节目资讯
刊物:空中英语教室
日期:2012-06-18
难易度:High
关键字:stylish, soap opera, hierarchy, boom, Hallyu, sonata
OK. Welcome back, friends.
The word "Hallyu" literally means Korean wave.
Back in 1999, a Beijing-based journalist was surprised by how popular Korean
entertainment and culture was becoming in China.
And that's when he coined the term.
Now let's get back to our lesson and discover why Hallyu is so hot on line 11.
(Music).
Hallyu.
One reason is that its products are high-quality and much cheaper than Western
imports.
Another reason is that Eastern cultures can better relate to the content.
Despite the language difference, they identify with the themes of social
hierarchy, respect for parents and Confucian philosophies.
The cultural barrier is much lower.
It started with a "sonata".
In the late 90s, Korea began to export soap operas to nearby countries.
One of the first international hits was "Winter Sonata," a drama about a love
triangle.
This "K-drama" was part of a major boom in Korean entertainment sales,
particularly in Japan.
(Music).
Hello, everyone.
All right. So we're asking the question: Why is Hallyu so hot?
Well, let's take a look at the reasons why it's become so popular.
Well, one reason is that its products are high-quality and much cheaper than
Western imports.
Hmm, OK.
So Korean pop culture, their movies, their music and their shows are very
high-quality.
I've seen a couple of their movies and a lot of their shows, and it is very
impressive quality.
But so is the quality of movies from Hollywood.
That's true.
But if you're from South Korea, it's cheaper to import it.
Now we learned with export is.
Now to import means to receive something - so to receive something from another
country.
So in Taiwan, if you receive something from Korea, you're importing from Korea.
And it's cheaper than importing from America.
That makes sense.
So it's higher-quality, and it is cheaper than the movies and music produced in
Western culture.
So what's another reason that it's popular, Kaylah?
Well, another reason is that Eastern cultures can better relate to the content.
So Western cultures and Eastern cultures are very different.
But within those two categories, they relate well.
They understand. They can...
It makes sense to them.
So it makes sense that they would understand the content.
Yeah. That's very true.
Movies that are produced in the Western culture, of course people that live in
the Western culture are going to relate to those better.
They're going to understand them better.
And so it makes sense that people living in Eastern cultures will understand
Eastern content better.
That's right.
But there's even more to that sentence.
It's really well-written.
So it's our Grammar on the Go sentence.
So let's visit Liz.
Hello, friends.
I hope you're doing well today.
My name is Liz.
And it's time for Grammar on the Go.
According to the writer of today's article:
Another reason is that Eastern cultures can better relate to the content.
That's our Grammar Tip sentence.
Notice the phrase, better relate to.
It means having a sense of connection because you understand the feelings
involved.
So today's sentence just means people from Eastern cultures can feel more
closely connected to the content of Korean soap operas.
They feel they understand the content more because the Korean culture shares
some similarities with other Eastern cultures.
Obviously, this is a feeling of understanding and connection with something.
And that would be the content of these Korean programs.
But we can also use this phrase "better relate to" when we want to talk about
understanding and feeling connected with a person or a group of people.
For example: After studying overseas, Ted felt he could better relate to the
foreign exchange students at his school.
Or: The boss wants his employees to attend a special training workshop so they
can better relate to their customers.
If you want to see some more example sentences, they're available in today's
Grammar Tip section in your Studio Classroom magazine.
That's all the time we have for today.
This is Liz with Grammar on the Go signing off.
Bye-bye.
Thank you very much, Liz.
So Hallyu is cheaper to produce... or cheaper to import than the Western movies,
and they're very high-quality.
And people who live in Asia can relate to them easier.
That's right.
The Eastern cultures can relate to each other.
But they don't all speak the same language, but that doesn't seem to be much of
a problem.
That's right, because we see: Despite that language difference, they identify
with the themes of social hierarchy as well as others.
First, what does that word "despite" mean?
Well, "despite" means even though they don't speak the same language, it still
is not too big of a problem.
OK. So yeah, and they identify, they understand those themes of social
hierarchy.
Now this theme of social hierarchy is a very Eastern theme.
