If I was an editor for the Oxford English Dictionary, I would change the definition of "Stockholm Syndrome" to state "see Korean." At this point, Koreans will always support the status quo despite how bad it is. Koreans are people that complain about something but do everything in their power to keep anything from actually changing. A good example is the Sewol ferry disaster. The public outcry has been huge, but I have a feeling not one thing will change as the result of the captain's actions. If anything, I would not be surprised if ferry companies continued operating in the same fashion tomorrow as they are today.
As reported by Soompi, Han Ye Seul has signed with a company to enter the Chinese market. Ever since signing with SB Entertainment last year, the agency has been looking forward to a Korean comeback and overseas activity, the first choice being Hollywood on account of Han Ye Seul being American.
I have written about this issue here and here. I'll just sum both articles up here and focus on one thing from this Netizen Buzz article. Koreans complain about the Korean drama filming conditions and plead for changes, but consistently hate upon the one person who had the potential to be a catalyst for the desired change. Crazy shit, I know.
However, comment #8 actually had me laughing out loud:
8. [+338, -15] So her money must be out... with no work. She ran away from Korea for poor work conditions but she's moving to a country with worse conditions? Don't run away from film sets in China, Han Ye Seul. You'll gain hundreds of thousands of antis.Yes, somehow the Chinese drama industry is worse than the Korean drama industry. The horrible conditions that plague Korean dramas are well documented. Here are several articles courtesy of Dramabeans: Spy Myung Wol #1, Spy Myung Wol #2, Spy Myung Wol #3, Age of Feeling #1, Age of Feeling #2, Age of Feeling #3, Age of Feeling #4, Song Ji Hyo #1. Do you know how many articles I found about Chinese dramas shooting 22 hours a day seven days a week? How many articles about Chinese dramas having to delay episodes because an episode might not be finished on time? How many articles about Chinese actors ending up in the hospital for serious injuries to return to the filming set later that day? Zero. Fucking zero.
It's not just the filming conditions being better, it's the pay. Chinese dramas actually pay their actors. In this NB article, Chinese actors get paid $130,000 USD each episode. Top Korean actors are lucky to make $30,000 per episode. Consider that many Chinese dramas are around 40 episodes in length compared the 16 episodes for Korean dramas. (130,000 * 40) >>>>>>> (30,000 * 16). That is with better filming conditions, as China pre-produces all of their dramas like normal fucking countries.
Assuming that Han Ye Seul even wastes her precious time with these peons, I'm sure this would be her reaction:
I am sure she is so sad about the prospect of making more money while having better working conditions in China of all places. Under the assumption that Han Ye Seul films a Chinese drama this year that ends up airing in 2015 and comes back with a Korean drama in late 2014/2015, she be double trolling Korean netizens. I'll have my popcorn ready while reading salty comments from miserable Koreans that refuse to break free from the Stockholm Syndrome.