Korean Noir

Noir - pronounced 'nwaa(r)'; means a movie that is marked by a mood of pessimism, fatalism, menace, and cynical characters. 

That's me in one word. Erm, not really. You cant sum a person up with ONE word, but that's describing me, pretty much. So I've been watching Korean noir dramas recently. Two, to be exact. One of them is Inspiring Generation, and the other, Heartless City.

Inspiring Generation

Heartless City

Both of the above dramas are really good. As I've always said, "Koreans (south), they never disappoint". They were successful once again in portraying subliminal messages about human nature and its habits. I guess that's why I really like the Koreans. They live as human beings much better off than most people would. I know I'm not Korean, but I judge the people in a country based off the movies they come up with, because I think although movies from its country of origin may not accurately deliver the true picture, it is somewhat similar to what life is like there for the people. I've watched enough movies of different languages and cultures to make this comment.

Inspiring generation was more of the origins of gangsterism and was more focused on smugglers. In that setting, which was the 1920's, even Japanese powder was something very valuable to smuggle. So I guess you know how serious would drug smuggling be. It was a big deal at that time. It was interesting to find out the hierarchy of the smuggling chain, and how their system worked at that time, and on the other hand, I can see the improvements people have come up with, over time to traffic drugs in the recent times, which was shown in Heartless City. The hierarchy became much more complex, and the transports and deals became much more subtle, off the general public's eye. Even the arsenal changed. What was once considered a 'true gangster' only if you had a 'face-off' without weapons, turned to snipes and revolvers to get rid of someone who upset the established order.

Best actor/actress for me? For Inspiring Generation it would be this guy, Song Jae Lim. Why? Because of what he is wearing & of course of his fighting skills. That long trench coat? Is that it? Im not sure what its called in the first placed. More like a "male cheongsam"? But I like those long stuff like in the The Matrix. To my future wife, thats gonna be my wedding suit. Thanks.

                                       Yes, those long coats they are wearing. I want thatttt.

Anyway, for Heartless City it would be Kim Soo Min. Thats her:

Look at that poised woman, who knows how to handle her whiskey, with awesome hair, and mesmerizing eyes, not forgetting the exotic earrings. Any guy would want to date her, I think, me at least. Her acting was really good, not forgetting she was the smart one with some common sense in the drama. The scene below was the cherry on top of her acting. Even in still picture, it looks good:

Dramas that focus on other the various aspects of life, with a subtle love stories are the best to watch, for me at least. When the entire focus revolves around a love story, it becomes super predictable and pretty much you're watching it just for fun. Thats not going to be me. Well guys, thats it for now. See ya!

The Moon that Embraces the Sun

A little late to watch this, but I still enjoyed it anyway. This is my second Korean drama with Historical genre. The other that I watched was Empress Ki.

 

Well, the drama has 20 episodes, rather short compared to Empress Ki that had 50. Honestly, without a doubt Empress Ki is much better than this drama. However, there is a certain message that was subtly displayed through this drama that caught me, that made me want to blog about it. Historical dramas are good in a way, because it comprises or can be comprised of many themes ranging from life, love, and all the way to politics & its beautiful how some writers and directors can tie them together. This drama was written by Jin Soo-Wan, and directed by Kim Do-Hoon and Lee Seong-Jun.

Well, I'm not really sure what the director/writer's original intent was, but from a viewers perspective, I think they were trying to define what true love really means. Yes, I know the whole world is trying to do this, but this captured me because I always had that thought in mind,

"If in one life, you fall in love with someone, 

but somewhere along the line, you were separated and your memories were lost. 

However, through some way, the person you fell in love with 

falls into the similar circle of friends or social circle with you. 

But now the circumstances has changed; changed in the sense of status, likes, dislikes, and experiences, would you fall in love with the same person all over again?"

