I need those subtitles

On Mondays, I’ll be watching Star King ,and then Family Outing 2 on Tuesdays, Inkigayo on Wednesdays, Qualification of Men on Thursdays, Music Bank on Fridays, Running Man on Saturdays, and Strong Heart on Sundays.

(Advertisement for Running Man)

Just kidding.

As much as I would really love to do that, we all know that I can’t. I am just too busy with assignments, and the endless quizzes and tests. Oh gosh, I am starting to feel sorry for myself:(

Well, any sharp-eyed reader like you (let’s just assume that you are.) would have noticed that all the programmes that I have listed above are Korean variety programmes. It is not that I am ethnocentric, nor is it because I am a big fan of K-pop that’s why all the programmes are Korean variety programmes. But seriously, just one episode is enough to get you hooked. Or get me hooked at least. Witty hosts, funny plots, sporting guests, these are just some factors that make them different from the Taiwanese or U.S programmes that we have been exposed to for the last decade or so. It undeniably is, like a breath of fresh air for us audiences.

(Just to show how sporting they really are)

While there is a strong dominance of US media products since quite some time ago, the rising dominance of Korean media products is something not to be belittled. The Korean media products are gaining more and more popularity now than ever, and we can evidently see that in our local media platforms: The reservation of the 7pm prime timeslot on Channel U for Korean dramas, the airing of special K-pop concerts on public holidays and the airing of Korean songs on our radio stations.

In fact, we can easily watch all sorts of Korean programmes online or on television. May it be music videos, music programmes, movies, dramas, variety shows, documentaries, or even the Korean news! Just on cable television alone, I have 3 so called “Korean channels”. (Meaning that it airs nothing else but Korean programmes). The programmes that I mentioned right at the start are programmes that I used to watch on the cable television, back before school started. Those were the good old days where I could afford to do nothing but camp in front of the television, watching programme after programme, seeing the day pass in terms of the number of programmes watched instead of hours and minutes. (If only I can do that now…)

There is this one programme which I particularly love—Two days one night. As the name suggests, it is a reality-variety show which is recorded over the span of two days and one night. The casts of the show will travel to different places in Korea, mainly to introduce the many hidden gems of Korea to fellow Koreans, where they will have to complete different tasks to determine if they will get a meal or not, or whether they will have to sleep indoors or outdoors. Unfortunately, the show will come to an end next year in February, due to the issues of some members. While I am feeling really sad about it, I am pretty sure that there will be some other Korean variety programme which will be able to replace its status in my heart.

(A recent full cast photo of Two days one night!)

Following the export of Korean media products brings about complementary expansion, that is to engage in the production of a complementary product in different countries.

Still don’t get it? It simply refers to the subtitles that we all need, unless you understand Korean!

Well, I don’t understand any Korean at all. Maybe just stuff like kimchi, anyong haseyo, kamsa hamida. Despite watching so many Korean programmes, I am disappointed with myself too, that I actually didn’t pick up any Korean. You guessed it, my eyes were fixed on the subtitles most of the time.

Hence, I would like to make use of this opportunity to express my heartfelt gratitude towards the translators that came up with the subtitles for all of my much loved programmes, even though there are errors in the translations every now and then.
But I know I shouldn’t complain. To have lousy quality subtitles are better than having no subtitles, and I need those subtitles.

Okay fine, I’m guilty.

So it seems like bad etiquette on public transport is a problem that persists everywhere. There’s the allocation of reserved and priority seats in our buses and trains, manner police in Japan to ensure that the young give up their seats to those more needy, and of course in France as well, with them releasing this series of posters.

A vibrant set of posters released by the RATP Group, which is a state-owned public transport operator headquartered in Paris, it actually highlights some of the problems they face, such as commuters spitting gum on the floor, not paying the fare, crushing into a crowded train, and seat hogging. This advertisement uses a high context communication style, which is typically seen among the Asians, Italians and of course, French. A high context communication style combines verbal and nonverbal messages to convey the entire meaning. The audience must read between the lines and add nonverbal nuances to fully understand the message. On the other hand, a low context communication style relies on the literal and precise meaning of the words they use. They prefer explicit conversations where words convey the bulk of if not the entire message. This communication style is typically seen among the German, Americans and British.

