Martin Nguyen

Casting Couch: A Taint in the Entertainment Industry

marktin — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 07:49:04 +0000

I came upon a news article from www.allkpop.com regarding an actor name Lee Ki Oh going through hard times in the Korean Entertainment Business. I read the article and began to explore, at first I was thinking: you know what, everyone goes through hard times, and there are always obstacles in which a person has to go through in order to achieve success. Well this article blew my mind, it stated the following:

Lee Ki Oh’s situation is similarly upsetting, as many companies demanded money from him in order to be in productions.

This was the line that blew my mind, paying money to gain fame? Almost as if you have to bribe companies and directors to earn your role. So it made me think, do famous people have to go through this corrupted system in order to achieve their fame, if so then can we not argue that their “fame” is actually fake and is based on how much money a person can bribe. But then again most of these actors and actresses are doing what they dream and have always wanted to do, only now there is a very huge and immoral obstacle. Well before I got into any deeper thoughts I saw this line again with the following links:

It has been revealed in the past that many entertainers resort to, or are forced into performing demeaning favors behind-the-scenes in order to get their names out there.

I was interested so I decided to ponder and take a look at where these links will lead me. I was in for one hell of a ride about the Korean Entertainment Industry. The “demeaning” link which leads to the death of a young actress Jang Ja Yun through sucide… why? It was because of depression, now what lead to her depression. After reading the article it was found that this beautiful actress was:

was beaten and forced to sleep with the Production Director (PD)

incidents at room saloons and bars, and being forced to sleep with the Dirty Ass PD

physically beaten with water bottles and receiving threatening text messages

went to the head of her company to ask for help from the harassment. But she was beaten and told to just endure it.

confessed in her letters that she was forced to do the dirty deeds, because she had no money

She was an upcoming actress and was currently in a role for the drama “Boys over Flower”! And “Boys over Flower” has its multiple dramas, a manga, and its own anime; to make my point it is something BIG, but this drama production took a wrong turn in events. This was not even the worst part, the second article, linked on “favors” is about a Taiwanese Singer name Estrella Lin wanting to enter the Korean Entertainment Industry. She stated:

According to Lin, actors, actresses, and singers are encouraged to sell their bodies, or are sometimes even forced, in order to obtain opportunities in Korea. The expectation is an unwritten rule in the entertainment industry of the country, said Lin.

This was not the only horrible part. There was a survey done with some statistic!

Out of 2,000 entertainers who were asked to participate, only 183 responded. Of the 183, however, 19.1% admitted to personally participating in or knowing of someone who took part in the “couch casting” calls. Shockingly, 62.3 percent revealed that they would face disadvantages if they refused.

NINETEEN POINT ONE PERCENT of 183 people ADMITTED or KNOWING of someone who took part in the “couch casting” that is about 35 people out of 183 people. Not only that but more than half of the people that answer the survey stated that they would face disadvantages if they were to refused couch casting! That is 114 people out of 183 people. Now this blew my mind, this was what made me go holy f*cking sh*t! How can such a wonderful community have things and people like this!

Oh no do not think that our own American Entertainment Industry would never ever do something like this. We all know who Transformer’s sexy heroine Megan Fox, well in 2009 an article was release stating:

insisting several leading film directors have tried to bed her since she found fame.

Of course these are not the only examples, you can find the definition of “Casting Couch” and more examples here.

Just knowing that this occurs in the entertainment industry makes me sick because of the power that these directors have over their actors and actress. Of course not all directors are horrible people, and that not all entertainers do this, but just knowing that this occurs makes me sad about how the entertainment industry is ran. The idea of talent being what brings people to fame is now less credible because of all of this.

Sad Times and Eventful Day!

marktin — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 09:12:23 +0000

I actually planned a different piece to post for today, but I decide to go against it and summarize what has been going in the last few days and why I have not been posting. After Wednesday, I receive some grave news that my godmother, who is technically my parent guardian if something was to happen, is hospitalize; it was until dinner when my mother told me how grave the situation was. For the past few days, I have been visiting her at the Good Samaritan Hospital, and I have been watching over my three cousins (her daughters), who are still in high school, to make sure that they eat, sleep, and go to school. Of course as a catholic, I begin to pray her every night hoping that she will get better and stabilizes. As for her three children, I am lost and confuse on what I should do to help them, but I continue to try my best to be available to them.