In this drama the answer offered to me was, Yes, it can happen. Although, she lost her memories, she still almost instantly cared for Him and had feelings that at first she did not come to terms with. However, there can be a little difference here, because he happens to be the King, and in that setting at that age  & time, any girl wanted to fall in love with the King. Falling in love with the King was seen as a fairy tale life, depicted through the Puppet Shows, that gives them then glimpse of hope of a good life. Its also a little bit difficult to distinguish whether she had feelings for him just because he was the crown prince at first. When they met in the dramatic scene of syncope under the umbrella, she didn't know that he was the prince, however he almost instantly has feelings for her first. She however, felt much guilt after learning that she had lectured the wrong person. Only later on she felt like she needed to be by His side. One could totally turn the whole thing down by saying, that is just guilt she is feeling, misunderstood as love.

Well, I'd like to think of it as she really loved him not because of guilt. Hahaha! Life's more beautiful that way I guess. The fact that the crown prince, eventually King; could not forget her for 8 years is amazing, and totally worth it when they met again. There are other more deeper themes discussed throughout the drama such as revenge, loyalty, protecting your kin, obsession, power, etc. In all other themes, Empress Ki wins the medals, however in the attempt to show what true love really means, I have to give it to The Moon that Embraces the Sun.

Its really nice to see submissive wives, & I've seen plenty of Korean girls being submissive to their husbands through these dramas, but I guess they are misleading, because I also heard, live, from Koreans, that this ain't real. They are probably gonna beat the sh* out of you after marriage. I'd really like to be with a submissive + without facial surgery + Korean girl. HAHAHAHA! See ya! :)

The Little Mermaid

I realized I didn't really fill my childhood with fairy tales, perhaps thats why I dont really have faith in human nature. How did I realize this? During my transition from psychological thriller movies to the lovey-dovey korean dramas. Well, not really transition. It was because of the korean dramas. I have been only watching a few, and out of those, they used fairy tales as analogies to their love story, to explain the complex situation the male and the female is in. For example, Secret Garden used Alice in Wonderland and The Little Mermaid; and The Master's Sun used One Stormy Night. Well for One Stormy Night, its okay if I didnt know that one, because its a korean tale, so its more exposed to people of that culture. But for the former two, I had difficulties understanding the complex love situation because as complex as it is, it became even more complex when I didnt get their analogy. Although I knew that there was something as The Little Mermaid, I never knew what her problem was. So, I just read the story, written by Hans Anderson. This is he :

Well, He looks like a mer-man Himself

At first, it seemed okay, until I read the psychoanalysis of the story by some smart people in Copenhagen, explaining the story using Freudian and Jungian terms; and then I lost hope all over again. In the story before I read the analysis, this captured me :

 "Now he is sailing up there, 

the prince whom I love more than I love my father and mother: 

He who is ever in my thoughts and in whose hands 

I would gladly place all my hope of happiness. 

I would dare to do anything to win him and an immortal soul!"

Wow. Okayy. Does anyone even say that these days? However, all was lost after I read the psychoanalysis (the link of which I will put post-script). The analysis talked about the Oedipus/Electra Complex (look it up, if you dont know, or you might not want to know either), and the analysis became so sexual focusing on phalluses and the needs of a girl transforming in the age of puberty, and her process of individuation as Jung coined it. Also, the analysis was revolving around matriarchal/patriarchal issues in the sea and human land.  My goodness!! Such an innocent tale became dark and tragic. Analyzing the human psyche can make you lose hope in life, when you finally realize what we all are underneath. However, I decided to have a take on the themes of this story for myself, a less sexual/pubertal view and less gender biasness. I will list out the themes which it brought out, according to me:

1.   Obedience

This can be seen, in all the mermaids that did not disobey the grandma who said they cant swim up to the surface till they are fifteen. They could have done it anytime, but they obeyed instead.

2.   Patience

The Little Mermaid was patient enough to wait for her last turn as the youngest to swim up to the surface.

3.   Curiosity

The Little Mermaid had a really curious personality, and really wanted to explore the world outside what she is in. What she had wasn't enough, although it offered 300 years of pure happiness. This could be the symbol of the fundament of human nature who can never be satisfied with what they are given, no matter how good they can be. There will always be something better in our eyes.  

4.   Freedom

There was much freedom once the mermaid reached 15 years of age, and the little mermaid used this opportunity to run away from home and travels to untravelled places such as the witch's place.

5.   Pride

This is rather an epic theme. This is because of what they Grandma said, "One has to suffer for position". Even the grandma wore stuff on her neck to distinguish her position from others in the hierarchy.

