The Marmot says "that Naked News has finally arrived in Korea." He is correct if he means that the Korean-language edition of Naked News has finally arrived in Korea, although even that is not quite correct, since the Korean version is produced in Korea.
But if he thinks Naked News is new to Korea, he's wrong. In fact, Naked News was for close to a year (I think) a regular feature on the pay cable station Catch-One.
Every night at about 11 p.m., this premium movie channel would turn into the Korean equivalent of the Playboy channel, showing erotic foreign movies (usually French) and a steady stream of low-quality Korea-produced soft-core porn with simulated sex scenes.
The late-night programming often started with tamer fare, including a naked cooking show (I forgot the name, but it might have been "Get That Cleaver Away From Me" or "Hey, Watch It With the Grease Splatter") and, of course, Naked News.
Me, I never got it. I like news and I like naked women. But I want the two together like I want cute kittens in my tiramisu.
And to be honest, I don't get it. Is there some point to it, other than an excuse to show naked breasts? Are they cynically showing that even the press — the pillar of any free society — is not above self-serving gimmicks in order to boost ratings? If so, that idea gets old real fast. On the other hand, are they trying to show that smart women (or, rather, smart-sounding women) can also be sexy?
I think in the end this is just a silly, stupid gimmick. And sorta demeaning.
I really do not understand this post. I have Catch One, and I have never noticed it turn soft-core at 11pm. Yeah, they have a lot of crappy programs, but 11pm is just as likely to have Prison Break as anything.
ReplyDeleteBesides, Queer as Folk, Kim Ki-duk movies and shows like that are shown on regular Korean cable TV in the middle of the day.
Actually, Mark, I don't think they do this anymore. I think it was 2003 through 2005 or something, and it may have been Catch One Plus.
ReplyDeleteHaving the movie channel I'd been watching during lunchtime replaced by Korean soft-core porn when my friend turned on the TV at 11:30 one night was a bit embarrassing, and she didn't exactly buy my explanation.
So that's my story and I'm sticking to it. Either that or the hit-panderer in me just wanted an excuse to put "naked" in a post title. Or "Lily Kwan nude" in a comment.
Fair enough.
ReplyDeleteThat makes me remember, though, when you could not show nipples on Korean cable TV, even at 2am. Well, maybe the old premium version of DCN could, but the regular DCN could not.