Telenovela, it is Not just for a Killing-time Show

One of members of DSKUSSS watched the TV show 'Telenovela' and she wanted to share some thoughts on it. If you watched that show, this writing would be more interesting to you. Please read it and share your thoughts too!

Telenovela, it is Not just for a Killing-time Show

Yunzee Kim

Graduated from Dongseo University

Broadcasting and Media Studies

      The new TV sitcom has started at the end of 2015. This became popular due to the star, Eva Longoria who is a famous Latin actress in the states and who has a perfect body. It is on the NBC channel and it has already fans. Personally, I think this show is quite fun to watch. There are two main reasons on my opinion.

      The first reason is that the show is not hard to watch. This is because the show is about 20-minute-long. It is quite short. Many other American TV drama shows are on the air about from 40 minutes long to 60 minutes long. Also, some shows have lots of seasons and each season consists of 10~20 episodes. So, when people want to start to watch interesting TV shows, these kind of shows are hard to start since it is obvious that it takes much time to watch all episodes.

      The second reason is that it shows  how the sitcom is made on the studio and also it contains Latin culture. Passionate emotion expressions and exaggerations are known as the key element of telenovela shows. Like this, in this show, these elements are satisfied.
So, if you do not have any plan to do, let’s start watching the fun TV show, ‘Telenovela’! You are going to love it!

Housewarming Gifts in U.S.A and Korea!

Have you ever been to housewarming parties? If you do, you might go there with presents that celebrate people's new houses! Interestingly, one of DSKUSSS members want to share what differences are there between the housewarming gifts in Korea and the one in the states. If you have any thoughts or comments, anything is welcome :-) Please comment your opinions!

Housewarming Gifts in U.S.A and Korea!

Jungwon Lee

Dept. of Global Studies

Pusan National University

Have you ever been to a housewarming party to your relatives or friends? A housewarming party is traditionally held around the world when one is moving into a new residence. It is an occasion for the hosts to present their new home to their friends and for friends to give gifts to furnish the new home. It could be an exciting moment to visit a new house! Then, what would be the traditional housewarming gifts in U.S. and Korea?

First, there are lots of traditional housewarming gifts that people in the U.S. prepare. Bread, salt, sugar, wine, honey, a broom, a coin and a candle. Bread means ‘never know hunger’, giving salt and sugar means ‘I hope your life may always have flavor and sweetness’. Wine symbolizes the hope that joy and prosperity may reign forever, and honey has a similar meaning to sugar. Giving a broom means ‘I hope your home may always be clean’ or ‘I hope you sweep away any evil and bad luck’. Coin means good fortune, and candle means always having light and happiness.   

However, in Korea, people usually give toilet papers, laundry detergents, or matchboxes to hosts. We can say that these three are traditional housewarming party gifts in Korea. To explain the toilet papers and laundry detergents, it is said that when Korea was a poor country, not many people could afford for toilet paper and detergent because these were too expensive. Also, in Korea, because it is said that the lengths of the sheets of toilet paper and the bubbles produced by the detergent represent prosperity, many Koreans buy these two without any hesitation. Also, the matchbox is the symbol of brightness, so that people who newly moved will always live in brightness.

Like these, there are so many housewarming gifts that contain deep meanings. However, nowadays, the trend is changing like buying other home appliances like a wall clock, coffee machine, or a flowerpot. What would be your choice? J

Finding meaningful and genuine relationships from experiences of cyber space - The ABC’s sitcom Selfie

Is there anyone who waits for an interesting writings written by DSKUSSS? DSKUSSS is back with an introduction of the interesting sitcom "Selfie." This sitcom is more worth watching since it contains the relationship between Social Network Service and the real life. If you have any thought to share regarding to this writing or sitcom, just let us know through the comments.

Finding meaningful and genuine relationships

from experiences of cyber space

-     The ABC’s sitcom Selfie

Yunzee Kim

Graduated Dongseo University

Media and Communicaion Studies

It is the era of Social Network Services. There are lots of sites that offer you SNS like Facebook, Twiiter, Instagram, Tumblr etc. These are used for people who want to be connected with others easily. This service is innovative since it shortens the difficulty of connecting, physical distance. However, it has bad influences too. Sometimes, people show their life to others with only edited pictures and edited life which make people feel jealous or timid. This feeling usually comes from the idea that everybody except me has happy life. Also, SNS is so fast that sometimes it makes the relationship shallow and fast.

