of three daddies, one mommy, and boys over flowers

OF THREE DADDIES, ONE MOMMY, AND BOYS OVER FLOWERS:
AN ANALYSIS OF THE FILIPINO CULTURAL CONTENT OF KOREANOVELAS
ANA ECATERINA CORDERO TAN
Submitted to the
COLLEGE OF MASS COMMUNICATION
University of the Philippines Diliman
In partial fulfillment of the requirements
for the degree of
BACHELOR OF ARTS IN BROADCAST COMMUNICATION
April 2010
OF THREE DADDIES, ONE MOMMY, AND BOYS OVER FLOWERS:
AN ANALYSIS OF THE FILIPINO CULTURAL CONTENT OF KOREANOVELAS
by
ANA ECATERINA CORDERO TAN
has been accepted for
the degree of BACHELOR OF ARTS IN BROADCAST COMMUNICATION
by
Assistant Professor Jane O. Vinculado, M.M.C.
and approved for the
University of the Philippines College of Mass Communication
by
Professor Roland B. Tolentino, Ph.D.
Dean, College of Mass Communication
BIOGRAPHICAL DATA
PERSONAL DATA
Name
Ana Ecaterina C. Tan
Permanent Address
10 Queensville Court, Brgy. White Plains, Quezon City
Telephone Number
(+63 02) 911-8311
Date & Place of Birth
1 September 1988, Manila
EDUCATION
Secondary Level
1st Honorable Mention, St. Paul College, Pasig City
Primary Level
St. Paul College, Pasig City
ORGANIZATIONS
Vice Chairperson, UP Mass Communicators Organization
Himig Maskom
AIESEC UP Diliman
Pi Gamma Mu International Honor Society
WORK EXPERIENCE
Production Assistant, News Watch (RPN 9), 2 Months
Production Assistant, Bago Yan Ah! (DZMM 360), 2
Months
ACHIEVEMENTS
University Scholar, 2006-2010
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
My utmost gratitude and love to all of those whom, even in the smallest, most
negligible ways, helped me see my thesis through from beginning to end, with a smile on
a face and song in my heart.
Thank you to my parents and my entire family for your constant, untiring support
and encouragement. I am blessed to have the beautiful, loving home I return to each
day.
Thank you to my thesis adviser, Ma’am Jane Vinculado, and to all my professors,
for your instruction, wisdom, and patience. It is your willingness and dedication that
inspires me to do more and be more.
Thank you to my batchmates, and the MCOers. My rollercoaster of a life in UP
would not have turned out as amazingly as it did without you all.
Special thanks to those who helped me accomplish my interviews for this thesis.
To Alan “Watash” Cuadra, whose generosity still amazes me; to all those who spent
their precious minutes on me, Nicole, Patrick, Ynna, Christer, Simon, Wins, Chesa and
Mark; and of course, to my interviewees, Sir Neil, Sir Ray, and Ma’am Princess.
Each one of you has been the cool breeze, the clear sky, the beautiful scenery,
the constant companion with every step of this journey. To all of you, and to anyone I
may have left out, thank you!
Finally, thanks and praise to You, in Whom my faith and confidence rests. “You
have turned for me my mourning into dancing” (Psalm 30:11a).
DEDICATION
This is
For all those
Who believe that
Fiction and drama are not
means of escape, but reflections
Of what we wish to achieve, and can achieve.
ABSTRACT
Tan, A. C. (2010). Of three daddies, one mommy, and boys over flowers: An analysis of
the Filipino cultural content of koreanovelas. Undergraduate thesis
submitted to the UP College of Mass Communication, University of the
Philippines, Diliman.
At the beginning of the decade, Filipino audiences were introduced to
Koreanovelas. They instantly fell in love with these South Korean drama series, which
were translated and dubbed in Filipino, and aired on local networks. Today, the trend of
Koreanovelas garnering high ratings on Philippine TV shows no signs of stopping. This
study analyzes how specific Filipino cultural elements are inculcated into Koreanovelas
through the adaptation process, thereby contributing to their sustained popularity. Using
an integrated framework of Semiotics, Narrative Paradigm Theory and Stuart Hall’s
Representation, this study conducted discourse analysis on selected episodes of two
Koreanovelas, 3 Dads with 1 Mommy and Boys Over Flowers. It also utilized focus
interviews with three Koreanovela writer-translators to supplement the data gathered.
The study found that the efficient adaptation of Filipino culture by the foreign
texts was accomplished through: (1) proficient use of the local language, (2) the
portrayal of Filipino values and beliefs, and (3) the conformity to local television
standards. By rewriting Korean dramas, translators effectively assimilate the world of the
Koreanovela into the Philippine context. Thus, these foreign series become appealing
and relatable to Filipino audiences.
The study includes a short video presentation showing the proliferation of
Koreanovelas as a phenomenon on Philippine TV, providing an impetus for this study.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
Title Page
i
Approval Sheet
ii
Biographical Data
iii
Acknowledgments
iv
Dedication
v
Abstract
vi
Table of Contents
vii
List of Matrices
ix
List of Figures
x
I.
II.
III.
INTRODUCTION
1
A. Background and Rationale
1
B. Research Problem, Purpose and Objectives
3
C. Significance of the Study
4
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
6
A. Narrative Beings, Narrative Environments
6
B. Translation and Cultural Transfer
7
C. The Korean Wave and Philippine Television
10
D. Analyzing the Text in the Philippine Context
12
STUDY FRAMEWORK
15
A. Theoretical Framework
15
B. Conceptual and Operational Frameworks
17
IV. METHODS AND PROCEEDURES
20
A. Research Design
20
B. Units and Analysis of Sampling
21
C. Research Instruments
23
D. Data Gathering and Analysis Procedures
23
E. Presentation of Findings
25
F. The Researcher
26
V.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
27
A. Identifying and Recoding the Signs
28
B. The Rewriting Process
57
C. The Negotiation of Meaning in Koreanovelas
61
VI. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION
64
A. Language
64
B. Values and Ideologies
65
C. Extra-textual Elements
65
D. Rewriting
66
VII. IMPLICATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
BIBLIOGRAPHY
APPENDIX A – Thesis Time Table, Budget and Contacts’ Details
APPENDIX B – Thesis Audio Visual Presentation Production Organizer
APPENDIX C – Research Instruments
APPENDIX D – Interview Transcripts
APPENDIX E – Discourse Analysis
APPENDIX F – Audio Visual Presentation Script
67
LIST OF MATRICES
Number
Title
1
Comparison Summary between 3 Dads with 1 Mommy and Boys
Over Flowers
Page
22
LIST OF FIGURES
Number
Title
Page
1
3 Dads with 1 Mommy Korean and English Posters
45
2
Boys Over Flowers Korean and English Posters
46
I. INTRODUCTION
A. Background and Rationale
It might be as late as ten o’clock on a weeknight, but switch your TV set on, and
you are still likely to find a Koreanovela being aired in one local channel or another. It
takes a great audience following for a program to maintain such premium in a channel’s
programming schedule. But over the past seven years, Koreanovelas have proven their
staying power on Philippine television. In fact, no daily programming is complete without
a token Koreanovela or two in the roster, with some titles even landing much-coveted
spots on the prime time block. The term Koreanovela itself was coined specifically to
refer to South Korean drama series which are dubbed in Tagalog and aired on local TV.
This continuous influx of Koreanovelas occurs as part of the Hallyu or Korean
Wave – the massive proliferation of South Korean pop culture elements including TV
shows, films, music and fashion to the other Asian markets. The Korean Wave began
about a decade ago and has continued to flourish to this day. Now, Hallyu has begun to
penetrate even the Western markets. The first Korean drama that was dubbed in Filipino
and aired in the Philippines was a tearjerker entitled “Endless Love” in 2003. The show
enjoyed high ratings and generated a huge following in the country. Since then, wave
after of wave of these Korean drama series have continued to be imported, dubbed and
then aired on local television. These programs consistently enjoy popular support from
viewers of all ages, sexes, and social classes. Gone are the days when Korean culture
was alien to Filipinos. Today, most average Pinoys can recognize Korean artists, sing
their songs, imitate their fashion, and even speak their language (Kwon, 2006).
This phenomenon occurs at the intersection of two important concepts that
emerge in the context of the globalizing world: media and culture. Various forms of
media allow diverse cultures to meld into one another now more than ever before, and
2
create new manners of experience and meaning for all kinds of people. As a result of
this, media and cultural studies abound, and are fast picking up on topics like global
culture and identity, convergence and hybridity (Flew, 2007).
It is not surprising then that the overwhelming popularity and impact of
Koreanovelas is also a topic of interest in the Philippines and in many other parts of the
world, where the influence of Hallyu continues to be felt. Many studies which have been
conducted on Korean drama series have tackled the extent of their viewership and
influence outside of South Korea, and their role in promoting Korean culture overseas
(Shim, 2006; Kim, J., 2007). However, more recent studies in the area of such media
content are now putting more emphasis on the “fluidity, open-endedness and
interconnectedness” among cultures, “of which global media flows are an important
constitutive element” (Flew, 2007, p.163).
In the Philippines, studies dealing with TV programs often tackle two popular
genres: news and situational comedies (De Vera, 1991). These studies usually look into
the violent, political, and socially relevant content of locally-produced programs
(Tolentino, 1999). Other genres of programming, such as drama, leave much to be
explored in the realm of local TV, especially in relation to adapted forms, such as
Koreanovelas. Specifically, Koreanovelas, despite being a certified phenomenon (Kwon,
2006), still raise many questions, particularly concerning cultural transfer. As Ramiere
said, "understanding of the cultural issues at stake in the transfer of a film to a foreign
audience is of crucial importance to ensure that this process is successful” (2007, para.
1). In this light, it is pertinent to ask: How are Filipino adaptations of Korean dramas
constructed? What happens when original Korean texts are translated in order to cater
to Filipino audiences? Do translations significantly alter the messages being conveyed?
3
Do the changes that occur during the adaptation process contribute to the appeal of
Koreanovelas to audiences?
In keeping with the relevance of Koreanovelas to Filipino viewers, this study
investigates the adaptation of these hybrid drama series, and particularly looks at how
they appropriate Filipino culture in their texts. While Korean drama series promote
Korean culture, does localizing them allow them to promote local culture as well?
B. Research Problem, Purpose and Objectives
Drawing together the questions that emerged from the current studies on Korean
television dramas in the Philippines, specifically, relative to the cultural appropriation, the
following research problem was formed:
How do the translated texts of Koreanovelas adapt Filipino cultural elements in
order to sustain high ratings?
The following purpose was formulated as a guide to answering the problem:
This narrative study aims to understand how the translated texts of hybrid Korean
drama series reflect Filipino culture. At this point in the study, culture is defined as a
code of values, meanings and norms that are embodied by and that affect the behavior
of Filipinos.
This study was done by conducting discourse analysis on the translated
episodes of Koreanovelas that had been aired on Philippine TV, thereby identifying the
aspects of the texts that manifest Filipino culture. This was followed by conducting
discourse analysis on the same episodes’ texts, but in their original Korean form, with
English subtitles, which allowed for a comparison of elements. The analysis of the data
gathered permitted a better understanding of the continued popularity and patronage of
Koreanovelas among Filipino audiences. An interview with three Koreanovela writer-
4
translators (one of whom was also a director) was also done to provide additional data
about the emergence of Filipino cultural elements in Koreanovelas.
To achieve the goal of the study, the researcher turned to various commonlyused theories and approaches in the study of television and culture. These are,
Saussure’s Semiotics, in particular, Lewis’ five main categories of signification within
transcripts, Fisher’s Narrative Paradigm Theory, and Harris’ Discourse Analysis. The
following are the objectives of this study, synthesized from the aforementioned
approaches:
1. To determine what signs, as classified into five categories of signification (Words,
Themes, Narratives, Discourses and Extra-textual Contexts), in the texts are
endemic to Filipino culture.
2. To find out how the identified signs are coded and framed in the texts to reflect
Filipino ideologies.
3. To find out how these signs map out Filipino consciousness in the texts as
opposed to foreign consciousness.
C. Significance of the Study
The pervasiveness of Koreanovelas in the country ensures that this investigation
will be relevant to several groups of stakeholders, the first being the Philippine television
industry itself. The information gathered will be beneficial to the industry by giving
insights about the interplay and emergence of Filipino culture in foreign programs
through translated texts. This may prompt industry players to improve processes of
translation and adaptation to get messages across to audiences more effectively. They
may also be able to address the needs of particular demographics better in other areas
of programming besides Korenovelas. Furthermore, the industry could gather ideas as to
5
how locally produced dramas could become marketable to Korean and other foreign
markets as well, by looking at the content of the Koreanovela texts and how they are
interpreted both by their foreign originators, as well as their local adaptors.
Another group that would benefit from this study would be the academe. Media
scholars, especially those working on television adaptations and the Korean Wave
phenomenon, may find useful the information about the adaptation process and its
consequences. Scholars working in cultural studies may also benefit from this research,
since it will attempt to describe how texts originating from a foreign culture may help
promote local culture through adaptation.
Lastly, the study is relevant to the multitude of Koreanovela audiences. Those
intrigued by the TV drama genre, as well as the Korean Wave and its massive effects,
may gain a better understanding of why Filipinos have become so accommodating
towards Korean culture, particularly Korean dramas. The study may even help them
appreciate their own culture as much as they do the Korean culture, by showing them
the similarities that both cultures share, and allowing them to find value in each one’s
uniqueness and contributions to other cultures.
Understanding Koreanovelas and their cultural implications begins with
knowledge of where Hallyu began, what other issues are related to it, and what
perspectives and methods are employed in studying it. These will be expounded upon in
the following chapter, the review of related literature.
II. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
A. Narrative Beings, Narrative Environments
Many scholars including Berger (1997), Rimmon-Kenan (2002), and Elliot (2005)
agree that people best make sense of their lives and living environments by constructing
continuous narratives. Richardson (1990) goes so far as to say that narratives are the
most “natural” way in which people organize their everyday experiences (as cited in
Berger, 1997) . A narrative is, at its simplest, a story – a sequence of events that take
place over a specific time frame (Berger, 1997) and in a specific setting.
This concept that people are narrative beings is reflected clearly in today’s
society. Although narratives are most often associated with literature, they are actually
present in everything, above and beyond what people identify as conventional “stories”.
In all ways and forms through which people express and communicate, narratives are
present. This can be observed particularly in all forms of modern media, where contents
are based on narratives, such as in the news, entertainment programs, and the like
(Elliot, 2005).
Narratives take the form of texts, and according to Lehtonen (2000), texts are
“any form of signification: writings, photographs, movies, newspapers and magazines,
advertisements and commercials” (p. 48). These narrative texts usually possess, in
Aristotle’s literary tradition, particular standard elements, such as settings, characters,
and plot structures with beginnings, middles and endings (Elliot, 2005). Many scholars
have formulated frameworks for narrative analysis, including Propp (Morphological
analysis), Saussure (Semiotics), Levi-Strauss (Paradigmatic analysis) and Chatman
(Story and discourse) (Berger, 1997). Arguably the most crucial point about narratives
however, especially in the context of modern day globalization – where both economic
and cultural barriers are being broken down in favor of the proverbial borderless world –
7
is that they do not stand alone. Narratives, in whatever form they appear, are dynamic,
and this is why analysis of texts is necessary. Narrative texts interact with, and are
affected by the greater social context within which they function. The greater social
context here, according to Berger (1997) and Cortazzi (1993), refers to the audiences,
society, media, mood, culture, and environment, among others, that influence the
narrator. All these elements affect the narrative – how its message will be understood,
and consequently, acted upon. Cortazzi (1993) goes on to say that narrative analysis is
like opening a window into the mind and culture of an individual, or group of individuals.
This understanding of narratives and their prevalence in everyday life is
important if we are to dissect a particular form of narrative, in this case, the television
drama series. Furthermore, the understanding the intertextuality of narratives is
important to be able to analyze translated texts. People may understand narrative texts
of their own cultural group, but what about when a foreign narrative text is presented to
them? How does this foreign narrative interact with their local cultural narratives, their
cultural consciousness, so that they can understand it in the closest way possible to its
original message?
