More on the Awards Stuff.... at least MBC is being honest.

Source

Receiving criticisms for awarding two winners, producers of MBC’s “2010 Drama Awards” decided to defend their decision via Star News.

The ceremony held on the night of December 30th gave out two awards for not only the daesang, but most of the other categories as well, leading many to question whether the awards show was simply handing out trophies as they pleased.

On the 31st, a high associate of MBC’s drama team stated, “The drama awards is not a contest, but a ceremony to end the year on a good note by supporting and encouraging each other. The fact that we’re even judging the dramas we made ourselves takes away from the ‘contest’ aspect of the show. The point of the ceremony was to congratulate those who worked hard throughout the year in the form of a trophy, and to support the programs that received poor ratings.”

He continued, “Regarding the winners for this year, it was difficult to clearly decide on a superior winner, which is why they were co-awarded. Regardless, two of the award categories were originally meant for two winners anyway.”

With regards to co-receipients having caused the awards ceremony’s status to decline, he further explained, “We’re the ones that made the dramas and we’re the ones judging them, so it’s difficult to determine the ’status’ of the awards. We know that it might be more meaningful for a person to win an award on their own, but from our viewpoint, all of the actors and actresses are amazing and impressive people. We don’t feel the need to specifically rank them in first and second.”

SBS Drama Awards

I just saw the SBS Drama Awards and to put it lightly, it was nothing but a farce. I think we all know that award shows are political in nature but this was taking it too far. It was almost like how elementary schools in the US give every child an award.

What in the difference between Special Drama, Special Project, Serial Drama and Serial Project? They all have different winners. By making up a billion acting categories, all popular actors in their hit shows can win awards. It's like they looked at all the list of popular actors and gave them awards. Then they looked at all the leads in the lower rated shows and gave them nominations. So basically, they would choose the winner then fill the rest of the nominees with actors on their other shows.

This was a post left by daunte29 in the MBC Awards thread on soompi:

I work and live in korea but I'm not korean. Most older korean folks in their 30s - 60s already know what I'm about to say here.

Those of us accustomed to hollywood film award shows and similar ones in Europe & HongKong/Taiwan should know that korean drama awards - MBC, SBS, KBS - are NOT so much about 'excellence' or 'rankings' but are MAINLY PR (public relations) shows. The so-called judges (other than internet polling or netizen votings) are the senior directors from their own respective broadcast companies with one or two invited 'outsiders' whose "services" are paid by the broadcasting station who invited them to judge. Therefore they can (and have for the past few years) easily decide who the winners are.

It's just like mum and dad in a family of 8 kids deciding who gets the cake first and the others biscuits.

Also for MBC, SBS & KBS drama award shows, voting is not audited by third-party accounting firms like how it's done in non-korean award shows to ensure accuracy and impartiality. So why do they do these internally pre-determined award shows?

To boost the global sales of its dramas through the sales of boxsets and broadcasting rights to overseas TV stations- simply by awarding the actors/actresses, the drama then earns the 'distinction' of having won Best This or Best That, and overseas fans will snap it up thinking the drama MUST be good bcos one (or two or three) of its cast won awards. Yabba, Dabba, doo!!

Closer examination, that is if they bother, will plainly show for example, that a particular MBC drama actually only won awards given by MBC, that a KBS drama won awards given by KBS...do you see what I mean?

I am NOT saying that korean actors/actresses do not deserve these awards and neither am I saying they're not talented or that the dramas are not by themselves well-produced. However I do think the SYSTEM of how winners are chosen leaves much to be desired. And it seems the big 3 - MBC, SBS & KBS - will each perpetuate their own self-patting award shows for many many years into the future.

During drama award shows, when you see the celebs are dressed-up siiting there looking pretty or dashing, you should also know BY NOW everyone (or almost everyone) WILL go home with at least one award. Winners ALL! Losers few...make that very few or or else they WON'T even be invited and just watch proceedings from the telly.

Drama series, both good and the not-so-good, once it ends its run on Korean domestic TV, then becomes a PRODUCT for overseas viewers to buy (or download). In other words, k dramas are BIG business for MBC, SBS, KBS and drama awards shows definitely help to promote big business. That's so very Korean.