While the issue of having better public transport etiquette is applicable to our very own sunny island, there are some messages conveyed by the advertisement that I didn’t really get. Such as “Stampeding 5 people in the train doesn’t represent a time gain”. In fact, it was only through the visuals of the poster that I got the rough message about crushing into a crowded train unnecessarily, but not from the captions. Is it just me that I find the sentence weird? I would very much like to assume that this is one of the way how culture affects the communication, given the culture in France and Singapore being significantly different.

Theories aside, I would say that this advertisement is successful. At least it made me reflect whether I am a commuter with good etiquette or not. As much as I would really love to claim myself as one with great public transport etiquette, I will have to say that I am guilty as charged, violating 2 out of the 4 acts portrayed. It is not difficult to guess which 2 acts are they anyway, since it is near impossible to cheat on the fares with our intelligent fare system, and that chewing gums are banned in Singapore anyway.

I stay in Pasir Ris, and have to take the train to dover everyday to school, which is at far far, 22 stops away.  Of course, I will definitely want to get a seat to spare myself from standing for a good 45 minutes(at least). I AM NOT USING ANY SELF-SERVING BIAS ON MYSELF, REALLY.

That said, I am constantly under the fear of being photographed and posted on STOMP throughout the whole train ride when I do get a seat. Call me sensitive, but when I see people using their phones, I can’t help it but suspect that they are in fact taking photos of me. While I appear to be seated comfortably, I am not feeling comfortable at all. But at least I am constantly on the lookout of elderly people, or anyone who might need the seat more than me. And when I do come across one, I will give up my seat, albeit reluctantly. But at least I give up my seat.

I think I’m starting to sound like some horrible selfish person. Hence, i see the need to include a little checkpoint here to remind you guys that 1)I pay the correct distance fares , 2)I do give up my seat to people who need it more than me(albeit reluctantly) and 3)At least I am honest

Moving on to the next point, I am unashamedly guilty of squeezing into already crowded trains. In fact, I really disagree with the 3rd poster that says “Stampeding 5 people in the train doesn’t represent a time gain”. You see, I am a firm believer of the cascading effect. Let me explain it to you. While technically it may look like letting the crowded train pass and boarding the next train, which claims to come in another 3 minutes for example, does not make a great difference, it actually does! It might potentially cause you to miss your bus at the interchange (For my case, I have to take a bus from the Mrt station back home), which further adds another 10 minutes of waiting time. There is just no time allowed to be wasted, given that we are all busy people. Busy rushing assignments, busy rushing work. While being stuck on a crowded train is really uncomfortable, I have overtime learnt to just suck it up.

I insist that there’s no self-serving biased involved here. And therefore, I see a need to include a final checkpoint, once again, to remind you guys that 1)I do pay the correct distance fares , 2)I do give up my seat to people who need it more than me(albeit reluctantly) , 3)At least I am honest and 4)I do not litter and eat or drink on trains and buses! I am really not a commuter with bad public transport etiquette.

Is that enough to pull my violation counts back to 0?

This concert junkie needs a sponsor.

And this concert junkie is no other than yours truly.

As a concert junkie, well a self-proclaimed one, I have always loved attending gigs of all sorts. Okay let me revise that. I have always loved attending gigs of all sorts, apart from those that has got to do with Metal music. (No offence to metalheads) Overtime, reality has hit me that I will need a high paying job in order to keep up with my lifestyle. You know, concert tickets are not cheap. They average around $100, but I am the kind that wants to be able to get as close to the stage as possible, therefore ticket prices do not average around $100 for me, they average around $170 instead. Therefore, to get a high paying job is absolutely necessary.

But overtime, reality has once again hit me real hard that it is definitely not as easy as it sounds. Hence I changed my plans a little bit, and decided that I might as well get a job that can get me to the gigs for free. The first possible option that came to my mind was to work in the media industry, such as being a journalist, a photographer, or the like. I am hoping that by doing so, I will be able to get invited to the gigs and do reviews! That would be the perfect job, combining what I love with what I do. I am proud to say that I am making a significant step to this goal, since I am a communications major now.