6.   External Beauty

No great detail was given in any part of this story about personality. Everything was merely judged, and at a magnificent speed, based on the beauty, especially of females, and of males at one instance(the prince). The fact that the Little Mermaid could not talk, but just because she was beautiful, she became acquainted with the prince, and got a place to sleep in the palace, and ride with the prince, not forgetting the free clothes. Also, the prince decided that the princess he was going to marry just on the fact that she is beautiful and because she saved him (barely).

7.   Love

Well of course this is the most important theme of this story, or at least for children. Its not that the mermaid wasnt receving any form of love; she did, from her family at least, but she wanted the love of a man, and it so happened to be the first man she saw in life was the love of her life already. On top of that, I find it a total insult to love, to be based purely on looks, she didn't care a damn about anything else, he is handsome, and from now onwards, you-are-mine; I will save you, I will hug you, I will kiss you, lay your head on my bosom =.= and so forth. Thank God she wasn't overly attached and allowed him to marry the princess.

8.   Immortality

Alongside love, the importance of love was kinda equated with immortality. She wanted immortality as much as she wanted him. One could say that this is what she primarily wanted, and to achieve it, she needed a man. However, she only knew of the marriage deal later on. She was already fantasizing with the marble statue at the base of the sea.

9.   Marriage

Marriage seems to be the real deal here. No marriage no talk. She could only achieve an immortal soul if she married, and the importance of religion is intensified by the icon of a priest in this theme. No dating for fun, or just friends with benefits okayyy. 

10. Sacrifice

Okay, most people will consider this sacrifice. The part where she didnt kill him and that she went through a lot of pain just to be with him and also the tongue-cutting-so-oldboy-part. But how is this sacrifice actually? She wanted him, so basically its for her benefit. She has to be in pain coz she asked for it. Sorry people. It would have been different, and I would consider it sacrifice, if, the prince loved the mermaid first (the tail part of her) but couldnt be with her in the water, and then she transformed and came out and had to walk on swords all her life just for him, also because she loves him. Thats sacrifice for me.

11. Salvation

One tiny bit of this is discussed here, but this seems to be a very important aspect in life. It highlights the need of finally being in God's Kingdom. However, the way in which they suggest is by 'good deeds', which strongly opposes what my religion believes. Because nothing we can do, pleases God, only through faith and believing in Him. On top of that, it also mentioned some kind of economic deal with God, which doesnt make sense at all, that if they find a happy child, a year is minused from their misery. Misleading info.

And so, I find this story to be very disturbing. Hahaha. One could just enjoy it superficially however. But thats not me I guess. See ya!

 Link to the Analysis :
∙ http://scandinavian.wisc.edu/mellor/hca/pdf_files/articles.pdf

The Tetris Effect

Ok so, I'm staying in a new house with three of my classmates. One of them, a sort of a half-time gamer, and the other two, pretty much dedicated their life to gaming till they drop dead. In one of the very rare moments I actually interact with them in the house, which is while they are not gaming, we talked about something called The Tetris Effect. Apparently, what I was feeling all these while is called that. Basically after a few hours of playing any game, if I ever did, images of that game will start appearing in my sight and I would start dreaming all about it. It was really disturbing for me, and I find it very distracting, and in the end, I would stop that game and start some other new game, and the cycle continues. 

Tetris was created in two weeks by a Russian named Alexey Pajitnov. While it is a really amazing game, the effect it creates on me or anyone else for that matter is miserable. The only difference is whether you care about the effect or not. Don't even bother trying to play the sequel to tetris; Welltris.

Alexey Pajitnov

So what happens in this effect is somewhat similar to when you stare at a light for some time or the sun, and when you look away, the image still lingers in your sight. The video below talks about this effect, which I found to be very interesting.

And of course, the infamous question of does gaming have any connection with violent behavior? Well, if explained with brainwaves, hard wiring and The Tetris Effect, you almost certainly have a Yes to that question. Of course, violent behavior has other factors involved, such as how their childhood was conditioned and other related factors, but gaming could be just the trigger they needed to pull off a mass shooting. Lets all take a moment, wind back a little, and enjoy Tops, Cards and Marbles and less of Diablo of Assassin's Creed.