
DancingEmma
December 22, 2023 at 12:20 AM
I only joined DB in late 2021!
Kurama
December 22, 2023 at 12:32 AM
Ok… you’re half-excused, then 😁
korfan
December 22, 2023 at 1:22 AM
Definitely a good show! Enjoy!
DancingEmma
December 22, 2023 at 1:32 AM
Thank you! I love it!
DancingEmma
December 19, 2023 at 4:56 PM
Self-harm related post: Trigger warning
I only started watching JDramas in late ‘21 so I have been slowly learning about the actors who I like and their work. In other words, there are a lot of gaps in my knowledge. I wanted something light and came upon this workplace comedy called. “Last Cinderella”. Despite a number of dodgy bits, LC is animated by Shinohara Ryoko’s charming performance as Sakura, a hair stylist who doesn’t like being glammed up in her day to day life but is surrounded by clients who want the very same thing which she avoids. Her character is unpretentious, loyal, honest and ends up falling for a much younger man, Hiroto, who initially lies about liking her but then grows to appreciate, support and love her. This is where the sadness came in (for me) as I only discovered yesterday – after finishing it that the actor who played Hiroto, Miura Haruma took his own life in 2020. MH was a child actor who grew up to be a prolific and successful actor with a reputation for being a decent human being. The cause was said to be depression and anxiety. I found it incredibly sad and wished that he had managed to feel better and keep living.
Beanies, please seek help if you are struggling with mental health issues and talk to a counsellor at a helpline if it is hard to talk to your loved ones. It may seem like you’re alone but you’re not. Aim for living for each day and don’t be ensnared by your thoughts. Each day can be a better day.
spazmo
December 19, 2023 at 11:39 PM
Miura Haruma was best friends with Satoh Takeru — it was very tragic, i don’t think anyone knew he was in such a deep state of depression… he was very talented, such a huge loss.
celebriety comes with such a huge price… i worry for all the young actors and idols, especially the asian countries. the netizen vocalizations/pressures seem to be inordinately extreme for them. too many young lives have been lost recently…
DancingEmma
December 19, 2023 at 11:50 PM
He seemed so natural and likeable on screen. Such a loss. I will look up Satoh Takeru. I read in an article that one of his other friends, Shirota Yu, had to perform just after he heard the news and did it with red, swollen eyes. How awful it must have been. Every suicide is such a profound loss for the loved ones in any context.
And, I agree. Also, some might have been struggling with being forced to hide aspects of their true selves like sexuality, etc which makes their losses even more poignant.
Cecee
December 21, 2023 at 6:18 AM
A lot of people do not want to seek help specifically because they know exactly what they would hear from a counsellor.
There is a ginormous misunderstanding when it comes to suicide. It’s not necessarily that you are struggling with YOUR life but more with life in general. It appears pointless because it is, and when a lot of helpline talks are about making the other person feel heard or cared for, this is missing the bigger point. They don’t care about feeling cared for anymore. They just don’t buy into the masquerade of life.
Unfortunately, contrary to common belief, while this is described as depression, it’s also a heightened sense of realism rather than pessimism.
No, I don’t want to pretend that life can be great because, right now, I am bored of it. Not my life. Life in general. It is a small point of difference but one that speaks volumes. When a person gets into that mindset, they do not experience it as suffering from mental health issue. They are not sad. They are just bored of pretending that things should matter when, essentially, things only matters as much as we can be bothered to make them. And, as the saying goes, they ran out of f to give… I often wonder how well helpline teams are trained for handling that.
greenfields
January 12, 2024 at 10:14 PM
I would agree here. I also found during my own years of depression that people around me weren’t equipped to deal with it – I reached out, I asked for help, but no one knew what to do. No one even understood.
And I’ve seen this happen with others. Someone who tried to take her own life. Thinking back now. She definitely reached out to people. She also reached out to me. And despite having previously been in similar shoes, I still missed the signs.
So all in all, agreed. The messaging to seek help is the right one, but we also need to do better teaching as to how to help.