ABC, the famous broadcasting station in the states, thinks that they should make a TV drama show that reflects the real society. So, they decided to make the sitcom called “Selfie.” That sitcom is showing the modern people are addicted to the SNS and they feel shallow on their life. However, it gives a lesson that if you try to find a true friend and true relationship it is possible. Even though people should use analogue methods usually. This sitcom tells that there is convenience of using digital methods but there are something genuine in analogue.

These facts are shown with the two main characters. The main woman character is so addicted to SNS. She usually gets a guy through SNS and she competes the number of followers with her acquaintance. Her relationship looks fast and glamorous to others. She also feels satisfied with her life since everyone feels jealous of her. Suddenly, one day, she realizes that this all thins is vain. So, she determines to change herself totally. Then, she meets her supervisor and someday-to-be friend the main man character. He does not know how to use SNS and he is obsessed with work. Shockingly, they are somewhat the opposite characters ever. However, as story goes on, they start to realize each other’s beauty and get closer. This process was described in a funny way but I think this sitcom gives us time to think about my real relationship and the influence of SNS. ABC’s decision not to keep making this show makes me sad but it is worth watching! 

Attractive Stories of Detectives in the TV show ‘The Closer’

DSKUSSS is back with an essay on TNT TV Show 'The Closer.' One of our members shares her thought on why this show is fun to watch. Take a look and let us know what you think on this show or this writing! DSKUSSS is happy to hear your opinions!

Attractive Stories of Detectives in the TV show ‘The Closer’

Yunzee Kim

Graduated from Dongseo University

Communication and Media Studies

             TNT is a famous cable channel in the states that produces interesting TV shows. One of TV shows that I loved to watch is ‘The Closer.’ It is about the story of LAPD. One female boss came to the LAPD and her team members were struggling to get adjusted. The team’s specialty was to get a murderer especially when people think the crime is a major crime hard to solve. At first, her team members dislike the female detective, the main character, Brenda Leigh Johnson. That is because she is a female and she came from other organization not LAPA. However, as the story goes, her ability to solve the crime is brilliant and the members embrace her as their true supervisor. Due to this story, people can get a glimpse of how hard it is to survive at work as a woman.

             Each episode of the show has one crime to solve and several crimes are solved through more than two episodes or seasons. Unlike other mystery or crime solving TV drama show, this is focusing on one investigating how the crime happens and why it happens by getting confession from the suspect. Brenda is really good at getting confession since she knows how to crack the suspect’s mind psychologically. When people see Brenda in the interview room getting the suspect broken down, they feel somehow pleasure. People usually love when the justice gets its place. The interesting point of the interview of Brenda is sometimes she is so eager to make justice happen that she does wrong ethically. That point gives viewers a chance to think about what is the best way of making justice.

Also, each character’s life in the show has been shown too in many episodes. Each character is attractive. Especially, the detective Provenza and Flynn are an excellent pair of making fun. Even though their clumsy investigation and behavior sometimes make trouble in solving the crime, they are lovely to watch. There are even more reasons to watch this show but I will stop this from here. If you watch it, you can find the fun of guessing how the story goes and feeling closer to the fascinating characters.

A Super Positive Woman Ever from TV show “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”

One of DSKUSSS members love to watch TV sitcom shows. She found one great show to watch and she wants to share the story a little bit and tries to explain why she is into it. Read this writing and let us know what you think of this sitcom! We are welcome to any comments :-)

A Super Positive Woman Ever

from TV show “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”

Yunzee Kim

Graduated from Dongseo University

Communication and Media Studies

A new TV sitcom came up in 2015. In the show, there is a super positive and fun women who try to keep having hope no matter how she has been through tough situations. Her name is Kimmy Schmidt who left the miserable life in Indiana state and moves in New York. When she was in Indiana, she was kidnaped by a cray cult leader who insisted the doomsday of the world is coming soon. Then, she kept living her life in a bunker of a basement for 15 years. Whenever she wanted to go out, the leader warned her that the world has been vanished and they should live in the bunker forever. Luckily, after the 15 years, the rescue team who has looked for this woman and other missing people found them and Kimmy finally saw the sunlight. From then, the media could not get their eyes off them, they called them “mole women”, and all people in American felt pity for them. Since Kimmy is very positive and independent, she abandoned all the life in Indiana and decided to start over her life in a new place, New York.