B. Translation and Cultural Transfer
As was mentioned above, the kind of global culture that we have today allows
cultural interaction and sharing across nations and peoples; this is particularly well
manifested through popular media, such as the television. The various television texts
that we are exposed to, such as the shows, videos and commercials we watch on TV,
are not limited to locally generated works. Contrarily in fact, we are exposed to content
from everywhere in the world. Problems may arise because, as Berger (1997) cited,
texts are created to suit a particular audience. How can foreign audiences who gain
8
access to the programming of a particular locality relate to it? One option in resolving
this issue is translation, a form of adaptation.
There is a surprisingly great number of studies on translation, particularly studies
of translations across various forms of media, and different languages, both of which are
essential to the present study. Munday (2001) defines translation as follows:
The process of translation between two different
languages involves the translator changing an original
written text (the source text or ST) in the original verbal
language (the source language or SL) into a written text
(the target text of TT) in a different verbal language (the
target language of TL). (p. 5)
Munday also integrates in his definition the three levels or categories of
translation according to Jakobson (2000): Intralingual translation, where a simple
“rewording” takes place, but where the source and target language are still the same;
Interlingual translation, or actual “translation” from one language to another; and
Intersemiotic translation or “transmutation”, when the text is interpreted in relation to the
non-textual sign systems surrounding it (p.5). We can see that although Saussure’s
Semiotics, or the study of signs, considers language as the oldest sign system that
people use to convey meaning (as cited in Lehtonen, 2000), sign systems that go
beyond language are likewise taken into consideration in translation. At this point, the
argument that the narrative theorists mentioned earlier is reinforced – texts do not exist
in a vacuum; they cross cultural and linguistic boundaries, and are affected (that is,
changed) by even non-textual elements. This state of cultural and linguistic
differentiation is a significant point in understanding a narrative; it shows how the
narrative as understood by person A may be completely different from the same
narrative as understood by person B.
9
Through this framework for translating texts, it is possible for adaptation to take
place. Vinay and Darbelnet (1958) define adaptation as the changing of cultural
references in a source text, when the context of the situation discussed in the source
text is not present in the target text (as cited in Munday, 2001). If, for example, a Filipino
text discussing action films makes reference to Fernando Poe Jr. as an action film icon,
an American adaptation of the same text might change Fernando Poe Jr. to Mel Gibson.
Adaptation is important because, though it necessitates consciously changing a
text, it ensures better understanding of the same text across cultural limitations. As
Lefevre (1992) said, in the case of disparities between linguistic and ideological
considerations in translation, ideology prevails (as cited in Munday, 2001).
Of the many dichotomies that riddle translation studies, two are particularly
important: First, it was made clear by the various authors surveyed that change occurs
on both the levels of structure and meaning (semantics and pragmatics) of a text (Hatim
and Mason, 1997; Munday, 2001). It is evident that when a text is translated into a
different language, its structure changes. On the other hand, deciphering whether
meanings have changed in any way (or whether adaptation has taken place) and what
effects this has, requires deeper analysis.
Another important dichotomy mentioned by Nida (1964, as cited in Munday,
2001) was between formal and dynamic equivalence. He highlights how a text may be
translated formally, preserving as much of both the structure and meaning of the source
text as possible, or with dynamic equivalence, where the same preservation is not
critical, and attention is given to getting only the main point of the source text
substantially across. This becomes an important consideration in the context of what
kind of text is being translated. Certain professional purposes may require formal
10
equivalence, while others, done only simply for leisure for example, may use dynamic
equivalence.
Many other studies have covered various aspects of translation. European
languages such as English, Spanish and French dominate the literature. In relation to
media, translation studies most often cover the translations and adaptations of films
(Nelson, n.d.). Little work has been done on television series, and those that have been
done usually tackle humor or comedy (Jankowska, 2009; Martinez-Sierra, 2009).
This study seeks to understand how the cultural characteristics of a unique group
(Filipinos) are reflected in the texts of television drama series that originated from
another culture (Korea) and were translated into the local language. Translation is
significant therefore, because it is a way by which people can make sense of foreign
narratives. Translation studies are able to account for the changes that happen to texts
as they transfer from one medium, language, or culture, to another. The texts, then, can
be put into proper context.
C. The Korean Wave and Philippine Television
The phenomenon known as the Korean Wave, or Hallyu, is no longer breaking
news. Once again the product of the emerging global culture, this proliferation and viral
popularity of Korean pop culture in various forms began in the 1990s, with the sudden
interest of neighboring markets such as China in Korea’s television dramas (Shim,
2006). Since then, though Korean drama series remain a staple on the Hallyu front, the
phenomenon has also brought about interest in Korean popular music, cinema, art,
artists and culture in general. Korean researchers Shim (2006), Kim (2007) and Sung
(2008) cite that the Wave has since spread to many nations in East and South East Asia
such as Taiwan, Japan, Mongolia, and Vietnam, and has become the topic of study for
11
many scholars like themselves, Korean and non-Korean alike. Of course the great role
of the media in aiding the phenomenon is acknowledged. The country’s pop culture was
first exposed to neighboring shores through mainstream television (Shim, 2006), and
was later proliferated further with the aid of new forms of media.
The effect of the Korean Wave was so dramatic that by the time it reached the
Philippines in 2003, Korean television programming exports were already earning about
37.5 million US dollars, compared to the 12.7 million US dollars that the industry made in
1999 (Ministry of Culture and Tourism, 2004, as cited in Shim, 2006). Today, the number
of Koreanovelas broadcast over Philippine television has only continued to increase,
with around 26 titles aired from 2003 to 2009 by ABS-CBN network alone, and with at
least four titles already slated for a 2010 release (List of Programs Broadcast by ABSCBN). Some titles including Full House and Lovers in Paris consistently enjoyed ratings
of over 30% throughout their local run, with peak ratings of 50% (Enrico, 2008). Kwon
(2006) also observed that Koreanovela viewership in the Philippines is so varied, it
ranges from toddlers to grandparents, regardless of gender or social class.
Studies show that Hallyu affects both the Filipinos’ cultural ideas, as well as their
habits as consumers. Both Shim (2006) and Kwon (2006) found that the penetration of
Korean pop culture in non-Korean markets, the Philippines included, has caused cultural
interest in Korea to increase. More people visit Korea, eat their food, listen to their
music, and most of all, watch their television dramas.
According to research done on the origins of the Korean wave, the phenomenon
was judged by many as just another media “fad”. Even self-confessed Koreanovela fans
predicted that the fad would die out eventually (Kwon 2006; Sung, 2008). However,
present trends in Philippine media seem to be pointing to another direction. As of 2009,
new Koreanovelas continue to be aired; in addition, more Koreanovelas are also now
12
being remade with local artists. ABS-CBN has announced three remakes for airing in
2010 so far (List of Programs Broadcast by ABS-CBN). There is clearly continued
patronage on the part of Filipino viewers for Koreanovelas. But of course, Korean drama
series, when aired in the Philippines, are translated and dubbed into Filipino; it is
therefore the hybrid (translated and dubbed) version of the Korean drama series that
Pinoy viewers patronize.
While there have been studies done on Korean drama series, there has been no
particular research that concentrated on their translated and dubbed versions. It is
interesting to note that in the Philippines at least, the success of the Korean wave really
may not have been possible had the Korean drama series not been translated and
dubbed. It was cited earlier that language plays a big part in the way people understand
and attribute meanings to texts. Because Korean drama series are imports, and are
created first and foremost for a Korean audience, a question comes to mind. How does
the hybridization of Korean dramas manage to produce an enormous Filipino (and
international) fan base?
D. Analyzing the Text in the Philippine Context
Based on the examination of literature, the approach most often used in
analyzing such phenomena as the Korean wave, using texts to determine cultural
indicators, is discourse analysis. Paltridge describes it as a method that considers
messages beyond their linguistic structures for successful communication. According to
him, discourse analysis “looks at patterns of language across texts and considers the
relationship between language and the social and cultural contexts in which it is used”
(Paltridge, 2006, p. 2). This hearkens back to the greater social context mentioned by
Berger (1997) and Cortazzi (1993). Paltridge reintroduces the term intertextuality, where
13
a text interacts with all the other texts leading up to it and succeeding it, across time and
space. In discourse analysis, we examine a text in terms of both language and context.
Language is defined as discourse structure, and context as cultural ways of speaking
and writing (Paltridge, 2006). This approach is very useful because it integrates the
elements that were pinpointed by translation studies as crucial to analyzing translated
texts.
Some local research works have been done on Philippine television series texts.
Both De Vera’s (1991) and Tolentino’s (1999) studies used content analysis to examine
local comedy series, and their social relevance to audiences. The former tackled the
preference of University of the Philippines students between foreign and local situational
comedies, and the latter explored the portrayal of the Filipino family on local situational
comedies. Drama as a genre on Philippine TV has not received as much attention
beyond historical citations in such studies as those mentioned above. Although the
portrayals of Filipino culture and other topics concerning the Korean wave have often
been researched, there has yet to be a study that tackles the manifestation of Filipino
culture in a translated foreign drama text. This is especially interesting because of the
idea that for audio visual translations, the consideration of both audio and visual
components is crucial to transmitting the message successfully (Ramiere, 2007).
Therefore, the pertinent questions now are: When a hybrid Koreanovela is broadcast on
Philippine television, are there no incongruities between the Korean visual aesthetics
and the Filipino translated text? Why is it that, despite probable incongruities,
Koreanovelas remain a smashing success?
At the end of the day, much has been studied about narratives, translations,
television, and the Korean wave. But specific to the Filipino context, and with
repercussions involving Filipino culture and the media industry, there is still work to be
14
done. Such studies are definitely feasible in light of the ongoing run of many new
Koreanovelas on Philippine TV, and the continued influx and perpetuation of Korean pop
culture in the country.
Cultural transfer is also a consistently relevant issue. Given the ever-globalizing
condition of media and communication, Lehtonen (2000) asserts that language as a
cultural tool and technology as it used by the mass media, when put together, are a
dynamic force that create significant changes and set limitations to the media content or
messages. "…Technologies of language are not neutral... In a significant way they set
limits to what can be said to whom, and what the reactions will be" (Lehtonen, 2000, p.
49).
III. STUDY FRAMEWORK
A. Theoretical Framework
Ferdinand de Saussure’s Semiotics, commonly defined as the study of signs,
is a consistent perspective used by scholars who analyze cultural content within
texts. Irvine’s (2007) definition of Semiotics explains why this is so:
The study of how a society produces meanings and values in a
communication system is called semiotics, from the Greek term
semion, "sign". (Here "sign" has a specialized meaning, referring
to our social and cultural vehicles for signification or meaning.)
Languages, and other symbolic systems like music and images,
are called sign systems because they are governed by learnable
and transmittable rules and conventions shared by a community.
(para. 7)
Its applicability to numerous forms of texts and narratives by breaking them
down into component signs and codes makes Semiotics useful for analyzing texts to
suit various purposes. So much so that over the years, many prominent scholars
have added to its body of literature, including behaviorist Charles Sanders Peirce,
linguist Roman Jakobson, anthropologist Claude Lévi-Strauss, and psychoanalyst
Jacques Lacan. Most of these scholars were interested in the Structuralist roots of
Semiotics in contributing to their own fields of study (Chandler, 2003).
This present study utilizes Saussure’s Dyadic Model of Semiotics, wherein
the unit of meaning, the sign, is made up of the following basic concepts: The
signifier, which is the word, object or expression in its physical manifestation, and the
signified, which is the content, value, or meaning. Irvine explains that it is the code,
or the rule that allows a sensory impression to be combined with a mental concept,
that allows a sign to function as a coherent unit of social significance. This in turn,
allows basic signifiers in a language to form a system of meanings (Irvine, 2007).
16
In this study, Semiotics is the overarching perspective. It is used as a guide to
identify and define the concepts of the study, using a specific application of
Semiotics to be expounded upon in the next section. It is also used as a lens to
explain how people assign arbitrary meanings to signs (signification). This semiotic
analysis applies the post-structuralist view of texts, wherein texts are “meaning
systems constructed by the collaboration of the reader/producer with the text”
(Bertrand and Hughes, 2005). Also, this perspective’s definition of culture, the central
concept in this study, is that it is “a whole way of life” (Bertrand and Hughes, 2005),
and is something that provides common understanding among people.
Cultural Theorist Stuart Hall’s concept of representation is also used as a
point of analysis in this study. According to Hall, “Representation is the way in which
meaning is given to the things depicted”, whether images, words, etc., which
audiences have access to through media (ChallengingMedia, 2006). He says that
the process of representation, or the audience giving meaning to what they access in
the media, is not linear. Rather, it is dependent on many factors, and involves the
audience’s internalization and participation in meaning-making (cookkn, 2008).
Hall’s perspective will help explain how the signs that will be identified – both
linguistic and visual elements –are given culture-specific meanings by the particular
audience.
Another theory that is used as a guide to provide the study with theoretical
assumptions for analysis is Walter Fisher’s Narrative Paradigm Theory (Narrative
Paradigm Theory). Fisher (1987) espouses that all people are “story telling human
beings,” whom “experience life as a series of narratives, conflicts, and characters
with beginnings, middles and ends” (as cited in Cornick, 1998). Stories are what
people use to communicate, and if the stories they relate to one another resonate in
17
narrative rationality, they are able to negotiate shared meanings and exist in
communities. This narrative rationality is comprised of two factors: The first is
coherence, when a story brings the various parts of a story together to make a
whole. Also, when characters are consistent with their own values and motives, we
can believe in the reality of the story. The second is fidelity, when there is resonance
between the story and our thoughts, values and lived experiences (Cornick, 1998).
Narrative Paradigm Theory is a backgrounder for the study, because of the
narrative nature of the television drama text. This ties in with Semiotics, since the
narrative paradigm is capable of providing “a comprehensive explanation of symbolic
messages” (Cornick, 1998, n.p.). The researcher uses Narrative Paradigm Theory to
account for the motivations behind appropriation of texts, as well as the results of
such appropriation, in the form of successful propagation and assimilation. Narrative
Paradigm Theory also helps provide a language for the discourse of the study. The
Episode System, which is utilized in breaking down narratives into smaller units
(Cortazzi, 1993), provides indicators for analysis.
B. Conceptual and Operational Frameworks
Semiotics lays down the concepts for the research by adapting the concepts
that were introduced in a study cited by Bertrand and Hughes (2005): Lewis’ five
main categories of signification within transcripts. These categories were first utilized
by Lewis in his 1985 study of a television news broadcast, where he conducted a
two-part semiotic analysis. For this study, the categories, or “signs” to be studied will
be modified to suit television drama series. They will be operationalized with
indicators that were synthesized based on the existing literature concerning local
media and culture. The following are the concepts to be investigated in the study:
18
Words. These are the smallest units of signification, referring to Filipino
colloquialisms, or units of communication that are unique and characteristic to the
Filipino language. Specifically, the researcher will identify: Filipino street jargon or
slang, “Traditional” Filipino or “Old Tagalog”, technical and academic jargon, terms of
reference for family and friends, and expressions and invectives.
Themes. These are subjects, including values, meanings and
representations that are specific to certain people and that are used as topics of
discourse. In this study, the themes to be identified will be expressions of social
values and issues present in modern Filipino society, such as the following:
practices of respect, expressions of the importance of family and friends,
expressions of love, affection, hate and sarcasm, poverty and social inequity,
political issues, and crime and violence.
Narratives. Using Berger’s (1997) definition, a narrative “contains a
sequence of events, which means that narratives take place within or over, to be
more precise, some kind of time period” (p. 4). This refers to the storylines per
episode of the programs to be studied. This study considers narrative elements that
are common to Filipino narrative texts, specifically subdivided into the dominant
narrative elements: plot or story (the sequence of events in the narrative) as broken
down into the Episode System identified by Cortazzi (1993) – event, goal, attempt,
consequence and reaction; setting (the times and places where the narrative actions
occur; and character (the people whose actions constitute the narrative). There will
also be room for emerging themes to be taken into consideration.