Back to me being a concert junkie. Actually, I just got home from a concert. As a perfect and ideal way, in my opinion, to end the school week, I went to the Loud Festival, a mandopop concert that was headlined by Jay Chou, with other performers such as Landy Wen, Cindy Yen, Sodagreen and Singapore’s very own Ang Mo Pai. (Do support our local talents!) While almost everyone who attended the concert was there to support Jay Chou, I belonged to the smaller group that was supporting Sodagreen, a Taiwanese folk-rock-pop band that was formed in 2001. I love bands more than solo singers. Look at it in this way: A solo singer requires a band as well. The guitar rhythm, bass line and supporting drum beats etc., all these don’t come naturally with a click of your fingers. All these are done by a band. One difference between a band and solo singer is that everyone in a band participates and decides the music produced, while for a singer, it more or less depends on him alone, or the music producers, who might not be fixed throughout.

Group communication is predominantly involved in a band. A group, according to Sarah Trenholm, is a collection of individuals who, as a result of interacting with one another over time, become interdependent, developing sharing patterns of behaviour and a collective identity. Interdependence comes into play, as it is an important characteristic of groups, where any action by one affects all. Back in my secondary and junior college days in the school band, this interdependence between the different instrumental sections could be clearly felt all the time. For example, when the percussion section rushes and plays at 130bpm instead of 120bpm, the rest of the band would somehow be affected and follows, with the whole band playing in a faster speed in the end. This applies to smaller scale rock bands as well.

Using Sodagreen as an example, we can see how group productivity in the band is increased. The keyboardist of the band plays the violin as well, and is frequently seen to be interchanging between the 2 instruments during a song. The bassist of the band also acts as a backing vocalist. All the members have a variety of different skills and knowledge. Apart from that, there is individual accountability for each member’s part, with all of them contributing equally. These are just some of the factors we can see that increase the band’s productivity.

Another interesting point to look at a group’s communication is the group socialization processes, which is a kind of contest between the individual and the group. There are 5 types of memberships, a Prospective Member, New Member, Full Member, Marginal Member and Ex-Member. For the case of Sodagreen, the 6-piece band has 5 full members and 1 marginal member, since that 1 member is serving the nation in the army, hence unable to give full commitment. There are also 5 recognised Ex-members of Sodagreen, and for prospective and new members, we will just have to wait and see.

For any bands, Bruce Tuckman’s 5 stage model of Group Development (1965) would have been used in a way or another, consciously or sub-consciously. The 5 stages, forming, storming, norming, performing and adjourning, are key to a band’s development. Forming is the stage where members would try and gather a deeper understanding of each other while trying to get things done, avoiding conflicts. The next stage would be storming, where the members would try and argue and compete to get their ideas used. Followed by the norming stage, where the members would iron out disagreements, and use idea that is deemed as the best for the band. Next is the performing stage, which is basically to get the work done, and then finally the adjourning stage. In the case of bands, the adjourning stage might not come right away. In layman terms, the adjourning stage for a band is actually the breaking up of the band. There are many bands out there which have been formed for a long time with no plans of disbanding, such as The Rolling Stones which was formed in 1962 but have not disbanded as of today, in the year 2011.

All the theories aside, let’s just focus on the musicality of the bands, or all other singers. Back to the concert I attended, it was a really awesome one. Apart from the slight technical glitches here and there, sound systems that were slightly too loud sometimes, and the fireworks effect that brought more shock than surprise, I really enjoyed the concert. (I am not saying this out of biasness for all sorts of concerts, really.)

On a side note, if you are some events organizer, producer, someone with tickets to spare for any gigs, or even interested to hire me as a reviewer (that would be a dream come true.), please contact me as soon as possible, because this concert junkie needs a sponsor.

All photos in this post are taken by me, using a Sony NEX-5.

Click here to find our more about Sodagreen.

And here’s a song by Sodagreen, called 狂热! (Sorry, I really have no idea what the English name of this song is!)

