SB Chat Box #10: Social media vanity, and some SuJu bros in dramas

Many idols do go to college. Depending on their set of skills, everyone has a choice to go to school or not. Not everyone is a robot so if I was a star… I would not go to college either and I love to learn and love to go to school so that’s saying something. IU’s choice makes sense to me. I think she has a few years in her before she is going to lose her popularity.

Yeah… Skip Beat is a really old series in Japan. I still read/collect the manga because it’s awesome. It was one of the first to have this type of plot in Japan. So yeah, as for the plot, while it sounds terrible, the comedy in the series is actually really good. A lot of other shows have borrowed from it. As for the Taiwanese version, the boys are doing well. I was surprised, actually, that they were doing well. Donghe was at least. We haven’t seen enough of Siwon yet. Anyways, the dub is terrible. I feel bad for the rest of the cast as they can’t understand what they are saying since they are speaking Korean. You can completely see the boys speaking Korean. Don’t dismiss this show before we get a few more episodes. I would have watched the show no matter who acted in it because of the manga… I had no idea that kpop was so well spread through Taiwan. I guess I’ve watched too many dramas in all the years that starred their actors. Most of which are remakes of Japanese manga XD Oh well.

IU’s talent is quite great to the point that even when toning down her “indie-ness” she still beats most of what’s in the mainstream. Still, she shines best when least under the pressure to produce hits.

Among her releases last year, Real and Real+, I preferred the more introspective and personal sound of Real+, and to be more precise, the least promoted song “Cruel Fairytale”

From what I knew of her, she grew up rather poor, but loved music, putting a lot into it, and fearing having failed with her debut (it did not break into the Top 50 on Music Bank). My guess is that at some point of time, the lure of decent pay and a secure future, for trading off some of the “esoteric parts” on her debut probably was a trade worth making.

Trading off some “musical integrity” for a secure debut and the trappings of idol-dom (nice clothes, branded import car and a condo overlooking Gangnam) is certainly something most artistes do struggle with. It really depends on which point the whole argument really swings for one side. I am quite certain some members of SNSD (possibly Taeyeon) ponder on whether it’s worth chasing individual glory and doing music for the love of it, over the security of being in a regimented group and a nice paycheck.

Still not going to knock IU for it. Maybe she has her own other push-pull factors. And anyway, she seems to do no wrong. Cannot dance like an idol? Not a problem, her voice makes up for it. Acting? She does well considering her lack of experience.

On Korea’s cultural export: It’s also killing in some way my country’s ability to get people interested in speaking Chinese. Add to that English’s dominance in the real world.

I feel a factor in learning the language is an interest in the culture. In where I work and study, I always hear people say they want to learn Korean/Japanese/German/any language, due to an interest in the culture. Most though, say they learn Chinese just to… get by.

Also because of this, few are really interested in the local pop scene, to the point we have to export our talents, let them get big overseas, while we get mocked for having “big acts, we cannot name” and “our pond is so small they had to swim overseas”.

Celebrity use of social media: Many idols on twitter DO express some opinions and DO express concern about issues in the world outside of the “kpop bubble”. I remember that Siwon almost always tweets about things happening in the world, Kim Jong Il, Thailand floods, Japan tsunami, Steve Jobs etc.  But yes, I do agree about the rest of what you said about their role as entertainers and not opinion-givers, and how they need to remain in those roles in order for the public to accept them. 

Skip Beat: A lot of dramas are dubbed in Taiwan. Not because the actors famous Korean pop idols. They dub actors ALL. THE. TIME. Sometimes because the actors have accents, lisps, different dialects etc. So yeah, I think you should have been a little less critical of Siwon and Donghae. I do agree that the Taiwanese version SHOULD have Taiwanese actors though. :)

Other Asian countries and their cultural exports vs. K-pop imports: YESSSS. Oh my goodness. It irritates me to NO END how Korean businesses, companies, people just whole heartedly expect people and countries to totally accept the Hallyu Wave, but just cannot comprehend wholeheartedly accepting anything that is Chinese, Japanese, Taiwanese etc. I find that with the whole Hallyu Wave, Korea has become kind of incredibly ‘cocky’ I guess? I mean, WTH is up with the article of Korea mailing KPOP calendars to like 170 countries’ embassies? 
Korea= Lots of exports. Korea= No imports. That’s pretty skewed…Korea should begin to get over itself. The Hallyu Wave is a fad. It will die down very soon. Relying on it so largely is a huge mistake.

Nice podcast though. :D

I like this podcast! :)

I fully support idols not going to college. I know that education plays a much bigger part in Asian countries compared to here (from UK) but I think of college as further education for if you want to specialise and enter a specific career, which the idols already have. Their busy schedules would probably mean that they’ll find it hard to make the most of it. If the idols wanted to stay in entertainment then degrees involving performance arts or music would be very useful, but I wouldn’t want an idol to go to college and get a degree for the sake of a degree and never use it.

I’ve recently discovered SB Chatbox and I’m slowly making my way through all of them (as you can probably tell, I’m a big fan). 

I’d just like to comment on the Idols’ use (or misuse) of social media. You’ve brought up an interesting point that kpop idols rarely express opinions or interest in global issues/events. Personally, I think it really ties back to a reflection of typical Asian society. I’m toeing the line of PC but I’d say that generally, Asians (not Western transplants or born & raised but those living in East Asia) are disinclined to stir up public social controversy as it ties strongly with politics… which opens a whole new can of worms tied to historical turmoil. Western societies have a much longer (and numerous/diverse) history of challenging those in power and actively celebrate/root for the underdog. Similarly, Western culture thrives on the next controversy so fans love reading/hearing their idols’ opinions – even if those opinions differ from their own as it fosters discussion and highlights individualism. Compare that to East Asian societies when just the last generation was subject to the most brutal and turbulent society changes (where, most importantly, dissidents of mainstream opinion were harshly punished) since arguably recorded Asian history….