Discourses. Applying Paltridge’s (2006) definition of discourse as the social
construction of reality, discourses in this study are identified and examined as
ideologies or world-views – expressions of value judgments about the themes that
19
are identified in the narratives, as well as commentaries on identities, social
structures, and relationships within the texts. These include dichotomies of good
versus evil, rich versus poor, and the like. The researcher will identify which
discourses are representative of the psychology of the Filipino audiences, and try to
edify the resonance between the audiences and the texts. These discourses emerge
as a combination of the previous three units cited, the words or dialogue, themes,
and narratives of the texts.
Extra-textual contexts. As Lewis (1958) said in his original study cited in
Bertrand and Hughes (2005), extra-textual contexts are “aspects of meaning arising
from outside the text” (p. 186). These include both extra-textual content arising from
beyond the texts, as well as inter-textual content, arising repeatedly and variably
within the texts. Extra-textual contexts are non narrative elements of the texts, such
as background music, lengths of episodes, and programming schedules. Inter-textual
contexts include references to real-world situations or current events which may
occur repeatedly across episodes, such as brands, logos, anecdotes and quotations,
etc. Again, there will be room to accommodate emergent factors that might not
immediately be classified under any of the first four categories.
IV. METHODS AND PROCEDURES
A. Research Design
First, to recall the research problem and objectives, this study aims to find out
what manifestations, in the form of signs that are classified into five specific
categories of signification, reflect Filipino culture in the translated texts of hybrid
Korean drama series, thus contributing to their popularity among Filipino viewers.
The goal of this narrative study is to identify the words, themes, narratives,
discourses, and extra-textual references that emerge in the texts of the
Koreanovelas. The selected texts will also be analyzed in their original Korean form
with English subtitles, to allow for a comparison of signs and representations
between the adaptation and the original. This will be done in order to explain how the
elements were appropriated, and how they work together to reflect Filipino culture,
which is defined as the code of values, meanings and norms that are embodied by
and that affect the behavior of Filipinos (Miller, 2005).
The Koreanovela is at the core of this cross-sectional study. This study
conducted an in-depth analysis in order to identify certain concepts in the
Koreanovela texts. Upon identification, the study sought to explain how the concepts
highlighted local culture, in turn contributing to the achievement and maintenance of
Koreanovelas’ cult status among Filipinos, despite original assumptions that they
were a mere fad (Kwon, 2006).
This academic research endeavor collected qualitative data from selected
texts, and then analyzed the data in a predominantly inductive analytical manner,
because of the Semiotic, Cultural and Narrative perspectives used in the study. It
also included three focus interviews with Koreanovela writer-translators, which
provided information as to the process of translation and how cultural elements were
21
embedded in the practice thereof, thus resulting in cultural content emerging in the
texts. Emergent issues also become manifest throughout the analysis proper.
The primary method for collecting data was Discourse Analysis, as it
complimented the study’s goal. Discourse Analysis “considers the relationship
between language and the social and cultural contexts in which it is used” (Paltridge,
2006, p. 2). The study used a post-structuralist Semiotic perspective, as defined by
Bertrand and Hughes (2006). To reinforce the quality and reliability of results,
methodological triangulation was done by conducting focus interviews with
Koreanovela writer-translators.
B. Units of Analysis and Sampling
Ten purposefully selected episodes each of two Koreanovelas aired over
ABS-CBN network (3 Dads with 1 Mommy and Boys Over Flowers) were collected
and viewed. They were episode numbers 1 to 5 and 21 to 25 for 3 Dads with 1
Mommy, and episode numbers 20 to 25 and 50 to 55 of Boys Over Flowers. The
episodes were selected through a combination of random purposeful sampling and
criterion sampling, to ensure that they were representative of the large body of
Koreanovela texts, and yet scattered across the run of the entire series (39 and 73
episodes respectively, as cited in Matrix 1), to provide variation in narrative elements.
Both Koreanovela titles were originally aired from 2008 to 2009 by ABS-CBN, and
were already on their second airing during the time that this study was being carried
out. Both have stories that center on the lives of ordinary people and the trials they
encounter in day-to-day life.
The titles also differ in several ways. Boys Over Flowers is one of the highest
rating Koreanovelas aired on Philippine prime time TV to date; it features teenagers
22
as main characters, and emphasizes a love triangle plot between two rich boys and a
working-class girl. On the other hand, 3 Dads with 1 Mommy is a morning program,
which rates only average compared to Boys Over Flowers. It revolves around the
domestic issues of a young widowed mother as she raises her child with her dead
husband’s three best friends. A summary of the two titles is found below:
Matrix 1. Comparison Summary between 3 Dads with 1 Mommy and Boys Over
Flowers
Item
Other known titles
Original Run – Korea
Original Run –
Philippines
Network – Korea
Network – Philippines
Ratings – Korea
Ratings – Philippines
Episode length and
Number of Episodes
– Korea
Episode length and
Number of Episodes
– Philippines
3 Dads with 1 Mommy
3 Daddies with 1 Mommy
3 Dads and a Mom / Mother
1 Mom and 3 Dads
April 2, 2008 – May 22, 2008
Boys Over Flowers
Boys Before Flowers
KBS 2 TV
ABS-CBN
Estimated 8.24 %
(nationwide)
Estimated 8.68% (Seoul)
Estimated 8.4% (Metro
Manila)
Jan. 5, 2009 – Mar. 31, 2009
May 11, 2009 – Aug. 21,
2009
KBS 2 TV
ABS-CBN
Estimated 28.5 %
(nationwide)
Estimated 28.4% (Seoul)
Estimated 34% (Metro
Manila)
60 minutes, 16 episodes
60 minutes, 25 episodes
20-25 minutes, 39 episodes
20-25 minutes, 73 episodes
Sept. 9, 2008 – Dec. 2009
Sources. Boys Before Flowers. (n.d.). Retrieved November 2, 2009, from DramaWiki:
http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Boys_Before_Flowers
Boys Over Flowers (TV Series). (n.d.). Retrieved November 2, 2009, from
Wikipedia:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boys_Over_Flowers_%28
TV_Series%29
One Mom and Three Dads. (2008, October 12). Retrieved November 2,
2009, from DramaWiki: http://wiki.d-addicts.com/
One_Mom_and_Three_Dads
One Mom and Three Dads. (n.d.). Retrieved November 2, 2009, from
Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_Mom_and_Three_Dads
23
Episodes were obtained by buying commercially available copies.
Focus interviews were also conducted with three Koreanovela writertranslators, also from the ABS-CBN network, which aired the series that were
analyzed. The key informants were Mr. Neil Ericson Tolentino, a senior director and
writer-translator, Mr. Ray Pacursa and Ms. Princess Po, junior writer-translators. All
three had worked on Koreanovelas, as well as other foreign series (Chinese,
Spanish and Mexican acquisitions) and cartoons. They are also involved in dubbing.
C. Research Instruments
The research instruments were a discourse analysis guide and a focus
interview guide. In the discourse analysis guide, units for analysis were arranged
from smallest to largest, that is, beginning with words, to themes, to narratives, and
so on, for the convenience of the researcher, so that the synthesis could be done in
organized succession.
In the focus interview guide, the questions were arranged in such a way that
the process of translation was investigated in depth, but at the same time, the
interviewees’ work backgrounds were given consideration. The focus interview guide
concluded with more opinion based questions for the translators, still concerning
their works on Koreanovelas and other types of programs.
D. Data Gathering and Analysis Procedures
The objectives of the data analysis portion of this study were to take the
different signs, classified into the five categories of signification, to analyze how they
were used collectively in the translated texts, and to attempt to explain how they
were reflective of Filipino culture, therefore contributing to the propagation and
24
maintenance of a solid fan base for Koreanovelas in the Philippines. The theories
identified in the framework provided the lenses through which the concepts were
explained, and their effects, justified. However, the researcher also expected that
other theories, particularly cultural theories, such as Marxism, Feminism or
Reception Theory, would possibly become significant in the analysis of the findings
in the later stages of the study for emerging issues. While being predominantly poststructuralist in orientation, this self-reflexive study also made room for a cultural
perspective in order to achieve a more holistic analysis.
Data collection through discourse analysis was carried out as follows: The
researcher obtained copies of the selected texts (ten episodes each of two
Koreanovelas, as well as their original Korean versions with English subtitles), by
buying them commercially. Digital backup copies of the texts were made to ensure
that no loss of data would occur. The episodes were first viewed in chronological
order, to allow the researcher to familiarize herself with the plots, characters and
presentations of Boys Over Flowers and 3 Dads with 1 Mommy. Then, each episode
was viewed a second time, at which point discourse analysis was carried out using
the discourse analysis guide. The concepts were identified, grouped, codified and
analyzed. This was followed by the interpretation of data. This process was then
repeated with the original Korean versions of the episodes (subtitled in English), for
comparison between hybrid and original versions.
For the focus interviews, three writer-translators of Koreanovelas from ABSCBN were contacted (via an ABS-CBN writer-researcher who was the internal
contact of the researcher) and interviewed about the process of Koreanovela
translation. The interviews were done face-to-face in the ABS-CBN compound. They
were recorded with two voice recorders, after which digital backup files were created,
25
again to minimize loss of data. The interviews were then be transcribed, and the
information from the interviewees, used for analysis of data.
Finally, the necessary output was written, with back up files as well. The
researcher expected that post-analysis, the conclusion of the study would be able
explain how the central phenomenon, Filipino culture, is manifested in the texts
analyzed, and account for how this presence of Filipino cultural elements propagates
the popularity of the texts, that is, the Koreanovelas.
E. Presentation of Findings
The study’s findings were presented through an essay, accompanied by a
short video. The analysis of data in the essay was arranged in the following manner:
It began by quickly recalling preparatory information – the background of the study,
the problem, objectives and methods. After this was the presentation of results. The
concepts were classified and coded, organized according to emergence across
episodes. This was followed by the interpretation of results – the discussion of how
the data was reflective of local culture, based on both the findings of the discourse
analysis, and integrated with the findings of the focus interviews, in accordance with
the theoretical framework of the study. After the consolidation of the data was the
synthesis of the results. The summary and conclusion then recapitulated the major
points of the data gathering and analysis, and cited the conclusions of the study.
Lastly, the implications and recommendations pointed out the areas of the study
which were limited and which could further be improved on by future researchers.
The video served as an introduction to the study; it presented the data that
was analyzed: the selected Korean dramas in their original forms, juxtaposed with
the hybrid local versions. This, along with footage of other Koreanovelas and
26
interviews with various Filipino viewers, allowed the researcher to present the
impetus for the study – pointing out that the differences in form between the
Koreanovelas and their original Korean counterparts have an effect on the reception
of the programs among local audiences. The video was produced after the essay
output was written.
Please see the appendices for a production organizer, as well as the budget
and time table of this study.
F. The Researcher
The researcher, Ana Ecaterina C. Tan, is a fourth year BA Broadcast
Communication major. She hails from a non-traditional Filipino-Chinese family,
composed of her parents, both lawyers, two brothers, and three sisters. She
graduated high school from St. Paul College, Pasig in 2006.
She has always been an enthusiast of mass media and television, and since
her college days has taken a special interest in local and foreign drama series. She
espouses the idea that there is much that the local TV industry can benefit from by
analyzing foreign productions, and how they are adapted locally. She believes that
the international level of production and marketing are more diverse and competitive
than the Filipino market, which she believes is heavily confined by homegrown
limitations, expectations, and goals. Her long term ambition is to be able to study not
only the drama industry as it functions in the country, but to be able to market (and
perhaps even produce) Filipino television drama series that will be widely viewed,
accepted (and lauded) internationally.
V. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
This study was prompted by interest in the Korean Wave phenomenon and
its massive propagation of Koreanovelas on Philippine television. It ventured to find
out how the hybrid drama series inculcate Filipino cultural elements within original
Korean texts, in order to produce the final outputs that have proven to be well-loved
and consistently in-demand among Filipino viewers. In order to accomplish this, the
study set the following objectives to be met: first, to identify the units of signification
or the signs in the translated texts that are markedly Filipino; second, to find out how
these signs were woven into the original text to effectively recreate the Koreanovela
into a form that reflects Filipino ideologies; and third, to find out how the signs and
the process of translation meld together to map out and promote the Filipino
consciousness that resonates with the viewers and prompts them to continue their
patronage.
Below are short overviews of the two programs that were used for analysis,
after which the concepts are coded and analyzed.
3 Dads with 1 Mommy (아빠셋 엄마하나 in Korean) is the story of Justin, his
wife Lizette, and his best friends, Jake, Jayden and Ariel. Justin, who is barren,
coerces his unwitting friends into donating their sperm to him so he and his wife
could have a child. Once Lizette finally conceives however, Justin dies in a car
accident. Now, his three friends must support Lizette, all the while keeping the secret
from her, and trying to find out who the child’s real father could be.
Boys Over Flowers (꽃보다 男子in Korean) is about Geum Jan Di, an ordinary
high school student from a working-class family, whose life changes when she gets
the opportunity to attend the country’s most prestigious and expensive school. Here,
she crosses paths with Gu Jun Pyo, the arrogant heir to the country’s wealthiest and
28
most powerful family. Jun Pyo is the leader of F4, a group composed of three other
extremely wealthy, privileged boys, Yoon Ji Hoo, Soo Yi Jeong and Song Woo Bin.
Jan Di’s outspoken yet selfless ways eventually cause both Jun Pyo and Ji Hoo to
fall for her.
A. Identifying and Recoding the Signs
1. Words and Language
The first focal point of analysis was the language used in the Koreanovelas –
the major vehicle through which the adaptation from foreign to local version was
made possible. This language was Tagalog, or formally, Filipino, the national
language of the Philippines (Tagalog and Filipino are used interchangeably in this
study). What were the prominent words used in the dialogues that reflected distinct
Philippine culture, beyond the verbatim translation of Tagalog words from their
Korean and English counterparts? These words that were identified were originally
categorized by the researcher as: (1) Filipino slang, “Traditional” Filipino, (2)
technical and academic terms, (3) terms of reference for family and friends, (4)
greetings and expressions, and (5) expressions for calling attention, for love and
affection, and for hatred and antagonism.
a. Character References and Characterization
Since the two series analyzed, 3 Dads with 1 Mommy and Boys Over
Flowers, both tackled the lives of characters who were ordinary people with (largely)
ordinary lives, it was only natural that many common local terms for family members
were used in the dialogue. Referring to the immediate family were “ama” or “tatay”
(father), “ina” or “nanay” (mother), “anak” (child; son or daughter), “kuya” (older
brother) and “ate” (older sister). Words for extended family members such as “lolo”
(grandfather), “lola” (grandmother), “biyenan” (parent-in-law) and “manugang” (child-
29
in-law) were also used. However, more often than not, these words were used for
reference, when the characters would talk to each other about a third party. These
were not usually used as direct address between characters. When characters
addressed each other directly in interaction, English and other borrowed words like
“mama” or “mommy”, “papa” or “daddy”, “baby”, “uncle”, “girlfriend” and “boyfriend”
were used much more often than Tagalog terms (“mama” and “papa” are Chinese in
origin).
Immediately, the pervasiveness of using borrowed terms and code switching
between English and Tagalog, or using Taglish, the mixture of both languages, was
undeniable. Although the original versions of the Korean series also used some
English words in the Korean dialogue, this was very rare. Why did the adaptations
use Taglish, and not pure Tagalog? Wouldn’t pure Tagalog evoke a deeper
connection between the audience and the material being viewed? Interestingly, the
answer to these questions was no.
The use of Taglish, more than pure Tagalog, was crucial in order to create
accurate, relatable Filipino personalities for the characters. As discussed earlier, the
process of adaptation involves changing a source text, which is in the original verbal
language or source language, into a target text, which is in the new verbal language
or target language. But, as key informant Neil Tolentino put it, translating from source
to target language does not happen word-for-word. Translation entails relaying the
same message that the characters articulate in the original dialogue, except using
the language of the viewers. In this case, the language of the viewers is not actually
pure Tagalog, but Taglish.
Using the language of the viewers has a two-fold effect. First, it allows the
viewers to understand what the characters are saying on the level of comprehension.