Crazy Little Thing Called Love

When I wanted to catch Crazy Stupid Love last Saturday, it was only because of my curiosity for what this very aptly named movie was going to offer. But when I couldn’t get any tickets, mind you, that the movie has been released for about 3 weeks then, I knew that there must be something interesting about this movie, apart from its aptly named title.

Crazy stupid love is a romantic comedy film about the transformation of an unattractive guy, facing a divorce from his wife who cheated on him, to a charismatic guy with the help of a womanizer, who is experiencing love as well. The underlying focus of the movie, is about how love eventually brought the guy back to his wife, how love made a womanizer willing to change his womanizing habits, or simply― how love is able to make anything possible.

Of course, love isn’t as dramatic as it is normally portrayed on screen, not that I’m saying there is no one out there as romantic as the fictional characters. Perhaps, romance movies are something that most girls love, but most guys hate. They make girls have an unrealistic expectation that in short, makes life difficult for guys. (Note that unrealistic expectation is one of the common relational challenges faced in a relationship.)

The movie started off with the main lead having to deal with a divorce, and we can clearly see how Duck’s Model of Relational Dissolution (1982) can be applied. Duck’s Model of Relational Dissolution, simply suggests that breakups can be represented in a series of processes. For the case of main lead, Cal, the first process that he and his wife underwent was the dyadic phase, where the wife asked him for a divorce and admitted to cheating on him. It then went on to the social phase where Cal started hitting the pub, telling his friend about the divorce, and then to almost everyone else in the pub regardless whether they are interested or not. Then it moved on to the resurrection phase where he picked up the skills of womanizing in an attempt to move on and show that he is doing fine after the divorce.

An interesting point to note is the modern society’s view on divorce as portrayed in the movie. In a particular scene of the movie, Cal was thought to be down with cancer when one of his colleagues caught him crying in the washroom. But when he cleared the misunderstanding later by announcing his divorce, his colleagues started congratulating him for 2 reasons. The first one being a divorce is always better than getting cancer and the next one is for his new found freedom. Of course, the movie has added a comical touch, but the view remains the same. Divorce is no longer a taboo in many countries.

Another interesting character to look at in the movie is the womanizer, Jacob. With his sweet tongue, great looks and style, it is hard for any woman to resist his charms. According to Knapp’s Model of Relational Development, which describes the progression and development of relationships in a series of 10 stages in 2 phases, namely Coming together and Coming apart, what Jacob did was that he simply condensed the stages of Coming together and Coming apart. Within the span of an hour, he was able to make a complete stranger have a physical relationship with him. It is something that couples might take months or even years to achieve. Of course, the nature of a “casual fling” and a steady couple’s relationship is different. However, the steps are still similar.

I caught myself laughing/smiling most of the time throughout the movie. It is light-hearted, funny, yet not completely unrealistic. This is the perfect movie for any occasion, your girlfriend’s slumber party, or the movie for your first date. Not forgetting to mention, there’s Ryan Gosling that comes with a short topless scene! Not a sight you’ll want to miss. Well, hope it doesn’t sound too wrong.

Click here for the movie synopsis, and here to the movie’s official website!

And here’s the trailer of the movie!

Ps: Here’s a cover of my all time favorite song by one of my favorite bands, Crazy Little Thing Called Love by Maroon 5! Well, it’s sheer coincidence that the song title is so similar to the movie’s. Or perhaps, that’s what everyone feels about love anyway.

They are real.

Catch of the day is a local television series, produced by Mediacorp and aired on Channel 5, which films the reactions of unsuspecting Singaporeans in planned scenarios. (Whether they will come forward and help the subject, or choose to ignore.)

I admit, I did not follow this programme from the first episode. In fact, I have only watched one episode, which was episode six that was just aired last week. However, that one episode is enough to get me hooked, and make sure that I’ll tune in to this programme next week, the week after, and all the weeks following. Why? The reason is simple: The programme is a reflection of our society, but portrayed in a light-hearted way. In just the short span of 30 minutes (and that includes a near 10 minute commercial airtime.), we can see many different kinds of people. The reactions filmed down are no doubt the most genuine and sincere reactions, unlike dramas or movies where actors would play their roles according to the script.