Now "hierarchy" means a system in which people are important.
So in your family, maybe your grandparents are the most important, and then your
parents, and then the kids, and then maybe the dog.
So hierarchy is the level of importance.
Now Eastern culture and Western culture both have hierarchy systems, they're
just very different.
Exactly. And so this idea, this Eastern... idea of social hierarchy is very
different.
And so that is what they understand.
Now they also can identify with other things as well.
That's right.
Now going with this hierarchy, there's a certain respect for parents and
Confucian philosophies that play into Western... Eastern culture that are easier
to understand if you are from the East.
All right. Now a Confucian philosophy is referring to the originally Asian idea
of morals - what is right and what is wrong.
Again, that can be different between Western and Asian cultures.
Therefore the cultural barrier is much lower.
So it makes sense.
OK. So that is why Hallyu is so popular in Asia.
It's cheaper. People understand it easier.
And that way, there's no... the cultural barrier is not as bad.
Now our next section is: It started with a "sonata".
Now a "sonata" is a piece of music that is arranged in three or four parts.
But it's a specific sonata that we're talking about here.
That's right.
Now in the late 90s, Korea began to export soap operas to nearby countries.
And one of the first international hits was "Winter Sonata." So here we see the
"sonata" it started with.
OK. So this is one of the first popular Korean soap operas.
And it was a drama about a love triangle.
Which is what a lot of dramas are about.
It is always interesting to watch a love triangle, though I don't think being in
one would be very much fun.
They're fun to watch.
That's right.
A love... triangle is when three people are in love with each other.
They don't know who's in love with who, and it's confusing.
Maybe... maybe there's one guy and two girls like him, and he only likes one of
them.
It's always awkward.
Well, this "K-drama" was part of a major boom in Korean entertainment sales,
particularly in Japan.
OK. So a "boom" is when there is a major increase very quickly in something,
something becomes more numerous or more successful.
And that would be the sales of the Korean entertainment.
That was specifically in Japan - means that that's where they were most popular
right away.
Exactly. Well, we've seen a lot about Hallyu.
Now let's take a look tomorrow at a little bit more of why it's becoming so
popular.
For right now, though, let's watch the skit.
Its fashion is flashy.
Its stars are stylish.
Copying it is cool.
Hallyu!
I'm fine, thanks.
How are you?
Huh? What, no!
Not how are you! Hallyu.
What?
Hallyu is the wave of Korean pop culture that has washed over Asia.
Korean pop culture?
Uh huh. South Korea exports all types of popular entertainment, music, soap
operas and films.
Entertainment from Korea?
Oh, yeah! And it's so hot.
What makes it so hot?
Well, products are high-quality and cheaper than Western imports.
High-quality and cheaper?
I like that.
Yeah. And Eastern cultures can relate.
Relate? In a different language?
Oh, yeah.
Despite the language difference, Hallyu has themes people identify with.
Like what?
Social hierarchy, respect for parents and Confucian philosophies.
Oh. The cultural barrier just got lower.
So how did Hallyu become so hot?
Well, in the late 90s, Korea began to export soap operas to nearby countries.
Soap operas?
Uh huh. They call them K-dramas, and they're a major boom.
K-dramas? Major boom?
Oh, yeah. Hallyu is a brand of pop culture in high demand.
It affects everything, music, television, Internet and social media.
It sounds like it's really spreading.
Oh, yeah. Hallyu is spreading worldwide.
You should find out more.
Yeah, I think I will.
Hi, everyone. I'm Michelle.
(Chinese).
And that concludes our Language Tips today.
Don't forget to come back tomorrow. Bye-bye.
Now I know many of you watching and listening today have been hit by the Korean
pop culture wave.
You listen to K-pop, and you watch Korean dramas.
If so, which ones? And why?
Take advantage of this and other Talk About It questions at the bottom of page
38 and start a short dialogue in English.
Then stop by the Studio Classroom English Corner and weigh in with your opinion
about Korean music, movies and TV shows.
That's at StudioClassroom.com.
Friends, please join us again tomorrow for more Hallyu.
Take care.