30
Second, and more importantly, it provides the context through which the viewers find
a deeper connection with these characters. Tolentino reinforces that the process of
translation, or rewriting, as the industry players refer to it, requires crafting lines that
are suitable to the Filipino setting. This means writing dialogues that are inspired by
the present reality – those that can be spoken and heard in real life, in the society
inhabited by actual Filipinos, the audiences. At the same time, these lines must
reflect this same society as it exists in the world of the narrative. It is first and
foremost through the use of the language that the viewers are able to suspend their
disbelief and see the characters not as figments of fiction, but as people, living in the
same society and environment.
This is why using Taglish and other borrowed words is paramount. Taglish is
already an intrinsic function of the Tagalog language as it is used by Filipinos today.
It is the form of Tagalog that is widely associated with the middle and upper middle
classes. In the same way, straight English is usually associated with the upper class,
and straight Tagalog, with the lower class. The use of Taglish is able to show the
audiences who the Korean characters are in the Philippine social strata, beyond their
physical attributes which betray them as foreign characters.
Given that majority of the characters analyzed were middle class, they used
Taglish, just as the middle class in Philippine society do. Characters who spoke in
pure Tagalog were those on the lower rungs of the social pyramid, while those who
spoke pure English were of the elite class.
b. Ties that Bind: Respect, Kinship, and Friendship
Taglish was also used when characters showed respect to their elders and
those with senior positions through language. To show respect, characters in both
programs used the traditional Filipino words “po”, “ho” and “opo”. But, borrowed
31
words of address were used more predominantly when they spoke directly to other
characters of superior position, such as “miss”, “madam” and “young master”.
The words “po”, “ho” and “opo” are used exclusively by Filipinos to show
respect. They do not have any direct translation in other languages, except perhaps
“opo”, which generally means “yes” in a deferential manner. Likewise, the Korean
episodes revealed that there are also certain unique terminologies for seniority,
respect and formality in Korean. These words, which include “sunbae” (senior),
“hyung” (older brother), and “unni” (older sister), can only used in specific contexts,
so they cannot always be translated directly into Filipino words like “kuya” and “ate”.
This is a reflection of the premium that both Filipinos and Koreans put on the value of
respectfulness, especially when interacting with older family relations. The depiction
of respect was mutually present, but was reflected differently. The local episodes
managed to translate and integrate these terminologies seamlessly into the Tagalog
dialogue. “Po”, “ho” and “opo” are very significant signs of this Filipino cultural value,
so much so that it is impossible to remove them from any form of Philippine
communication.
Again, there was also the use of borrowed terms to signify respect. These
also reinforced the building of realistic characters in the minds of Filipino viewers. In
Boys Over Flowers for example, a bodyguard, when speaking to her employer,
would say, “opo, miss.” This shows the bodyguard’s subordinate position, and also
confirms that the person of higher rank to whom she speaks is definitely upper crust.
While she says “opo”, a typical respectful “yes” in Tagalog, she also refers to her
young lady employer as “miss”, a respectful English term. This indicates that the
young lady is someone who is addressed in English – the language associated with
the privileged.
32
Casual references for friends and acquaintances on the other hand were
more on the local side. Words such as “pare”, “’pre”, “’tol” (all three are Tagalog
slang for “brother”), “manong” (provincial term for “older brother”), and “iha” (from the
Spanish term for “young girl”) were used often. This is especially true given the
context that both titles featured a barkada (group of friends) composed of four young
men (Justin, Jake, Jayden and Ariel from 3 Dads with 1 Mommy; Jun Pyo, Ji Hoo, Yi
Jeong and Woo Bin from Boys Over Flowers). In the original versions of the
episodes, the boys in the barkadas would refer to each other through their first
names. In the Tagalog versions, they would use “pare” and the like instead. The
English slang “bro” was also often used, particularly in Boys Over Flowers, where the
barkada was composed of rich boys, who often spoke in Taglish and English.
c. Colorful Expressions, Colorful Delivery
The most local flavor in terms of dialogue was contributed by the common
Filipino words and phrases used to call attention, to express like or affection, and
dislike or antagonism. In short, the common Filipino expressions. The likes of “hoy!”
(hey!), “ano ba?” and “ano ka ba?” (variants of “what are you doing?”) were always
used by both male and female characters, and in both positive and negative
contexts. This showed the flexibility of the Filipino language, and highlighted the role
of the manner of delivery in conveying meaning.
It was observed that in the original Korean episodes, characters delivered
their lines in a mostly passive, almost monotonous manner. This only changed
during rare high and low points, when extreme emotion was being displayed. This
was confirmed by key informants Ray Pacursa and Princess Po, who cited that
Korean characters were “somber” and “madrama” (dramatic) in their delivery. They
did not speak as quickly nor as spiritedly as their counterparts from Spanish and
33
Latin American drama series (called Telenovelas locally), where characters were
loud, animated, and “nagsasabay-sabayan” (all talking at the same time).
The Filipino episodes recreated the Korean characters as Filipinos by altering
their manner of speech. They became more aggressive, emphatic and sarcastic in
delivery, since the Filipino language, which is proximate to Spanish, is spoken with
verve and energy. This change however did not affect the narratives at all.
Characters were made more engaging, without changing their roles in the stories.
Once again, this particular alteration made to the Korean series allowed them to be
more relatable to local audiences on the level of both understanding, and personal
appreciation. While Filipino culture was primarily reflected in the dialogue because
visuals could not be altered significantly, the delivery of lines was part and partial to
the effectiveness of the dialogue as a vehicle for carrying over cultural signs.
Going back to local expressions, a variety of colorful words were used most
prominently when it came to name-calling. A single scene or situation within the
narrative texts permitted the use of an entire range of Tagalog euphemisms for what
would otherwise have been a singular derogatory term or insult. In Episode 21 of 3
Dads with 1 Mommy alone, the words “buwisit” (annoying), “walang‘ya” (shameless),
“tanga” (stupid), “pangit” (ugly), and “baliw” (crazy) were all used in a single scene;
this was in the context of an accused criminal describing how he was provoked. In
the same episode, an argument scene between two main male characters used
“loko” (joke), “may katok” (slang for “insane”) and “kainis” (“irritating”).
A comparison with the original Korean episode with English subtitles showed
that the subtitled version did not use as many condescending terms in as many lines
as the Tagalog dubbed Koreanovela. The original episodes tended to use the same
words over and over. The word “punk” for example, used four times over in a single
34
episode, would be translated as “pasaway” (naughty), “walang’ya”, “buwisit” and
“baliw” in the Tagalog episode. While all four terms are derogatory, they all have
different meanings. The Filipino episodes were more specific with what
condescending term to label a character with, taking into consideration both the
context of the scene, and the sensitivities of the viewers. This shows Filipinos’
penchant for using language creatively. Also, in the aforementioned scene, the
context was in fact slightly altered to accommodate less narrative exposition and
instead make room for more colorful language. This depicted, as confirmed by key
informant Tolentino, the need to rewrite the Koreanovelas so that they would be
understood by Filipinos. Essentially, this included rewriting, and not just transposing
verbatim, part of the actual narrative, and not only the dialogue, so that it became
relevant to the viewing audience.
Words of affection and pet names were much less creative, limited only to
“my love” and “honey”, both English. Characters in relationships usually called each
other by name. This was a big incongruity to the trend of recreating the
Koreanovelas as Filipino narratives, because Filipinos are also known to be very
affectionate. One possible explanation for this would be that in both titles analyzed,
much more narrative emphasis was given to the struggles and tensions between
characters, as opposed to their affections. However, this can also be attributed to the
fact that Koreanovela translators do not have any hard and fast rules for maximizing
the range of terms to be used. Rather, the translation process relies heavily on
personal prerogative. This is further explained in the “The Rewriting Process”
section.
Tagalog slang in general was of course also present, interspersed within the
dialogue. However, it was not used as often as the researcher expected. Words
35
which are commonly considered slang in the Filipino language are the salitang kalye
or street jargon– words that people hear every day on the streets, as opposed to in
the academe, in government, and in other formal communications. These words are
usually coined from Tagalog or foreign words and expressions. They take on their
own meaning and become associated with certain groups in society, such as the gay
(“bakla” or “bading”) sector, the youth (“bagets”), and the non-elite in general
(“jologs”). Some of these terms that were used included “totoy kendeng” (gay),
“burles” (indecent), “kalaguyo” (mistress), “isaw” (street food made of chicken
innards), and “basagulero” (one who picks fights). The use of these words were also
to reinforce the credibility of the characters and their roles in the narrative – whether
they were poor or middle-class, angry or indifferent, soft-spoken or rude.
d. Technical Jargon
When it came to identifying words that could be considered technical or
academic jargon, majority of such terms were actually in English, and not Filipino.
Particularly, the scientific terms that were related to the issue of pregnancy in 3 Dads
with 1 Mommy, like “hormone”, “ovulate”, “sperm cells”, “electromagnetic waves”,
“Anemia” and “Azoospermia”, were not translated into Filipino. In the English
subtitled episodes however, it was observed that these terms all had Korean
counterparts; they were spoken in Korean, and only subtitled in English.
This reveals a weakness of Filipino as a language, and in effect is proof of a
cultural belief that has become ingrained in the minds of many Filipinos. Filipino as a
language cannot be described as weak per se. On the contrary, the expanse of
Tagalog’s dynamism and adaptability is evident in many ways. Primarily, this can be
proven by the evolution of Taglish, as well as by the continuous adaptation and
coinage of many new words into the local language as time goes by. Tagalog is also
36
very expressive and lively, as was mentioned earlier in the context of delivery.
However, owing to the mentality of many Filipinos that English is the language of the
rich and the educated, Tagalog has suffered losses as to its use, and credibility.
As a result of 30 years under American colonization (among other things),
Filipinos have come to adapt English as their formal language. It is used in the fields
of education, science and technology, government, and in high society. Because of
this, many technical and academic jargon are in English, and Filipino counterparts do
not exist, save for a few rough translations. It is because of this that even in
Koreanovelas, the jargon must be in English. While some technical terms do have
actual Tagalog translations, these are not used by ordinary people in everyday life.
e. The First Concern: Filipino as a Language
The first important point that was revealed after gathering and examining the
data above was that, while the smallest concepts for analysis – words – were
primarily described as Filipino colloquialisms by the researcher, given that the
translated texts were in the Filipino language, the fact is that the “Filipino language”
itself is no longer purely “Filipino” – far from it in fact. In the episodes analyzed,
particularly for Boys Over Flowers, whose characters included extremely wealthy
young people, the language used was not Tagalog, but rather, Taglish.
English is of course a foreign language used widely in the Philippines; it is a
medium of instruction, and is used widely in formal communication. It was also used
often in the Koreanovelas. Some of the words and references used were also
borrowed from other foreign languages such as Chinese. In all these cases, the
words used have come to common usage in the Philippines, because of the
country’s long history of colonization and integration of foreign cultures.
37
Immediately, the nuances of the language created a dent in the researcher’s
original perception of what signs to search for. Many English words, as well as
“Tagalized” English (as in “diborsyado” from “divorcee”) and foreign words were
used, especially in the realm of personal references and technical jargon. The
characters, throughout their interactions, communicated in a language where code
switching was prevalent. While there were terms that were exclusively Filipino, and
others that were not exclusively Filipino but were made distinctly Filipino through
context and delivery, the greater part of dialogue in general was woven together
through Taglish conversation.
2. Themes
Putting together the words and expressions used in the dialogues shed light
on several common themes running across the Koreanovelas. The dominant themes
were: love, in both domestic and romantic forms, traditional social values and
practices, and prevalent social problems or issues. While the first two were more
universal in their emergence in both the Korean dramas’ original and translated
versions, a more pronounced disparity existed in terms of thematic social issues
between the two incarnations.
a. The Universal Theme: Love
This theme is probably the most universal of all, across any medium or
narrative. It is the one thing that is so abstract, and yet so relatable to all people – it
simply cannot be ignored. In the analysis of the Koreanovelas, love was not originally
considered by the researcher as a unique theme classification; the themes identified
throughout data gathering were categorized only as either social values, or social
issues. However “love” as a theme took on a life of its own, affecting and shaping the
other units of analysis, particularly the narratives.
38
3 Dads with 1 Mommy tackled how the love for a child created gradual,
positive changes in the adult characters’ lives, personalities and relationships. In
Boys Over Flowers, romantic love and tension among the characters also pushed
them to face various trials in order to pursue their relationships. Love is generally
understood as something of great importance in the maintenance of human life in
general, but it is something intangible – a feeling or emotion. In the Koreanovelas,
this emotion was concretized through words, visuals, and extra-textual elements,
particularly music. These manifestations of love and their repercussions will be
discussed further in the section on “Extra-textual Contexts”.
This theme is crucial in analyzing cultural content in Koreanovelas because
even if it is universal as a subject, the expression and depiction of love and
relationships, whether in verbal or physical form, vary from culture to culture. In the
case of the Korean dramas being adapted for a Filipino audience, the high ratings
show that the physical and verbal depictions of love were assimilated well by the
local viewers (note that most Koreanovelas are predominantly love stories).
b. Filipino Values
While the word “value” is also a universal concept, generally referring to
ideas, customs, and qualities that are desirable to a particular group, as cited earlier,
different cultures put premium on different values. They view issues differently as
well. In the case of the Philippines and Korea, the cultural differences are massive.
They take root in geographic location and history, and fan out into language, culture,
and the economic situation of the present day. While both cultures are family and
community-oriented for example, this is manifested in different ways. Filipinos are
hospitable and accommodating to others, but they are also tardy and fatalistic.
Koreans are highly nationalistic and hardworking in the service of their community,
39
but this is sometimes to the point of conservatism and close-mindedness. The
challenge for the Koreanovelas was to take the Korean values, family-oriented and
otherwise, as they existed in the series, and alter the text to evoke these values in
the manner that Filipinos give importance to them. In the Tagalog episodes
analyzed, the depiction of “Traditional” Filipino values was successful and consistent.
Even if there were no visual markers, the use of language in the dialogue made the
values prominent.
Though there is no single recognized manner of identifying and classifying
particular values as being “Traditionally Filipino”, several authors have given their
own standards for defining such values. “Traditional Filipino Values” are usually
understood as those which characterize Filipinos as a cultural group, as they are
recognized in literature, history and media. Ordoñez classifies Filipino values
“according to their main concern and significance. These are family, spiritual,
workplace and community values” (as cited in Clemente, 2009, p. 14).
The values that were prominent in the Koreanovelas were as follows:
First was, of course, being respectful to elders, and to people in higher
positions. This was in a universal context, encompassing family, workplace, and
community. This was shown through the use of “po”, “opo”, “ho” and similar terms,
which are used exclusively by Filipinos. Formal terms of address were also used, as
mentioned in the earlier section on “Ties that Bind: Respect, Kinship, and
Friendship”.
Second, being family and community-oriented was also emphasized, not only
through the language use, but also in the context of the plots. At this point, the
universality of values is once again evident. Regardless of language, the importance
of time with family and friends was depicted through visuals and narrative. The value
40
of filial piety was expressed through situations wherein characters would spend as
much time as they could with one another, and would do things they would not
usually do, that is, sacrifice, for the benefit of their families and friends.
Among many narrative situations which displayed this were the following: in 3
Dads with 1 Mommy, the three young men, Jake, Jayden and Ariel, would visit their
friend Justin and his wife Lizette without fail every Sunday to play poker and have
lunch. Despite the inconvenience it caused Lizette, she would welcome the three and
cook for them. This is also commonly considered hospitality. Historically, the role of
women in the family has been to exude this value, a “motherly” trait, all-embracing
towards other characters.
In Boys Over Flowers, the character Woo Bin admits to his friend Yi Jeong
that he is ashamed (“hiya”) of his family’s mafia background, and worries about how
this might cause his friends to be embarrassed of him and reject him. Yi Jeong gets
angry, grabs Woo Bin and yells, “Akala ko ba magkakapatid na tayo, tayong apat?”
(Aren’t we brothers, the four of us?). Yi Jeong expresses the idea of “walang iwanan”
(no one gets left behind), sharing a strong filial bond, even among friends.