What he or she said seems to be true. Everyone who showed up won an award. LOL. It doesn't matter if they were deserving or not (I happen to think they weren't all deserving of top awards. Just because your show is a hit doesn't automatically mean you should get an award) but they all went home with awards.

I stopped watching award shows in general many years ago because I kinda stopped watching t.v. lol.. but you often see some critically acclaimed shows win awards (e.g Arrested Development) even if they have low ratings and some hit shows win no awards. I bet some politics was also involved in those selections but it does make one feel that the academy or whoever determines the winner wasn't basing it on popularity alone.

Not that I think the fans are any better. Secret Garden won all three Netizen awards. Is it because it's the best drama of the year or the most recent hit? I'm guessing it's the latter.

I don't even remember what my original point was but basically, I just saw the SBS Awards and boy was it just a bunch of nonsense. lol.

The straw that broke the camel's back?

I finally saw the bed scene and frankly speaking, it's not as bad as the previous kiss scenes - even the foam kiss. So I understand those wondering why some suddenly have an issue with this bed scene if they've tolerated even worse (the kiss at his house was just ugly IMO).

Perhaps it's a case of the straw that broke the camel's back? Perhaps they'd been slowly getting fed up with his selfish nature and the fact that he turns a deaf ear to everything she says and always insists on having things his way. So this was just the thing he did to push them over the edge.

What he did was very much in character and most have been squeeing so I'm not surprised that many defend his actions. I think the location (the bed) was what increased the ick factor for many.

Kdrama has a lot of sexist undertones and we always have this Cinderella plot going on with an alpha male and a weak female. Just because they made Ra Im a stunt woman doesn't mean she's strong - she's still very much a typical weak female character. We often call such characters kind hearted and sweet but that's just a positive way of looking at someone who isn't strong enough to truly stand up for herself. But standing up for herself means she'll never succumb to the stalking and the harassment and "fall in love" with the male protagonist.

It's funny cos Secret Garden has so many of the elements that made me switch to jdramas (Parental Disapproval, assholey arrogant lead males, weak women, repetitive dragging scenes etc etc) that it makes me feel like I'm watching a '90s drama.

I do love me some Oska so I want to see his happy ending but I just saw episode 13 and while it is the same stuff going on over and over again (I've been saying this for ages), it's gotten more tolerable, to be honest. Or maybe I just readjusted my expectations. Episode 14 is supposedly where a lot of good stuff happens so I'm looking forward to seeing something new. To be honest, I find these episodes more pleasant than the previous  6 or so.

Secret Garden Controversy

Interesting. It's funny how what some of us have been talking about for ages is finally coming to a head because of JB's comments. I already mentioned that I disliked all his forced kisses and how Joo Won tries to force himself on Ra Im and this stalk-to-love plot.

A criticism of the drama isn't a criticism of the actors. And surely, positive comments aren't the only welcome ones, right? Anyway, I probably won't be able to watch the episodes till the end of this week but it's all so interesting.

I just love this song

I don't even know why but it's one of my faves from them.


But they totally ripped off Craig David

New Year's Resolution

So I know I just said I don't do these but now I have one: to post less on soompi.

Because how is it that in every thread I post in, even those I don't think I post that much in (like Wish Upon A Star), I am a top ten poster?

And the worst is the damn JoongBo thread. Yes, I did post a lot back then, but I haven't posted in over two years and I'm STILL a top 10 poster. What gives?!?!?!

Happy Holidays

Credit goes to Roweina78@ the KJH Soompi thread.

I don't do New Year's resolutions so instead, I'll just write my wish list for Xmas 2010
What I want for Christmas:
A wonderful year ahead for everyone known and unknown both personally and professionally.
A wonderful vacation for me :D starting tomorrow. Safe flights, wonderful sun and wonderful family.
A great year for dramas, some more Coffee House BTS (hehehe), better economy, more $$ in my bank account and great friends.
And just joy, happiness and satisfaction for all my blog readers. HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Secret Garden Episodes 9&10

What are my thoughts?