Coincidentally, we have just learnt about the different theories of verbal and non-verbal communication in class this week. A lot of verbal and non-verbal cues that we use while communicating are used sub-consciously. And we can clearly see that in the programme. In this case, I will be basing my examples on episode 6 of that programme. You can watch the episode here for free! Credits to xinmsn.

Let’s talk about the subject in the first scenario, where he just got dumped by his girlfriend and was asking around for help, hoping that someone could help him get his girlfriend talk to him again. No doubt, that subject was an actor, having to play a role to create that scenario. There was a heavy usage of kinesics, paralinguistics and oculesics by the subject. For example, stuttering while asking for help because he was feeling too anxious hence was not able to express himself clearly, sobbing to give the clear signal that he was feeling sad, going loud when he was telling the unsuspecting passer-by that his girlfriend just would not pick up his calls, and going soft when he was asking what should he do. All these non-verbal cues are crucial to express his emotions.

For another scenario, where a forgetful old lady was mistaking female passer-bys as her daughter, insisting that she is at queenstown when she is actually at clementi, and asking people for help so that she can meet her daughter. The subject cleverly makes use of adaptors in kinesics, such as twisting her hands together to show that she is feeling nervous, and uses slangs when communicating to show that she is feeling very comfortable with that passer-by because she believes that that passer-by is indeed her child.

I find the reactions of the unsuspecting Samaritans as the highlight of the show. We all know that there are many kinds of people in the world, and so our reaction to a scenario would differ from person to person. We can see people who looked like they are willing to help, but runs away when the subject was not paying attention. They are also some who appeared frustrated not because they are unwilling to help, but just because how they are really like (Their personality).

In the short programme, we can pretty much see everything that we have learnt in our lectures for this week. May it be repeat, contradict, substitute, complement, accent and regulate actions of non-verbal communication, the 8 main kinds of non-verbal communication, and the ways to carry out effective verbal communication and so on. This, is why the programme got me hooked.

So, did you see “yourself” in that programme as well?

Yes, my antibacterial wipes will be with me 24/7 from now on

With a pair of free movie tickets, my friend and I went to catch the movie Contagion yesterday night.

Contagion, an American thriller, takes us through the struggles which a society faces when struck with a fast-moving pandemic. Ironically, it wasn’t the unpredictable and deadly virus which was scary. It was, however, when the dark side of the society surfaces that the real horror begins.

I wouldn’t entirely see the movie as a science fiction movie. After all, we have experienced pandemics over the last couple of years, such as The Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in 2003. The movie, in my opinion, is like a movie-style documentary which shows us how the society at all different aspects cope with a pandemic. Or rather, the conflicts present between the different aspects when coping with a pandemic. All pandemics affect us not only on human as the basic unit, but the different ministries, the different authorities, the different structures and organizations of a society, and many more. The question is: why the conflict when all of them have the same goal of surviving? It all boils down to the difference in perception of the various units.

Perception, the process by which we make sense of the world around us, is influenced by many social factors, such as the group, culture, context and media. It is of human nature to be selfish, especially in times of pandemic when everyone is at risk of contacting the fatal virus. Therefore, we start to possess a different standard of selection in order to achieve what we want and to prioritize ourselves, according to the status we have in the society. The movie has successfully conveyed this message through its characters, such as the doctor from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) informing his family and friends to leave the affected state, Chicago, before a quarantine was imposed, and the social disorder when it comes to getting food. Not forgetting the case of the Chinese epidemiologist kidnapping the epidemiologist from the World Health Organization (WHO) in hope of getting the first batch of vaccination available in order to save his village. While everyone’s goal may be to survive, everyone’s definition of surviving might not be the same. For some, surviving is about staying alive. To others, surviving might be to ensure that their loved ones get to stay alive.

While the aptly ringed diminished chords at right moments and sights of people dying from the virus did add on to the fear factor, it was the reminder that how vulnerable we humans are, formed the bulk of the fear factor. It may only be our bodily functions that are vulnerable to the virus; however, it is our minds and souls that are vulnerable to fellow humans as well. What are you really afraid of? Perhaps, that is for you to decide after watching the movie.

