Moonlake
12-10-2004, 09:36 PM
The following was sent to me from Korea and is an article from Chosun Ilbo (the most prestigious and widely read newspaper in S. Korea)* that I personally took the time to translate as I deem it VERY important for you and all the American viewers to know and acknowledge the controversy and concerns in regards to Jin and Sun's character from the homeland Korea.[/i]
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CONTROVERSIAL PORTRAYAL OF KOREAN MALES IN US DRAMA “LOST:” exaggeratedly conservative character is portrayed as typically Korean
“ I don’t know how it is in Iraq but where I live in the States, Korean people hate Blacks.”
This is a sample of dialogue from the ABC hit “Lost,” a new show about 14 men and women on a deserted island after a plane crash.* The program’s not only a huge hit in the US, but also here in Korea due to the popularity of Yunjin Kim who plays Sun, one of the main characters.* But people are perplexed at the ugly portrayal of the Koreans. Koreans are deeply concerned that Jin’s (Daniel Dae Kim) ridiculous behavior on the show is being represented as typical of Korean males to the US audience.
Jin is portrayed as an extremely patriarchal and conservative Korean man who doesn’t speak any English.* Koreans have found Jin’s character extremely offensive, saying “Nobody like that exists nowadays. It’s absurd.”* He screams at his wife that her cardigan’s first button is unclasped.* He also scolds her when she wears a sleeveless T-shirt, shouting that it’s too revealing, even though they’re on a tropical island,
The character Jin, who is set up as a non-English speaker, is constantly swearing at everyone in Korean.* What’s more, Jin never wants to associate with any of the other survivors, telling his wife, “You can’t trust those kind of people” and ordering her to stay away from them.
Even the US audience, after watching the Korean American actor portray a Korean, have posted similar comments on the show’s website, saying “that Korean is like a mental patient.”* “ He’s the first one that should be killed.” Jin is also the character “viewers hate the most.”
A viewer with ID “Lyrkalas’ wrote, “ I would want to stay way from Jin.* He doesn’t even try to talk with others and doesn’t help the situation at all on the island.* Nobody on this planet would be like him”
Another viewer with the ID “Katzie85’ wrote, “Jin controls his wife and makes her miserable.* He seems like a sociopath who is mentally retarded.”* “NanerMB12” adds “I lived in an Asian country for a while and they treated women as second-class citizens.* I think Jin’s actions in his world are valid.”
Song Juyoung, (22) who has watched LOST from the very first episode, told a reporter “ I wish the Koreans were portrayed as fully developed, great characters. Especially since this is a show that many Americans love.* Jin’s character is incredibly exaggerated, and I can’t think of a single Korean man like him.”* Another Korean viewer, Kim Dongwhan (26) says “ I was surprised when an American friend asked me if all Korean men were like him. He is being portrayed as a typical Korean, and I wish the show would make clear that this is only Jin and his particular temperament.”
Lee Jaewon Reporter daisy0406@hanamil.net
(you can read it in Korean at* * http://www.chosun.com/national/news/200412/200412040069.html-----end of article)
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This article, unforunately, does not come as a surprise to me.* I am not so much offended by the portrayal of Jin as a Korean American who has also lived in Korea as his character isn't EVEN a stereotype.* In Korea the stereotypes of Korean men are actully characters who are portrayed as being extraordinarily rich and good looking (a la Melrose Place), lost souls who are violent against society (James Dean style) or cowardly husbands afraid of their wives wrath.* I am actually offended* as a TV viewer who loves to see full characters telling stories. Jin and Sun are just simply under -developped, useless and boring characters period with unearned emotionality.* Their story and reasons of action are general sweeps with out specificity or depth.* Why is Jin an angry man?* Why won't Sun speak up to him?* What was their past that makes them interact the way they do now? I don't need Jin to be sympathetic. I love villians and wish JIn would be a juicy villian with SPECIFIC REASONS to be angry and narly as he is being portrayed.* Or is that a front to cover up his insecurities and past doing?* As far as I can tell now Jin and Sun are just* in the show as an EXOTIC COLORFUL BACKDROP, foreigners speaking in strange languages and something that seems cool. It seems to me that Asians are the easy target for these kinds of usage.* Blame it on CHinatown (wonderful characters but not for the Asians in it)
* If one is to create a character and bring life to them for an audience to watch I strongly believe that the creators have the reponsibility to take their viewers on a journey and not have them feel like they are being forced to witness a 'mental case' that is associated with a specific culture and language which could be expolsive. I am eager to see JIn and Sun develop and hope that they do before LOST actually has its officialy release in Korea.* * *
-----
CONTROVERSIAL PORTRAYAL OF KOREAN MALES IN US DRAMA “LOST:” exaggeratedly conservative character is portrayed as typically Korean
“ I don’t know how it is in Iraq but where I live in the States, Korean people hate Blacks.”