I really enjoy the Oska-Ra Im scenes but I want it to stay a friendship. I really hope they are not trying to make Oska fall for her. He probably doesn't have any friendships with women so he doesn't now he can have a platonic one but hopefully he'll realize that soon because I hate when ALL the men in a drama like the same girl. It's irritating.

As for Joo Won, the less said about him the better. I could manage the hug but the kiss was too much. What does he want from her in the next three months? To date him, sleep with him and love him then disappear? And he won't take no for answer? Give me a break. Unlike with Lee Jin Soo whom I both loved and hated, with Joo Won, I just dislike him. Right now, there's nothing about him that I like.

I feel that by the time he does change, I will feel nothing but indifference towards him. 

Kang Ji Hawt

He looks like he's in a Taiwanese boyband with this hair but it's all good

My favorite Christmas songs

Even though it's a sad song. I still love it... but then again, I just love her first Christmas album. It is perfection. :)


My next fav to listen to around this time of year is this one. And I guess it's a little sad too. lol, and by Wham! Which some might say is sad in and of itself. But I love it anyway.


Another fav. Amazing costumes to say the least.

Merry Christmas K-style

I'm not really into Korean music so I only recognize three of the singers: Brian, Park Hyo Shin and Sung Si Kyung.

I really like the woman's voice. Apparently, her name is Lisa so I'm hunting down her music now. This post was supposed to be all about Xmas (I was going to post my favorite Xmas songs) but now I'm suddenly all obsessed with Lisa.

You know I always bring the goodies

Yeah, I admit it - I'm a 100% Ji-Yeon shipper :D

Source

Oska is gay or bi?

Come on, now. Someone blogged about it saying that according to a source, the actor playing Oska was told by the writer that he might be involved in a love affair with the guy he wants to produce.

I have nothing against Oska being in a gay relationship but if that was the case, they should have introduced it in episode 1 and not have this whole failed love relationship with Seul. As I blogged on couch kimchi last week, the idea was somewhat planted in my head in episode 1 when Oska spotted Tae Sun singing at the lounge but none of his actions afterwards have shown any attraction to this kid - especially as he's going through some emotional stuff with Seul.

We already have a bunch of stuff going on with the drama already - why add this? Although the guy's role in this drama would be made a lot clearer if he were to be in a relationship with Oska seeing as he's had a bit of screen time.

lol, oh well. There's nothing I can do if they decide to take this route but I hope they don't.

Given the last 8 episodes, the more I think about it, the less sense it makes. 

Oska and Seul

Since Secret Garden likes to give us half of a scene then two episodes later, complete the full picture, I wonder if the Seul-Oska issue might be even more of a misunderstanding than it is now.

What I mean by that is that there are two sides to a story. While Seul heard what she heard, what if all Oska really said was, "Give me a break! I can never date someone like that." And "someone like that" meaning a slut, which is what that guy presented Seul as, which Oska knew was false.

Or, knowing how dramas usually are, he might have said something else after she left to defend her. lol. Who knows? We'll see how they get them to reconcile.

But it's interesting that just because of what she overheard, not only did she dump Oska, she followed that guy to America. Does that make sense? That guy was clearly acting out of jealousy or is it only clear to me because I'm a viewer? She didn't take issue with him calling her a slut even if it was for "investigative" purposes?

4 Gifts

So even though I kinda dropped this drama, I decided to watch the storyline of the couple I decided I liked in the first 30 mins of episode 1. Maybe I'll go back and watch the drama in its entirety because another storyline with the eldest sister and her colleague is supposedly really good.

Credit: Baidu

So the characters are Ren Shao, a difficult designer and Ruo Wei, a fashion editor.

I started watching their scenes from like episode 7 (I will backtrack further later) and apparently, Ruo Wei's little sister had a crush on Ren Shao so she said she'd back off. But of course RS really likes her. So we had a kiss at a party that the sister witnessed and after that, RW bought concert tickets for them but he was too dense to realize that she was asking him out, she got pissed off, they did the usual Asian drama thing of him chasing her, he then helped her solve a problem at work, she got sick and hurt her leg and he tended to her the whole time. AWWW. They are cute. Looks like he'll be proposing next week.