Third was resilience in spite of life’s challenges and difficulties. This is
something that Filipinos are very well known for. Having been colonized and
victimized repeatedly throughout their long history as a nation, Filipinos have shown
their ability to rise above their problems and oppressions, and rebuild. Filipinos have
proven that difficult situations exist to allow people to learn and grow. In the case of
the Koreanovelas analyzed, this trait was best manifested by the lead female
characters.
In 3 Dads with 1 Mommy, it was Lizette who embodied this. She was a young
woman, whom, upon the sudden death of her husband, was left with a trail of debts
41
and mysteries which she had to deal with. Despite the fact that other characters were
there to help her in her ordeal, it was her own strength and willingness to push on
that led to the exposition of the story. Despite being pregnant, sickly, and in debt, she
found work and compromised her own health and security in order to give birth to
and support her child.
In Boys Over Flowers, it was Geum Jan Di who personified this trait. Jan Di’s
character was more blatantly depicted as being on the receiving end of persecution.
This was because she was a working-class girl who managed to break into high
society. Naturally, many of the rich, privileged people whom she encountered
disliked her and made her suffer. Despite the many times she was threatened and
actually physically and psychologically attacked by others, she never compromised
her principles or backed down. Whether it was to defend her family’s honor, her
dignity as a person, or the person she loved, she fought for what she wanted and
was rightfully hers. It was in fact this trait that attracted several different men to her.
The subtext here is that women tend to be more oppressed, and in turn, more
resilient. This is true in the Philippines, where a common symbol of freedom and
justice is a blindfolded woman breaking free of the chains that bind her. We often
hear of women being oppressed and abused by their partners, and yet the women
remain with these abusive people. The women claim to stay in order to keep their
families together, harking back to the value of filial piety. The Koreanovelas however
depicted their lead female characters as women who eventually break free from the
shadow of perpetual oppression, thus creating the image of empowered women.
This is also elaborated upon in the section about “Characters”.
These values were the most prominent depicted in the Koreanovelas. Other
values of note that were shown included generosity, promptness, keeping one’s
42
word, the Filipino “utang na loob” (being indebted to those who helped you), humility,
and saving face.
c. Social Issues
As expected, some social issues shown were also universal in their appeal to
audiences – particularly the depiction poverty, the gap between rich and poor, and
some forms of violence. Visually, the levels of “poverty” and “wealth” were clearly not
the same between Korea and the Philippines, given the economic disparity between
the two countries. It was once again the use of language appropriate to such
characters as those living in “poverty”, or those living in “wealth” in the Philippine
setting that allowed the characters to still be identifiable to local audiences.
According to Tolentino, translators (or rewriters) must take into consideration
the “concept of language”. This means creating lines or dialogue for a specific
character based on the kind of language the character would use based on his
unique attributes – social, psychological and emotional. “So kung ikaw ay mayaman,
ibabagay namin yung lenggwahe dapat doon sa mayaman. Nakapag-aral. Hindi
natin ibibigay yung lenggwahe ng nasa slums, yun din ang lenggwahe ng nasa
Forbes” [So if you are rich, we will give you the language that is appropriate for the
rich. The educated. We will not give the same language to those from the slums, and
to those from Forbes], said Tolentino. In this way, no two characters are alike. This
also allows rewriters to recreate the dynamic interaction among characters in
Filipino, still pushing forward with the same narratives.
It was of note however, that some contexts were also significantly altered in
the Tagalog episodes to make the scenes and narratives more acceptable to Filipino
audiences. This included using or deleting curse words, insults, and references to
excrement, such as “pee”, “poo” and other toilet humor situations. These were the
43
only situations which caused changes in the narratives per se. They were not major
changes to the Koreanovelas’ plots, but conversations carried significantly different
meanings. This was also reinforced by the interviews, where all three key informants
revealed that there were in fact limitations in terms of “bad” or unacceptable words.
They were not allowed to translate these words that were bawal (not allowed) from
English to Tagalog literally. There was a necessity to tone down words and
expressions, to use “clean” versions, to the point of altering the context of some
situations in the stories to avoid using the offensive words. “Tanga” (stupid) for
example, would become “mahina ang ulo” (slow).
d. The Best of Both Worlds
Looking at these themes point to the fact that culturally, Filipinos remain a
largely conservative society, and this is actually something they share with Koreans.
While the manifestations of love, social values and social issues were tailored to fit
local tastes and interpretations, the data also showed that Filipinos still conform to
universal themes. There were no attempts from either original or adapted versions to
draw out new or radical abstractions or meanings from the texts.
3. Narratives
Of course, the themes of the Koreanovelas would not have been able to
come across to audiences without being integrated well into the narratives – the
stories themselves. The researcher analyzed the narratives of the Koreanovelas per
episode, using the Episode System cited by Cortazzi (1993). Each episode was
broken down into the Initiating Event, Goal, Attempt, Consequence and Reaction.
This subdivision per episode allowed the researcher to more easily detect the
patterns, connections and consequences across episodes, especially given that
44
drama series in general tend to have multiple arcs or stories running parallel to the
main plot of the drama.
a. Plots
The researcher first took into consideration the main plots of the two
Koreanovelas (these were relayed earlier in the introduction to Chapter V). This gave
way to understanding the context in which two specific story arcs for each
Koreanovela were analyzed. Each arc ran for five episodes.
3 Dads with 1 Mommy
Story Arc 1: Episodes 1 to 5
In these, the first five episodes of the Koreanovela, the premise for the entire
series was being set. These episodes depicted Justin and Lizette’s marriage, their
trouble with having children, and Justin forcing his friends (Jake, Jayden and Ariel) to
donate their sperm cells to him so that his wife could conceive. The last episode in
this arc showed Justin’s untimely death and how his wife and friends had to deal with
it. These episodes also introduced the characters, revealing each one’s unique
quirks and personality.
Story Arc 2: Episodes 21 to 25
This arc revolved around the three young men finally deciding to work
together to take care of Lizette’s baby after a long dispute over whether or not it was
their responsibility to. It was in the analysis of this arc that the researcher noted the
consistent manifestation of the themes and values earlier identified. The various
situations, problems, and resolutions, though taking place in a setting aesthetically
different from the Filipinos’ familiar environment, and acted out by foreign looking
artists, were brought down to a level that Filipino audiences could relate to through
the efficient use of language.
45
Figure 1. 3 Dads with 1 Mommy Korean and English Posters
Sources. One Mom and Three Dads. (n.d.). Retrieved November 2, 2009, from
Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_Mom_and_Three_Dads.
3.bp.blogspot.com/_NN9NqqDBEro/SDXy4l61bKI/
AAAAAAAAAH0/oSqv1aFdOS8/s400/3+dad+01.jpg (n.d.). Retrieved
February 16, 2010, from Google Images:
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_NN9NqqDBEro/SDXy4l61bKI/
AAAAAAAAAH0/oSqv1aFdOS8/s400/3+dad+01.jpg
Boys Over Flowers
Story Arc 1: Episodes 21 to 25
This narrative arc depicts Jan Di and Jun Pyo’s relationship as their feelings
for one another move from shallow to serious; they go from simply trying to win over
each other’s attention and approval, to the point where they must decide what they
really mean to each other. This includes Ji Hoo and other characters creating
opportunities for the two to get to know each other more.
46
Story Arc 2: Episodes 51 to 55
This arc on the other hand shows the relationship of the two, which has
already become very serious and strong, as it is tested by forces beyond their
control. In particular, this refers to the sudden revelation of Jun Pyo’s mother that he
has already been promised to marry another girl, Jae Kyeong. Jae Kyeong, the
daughter of another wealthy business family, falls for Jun Pyo. Jun Pyo therefore is
torn between love and duty.
Figure 2. Boys Over Flowers Korean and English Posters
Sources. Boys Over Flowers (Korea Version). (2009, April 1). Retrieved February
16, 2010, from Dollmaster: http://dollmasteryuuki.blog126.fc2.com/blogcategory-6.html.
My '09 Drama Reviews. (2010, January 6). Retrieved February 16, 2010,
from http://mrkpop.wordpress.com/2010/01/06/my-09-drama-reviews/.
47
As mentioned earlier, the stories of both titles are basically domestic in nature
– no fantasy worlds, magical powers, and historical settings, which are present in
other popular Koreanovela titles. They have various aspects of love, and personal
and social life as their main foci. In adapting these stories for the Filipino TV screen,
plots were not, and in a practical sense, could not be, significantly altered. Therefore,
it was the characters that were more significant in this respect.
b. Characters
While all the characters in both titles were naturally Korean in physical
appearance, they were universal in that they still adhered to certain narrative
character stereotypes. Lizette from 3 Dads with 1 Mommy and Jan Di from Boys
Over Flowers for example were both headstrong female leads, Amazon-types.
Jayden from the former title and Yi Jeong from the latter were the classic
Casanovas, ladies’ men without conscience and responsibility. Because of the
translations and dubbing, the characters became distinctly Filipino – instead of just
seeing the stereotypes being played out by Korean artists, the audiences could hear
the character stereotypes in Filipino voices. Lizette and Jan Di were outspoken, and
they raised their voices when arguing with other characters (which they did quite
often, bringing to mind the Tagalog term “bungangera” or a very loud, irritating
woman). Jayden and Yi Jeong were smooth talkers who, when speaking to their
women, were slow and baiting in manner. These, accompanied by appropriate
visuals and actions, created a realistic, true-to-life narrative for the viewers.
One important change that was easy to overlook given the existence of
character stereotypes, was the fact that the depictions of these stereotypes also
differ between Korean and Filipino interpretations. The way the dialogue was
delivered made differences in how certain characters, especially minor ones, were
48
presented. Lizette’s father, for example, was depicted in the local version as
someone deep in debt, but repentant over it, and wanting to make amends. In the
original version, he was an arrogant man who did not seem keen on changing his
ways. This difference was only evident in the dialogue. This reflects how highly
Filipinos regard their families, particularly their fathers. While this character was
indeed a gambler to the point of running into trouble with loan sharks, the Filipino
adaptation gave him a redeeming quality which was not present in the original.
Another example of this was with Jun Pyo’s mother in Boys Over Flowers.
Her character in the Filipino adaptation was that of a strict, cold businesswoman,
who cared more about preserving her family’s wealth and power than her own
children’s happiness. While her character did maintain the same persona as in the
original story, she came off twice as fierce in the Tagalog version because of the way
her lines were delivered.
These particular changes have to do with how important family truly is to
Filipinos. Beyond giving the specific characters more room to be interpreted as
people with what we might call “inherent good” in them, we can also say that this is a
technical move on the side of the networks (in this case, ABS-CBN) who air the
Koreanovelas. It was mentioned earlier that Koreanovelas have a very wide
viewership, ranging from young children to grandparents, and everyone in between.
Because of this, networks must take care to maintain the depiction of conservative
values to their audiences. They cannot risk corrupting children’s minds for example,
by showing parents who would disregard their own children’s happiness.
What this particular phenomenon did prove was that entire character
personalities could in fact be altered through dialogue, without affecting the narrative
events and relationships with other characters.
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4. Discourses
As the Koreanovelas’ stories progressed from one episode to the next,
certain discourses, or ideas and beliefs about Philippine cultural and social life
surfaced. Some of these were tied closely with the narrative, with particular
characters espousing particular beliefs, while others were more general. Given that
Koreanovelas are tailored towards Filipino sensitivities, the discourses were
reflective of Filipino ways of thinking in various situations common in everyday life.
The dominant points of discourse among the characters in both titles were:
(1) the characteristics of ideal men and women in society and in relationships, as
well as the differences between men’s and women’s thoughts on marriage and
having children, (2) the value of money, education and position in a person’s life, and
(3) the importance and the nuances of love and family and friendship ties.
Just as with the themes and narratives, the relaying of discourses was
manifested through the translated dialogue. Some of the ideologies presented were
more closely associated with Filipinos, but generally, these were also universal in
their appeal, as ideologies are shared by millions of people across the globe.
The ideas that were presented about the disparity between men’s and
women’s thoughts on marriage and having children were most manifest in the first
story arc of 3 Dads with 1 Mommy. This arc was all about two of the characters
getting married, and their struggle with deciding whether to have children or not. The
three main male characters who were still bachelors were depicted as being very
strongly against marriage. They even advised their friend, the groom, to get out of it
while he still could. The Casanova character Jayden even went so far as to say, “ito
na ang huling pagkakataon umatras” (this is your last chance to back out).
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There were some situations which served as a counterpoint to this particular
idea. For one, the groom himself was depicted as being a loving man who had every
intention of going through with the marriage and doing everything he could to please
his wife. This attitude was shared by the wife. However, the value given to the act of
marriage was that it was rare and special; otherwise, it was something that single
men did not want, because they wished to avoid the subsequent responsibilities for
as long as possible. Marriage was depicted as something joyous, but that involved
so many responsibilities, particularly having and raising children. This concept of
men struggling with the idea of marriage and fatherhood was argued consistently
throughout 3 Dads with 1 Mommy. Both story arcs that were analyzed presented the
male characters as being internally conflicted about this issue.
Following marriage, the next big step that these men worried about was
having children. Women, as shown particularly by Lizette, were depicted as equating
happiness with having children. On the other hand, the men in the relationship,
Justin in this case, could do without them, or at least, afford to delay having children.
In connection with this, we hearken back to the concept of conforming to
character stereotypes for the sake of relatability to audiences. Both Koreanovelas
showed that traditional gender and family roles were still prevalent in the narratives.
However, the reason for this was to more effectively convey the message that
today’s society is, slowly but surely, becoming more open-minded towards breaking
away from these gender and family roles.
As mentioned earlier, Lizette was the portrait of an ordinary woman. She was
a devoted wife and a loving mother. Her three male counterparts (after her
husband’s death in the story), Jake, Jayden and Ariel, represented various types of
bachelors. Jake was the extremely money-minded, social climbing type, who thought
51
about children as hindrances to success. Jayden was the carefree artist and ladies’
man who went from one girl to another, and despised the thought of children taking
away his ability to maintain his philandering habits. Ariel was the workaholic mama’s
boy who happened to be a detective, and thought that having children might
compromise his position. Each of these men however underwent personal growth
and change as the series progressed. Lizette proved that she was strong enough to
stand on her own two feet and support her child even without her husband. The three
men on the other hand, underwent a more drastic transformation. Because of their
interaction with Lizette and her baby girl, they slowly grew to love the child and
consider it a blessing, as opposed to their initial ideas that children were burdens.
In Boys Over Flowers, Jan Di was the blatant image of a character going
beyond her gender and family role. While she was the typical obedient daughter and
diligent student, intrinsic to her character was an outspokenness and courage that
allowed her to stand up to any obstacle in her path. An example was when she
delivered a spinning back kick to Jun Pyo’s face after he badly embarrassed her
friend. The narrative of Boys Over Flowers took this trait further by making it the very
impetus for propelling the story forward. Because Jun Pyo saw that Jan Di was a
fighter, he tried to formulate different ways of making her submit to him, all the while
unwittingly becoming drawn to her emotionally.
While it is partial to the narrative of this Koreanovela that the characters
break from traditional gender roles, in the end, they still do measure up to classic
character stereotypes, meaning that Jan Di’s character breaks away from the
traditional passive female, but instead embodies the Amazon-type of female.
Furthermore, part of reinforcing the stereotypes and gender roles was when
characters would express the kinds of characteristics they would look for in their
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ideal partners. This shows how society assigns value to men and women. Men would
be more desirable if they were good looking and financially secure. The same went
for women, with more emphasis on physical beauty, and education.
Looking at specific characteristics displayed by the various characters leads
us to the next important point of discourse – the real value of money, education and
status in a person’s life.
In 3 Dads with 1 Mommy, many instances of dialogue, often involving the
stingy Jake, showed this issue. Jake was representative of the type of person who
thought that money was the most important thing in life. In everything that he did,
Jake would whisper to himself things like, “ayos, makakatipid ako” (great, I’ll be able
to save on this) or “magiging pera yan, sige na nga” (alright, this will become money
anyway”).This is a mentality not uncommon to Filipinos, if only because of the
economic scarcity present in Philippine society.