On the bright side in the past few days, I receive a few phone calls and email to schedule for interviews from some local retailers and small marketing firms. Particular today I had an interview with a major retailer for a sales position. As I prepare for my interview, I had prepare sales questions that they might have asked. Upon arriving at hiring location, I was asked to wait for a particular hiring manager before I can come in. While waiting, I stress a little because of how I was asked to wait patiently for a particular person, while their was many other hiring managers ready to interview people. My interview was at three, and I had to wait 15 minutes before the busy particular person was back for my interview. I went into her office and we began talking about the interview, instantly I found out that I am being interview for another position, almost a better position than being on the sales floor. While looking through my application beforehand, she decided that I had enough experience to add me as part of her administration team that she has been developing for that past few months for this $240 million retail location. I was ecstatic and shock at the same time, originally I prepared myself to be ready for an interview for sales position, and now I would have to improvise and began the interview process. Fast forward the interview process, I was there for more than an hour and thirty minutes of just firing questions back and forth. I received a business card and was ask to reapply as an administration staff and follow up with her for this position. I left the retailer with a very good impression that I am going to receive an offer. Until then I will confirm with you how things go tomorrow.

After this I visit a friend, whose father just recently died; we discussed many topics and traded many stories as we caught up to what we are doing in our current lives. Till I had to eat dinner with my sister and my cousins around 6:oopm, we decided to eat at olive garden. Eventually, I arrived home at around 10:30pm.

The past few days and today especially has been very eventful. This post is just to update everyone of how things are going. I plan to do a KPop post on a new album that just came out which a friend recommended me to listen to. And hopefully I will have a game review of a browser base game in which I have played for quite some time now, that will be coming up next also.

Farmer’s Market @ Evergreen Village Sqaure

marktin — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 04:02:56 +0000

Amazing day today I have to admit. I meet many people from the Evergreen community while I was standing at my booth marketing for State Farm Insurance. My first time really experience direct/face to face marketing and it was quite an experience. This is something that I might get myself involve in again in the future. Since I was there and of course there are times in which it was pretty boring, I decided to WRITE TWO HAIKUS this time. That is right two!

Now these two haikus have some significant meaning to it. It is up to you for your interpretation of what these two poem mean. And no I will not tell you what I meant with these two haikus.

Haiku #1

Feelings colliding,

Memories are arising,

Love quantifying.

Haiku #2

Confused and lonely,

Going the wrong path in life,

And time is flying.

Sorry for the very bland post today, I will try to get something more interesting by the end of this week!

Eventful Day… and a Haiku

marktin — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 04:48:51 +0000

I would have to say today was an eventful day. It is one of those days in which you wake up, you go to work, you come home, you eat dinner, you go exercise, and you then go to sleep and begin the same cycle all over again tomorrow. I went to work today for the first time in about three months, same type of job as my previous employment and I cannot believe I kind of miss it. I kind of miss interacting with consumers and support staff. A lot of things change since my last employment, the phone machines now are more complicated or at least more enjoyable as they have a wireless capability and the equipments and things are a lot nearer. I notice though less people walk in, but there has been an increase in traffic through phone calls. It was quite enjoyable today, but very exhausting as I knocked completely after laying on my bed to rest for a bit. So today, this post should be suffice along with a small little haiku dedicated to a very very lovely person. Only that person will recognize the inside meaning of this poem as the outer appearance seems very love related.

Goddess of beauty,

My heart stops when I see you,

I long for your love.

The title is still in its working, but I wanted to publish this out for people to see and enjoy. No this job is not my real job, or career job that I am looking for, but it is my current temporary job for about a week, and hopefully after this week I have a few interviews line up. Before I forget, I found an ad of someone selling many many golf sets, and I am planning to check it out to see if he is willing to sell me one for cheap or at least recommend me one of his better sets for a beginner golfer like me. Hurray for that,pat myself on the back!

KPop Girl Group Songs Mash

marktin — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 08:51:37 +0000

A friend of mine sent me a link of a bunch of girl group kpop songs being mixed, at first I thought this is ridiculous almost to the point in which its blasphemous to KPop. But after listening to it I thought it was pretty catchy or rather good. It is ten mix of songs in which we might or might not know. I do not know if the lyrics match up, like if it continues well if it was translated into English but it does sound as if it fits. Here it is:

Also I just finished watching 500 days of summer and I thought that movie was pretty “cutesy”, but I guess sad. Very somewhat realistic as in that stuff happens quite a bit. I am not going to analyze it or comment on which scene I like most because I do not want to ruin the movie for anyone that has not watch it. Please watch it if you have not because that movie is not a love story as many people think, it is a story about love.

BUT… as regards to my job hunting, I have applied to a quite number of places and receive some interviews. It is going okay, but the stresses that comes along with it like bills that needs to be paid and parents lecturing and nagging really takes a toll on me. I am looking forward though because I think my chance might come up soon.

One last thing, I have made a haiku page in which I plan to write many haikus in the future. May it enlighten people or may it move their feelings I hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoy writing them. I plan to move this blog on without having too much post regarding KPop, but as of now I need to think of ideas of what to write about and maybe create an overall theme to this blog (and I hope it is not about KPop because there is many dedicated blogs to that, but I will occasionally write about it). Maybe I will write a review or an opinion post.

Upcoming Projects

marktin — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 23:13:44 +0000

Before I get into the projects, I updated the layout for the blog because a friend of mine told me that with white text does not go with a black background especially if I have a large amount of text. And so I also changed the color of my twitter to fit my blog. Do not forget about the picture too, supposedly I look like a “pedo” in the other picture so I decided to upload another one. Hopefully this time I do not look like a “perv” or anything.