This is a sample of dialogue from the ABC hit “Lost,” a new show about 14 men and women on a deserted island after a plane crash.* The program’s not only a huge hit in the US, but also here in Korea due to the popularity of Yunjin Kim who plays Sun, one of the main characters.* But people are perplexed at the ugly portrayal of the Koreans. Koreans are deeply concerned that Jin’s (Daniel Dae Kim) ridiculous behavior on the show is being represented as typical of Korean males to the US audience.
Jin is portrayed as an extremely patriarchal and conservative Korean man who doesn’t speak any English.* Koreans have found Jin’s character extremely offensive, saying “Nobody like that exists nowadays. It’s absurd.”* He screams at his wife that her cardigan’s first button is unclasped.* He also scolds her when she wears a sleeveless T-shirt, shouting that it’s too revealing, even though they’re on a tropical island,
The character Jin, who is set up as a non-English speaker, is constantly swearing at everyone in Korean.* What’s more, Jin never wants to associate with any of the other survivors, telling his wife, “You can’t trust those kind of people” and ordering her to stay away from them.
Even the US audience, after watching the Korean American actor portray a Korean, have posted similar comments on the show’s website, saying “that Korean is like a mental patient.”* “ He’s the first one that should be killed.” Jin is also the character “viewers hate the most.”
A viewer with ID “Lyrkalas’ wrote, “ I would want to stay way from Jin.* He doesn’t even try to talk with others and doesn’t help the situation at all on the island.* Nobody on this planet would be like him”
Another viewer with the ID “Katzie85’ wrote, “Jin controls his wife and makes her miserable.* He seems like a sociopath who is mentally retarded.”* “NanerMB12” adds “I lived in an Asian country for a while and they treated women as second-class citizens.* I think Jin’s actions in his world are valid.”
Song Juyoung, (22) who has watched LOST from the very first episode, told a reporter “ I wish the Koreans were portrayed as fully developed, great characters. Especially since this is a show that many Americans love.* Jin’s character is incredibly exaggerated, and I can’t think of a single Korean man like him.”* Another Korean viewer, Kim Dongwhan (26) says “ I was surprised when an American friend asked me if all Korean men were like him. He is being portrayed as a typical Korean, and I wish the show would make clear that this is only Jin and his particular temperament.”
Lee Jaewon Reporter daisy0406@hanamil.net
(you can read it in Korean at* * http://www.chosun.com/national/news/200412/200412040069.html-----end of article)
-----------
This article, unforunately, does not come as a surprise to me.* I am not so much offended by the portrayal of Jin as a Korean American who has also lived in Korea as his character isn't EVEN a stereotype.* In Korea the stereotypes of Korean men are actully characters who are portrayed as being extraordinarily rich and good looking (a la Melrose Place), lost souls who are violent against society (James Dean style) or cowardly husbands afraid of their wives wrath.* I am actually offended* as a TV viewer who loves to see full characters telling stories. Jin and Sun are just simply under -developped, useless and boring characters period with unearned emotionality.* Their story and reasons of action are general sweeps with out specificity or depth.* Why is Jin an angry man?* Why won't Sun speak up to him?* What was their past that makes them interact the way they do now? I don't need Jin to be sympathetic. I love villians and wish JIn would be a juicy villian with SPECIFIC REASONS to be angry and narly as he is being portrayed.* Or is that a front to cover up his insecurities and past doing?* As far as I can tell now Jin and Sun are just* in the show as an EXOTIC COLORFUL BACKDROP, foreigners speaking in strange languages and something that seems cool. It seems to me that Asians are the easy target for these kinds of usage.* Blame it on CHinatown (wonderful characters but not for the Asians in it)
* If one is to create a character and bring life to them for an audience to watch I strongly believe that the creators have the reponsibility to take their viewers on a journey and not have them feel like they are being forced to witness a 'mental case' that is associated with a specific culture and language which could be expolsive. I am eager to see JIn and Sun develop and hope that they do before LOST actually has its officialy release in Korea.* * *