The point of intersection among the aforementioned discourses was the
difference between men’s and women’s role in society. Any society will have these
disparities. But what the Koreanovelas confirmed was that in the Philippines, the
age-old, conservative views of men and women’s roles, most especially in the family,
still prevail. Men are the primary breadwinners of the family. Outside of the family
context however, they can afford to be “players”, who become involved in
relationships as they please. Women on the other hand are always concerned with
the welfare of family and friends. They especially love children and think that children
are an important element in a marriage.
One reason why Koreanovelas are so effective in attracting large audiences
is because of the basic premise that families and relationships are highlighted in
these Koreanovelas. As the characters in all sorts of romantic and platonic
53
relationships encounter and overcome many difficulties, so too do audiences feel like
their own issues are conquerable, and not isolated or far-removed from what they
are watching.
5. Extra-Textual Contexts
The most overlooked elements to consider in translating or adapting any work
are the extra-textual elements – those which are not directly related to the dialogue,
themes and narratives of the texts. It was interesting to note that throughout the
course of the research, the consideration of extra-textual contexts became more and
more paramount to understanding the Filipino audiences’ love for Koreanovelas.
a. Visual Elements
The non-narrative visuals included: the opening and closing billboards (OBB
and CBB respectively) of the programs, and the character generated visuals (or
chargen) that appeared on the screen during opening and closing credits and
throughout the episodes.
The character generated materials, specifically the presentation of characters
and their corresponding artists’ names during the opening and closing billboards
were in English for the adapted episodes (as in, “Lee Min Ho as Gu Jun Pyo”), as
opposed to Korean characters being used completely in the original episodes. Also
of note were the words, “Inihahandog ng ABS-CBN” (Presented by ABS-CBN), which
were shown before the opening billboard of Boys Over Flowers.
Besides the character generated words that would appear during the credits,
there were also the TV networks’ logos appearing on the upper corners of the
screen. These were for ABS-CBN in the Filipino version, and KBS2TV in the original
version. In addition, the Tagalog version had the words “Parental Guidance” on the
upper left hand part of the screen.
54
In the Tagalog episodes, during instances when Korean texts would appear
on screen, such as when a character was reading a text message, a book, or a road
sign, English or Tagalog subtitles would appear at the bottom of the screen, to allow
Filipino viewers to understand the Korean words being shown. However, there were
also times when no subtitles would appear. There seemed to be no particular rule for
when to use English or Tagalog, or no subtitles at all; it simply depended on the
context of the scene. If it could be understood without subtitles, such as when
characters would read a text message out loud, then subtitles were no longer used.
Also, both Filipino and original episodes sometimes had scroll bars appearing
at the bottom of the screen. In the Filipino episodes, these were either news bars, or
advertisements for upcoming episodes of other ABS-CBN programs. At various
times within episodes, but usually after commercial breaks, a scrolling marquee
would appear at the bottom of the screen and have messages such as, “Singing Bee
Season 2. Ngayong Sabado pagkatapos ng CINEMA FPJ on ABS-CBN” (Singing
Bee Season 2. This Saturday after CINEMA FPJ on ABS-CBN). In Korean, this also
occurred, albeit much less often. Also, the texts were completely in Korean, so the
researcher could not identify the texts.
All these visual elements are indications of how the broadcast industries in
both Korea and the Philippines function. While programs such as Koreanovelas exist
as stand-alone shows, meant to haul in their own audiences and advertisers, they
are also tools through which the networks who broadcast them can advertise other
programs. This was especially rampant in the Filipino episodes. The artistic and
narrative aspects of the Koreanovelas cannot be divorced from the commercial
nature of the industry.
55
b. Audio Elements
These were the opening and closing billboards’ music (commonly referred to
as the Koreanovelas’ theme songs), background or bed music, and sound effects. In
terms of opening and closing billboards, the original and Filipino versions used the
same songs (Saranghae Joo Se Yo for 3 Dads with 1 Mommy; Almost Paradise for
Boys Over Flowers). Likewise, the background music used was, for the most part,
the same between the original and adapted episodes analyzed. There was a limited
repertoire of Korean pop songs and instrumentals for each Koreanovela’s
soundtrack. As with other types of programs, the music in Koreanovelas is used to
augment the narrative by serving as a transition device between scenes, and more
importantly, by heightening the dominant emotions in a scene. This encourages
audiences to become more emotionally connected to what they are seeing.
Very rarely, there were changes in background music. There were only two
examples of note out of 20 episodes analyzed. The first was during a highly dramatic
scene between Jan Di and Jun Pyo in Boys Over Flowers. A Filipino pop balled was
playing in the background, instead of the Korean balled that originally played. The
second was during a comical scene in 3 Dads with 1 Mommy, where, in the original,
Canadian singer Avril Lavigne’s pop song “Girlfriend” was playing. This song was not
played in the Tagalog counterpart; it was replaced by one of the other regular
background music tracks with no lyrics.
This reinforces the same point stated above about the commercial enterprise
involved in Koreanovelas. According to the key informants, these minor changes
involving could be attributed to the fact that although music is rarely altered in
Koreanovelas, there are times wherein the network uses the Koreanovela as
platforms to promote their home artists. If an up-and-coming artist of the particular
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network for example is releasing an album soon, the network may choose to use her
song as background music in Koreanovelas with high viewership. This way, the song
and the artist receive exposure to a wide audience immediately.
c. Programming Elements and Other Factors
The most pronounced difference between the translated and original versions
of the Koreanovelas besides language was the lengths of episodes. While the
original 3 Dads with 1 Mommy had 16 episodes, the local version had 39; Boys Over
Flowers went from 25 episodes to 73. This meant that each original episode was cut
up into two or three parts, so that local airing happened over a longer period of time.
Local convention dictates that drama series are aired every day (or for prime
time, every night), as opposed to the once or twice-a-week airing of dramas in
Korean convention. This gives rise to the need for more episodes. In order to cater to
local audiences, who are used to getting their drama fare nightly, program directors
must stretch the limited number of Koreanovela episodes that the networks are
given. Tolentino, a director of Koreanovelas and other acquired programs for ABSCBN, explained that, “Asianovelas in particular, mas plot-oriented. So you get more
involved… With Koreanovelas, you lose one episode, then what happened?
Kailangan magbaback track ka ng mga eksena para makahabol ka dun sa kwento
dahil mabilis yung takbo nila” [Asianovelas in particular are more plot-oriented. So
you get more involved… With Koreanovelas, you lose one episode, then what
happened? You need to back track the scenes so you can catch up with the story,
because it happens so fast]. This also explains why in Boys Over Flowers, the first
minute of the episode is always a repeat of the last minute of the previous episode –
this part of the process of prolonging the episodes, ad allowing viewers to keep I
stride with the story.
57
It was also revealed during the comparison of episodes, and confirmed by the
key informants, that episodes were also cut. Parts that the directors felt were too
long or unnecessary were removed for the final edited Tagalog episode. Tolentino
explains, “Yung mga patapon na eksena, tinatapon. So mabilis na, pinabibilis pa nila.
So pag may nalaktawan ka, mejo, oops, maliligaw ka na” [The unnecessary scenes
are thrown out. So, the pace is already fast, and it gets even faster. If you miss
something, then, oops, you’re lost].
B. The Rewriting Process
At this point, it is evident that knowing the role of the translators and the
process of translating are both crucial to understanding how a Koreanovela is
crafted. It is through the dynamic work of rewriters that Filipino culture is effectively
integrated into the foreign texts.
All of the signs discussed were consciously decided upon during the
translation process. These decisions were made by the writer-translators and
directors, with consultation from network executives, and sometimes, external
sources as well. Having identified what the signs are, let us look into the process of
how the signs were chosen and put together to produce the Koreanovela.
Key informants Tolentino, Pacursa and Po revealed that there is much more
to the translation process than meets the eye. First and foremost, all three agreed
that they were not really writer-translators. Rather, the proper term to describe them
was rewriters of Koreanovelas.
58
Tolentino explained:
I call it “rewriting” kasi we’re not just translating. Translating
is like literally transferring a language to another language.
But I’m not doing that. Kasi, there are lines which are not
appropriate in Filipino setting, so we have to rewrite it kasi
we have to think of something na magfifit sa panlasa ng
Pinoy. So binabago na namin yung kung anuman yung
sinabi sa foreign language [I call it “rewriting” because
we’re not just translating. Translating is like literally
transferring a language to another language. But I’m not
doing that. Because there are lines which are not
appropriate in the Filipino setting, we have to rewrite it,
because we have to think of something that will suit Filipino
tastes. So we change what was said in the foreign
language].
Immediately, he reinforced the idea that rewriting a script for Filipino
television requires not just literally translating a foreign language into its Tagalog
counterpart. Rather, changes must be made in terms of specific word choices and
contexts, in order “Filipinize” lines. Pacursa added:
Hindi naman natin direct na tinatranslate from English to
Tagalog. Hindi naman kasi literally. So we are also called
“rewriters”... Halimbawa, paano mo itatagalog ang, “hold
your horses”? ‘O paano mo itatagalog yung, “you’re
chickening out”? Hindi mo naman siguro pwedeng
intranslate ng literal yun. So siyempre hahanap ka ng
words na malapit doon [We don’t translate directly from
English to Tagalog. It’s not done literally. So we are called
“rewriters”… For example, how would you say, “hold your
horses” in Tagalog? Or how would you say, “you’re
chickening out” in Tagalog? You can’t just translate that
literally. So of course you have to look for words that are
close to them in meaning].
Pacursa, along with Po, described the process of rewriting generally in the
following manner: the rewriters are given the English material, the raw script, which
they must translate into Tagalog. The limitations for the rewriting job are the
deadlines within which each episode must be written and dubbed, and the guidelines
in rewriting, which are generally the restrictions as to what words cannot be used.
59
Both said that rewriters are largely at their own liberty as to how to go about rewriting
the episodes given to them. Because of this, it is important for rewriters to observe
and be involved in dubbing sessions as well. This helps them to adapt their writing to
how the dubbers speak and bring characters to life.
Tolentino agreed that in rewriting, much prerogative is given to the rewriters.
He added that the major decisions as to whether a script is good enough for dubbing
and airing or not belong to the director.
An interesting point raised was that many different rewriters may work on a
single program. Therefore, there is a conscious effort on the side of the rewriters to
coordinate word usage for consistency. This however can significantly alter the way
characters and narratives are presented if not done cautiously. Pacursa explained:
“Titingnan mo talaga yung mga script ng mga naunang magsulat sa’yo, dun ka
talaga makakakuha ng idea… you have to follow yung proper way of, yung paano
magsalita. Paano yung speaking. Syllables. Grammar.” [You will really have to look
at the scripts of those who wrote before you, that’s where you will get ideas… you
have to follow the proper way of speaking. How to speak. Syllables. Grammar.]
Another important point that was already emphasized earlier was that the
changes made to extra-textual contexts were also pivotal to the final outcome of the
Koreanovelas, and how Filipinos reacted to them. Tolentino said that Filipinos
generally tune in to Koreanovelas because they find the material interesting.
Sustaining their interest however is a different matter. It involves allowing them to
follow the otherwise quick paced stories of Korean dramas by lengthening episodes
to the extent to which they are accustomed. Another strategy is by changing Korea
names into more Filipino sounding names. Although this was not done in Boys Over
60
Flowers, all the main characters’ names were changed in 3 Dads with 1 Mommy. It is
directors who decide on these extra-textual changes.
Lastly, a major factor that affects the final outcome of the rewriting process,
the aired Koreanovela, is explained by Tolentino: “Ang kinoconsider lang naman
namin, kung ano’ng sasabihin ng mga boss namin… dahil may mga request yung
mga boss namin, magaadjust at magaadjust kami” [What we must consider are
what our bosses say… because they have requests, we must adjust].
The various factors cited, from viewers’ needs, to rewriters’ personal work
habits, to directors’ and network executives’ preferences, contribute to the final form
that Koreanovelas take. But all these factors are already culturally influenced to
begin with. A rewriter’s private environment may affect how accurately he or she
interprets a character. Ratings concerns may prompt a director or network executive
to stretch programs, or cut them short. And ordinary Filipinos have daily routines
which affect their viewing schedules and choices. In their own ways, all of these
influence the process of rewriting, a process that begins and ends with Filipino
perspectives. Materials pass on from the hands of Filipino producers, to the TV sets
of Filipino Consumers. The program produced therefore mirrors the same culture
that Filipinos live and experience. This is why Koreanovelas resonate very well with
Pinoy viewers. What they watch is no longer a product of a foreign culture, but the
result of a reintegration of their own culture. The narratives that they watch are
coherent with their own personal narratives.
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C. The Negotiation of Meaning in Koreanovelas
According to Sociologist Stuart Hall, the process of representation, or
meaning-making, is not linear. Rather, audiences have the ability to negotiate the
meaning that they decide to attribute to an object, or a signifier, to borrow Saussure’s
term. An object is empty until meaning is attached to it by an individual, or by a
collective of individuals, a society. Naturally, the attribution of meaning is affected by
the individuals’ personal environment. Their cultural and social backgrounds and
lived experiences affect their reading of a text. “In essence, the meaning of a text is
not inherent within the text itself, but is created within the relationship between the
text and the reader” (Reception Theory, n.d., para. 2). This dynamic representation is
what occurs in the process of rewriting a Koreanovela.
When Korean drama series are brought to the Philippines, they already carry
certain meanings that are assigned to them by their original readers – the Koreans
whom first produced and viewed the texts. But the existing meanings of these texts
do not make the same coherent sense to Filipinos as they do to Koreans. While
there are similarities between Korean and Philippine perspectives, there are even
more differences because of the disparity between the two countries’ cultural and
social situations. In the first place, the languages used by the two countries are very
different, and one cannot be understood by the other without due education or
interpretation. Therefore, Filipino readers renegotiate the meanings of the texts.
Koreanovela directors and rewriters alter the texts in terms of language and extratextual elements, to be able to integrate contextualized meanings that can be
understood in the Philippine setting. Therefore, when local audiences finally gain
access to the reworked materials, they are able to understand the new meaning
62
relayed by the texts, and also forge more personal attachments with what they are
viewing.
Language remains the greatest factor in effectively giving new meaning to the
texts, especially in this situation, because languages such as Filipino have unique
qualities which are shared and understood only by people who belong to the specific
community that speaks the language. Rewriters ensure that the language that is
used in the rewritten text is the same language used in the day-to-day lives of
Filipinos. In the words of Tolentino, “nabebreak yung language barrier” [the language
barrier is broken].
It is unavoidable that certain concepts and meanings are lost in translation.
The negotiation of meaning entails using what is significant to the community, and
tossing out what is not. This is not only in terms of dialogues, but extra-textual
content as well. But while concepts are lost, and others are altered on purpose, this
is all done in order to bring the messages and ideas conveyed in the texts down to
the level of understanding of the local audiences.
However, it is not only the process of rewriting that changes the Koreanovela
– it is also the audiences, and how they view it in its final form. As Hall said,
audiences are active participants in the meaning-making process, and they continue
to give meaning to the texts beyond the meanings that the rewriters have already
given. The significance that a Koreanovela has for an individual viewer depends on
the viewer. Even if he or she shares the same culture with all the other Filipinos who
watch Koreanovelas, his or her own backgrounds and experiences further affects the
meanings he or she assigns to the texts.
At the end of the day, the flexibility of meaning accounts for the novelty and
relatability of Koreanovelas among Filipino audiences. Filipino cultural elements are
63
integrated into Koreanovelas through a dynamic process, where interaction with
culture and community affect the rewriting of texts both linguistically and nonlinguistically. The end product of this process is the Koreanovela which is not only
acceptable, but significant to Filipino audiences.
VI. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION
After examining the various aspects of discourse of Koreanovelas, the study
reached the following conclusions as to the Filipino cultural content present in the
texts:
Translated Koreanovela texts adapt Filipino cultural elements through the
process of rewriting, more commonly referred to as translation. This is when
directors and rewriters make changes to linguistic, visual, and extra-textual
elements of the original Korean dramas in order to produce a series that is similar to
local dramas in form. This is to make the foreign series narratively and thematically
relatable to local audiences. This in turn, contributes to the consistent high ratings
and large fan bases of Koreanovelas.