As for the poor little sister, she began to work with him and invited him to a Valentine's Day dinner. He accepted not realizing it was Val's Day. So while the little sister was all happy, he was using it as an opportunity to get info on her sister. lol. Oh well... she's ending up with her best friend so all's well that end's well.  I guess I will eventually watch this drama in its entirety. But argh, I don't want to have to watch it on viikii.

The kick to the curb

Yep, I've been there. Except for me, it was at 3am on a highway in Toronto (I'm not from Toronto). To be fair, I was being annoying but that's no reason to drop off a woman in clubbing gear on the highway in a strange city in the middle of the freaking night.

So I refused to get out and he refused to move till I got out so we sat there for like thirty minutes. It's a good thing it was during the summer otherwise, that would have been a rather cold wait. I guess thirty minutes was what he needed to cool off cos when he got tired, he turned on the engine and drove on. LOL. Life can be funny sometimes.

But to give a full picture, I wasn't being that bad. There were four of us in the car (two girls, one guy, one idiot) and the girls were being annoying. LOL. hahaha... but the idiot went too far. Come on, now!

Dating The Enemy

The characters in Secret Garden have switched back to their original bodies and I must say that it's a tad disappointing because very little has been achieved. Yes, now Joo Won knows that his mom is a meddler and some weird things have happened with Ah Young thinking that Joo Won likes her, the incestuous kiss, Joo Won getting confirmation that Jong Soo likes Ra Im and other stuff but very little has occurred in terms of Joo Won becoming any less of a jackass. Oh well, I guess I'll just have to wait to see what else the writers have for us.

Anyway, that ended up making me look for a body swap movie where much does happen which led me to Dating The Enemy. It's a 1996 Australian romantic comedy about a couple that swaps bodies on the night they break up. Synopsis from imdb.

One messy science journalist (Tash) and a neat television host (Brett). Two very different people whose relationship is nose diving to get the opportunity to experience life in their partners shoes when they wake up one morning in each others bodies. Valuable lessons are learned by each as they both have to adjust to very different lives.

It's a pretty good movie, IMO. There's a sexual aspect to it and while I think that as a woman, if I switched bodies with a man, I might be curious about what sex is like as a man, I'm not sure that I'd choose a woman to test this out on. Not that I think I'd choose a man either. Or maybe I'd just become a monk. LOL. Anyway, it's on youtube.

These SBS fools have gotten me all desperate.

Now I have to resort to screen capping from youtube to get any kind of BTS. Release the damn BTS so I can move on, bitches. lol.

I think this vid is to promote Park Si Yeon's new line called Sweet Touch.

Binnie Man

To be honest, while I appreciate his looks, he's not on my Hot Guy list. Maybe because he's a tad skinny? But good looks are good looks even if seeing him doesn't give me naughty thoughts.

Pics from DC Gall

Even Kang Ji Hwan's dog gets an article.

LOL.
So Kim Hee Chul from Super Junior who seems to be Kang Ji Hwan's BFF or something, tweets a picture of his dog called "Luxury" and says that he(or she) likes to lick his hand. And somehow, someone from a legitimate newspaper figures out a way to write an article about that. lol. Slow news day?

Luxury

Ji Hwan and his friend

And yeah, it's a slow blog day.

Secret Garden So Far

It's fun, it's enjoyable, it's wacky etc..
Good actors, interesting premise etc...
But what I need now is for the romance to really begin. Right now, we have stalker dude's obsession but he doesn't know her. She doesn't know him. They have good chemistry but I want to understand why she would fall for him and why he would fall for her (for real) so I HOPE that this drama delivers. Truthfully, I don't trust these writers too much. lol. Maybe because there's so much going on:
Oska and Seul's failed romance (I like this though)
Director's crush on Ra Im
Secretary Kim and Ah Young's romance
Director Park gunning for Joo Won's job
Grandpa's daughters worrying that his new wife will bear a son
Oska and possible new protege
Ra Im's father's angle
Switcheroo
Joo Won's claustrophobia
Ra Im's possible illness or whatever it is that puts her life in danger
And probably many more. The plot is so busy these days.