DancingEmma
January 12, 2024 at 11:01 PM
I’m really sorry. I understand from personal experience and empathise with you. And, I agree with you. I know what I wrote was brief and appeared superficial but I didn’t want to send the brutal message that it is pointless to reach out to others for help when one feels so alone. You’re absolutely right that both professionals and loved ones should be taught better and be equipped to help people with severe depression and suicidal ideations.
greenfields
January 12, 2024 at 10:11 PM
Satoh Takeru (mentioned here in discussion) and Miura Haruma are two of my most favorite actors from Japan. I’ve watched a lot of their work.
High School Samurai? Might be my favorite of Miura Harumas works. I was very sad when the news came out that he’d passed away.
DancingEmma
January 12, 2024 at 11:06 PM
Thanks for sharing. It is really gut-wrenching for me to think of anyone in so much pain.
I wish I could find more of Miura Haruma’s work. I haven’t seen “High School Samurai” but would really like to. I hope more of his work will be streamed in my region. If you have time and think of others, I’d love to know.
DancingEmma
December 18, 2023 at 3:13 AM
“ English name policies at work: top-down policy or horizontal culture”
https://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20231218000596
Kitsune Moon
December 18, 2023 at 3:55 AM
I’m not Korean so my opinion doesn’t count. BUT! I don’t like this idea! Korean names are beautiful! I also hate it when cultures tries to copy everything USA to the detriment of your own culture disappearing. This has been happening here in Brazil, where I’m from. Hardly anything from our culture is BR anymore, and even though I wouldn’t say our culture was ever “rich” to begin with, as this land was colonized by Portuguese (and later Italians and Germans) who brought African slaves and mostly killed off the Natives. So we have almost nothing original to the land, everything else being a mishmash of old European traditions and American things. The “real” Brazilian today is Portuguese-Black-Native, but with no real strong ties to anything from these cultures, instead, modern Brazilians are American wannabes and I HATE IT. So it makes me sad – again, my opinion doesn’t count – that Koreans are changing their names inside Korean companies inside Korea, for the benefit of maybe international investors or business partners (if I got it right)!!! Please, Korea, keep your names and traditions and let outsiders adapt!
Kitsune Moon
December 18, 2023 at 3:56 AM
*try, their, GAHHHH typing too fast
Unaspirated
December 18, 2023 at 6:08 AM
I think the idea of this is a good one, but it sounds like it’s been a bit of a disaster in practice. Also, why not just use their Korean given names? Or even their full name, just without the position or honorifics? Or just make a rule that everyone speaks politely to everyone else and attaches -shi at the end of their names? It seems like there are lots of ways to handle this that might work better.
DancingEmma
December 18, 2023 at 10:14 AM
The article mentions the prevalent cultural taboo of not using honorifics. Cultures are not immutable but this one is woven so tightly into the Korean linguistic framework and is reflective of the Neo-Confucian hierarchical values.
Elinor is trapped in the timeslip
December 18, 2023 at 10:30 AM
Doesn’t using given names have its own hierarchical implications? For example, older siblings call their younger siblings by their names but not the other way around. Full-name-plus-shi seems more reasonable from this outsider’s perspective but I don’t know how much that would do to get around the respect/hierarchy relationships, since that sends its own message about closeness/distance.
Unaspirated
December 18, 2023 at 2:46 PM
I think all of this would have hierarchical implications, but that’s sort of the point, right? You just have to decide some equal way to address each other if you are trying to achieve a more horizontal culture. Whether that equal way is more casual or more formal seems relatively arbitrary as long as everyone is doing it, and it seems like more formal would make more people feel at ease. I just think there must be easier ways to do it than using English names, particularly if people aren’t allowed to choose any name they like, and using their own names might cut down on the “you can’t use that one because the director is using it” type of logic.
Elinor is trapped in the timeslip
December 18, 2023 at 10:31 AM
I wonder if giving English names to most of the dogs at the vet hospital in My Man Is Cupid is poking fun at this practice – especially since they’re long ones that could be a bit unwieldy for Korean speakers (Alexandra, Elizabeth …).