A. Language
Rewriters ensure that the language used in Koreanovelas is not only the
Filipino language per se. Rather, it is the language used by ordinary Filipinos – the
viewers. This includes crafting dialogues that: (1) use Taglish and borrowed words,
(2) use terminologies that express kinship and respect, and (3) are dubbed in such
a way that characters speak in the same way that ordinary Filipinos do, with the
same intonations and manners of delivery. Delivery also contributes to creating
characters that adhere to certain stereotypes as they are depicted in Philippine
media.
The kind of language used in Koreanovelas reflects the kind of society that
exists in the country today. This means conceding to certain weaknesses of the
language, and of the Filipino mind-set, such as the superiority of English to Tagalog.
65
B. Values and Ideologies
In terms of themes and narratives, Koreanovelas impart largely the same
universal concepts that their original Korean counterparts relay to audiences.
However, they differ in presentation, given that linguistic, visual, and extra-textual
elements must been changed to foster familiarity with local audiences. As a result,
the values put forth by the narratives, such as common depictions of love, moral
behavior, and social problems, specifically through the dialogues and
characterizations, are distinctly reflective of Filipino practices and ideals.
The major discourses presented were those relating to: (1) gender roles and
ideals, (2) the importance of money, status, and education, and (3) the importance
of family and friends. Despite the universality of these discourses, they were
depicted in the context of Philippine societal beliefs and norms.
C. Extra-textual Elements
Visual and extra-textual changes made rely predominantly on the director’s
decisions. Visually, these include cutting scenes which are deemed too long or
unnecessary to the advancement of the plot. Alterations made to extra-textual
elements also play a big part in ensuring the effectiveness of the adaptations.
Because many existing conventions permeate the local TV drama industry,
Koreanovelas are likewise tailored to these conventions – conventions which are
already sewn into the local viewer culture. The major change involved is the length
of episodes of Koreanovelas. Filipino viewers are accustomed to watching daily
drama series that stretch on anywhere from several weeks to several years. This is
why the convention of Korean drama series which run once or twice a week for a
mere 13 to 30 episodes must be cut up and stretched out. Other extra-textual
66
elements include character generated graphics and texts, and background music.
All these are tailored to pace the episodes more slowly, and to foster nostalgia and
familiarity to Filipino references and experiences.
D. Rewriting
The rewriting process is not without external influences. First and foremost,
rewriters work by themselves, and are subject to personal methodologies and
habits. Besides this, their directors’ preferences, as well as those of the network
executives serve as limitations for rewriters’ work. All rewriters must adhere to
certain unspoken or informal rules about rewriting Koreanovelas, so that despite
variations across titles that may occur due to the various influences, Koreanovelas
still show Filipino audiences what they want to watch.
Lastly, the commercial culture of the Philippine television industry also plays
a part in the kind of culture that is ultimately conveyed in Koreanovelas. Executive
decisions on the part of network executives are profit-oriented, therefore, the
specific Koreanovelas, the words and language used, and the values depicted,
must be suitable to the widest audience possible. This entails creating wholesome
and viewer-friendly Koreanovelas.
VII. IMPLICATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
After conducting the study, the researcher synthesized the following implications
based on the study’s results, and made the subsequent recommendations for future
researchers:
The study would best be of use to people who are already working in television
today. The fact that Koreanovelas have not stopped trending in the Philippines must give
industry players the impetus to improve their productions of these programs.
Furthermore, the wide viewership, high ratings, and cult fan followings of Koreanovelas
actually give the network producers the opportunity to use Koreanovelas as a platform
for creating better programs. They can do this by analyzing Koreanovelas in depth, and
finding out how the discourse and production elements of Koreanovelas can be
assimilated and used to bolster the performance of local programs.
The primary weakness of the study was the researcher’s failure to analyze the
Korean dramas in their pure form. Having accessed only the English subtitled versions,
the researcher ran the risk of information loss on the first level of translation – from
Korean to English. The researcher recommends that further studies pursue a
comparison from the original language, Korean, to the first level target language,
English. This may provide a more precise analysis of meaning transfer, especially in
relation to the second level target language, Filipino. The process of dubbing may also
be further studied, since it was not given emphasis in this research.
Another recommendation was adding an audience reception aspect to the study.
While in depth analysis reveals many interesting points about the parties who are
involved in making a hit Koreanovela, that is, both the producers, and the audiences,
getting direct insight from the audiences may provide the results with an entirely different
perspective. It is possible to augment the framework with other theories that measure
68
the audiences’ appreciation and reaction to the medium and its intended messages,
such as Interpretive Media Studies, or the Expectancy Value Theory.
The researcher also encourages studying ancillary markets, and how they further
perpetuate the Koreanovela fever in the country. This includes considering the
commercial availability of programs on CD and DVD copies, as well as online streaming
and downloading. This is especially pertinent because of the significance of new media
in the communication order of the globalized market. They also seem to play a huge part
in allowing Koreanovelas to continue being viewed by audiences from all over the
country and the rest of the world.
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APPENDICES
APPENDIX A
THESIS TIME TABLE
ACTIVITY
1. Revising proposal & collection of
Koreanovela Episodes
DATES
November 17, 2009 –
November 25 , 2009
November 26, 2009 –
2. First viewing of episodes
December 6, 2009
3. Second viewing of episodes, data
collection & analysis
December 7, 2009 –
January 5, 2010
January 6, 2010 –
4. Writing 1st Draft
January 25, 2010
5. Interviewing of Translators
January 21, 2010
January 26, 2010 –
6. Writing 2nd Draft
March 5, 2010
7. Audio Visual Presentation production
(Production Organizer in Appendix B)
8. Proofreading, video editing &
finalizing of essay and AVP outputs
January 16, 2010 –
March 24, 2010
March 6, 2010 –
March 24, 2010
9. SUBMISSION OF FINAL DRAFT
March 22, 2010
10. BINDING
March 30, 2010
11. SUBMISSION OF BOUND THESIS
AND SOFT COPIES OF THESIS
AND AVP
MARCH 31, 2010
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THESIS BUDGET
ITEM
COST
1. Gasoline for transportation in collection of
PhP 1,000.00
materials and shooting
2. Buying of Koreanovela series episodes
3,000.00
3. Tokens for production assistants, talents,
150.00
interviewees
4. Printing of drafts
150.00
5. Printing and binding of thesis
1,000.00
TOTAL
CONTACTS’ DETAILS
(For collection of materials)
1. Allan “Watash” Cuadra
ABS-CBN writer / researcher
Cell phone #: 0927-9141395
2. Simon Efraim Borromeo
GMA 7 - Researcher
Cell phone #: 0916-5726166
PhP 5,300.00
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APPENDIX B
THESIS AUDIO VISUAL PRESENTATION (AVP) PRODUCTION ORGANIZER
Production Assistants:
Name
Contact Details
1. Aurea Villareal
0917-8935244
2. Fidelis Tan
0917-5286559
3. Sabrina Tan
0918-5003494
Production Time Table:
ACTIVITY
DATES
January 16, 2010 –
1. Script writing and sequence treatment
March 19, 2010
January 16, 2010 –
2. Gathering of footage and materials
March 20, 2010
March 20, 2010 –
3. Set-up, assembly and rough cut
March 21, 2010
March 22, 2010 –
4. Editing and first cut
March 23, 2010
5. Fine cut
March 24, 2010
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APPENDIX C
RESEARCH INSTRUMENTS
INTERVIEW QUESTIONNAIRE:
TRANSLATOR – WRITER OF KOREANOVELAS (ABS-CBN)
A) Basic Information
Full name:
Position:
Years working as translator:
Years working as a translator of Koreanovelas:
Koreanovelas translated:
Other series / works translated:
B) Process of translating Koreanovelas to Filipino
1. In translating Koreanovelas, do you start with the original Korean drama
in its pure form, the original Korean drama with English subtitles, or
others forms?
- If English subbed version: do you know who translated from the
original Korean form to English, or where the copies were
secured from?
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- If yes, from whom / where?
2. What is the process of translating a Koreanovela? Please explain.
- What is the first step? For example: do all translator-writers sit
together and discuss the Koreanovelas’ plot / characters / etc.
prior to beginning translating work? Are there particular steps to
follow thereafter?
- How much “freedom” are you given as a translator? Are you
consistently monitored?
- What do you do when you come across words or expressions in
Korean / English which do not have direct counterparts in
Filipino?
- What are the considerations in factoring in Filipino linguistic
elements, such as slang words, curse words or expressions?
Please explain.
- What is the protocol for synchronizing dialogue with lip
movements?
3. Do you work alone, in pairs, in groups, or others? How does this affect
the translating process?
4. Do you work on one episode at a time, several episodes at a time, entire
series straight, or others? How does this affect the translating process?
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5. How long does it usually take to translate one episode? One entire
series? How many revisions are there before a series is aired?
6. What are the specific qualifications needed to be a Koreanovela
translator?
7. Are there also protocols for altering the Koreanovelas beyond language?
- For example: Changing names, episode lengths, OBB and CBB,
deleting scenes, etc.
C) Personal experiences as a translator
1. What personal work-related habits have you developed as a translator, if
any?
2. What are the most important things to keep in mind while translating?
- For example: Keeping the target audience’s level of understanding
/ director’s preferences in mind, etc.
3. Which of your translated works is most significant / the best to you? Why?
- For example: received best ratings, feedback, etc.
4. In your opinion, is there something about our language (a quality) that
makes it endearing to people, particularly viewers? Is there something
about our language that endears it to you, or makes it easy for you to
translate (personal, technical)?
5. How do you think airing the subtitled versions on local TV would compare
to the translated versions?
DISCOURSE ANALYSIS GUIDE:
TEN (10) EPISODES EACH – “Boys Over Flowers” and “3 Dads with 1 Mommy”
Concepts
WORDS
Conceptualization
Filipino
colloquialisms
Indicators






THEMES
Social values

Practices of respect
Expressions of the
importance of the family, friends,
community, country
Expressions of love and affection,
hatred and antagonism
Practices of “Traditional Filipino
Values” such as hard work, hospitality,
etc.
Others / emerging



Poverty and social inequity
Corruption
Crime and violence




Social Issues
Filipino slang – street jargon, gay
lingo, acronyms, etc.
“Traditional” Filipino words – “Old
Tagalog”
Technical, academic terms, etc.
Terms of reference for people / family /
friends
Greetings / expressions / insults
Others / emerging
Accompanying
Shots and Cuts
Chargen
Texts
Length / cuts in
shot / deleted
scenes, if any
Notes for Analysis
-
Interplay with other
concepts
Similarity / change
compared to original
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
NARRATIVES
Plot / story arcs
(based on Episode
System)
Settings
Others / emerging
 Initiating event
Goal
Attempt
Consequence
Reaction
Urban / city
Rural / provincial
Others
Heroes / Protagonists / Main characters
Characters
Minor characters / others
(based on a
traditional Narrative
approach)
DISCOURSES
Ideologies / Worldviews / Value
judgments /
Arguments
EXTATEXTUAL
CONTEXTS
Plot / setting / character-related
Identity / Ideology-related (related to
gender, race, politics, etc.)
Others / emerging
Plot / setting / character-related (names,
Elements with
positions, voice, manner of delivery
aspects of meaning
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arising from outside
the narrative text
(extra and intertextual elements)
and emphasis, and others / emerging
elements)
References to real-world people, places,
events, situations
Appearance of products, logos, brands,
etc.
Background Music
OBB, CBB
Length of episodes
Programming Schedule
Artists
Others / emerging
APPENDIX D
INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPTS
I.
Interview with Neil Ericson Tolentino
A: Ana Ecaterina Tan – interviewer / researcher
N: Neil Ericson “Papa Neil” Tolentino – interviewee; ABS-CBN dubbing, rewriting and
translation director
W: Allan “Watash” Cuadra – Ana’s ABS-CBN contact; ABS-CBN writer / researcher
TRT: 16:50
N: May materials kami na kinukuha. Yung materials, yung video. And then, we have
English translations coming from the company na gumawa nung syndicated program.
Then, yun yung itatranslate namin. We translate “against video” na tinatawag, kasi nakasync na, naka sukat na.
A: Meron po ba kayong standard? Kunwari, kung may bagong papasok na translator,
meron po ba kayong sinusundan na step 1, step 2?
N: Well ngayon meron na, kasi, I’m holding a class for translation, rewriting. I call it
“rewriting” kasi we’re not just translating. Translating is like literally transferring a
language to another language. But I’m not doing that. Kasi, there are lines which are not
appropriate in Filipino setting, so we have to rewrite it kasi we have to think of something
na magfifit sa panlasa ng Pinoy. So binabago na namin yung kung anuman yung sinabi
sa foreign language. Pag ginawa naming Tagalog, Filipinized na rin ultimo yung kung
ano yung pinaguusapan. Nagtuturo ako ngayon sa VoiceWorx regarding translations
and rewriting.
A: In terms of choices po, kung may kailangan tayong palitan na words, or maybe
sometimes references, may nagdedecide po ba noon?
N: The director. The director will decide, so the writer will ask me, kung pwede yung
ganoon ang gagawin nila. And then ako, being the director, sige, whatever I see fit, yun
ang sasabihin ko.
A: In terms of translating, is it one person does an entire series?
N: No. One person per episode. Kasi you will die if you will translate the whole series.
Especially when we’re doing two episodes a day. Eh, pa’no kung ang schedule namin ay
twice a week? So you will be doing like four episodes a week. Wala kang social life, wala
ka pang pagkain, you will die. A natural death, honestly. Parang natigok ka lang. So pag
ganoon, ang ginagawa namin, I divide my writers. Like I have six writers now; Kung
marami akong programa, di ba, if I’m having two programs and I have four schedules a
week, so naghahati sila at least two episodes sa isang tao. Tapos, sa isang tao, para
matapos siya sa isang episode it will take him like 24 to 48 hours without sleep. So
ganoon ka strenuous yung pagsusulat, kahaggard yung pagsusulat ng translation, kasi
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sinusukat na. It’s like you’re dubbing the whole thing. Parang ikaw yung dubber ng lahat
ng characters. So nakasukat, dahil sa pagsusukat na yon, yun yung kumakain ng oras.
Kasi kung translating, ang dali eh. In less than a day, in like six hours you can finish
translating the whole episode. Pero pag may syncing, sasabayan mo buka ng bibig, yun
yung nagtetake ng time mo. Tapos pag hindi pa maganda yung translation, you have to
redo it again.
A: Marami ho bang revisions na nangyayari?
N: Yung mga revisions naman, maliban pag may naisip akong mas magandang linya, so
sakin na yun bilang director. Kasi nasa sala na ng writers eh. Pag ang translation mo
nasala na ng writers, yung writer, sasabihin sa director. Sa dubbing, yung production
mismo, nagdudub yung tao, dumadaan pa sa mata ng dubber mo. Pag dumaan sa mata
ng dubber mo, he will have his own, like, editing, self-editing siya. So kung anong
language ang mas comfortable siya, as long as ganoon pa rin, at wala namang nabago
doon sa teksto, oh, ok lang. Pero halimbawa, pag may naisip ako na, ay, mas
magandang linya ‘to, then I’ll change the line.
A: What about po yung other considerations besides language? Kunwari, yung
pagkakaputol ng episode, or yung boses ng magdudub, do you take that into
consideration before the writing?
N: May mga practice kasi na medyo mali, na hindi kami sang-ayon, na the writer will
adjust kung paano magsalita yung dubber. Medyo mali kasi masyadong spoon feeding
yun. Parang sinabi nating the dubbers are not so intelligent people. Which is by the way
true. At some point. Yun yung kinukuha nila sa bagal ng salita ng dubber. Merong
matatanda, na pagkilala na nila yung mga dubber, sinasabi ko naman, oh, si Tita Ida
yan, o kung sino mang mabagal magsalita yan, so bagalan mo lang yung mga lines na
ibibigay mo sa kanya. Magstretch nalang tayo kaysa magtighten. Yung tighten na
tinatawag, yung bibilisan, so mas maraming salita. Pag stretch, baswas-bawas.
A: As a writer and as a director, what are the things you keep in mind when you’re doing
translation work, especially [since] you’re doing it for a specific audience such as
Filipinos?
