By This is allegedly a documentary, but it seems more like an infomercial:
A documentary titled “Hip Korea: Yu-na Kim – Seoul Spirit” will be broadcast around the world on the Discovery Channel beginning March 19. It is the third in a series made to promote tourism in the Korean capital, following the first on pop star Rain and the second on actor Lee Byung-hun.
Shot between August and December 2009, the new film features Olympic champion figure skater Kim Yu-na and shows a variety of tourist sites in Seoul such as the Gyeongbok Palace, Gwanghwamun Plaza, Bosingak Bell Pavilion, and the nightscape along the Han River while following Kim’s daily routine. [Chosun Ilbo]
I have not seen any of these other prior documentaries on the Discovery Channel however I am willing to bet that Kim Yu-na’s show will easily top Rain and Lee Byung-hun’s ratings combined when it is aired.
It is the sad reality. No mistake...
5:34 pm on March 8th, 2010 1
I've watched few Discovery Channel specials about Korea, Seoul, Korean technology, motorcycle deliverymen, Rain, etc. Honestly they seem more like a paid advertisments than actual documentaries. Every one just says how great specific things in Korea and Seoul are, but truly it is just a glorification of mostly very average things.
There is a lot of history and historical sites to document, but they mostly show modern crap like the Chongyechon stream, the 63 building, the Namdaemun market. Seriously on the one episode they showed 10 minutes of the Ajumas that bring food to the stalls but only 30 seconds on the Namdaemun gate!
Also each commercial break has spots for Hyundai, Korean Air, and Hi Seoul.
Pure junk… don't waste your time watching.
8:23 pm on March 8th, 2010 2
The Discovery Channel doesn't just provide biased reporting in it's 'documentary' style programming. They do it in the standard programs as well.
If you ever watch the show Future Weapons, it is sometimes scripted advertising for weapons that manufacturers are trying to sell to the military. It seems that any company that wants to get the military to buy their product before it goes through the rigorous acceptance testing the military requires will call on Mack to show it on his program. As long as it's fun to play with, has a lot of power, and can seemingly home in on and disintegrate targets, Mack will allow himself to be led along by the company's PR marketing man, gush all over it, and insist the military must have it.
Anyone who has been to the dog and pony shows that companies put on when they pitch to the military will recognize it right away.
10:17 am on March 19th, 2010 3
Hi – appreciate the comments and the website! I'd like to set the record straight. The Hip Korea series including the episode on Kim Yuna is an editorially independently produced series by Bang Singapore and the Yuna episode is coproduced with her management company IB Sports. The broadcast alone on Discovery Channel only is sponsored by Seoul government. Hence the Seoul government is not the producer or rights holder or the editorial gatekeeper to this program.
Thanks
Bang Singapore