With an all star cast (Matt Damon, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jude Law, Kate Winslet, Marion Cotillard and many more, all are enough to have blockbusters of their own! Where else can you see all of them together apart from some award ceremony? Also, not forgetting Singapore’s very own Chin Han! Give some support man!) and well-rounded plot development, Contagion is a movie which is both dramatic and informative.

30 minutes into the movie, and I found myself not eating the popcorn anymore. Not because I was feeling full, but because I was reminded by the movie that I didn’t wash my hands before eating, and god knows what I have touched earlier. (Just how much bacteria my hands have picked up?!)

Click here to read the movie synopsis,and here to the movie’s official website!

And here’s the trailer of the Movie!

A concert movie? I still prefer…

As a hardcore fan of Mayday, a Taiwanese rock band that was formed in the late 1990s,  it is a sure thing that I will definitely catch their concert movie that will be released on the 15th of September.

(The big Chinese characters basically says follow your dream, the rest are just the details of the movie)

In fact, I went a step ahead by attending the movie’s fan premiere party that was held on the 8th of September. In short, it simply means that I watched the movie exactly a week before the movie’s official release! Yes, that’s possible when you are their hardcore fan who would(and still will) camp for hours just to get their ticket, be it a concert ticket or in this case, a concert movie ticket.

Concert movie, as explained by Wikipedia, “is a type of documentary film, the subject of which is an extended live performance or concert by a musician…”. Irish rock band, U2, have made use of the improvement of 3-Dimentional technology over the recent years to produce the first ever live-action 3D Concert Movie in 2008. Following that, we saw a rising trend of such 3-D Concert Movies, such as Michael Jackson’s This is it and Justin Bieber’s Never say never.

Back to the Mayday 3DNA Concert Movie, the tagline of the Movie is Dream a dream inside the dream. The main take home point of the movie is to remind us that we shouldn’t give up pursuing our dreams. Given the appeal of the main characters, which is the band, and the target audience being fans of the band, Mandopop fans, or simply Chinese speaking individuals who are interested in the first ever Chinese 3-D Concert Movie, it is by no surprise that movie does possess Logos, Pathos and Ethos, to their target audience at least.

Mayday didn’t receive a huge commercial success like they did now back then when they first started out. However, it’s their spirit of not giving up, of not giving up their passion for music and hope despite the many obstacles and objections faced(from their parents) that led them to where they are today. Similarly in the movie, there are many parts of the plot with the same analogy. Such as the little girl who tried all ways just to persuade her father to give her the consent to travel 765miles away just to attend Mayday’s concert, the father of the little girl going everywhere in hope of getting an already sold out concert’s ticket and a seemingly ordinary male who worked hard everyday just to earn enough to buy the cheapest ticket of the concert. Such are examples of  Logos, where these scenarios would appeal to us by their nature and reason, making us reflect that if they can do it, so can we!

Songs are intertwined in the movie, with different songs suiting the different scenarios. Such as a faster paced rock song when the plot was on 2 cyclists racing against each other, and a slower paced ballad when the plot was on a lady who just found out that her boyfriend cheated on her. While the role of these songs might look as though there were there just to fill up the “emptiness”, we must not underestimate the role of them! It is these songs that serve as Pathos, where the lyrics and melody would evoke our emotions and hence appeal to us, affecting our emotional response.

To the target audience, Mayday definitely holds a certain status to them. To fans like me, they are a group of people that I can look up to, that I can seek motivation from their songs, and as a goal in which someday, I hope that I can achieve my dreams just like they did. Therefore possessing Ethos, where their characters have a persuasive appeal to us.

Well, I did enjoy the Concert Movie. However at the end of the day, I still prefer going to their concert than watching a Concert Movie in a cinema. That said, I’m still going to catch the Concert Movie again when it is officially released next week. Afterall I’m a hardcore fans of theirs.

Click here to read the movie synopsis, and here to the Concert Movie’s official website! (Note: The official website is in Chinese. So, beware if you are lacking in the Chinese Department.)

And here’s the trailer of the Concert Movie! (It’s in Chinese, but it has occasional English subtitles)