I have about three upcoming projects that I will be working on:

1) Converting an external HD around 80GB to be compatible with Apple’s OS (Mac OSX) and Microsoft’s OS (Windows)

I have a laptop HD that I turn into a External HD. It has a case and everything I think its consider as 2.5 inch HD. So I heard you can “flash” the HD to make it work with OSX and Windows. I will probably have to back up the HD and then start testing and “flashing” it to see if it does work.

2) Install Polycom Viavideo Device and set up a Dual Webcam for two different angles.

I was given a Polycom Viavideo Webcam device for Corporate Video Conferencing. It is a lot better than my other cheap webcam, so I am trying to set it so that both webcam’s are running at the same time to get two angles. I am probably going to see if I can do some recording too and how well the resolution is.

3) Work with Cam Studio to create a tutorial or two and upload it on Youtube.

So the other night my web browser firefox kept redirecting me while I was trying to log into twitter. Thanks to a cool friend of mines I was able to fix it. So I became interested in Cam Studio to create videos, I guess so I can learn how to use the program for other usages later on.

SNSD performing Fin.K.L Now and S.E.S Dreams Come True

marktin — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 05:45:33 +0000

While I was browsing through Youtube last night searching for SNSD videos of dancing and singing to other songs, I came across this video and it brought back memories. I venture through K-Pop when I was in middle school and beginning of high school. My cousin introduce me an assortment of groups and artists like Baby Vox, Finkl, Boa, HOT, Shinhwa, GOD, and etc. Finkl: Now was one of my favorite songs back then along with SES Dreams Come True (which I found by total accident). Their songs are catchy and easy to dance to like SNSD and Kara, and it was quite enjoyable to listen too. But I was sad when I heard they disbanded in 2002. After seeing SNSD dance two these two song I compared the dancing and singing to the SES and FINKL and I have to admit it was quite amazing and charming in their own unique style.

Taeyeon, Sunny, Yuri and Seohyun sang and dance to SES Dreams Come True

Jessica, Tiffany, Hyoyeon, and Sooyoung sang and dace to Finkl Now

S.E.S. Dreams Come True:

Fin.K.L: Now

Brings back memories!

My Current KPop Playlist

marktin — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 21:39:48 +0000

I just wanted to do a quick mid day post on my current KPop playlist!

1. Oh! by SNSD

2. Gee by SNSD

3. Tell Me Your Wish (Genie) by SNSD

4. Kissing You Baby by SNSD

5. Girl’s Generation by SNSD

6. Into The New World by SNSD

7. Run Devil Run by SNSD

8. Honey by Kara

9. Pretty Girl (School Rock Ver.) by Kara

10. Mister by Kara

11. Wanna by Kara

12. Sorry Sorry by Super Junior

13. Without You by 2PM

14. Again and Again by 2PM

15. Lie by Bigbang

16. Seoul Song by SNSD and Super Junior

I have a lot more songs than this like T-Ara Beep Boop, Secret Magic and lots lots more, but this is what I am currently listening to on almost a daily basis haha. If you guys have any recommendation on any other KPop songs please comment and let me know which songs I should try to listen too. Hmm… I might post my American playlist hopefully it will consist around 20 songs that I listen daily either via radio, youtube, etc.

Updated Twitter

marktin — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 07:18:28 +0000

I just finished updating my twitter. Check it out at www.Twitter.com/MartinN7

Whats New:

+ Profile Pic

+ Profile Info

+Layout

I am trying to become a more avid user of Twitter. So after discussing with a friend of mine, he told me to update my profile picture, bios and layout which I did. I made my layout to resemble this blog somewhat to keep it consistent. Let me know what you guys think or if you guys have any feedback to give me, tweet it to me or leave a comment below.

Twitter…Mind = Blown

marktin — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 07:18:55 +0000

As some of you may have had problems, currently and in the past, with AT&T regarding their DSL line connection. We just keep getting disconnect, either once a day or even multiple times a day. So today I decided to tweet about AT&T DSL line disconnection problem. Well what do you know, BAM! an AT&T customer rep tweeted me and told me if I had any questions or concern I can just tweet her. BLEW MY MIND!

My first impression of Twitter was very limited as I did not see much of a use of it besides updating your status, but Facebook already provides that. Also that Twitter offers real time information for free from everyday consumer, but it did not occur to me that there was a vast usage of Twitter until of course today. Corporate can search out any complaints or problem that consumers have with the product/service via Twitter and then find a way to either resolve that problem or ensure that their is support for the costumers and thus creating a long lasting customer, its as if almost that this website is a customer retention program, a way to keep the customers satisfy and a way to increase their brand after resolving the issue. Of course there are many more ways in which corporate can utilize Twitter, but I’ll keep the boring details to myself.