The episodes of season 1 deals with how she lives in the new world. Since she is innocent and positive, she turns typical New Yorkers who only cares about themselves into better people that cares other people. Her roommate and her employer were selfish and only cared about their life. However, they started to involve Kimmy’s life as the episode goes. The episodes are full of fun and ironical situations and these make people laugh and smile. If you want to know how a positive person can change the world, this TV show could give you a clue! Please enjoy it!

Giving Tips in America

It is unfamiliar for Korean to give a tip when you go to restaurants or beauty salons etc. However, in the states, there is culture that gives a tip when you get a service. Please read this and get some tips on how to pay the tip in the states! Let us know, if you have any thoughts or opinions through comments!

Giving Tips in America

Jungwon Lee

Dept. of Global Studies

Pusan National University

Whenever Koreans travel U.S. and dine in nice restaurants, most people worry, thinking ‘After finishing my meal, how much tips should I give to the waiter or the cashier?’

A tip, also called a gratuity, is a sum of money customarily tendered, in addition to the basic price for a service performed or anticipated. Tipping is a widely practiced social custom in the U.S. It is known that the practice of tipping began in Tudor England. By the 17^th century, it was expected that overnight guests to private homes would provide sums of money to the host’s servants. Soon afterwards, customers began tipping in London coffeehouses and other commercial establishments.

Tipping by definition is voluntary. In restaurants offering traditional table service, a tip of 15% of the amount of a customer’s check is customary when good service is provided. Higher tips may be given for excellent service, and lower tips for mediocre service. Some restaurants kindly show how much tips should the customers voluntarily pay. However, if it is not indicated, people should calculate the tips by his or her own and that could be annoying. In the case of bad or rude service, no tip may be given and the restaurant manager may be notified of the problem. Tips are also generally given for service provided in golf courses, casino, hotels, concierge, food delivery, taxis, spa and salons. This etiquette applies to bar service at weddings and any other event where one is a guest as well. The host should provide appropriate tips to workers at the end of an event; the amount may be negotiated in the contract.

Well, Tipping culture is new to us Koreans because we just pay what says on the bill. So Koreans might get a little bit stingy when giving tips. However, in America, when we don’t add tips, we would be easily regarded as cheapskates. Some servers who work in American restaurants may behave rudely to Koreans because they know that the tipping culture do not exist in Korea. On the other hand, some cities in the U.S. tried to implement the ‘no tipping policy’. They changed their former tipping policies by charging 15% higher prices to cover paying higher wages to staff. Also, they informed their customers that they don’t need to leave extra at the end of their meal.

 

Tipping culture in America is difficult to catch up, and sometimes it is hard to understand. However, like the old saying “When in Rome, do as the Romans do” indicates, it would be best if we accept one of the U.S. culture and be smart travelers!  

American Classes in My Room; Coursera

Are you interested in MOOC? If you are, you maybe heard "Coursera". This is one of the biggest MOOC sites. If you aren't, you can know what it is through this writing. One of DSKUSSS members explains why this site is convenient to use. Please, read this and let us know what you are thinking through the comments!

American Classes in My Room; Coursera

Soeun Kim

Pusan National University

Polymer Science and Engineering

Have you ever imagined that you are taking popular classes in U.S with famous professors? You might think it is only in your dream. However, there is one way to make your dream real. Coursera, one of the MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) sites, can let you bring the American campus into your own room. Coursera is a pro-profit company that offers MOOC, and works with universities to make some of their courses available online. You can take courses from Harvard, Princeton, Wharton and so on, which are considered as foremost schools.
   This brilliant site, the Coursera was founded in 2012, by computer science professors Andrew Ng and Daphne Koller from Stanford University. At first, Coursera had few lectures, but now, they provide more than thousands courses and have over 13 million users from 190 countries.

Even there are many users, as the Coursera is based on online services, it would be hard to motivate and maintain the users who take the courses. However, it is said that the users are consistently motivated in the Coursera. How? There is a huge difference among other online lecture sites, “Certification system”. They give the option to pay a fee to join the “Signature Track”. Students on the signature track can receive verified certificates, if they take all of the courses, quizzes and other assignments. This system can make students self-motivated, as they can get certification by participation to the courses.

Through the Coursera, you can take any courses you want. You can learn Marketing from Wharton, Humanities from Harvard, or Thermodynamics from MIT. I believe that the Coursera made a campus without borders. At the same time, they made another way of educational opportunity. Why don’t you try to catch this great chance? Turn on the Coursera, and bring the world campus into your room!