The classic 80's Series
Remember, remember the Fifth of November, The Gunpowder Treason and Plot, I know of no reason why the Gunpowder Treason should ever be forgot.
… so the film V For Vendetta begins. I find it very interesting that around the same time this year, ABC has launched a retooled version of the V(isitor) franchise.
When I first learned that the network was going to re-imagine the series, I was a little concerned. In many cases, these attempts do not come off well. Let’s look at the history: The Incredible Hulk was a huge failure. Mission Impossible destroyed what I loved most about the television series. When NBC tried to bring back the Bionic Woman… well, let’s just say that I couldn’t even make through 15 minutes of the pilot. Then there was last year’s Knight Rider…
Only a few times have these projects really come together. The most successful of which was Sci-Fi’s Battlestar Galactica. It was the story that we all wanted to see. A great military drama set in space with real issues to deal with. V comes at the show from this angle, and while only one episode has aired, I’m giving it a thumbs up. I’m really looking forward to see where the series goes. Unfortunately, I do remember so much of the old show, so I could quickly identify where all the old characters were going. If only I hadn’t seen it before… oh well, it should present itself with some fun entertainment in the months to come.
Speak of TV, I am very thankful, that I’m able to keep up with The Amazing Race. It is by far my favorite television show. I would love for Jo and I to be contestants on it. There’s something grand about traveling the world, learning new things in each place, and competing for the top prize. In this weekend’s episode, they’re returning to one of my favorite challenges: Needle in a Haystack. I remember watching the teams rolling out the hay balls looking for the clue, and how my favorite team was eliminated because after 8 hours, they couldn’t find it. It was a powerful moment in television and was a great example at how quickly things can change on the show. No wonder it is still number one.
Also on the TV front, things are heating up here in Korea with respect to cell phone ads. Those that think that the iPhone is the best phone in the world have a few things to learn about what phones can really do. Anyone who has traveled the world will tell you that Asian phones make those in the US look like crap. Even my “free” entry level phone comes with the ability to watch live TV and send and receive video calls. Something that no phone in the US does.
As a result, both Samsung and LG really make the debut of new models a big thing. This month, Samsung is going to release its latest touchscreen phone that features a 12mp camera (with optical zoom) that even records in 720p HD video. As a photog and videographer, I might just have to put down the Won to get this phone. Not to be outdone, LG has revamped its Chocolate line and is promoting that like nobody’s business. What I find most interesting, is how these companies go after singing groups to not only be their spokesmodels, but build an entire music recording suite around it. I give you two examples:
From Samsung, we have AMOLED (Active Matrix Organic Light Emitting Diode) featuring Son Dambi & After School.
I have to admit, since the song dropped in July, I’ve found it quite catchy and have enjoyed watching the girls perform it live on stage.
In the past month, LG countered with Chocolate Love performed by 소녀시대 (Girls Generation/SNSD).
People are really looking forward to the iPhone dropping in Korea this month, but since it doesn’t have many of the features that these phones (and no music groups backing it), I don’t think it will be a major player in Korea.
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