N: Ang kinoconsider lang naman naming, kung ano’ng sasabihin ng mga boss namin.
Ang pinoy audience naman kasi, once they find the material interesting, they will be
tuned to watch. Pero dahil may mga request yung mga boss namin, magaadjust at
magaadjust kami. May mga bagay na hindi na namin kailangang iadjust, but because
request ng mas mataas, kumabaga... kasi may boss kami, like si Miss Leng. Para kay
Miss Leng, you don’t use “alimango”. Boys Over Flowers. Sabi niya, there’s no such
thing as “alimango”. ‘Di ba, even the richest of bitches in the world know what “alimango”
is. Pero sabi niya, there’s no such thing as “alimango”. Ang sabi noon sa kanya ni Charo
Santos, tanga ba siya? Chinismis ko pa, oh.
W: Ano daw po ang dapat gamitin?
N: “Crab”. So, ‘di ba? Kung ikaw, mahirap ka... ok, we consider as a writer, a translator,
ang kinoconsider namin yung tinatawag na “concept of language”. So kung ikaw ay
mayaman, ibabagay namin yung lenggwahe dapat doon sa mayaman. Nakapag-aral.
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Hindi natin ibibigay yung lenggwahe ng nasa slums, yun din ang lenggwahe ng nasa
Forbes. ‘Di ba? So may concept of language tayo na tinatawag. Sa iba kasi, parang
nagmimix yung ganoon, so hindi nahahati-hati kung saan niyo ilalagay yung lenggwahe.
Kami bilang writer-translator, alam naming yung character na ‘to, ibabase namin
dialogue ng mga characters depende kung ano yung social status nila, kung
psychological status nila, emotional nila, so kung ano yung mga factors na yun, yun
yung nakakaapekto sa paglalagay ng mga linya.
A: Sir, what do you think would be the effect kapag kunwari eere tayo ng original with
subtitles lang, para sa mga viewers? Kasi ang mga viewers natin ngayon, very in tune
sa Koreanovelas. ‘Di ba hanggang ngayon? So years now. So kapag ginawa nating
subbed version, ano kayang magiging effect?
N: I don’t think they’ll like it. We enjoy watching yung mga nakasubtitles lang pag nasa
bahay tayo. We are in the comfort of our homes, watching DVDs, you can stop it, and
you know. But what when we are watching? Kasi tumututok tayo sa dun sa... hindi natin
nakikita yung eksena. So we are reading. So gawin natin, magbasa nalang tayo. ‘Di ba?
Kasi, kaya nga tayo may TV, kaya nga may idiot box is for us to be entertained.
Watching, not reading. ‘Di ba? Pero kung, halimbawang naeenjoy natin yung
pagbabasa, yung nagreread ng subtitles, at our own pace and time. Hindi tayo naaabala
na nagbabasa at titingnan lang ang screen. Like ako, pag nanunuod ako, gusto ko
nakikita ko, pinapanood ko yung buong picture. Oo. Hindi yung nakatutok lang ako sa
kung anong sinasabi. Sa aming translator, walang problema saamin yun. Kasi, ay, oh,
sige ito sinabi sa part na ’to, madali naming maisusulat. Pero sa audience, I don’t think,
mas magkiclick parin yung, manonood ka na nanonood ka. Na wala kang strain sa mata.
Kasi ako, marami na ang malabo ang matang Pilipino. Siguro pag puro sub yung sa
isang show, kaya nga bakit inintroduce ang dubbing sa iba-ibang, like sa India? Bakit
dubbed yung mga pelikula? Dubbed ang mga television series? Sa lahat ng bansa sa
mundo, bakit may dubbing na? It’s because, para magkaroon ng ilusyon that they, these
foreign actors are speaking their language. Yung language natin, halimbawa sa Pinoy,
manonood tayo, may illusion na, nagtatagalog sila. So, mas madali nating maiintindihan.
Nabebreak yung language barrier. Kaya merong dubbing. Para sa mga hindi
mashadong nakakaintindi, maintindihan nila kung ano yung mga palabas natin.
A: Ano na po ba yung mga nagawa niyo nang projects na Koreanovelas and ongoing
projects?
N: Okay, my first Koreanovela is Sunshine of Love. Basta yung Jenny of Endless Love
before, yung bida doon. Then I had Lovers in Paris, Princess Lulu, Stained Glass, Oh
Feel Young, Forbidden Love, Marrying a Millionaire. Most of the prime time series of
ABS ako ang gumawa. Then I was head scriptwriter for Boys Over Flowers. Ayun lang
siya. Tapos I’m doing now a telenovela now entitled Blow to the Heart, “Un Grancho
Corazon”, na Mexican ‘to. Yung mga Mexican din, no? Yung titles, halos lahat yun,
hinawakan ko rin.
A: So chika lang po, mero po ba ayong favourite na nagawang work?
N: I love Lovers. For Koreanovela, I love Lovers in Paris. I love Paloma and Rubi for
Mexican. Kasi yung Rubi interesting yung bida-kontrabida. Interesting yung actors,
88
interesting yung lines, interesting yung characters, yun yung mga... Paloma ganoon din,
na originally ay isang Argentinian program, na ginawang Mexican, tapos Tinagalog.
A: Marami na palang translation?
N: Oo, maraming translation. Oo, yung mga naeenjoy kasi, kami kasi, tinatanggap
naming tapos na yung material. Pero ang material ay hindi maganda, pag hindi
maganda, paano ka maiinspire to do your thing? We are confined in the booth na ito
lang yun, 4 na kanto lang to, nakakabobo. Kung hindi maganda ang material, paano pa
maiinspire ang mga tao magtrabaho?
W: Pwede ba ako magtanong? Kasi ang ginagawang study ‘di ba about Koreanovelas?
So may iba’t iba rin, may Mexicanovela... so anong difference? Ano yung, mas mahirap
ba?
N: Mas madali ang Mexicanovela, kasi very Filipino eh.
A: In terms of language po?
N: Of language. Yung translation kasi you can identify with their lines. You’ll understand
some of their lines. Parang Tagalog na rin. As a translator, mas madali itranslate ang
Mexican. Pero kapag Korean, what are they saying? Unless you are equipped with the
language. So if you are now equipped with the language, parang, ay, ano yun? Anong
sinasabi nito? Tapos, makikita mo sa script mo, yung English translation, maiksi lang.
And then they keep talking forever. So you will feel, yung mga lines, kung hihinto sila.
For example, nagpapause. So, hindi pa tapos yung thought mo, huminto na sila. ‘Tas
may karugtong pa. So bibitin. So anong gagawin ng writer? Magpupuno ng magpupuno
sa mas madugo. Pero for dubbers, mas madali yun. Mas madali ang Korean. Bakit?
Hindi sila maingay. Ang reading yung weh... parang tamad-tamaran school of acting
lang, unlike sa Mexican, very external as actors, so mas pagod ang boses ng dubber.
Mas nagagasgas kumpara dun sa mga Asianovelas na ginagawa.
W: In terms naman po sa mga tema? Anong masasabi niyong kaibahan in terms of
flavour, texture, ng mga kwento ng Koreanovelas kumpara sa Chinovela...
A: Content-wise?
N: Actually Koreanovelas and Chinovelas, Asianovelas in particular, mas plot-oriented.
Wala mashadong sub-plots, na sub-plots na nagsusub-plots pa, na very Filipino, na
ginagawa ng mga Mexican. So ang Mexicans kasi super supernova stretched. Ang
Asianovela mas concentrated sa plot na yun. Kung lumalaki man yun, gradual, and it
grows in you. So if you are an audience, makikita mo yung pagkakagawa sa kanya,
nagogrow sayo. You experience. So it builds this experience. As an audience, you are
part of this experience so mas naiintindihan mo sila, yung kultura, yung tradition, yung
probelma. So you get more involved compared to Mexicanovela na wah wah wah na
tayo, malampasan man natin yan, pagbalik natin, yun pa rin. Yun pa rin ang
pinaguusapan. With Koreanovelas, you lose one episode, then what happened?
Kailangan magbaback track ka ng mga eksena para makahabol ka dun sa kwento dahil
mabilis yung takbo nila.
89
A: Which, ginagawa nga ng ABS, na they would connect yung last scene nung previous
episode, uulitin muna.
N: Oo. Kasi mashadong mabilis eh. At palagi din ang edit, ‘di ba, umeedit tayo dito.
Yung mga patapon na eksena tinatapon. So mabilis na, pinabibilis pa nila. So pag may
nalaktawan ka, mejo, oops, maliligaw ka na.
A: Ano po’ng ibig sabihin ng patapon na eksena?
N: Yung mga walang kwenta lang. Yung mga tipong puman lang, yung moment lang
niya, yung mga lumalaylay lang na eksena, na parang, oops, I think this episode will
survive without this scene, so might as well remove it. Para mas tight yung –
W: Pero hindi pa rin magsusuffer yung storya.
N: Hindi pa rin magsusuffer yung storya.
A: Have you ever experienced working with a Korean, or ever niyo ba, kunwari,
nagconsult kayo
or something when –
N: I consulted once, sa Lovers in Paris din kasi may mga lines na hindi naibigay sa’min
yung translation. Eh, it’s a song. And I’m going to translate it. Sabi ko, at least isulat mo
sa’kin yung ibig sabihin noon. So nangyari, ginawa niya, tinranslate niya yung song.
Nabasa ko yung translation, walang kwenta pala. So ang ginawa ko tinapon ko yun and I
put my own lyrics. And it went well. So yun, mas maganda pa rin yung ganoon. Kaysa
umefort (laughs).
90
II. Interview with Princess Po and Ray Pacursa
A: Ana Ecaterina Tan – interviewer / researcher
P: Princess Po – interviewee 1; ABS-CBN rewriter / translator, dubber
R: Ray Pacursa – interviewee2; ABS-CBN rewriter / translator, dubber
* The interview is split into three segments because the interviewer had to change tape
recorders during the interview.
PART 1
TRT: 5:24
A: Full names nalang po muna.
P: I’m Princess Po.
R: And ako si Ray Pacursa.
A: And both of you po are writers?
R: Writers and translators. And, kasi hindi naman natin direct na tinatranslate from
English to Tagalog. Hindi naman kasi literally. So we are also called “rewriters”.
Kumbaga, kasi hindi mo naman pwedeng itranslate ng ano yan, halimbawa, paano mo
itatagalog ang, “hold your horses”? ‘Di ba? O paano mo itatagalog yung, “you’re
chickening out”? Hindi mo naman siguro pwedeng intranslate ng literal yun. So siyempre
hahanap ka ng words na malapit doon, na hindi mo naman siguro pwedeng, yun nga,
literal na ano.
A: What are some of the works that you’ve done, or ano yung mga recent niyong
tinatranslate?
P: Ah kasi, ako, bago. New lang ako sa scriptwriting. Nagtry na akong mag-dub kay
Papa Neil, tapos kinuha rin niya akong scriptwriter. Tapos nakasulat na rin ako ng mga 4
episdoes lang ng isang Koreanovela. Yung scriptwriting ng Koreanovela, depende din
sa, yung binibigay sa’min na material. Merong English material, tapos kailangan mong
tagalugin yun, and isisync mo doon sa buka ng bibig nila. Ang probelma kasi, minsan,
yung English material itself, since hindi naman kami marunong mag Korean, hindi
naman namin alam kung anong sinasabi nila, tapos yung English material pa, minsan
kulang-kulang or weird rin yung mismong translation nila from Korean. So sometimes, as
a writer, kailangan mong magstep-in at mag... hindi naman mag-imbento ng lines, magtingin sa context clues. Kailangan mo lang mag-observe.
R: Yes. Irerewrite yun, pero, kailangan hindi lalayo dun sa thought. Kasi pag lumayo dun
sa thought, eh, parang iba yung pinaguusapan, dun sa, halimbawa nagtanong, ‘tas iba
yung sagot. Parang magiging ganoon. And speaking of recent projects, usually kasi ang
bumabagsak sa’min is Spanish. Recently, yung project namin na Zorro, ‘yan. Actually
nagsimula talaga kami sa Spanish. Then later on, nag-move kami, from Spanish, nagano din kami ng mga anime, which is mostly Japanese. And nagsulat kami several times
91
sa Korean nga, kami ni Princess. And ako, once, nagsulat sa Chinese. And yun,
Spanish ulit kami. Pero kung tatanungin niyo ako personally na, kung ano yung
pinakamadaling gawin, well Spanish na’ko. Kasi very close sa Filipino kung paano sila
magsalita. And yung mga words, yung mga syllables, buo eh. Talagang, doon natin
nakuha.
P: Kunwari, sinabi nilang, “blah blah blah problema?” Ayun. “Ano’ng problema?”
R: Maraming terms from Spanish kasi na ginagamit natin for Tagalog. Unlike nung
Japanese kasi, very... actually wala. Wala talaga, oo. Pero kasi, kadalasan kung
manonood tayo ng anime or any Japanese na, or like movies ng Japanese, mapapansin
niyo ang haba nung sinabi, pero makikita mo sa subtitle, ‘eto lang. So, kadalasan pag
kami nagsusulat noon, you’ll have to find a way paano maiistretch yun, eh. Para hindi
lumayo sa thought. Kasi kadalasan pag nagdagdag ka, or nagbawas ka, parang hindi
pasok, eh. Hindi pasok yung thought sa sinasabi niya. Hindi swak.
P: Sa mga Koreanovela naman, kasi depende din sa language, kung paano sila
magsalita, meron din silang certain ways of talking. So, usually, sa ginagawa namin
ngayon, Spanish, sobrang ingay nila. ‘Tas ang bibilis nilang magsalita.
R: Yes, walang breaks.
P: Walang break, walang hingahan, tapos lagi pa silang nagsasasabay-sabayan. Tapos,
sa mga Koreanovela naman, somber lang sila. Pero pag may drama, talagang
madrama. Talagang merong mga nagwawa-wala.
R: Sobrang bigat.
P: Mabigat. Pero hindi naman yung parang, maingay.
PART 2
TRT: 1:07
A: Mga references.
R: Addressing. Yun, address.
P: Usually ano, parang dito, yung mga magkapatid, yung sa Spanish namin na
ginagawa, yung turingan ng mga magkapatid, walang mga “ate”, “kuya”. Nilalagyan
namin. Usually first name basis sa Mexico.
R: Actually hindi lang naman Mexican. Lahat, pati yung Koreanovela. Tayo lang namang
mga Pinoy ang nagaadderss ng “kuya”, “ate”. Tayo lang naman. So, ‘yun nga.
Addressing as in ano na rin, paggalang, respect, toward your, yung nakakataas sa’yo.
92
PART 3
TRT: 8:11
A: Mga steps sa pagtranslate.
R: Ah, steps. Ang steps kasi, unang-una niyan siyempre, get your material. Get your
material, i-copy mo to your, siyempre usually lahat naman tayo computer na gamit. Copy
the video sa hard drive mo.
P: These days, binibigay sa’min mga episodes in a DVD. Tapos yun na yung
pinapanood naming. Dati raw, de-VHS pa silang nagrerewind-rewind.
R: Since nasa digital age na tayo, nasa CD na, sosyal na tayo, eh. Yun, DVD, then
copy to your hard drive, then, yun.
P: Important yung video, and important di yung script na itatranslate mo into Tagalog.
English material.
R: Yes, yun din. Ibibigay din sa’yo yung tinatawag nga naman naming “raw script”, which
is English translated. Kailangan mo ring makuha yun. Then you’re ready to work na.
P: Kasi usually, ginagawa lang yun at your own time. Depende on the deadline of the
dubbing of your episode. So, you have time to do, kung kailan mo gusto. Pwede at
home, gano’n.
R: Pero usually at home naman talaga.
P: Oo, usually at home. At tsaka, yung other factor na kailangan mong iconsider na
hindi technical, kailangan mong mag-observe ng mga dubbing session pala. Dahil dun
mo makikita kung paano magsalita yung dubber, paano sila umatake –
R: And to top it all, dun ka makakakuha ng idea.
P: Makikita mo yung mga phrases na ginagamit.
R: Yes, exactly. Kung titingnan mo yung script nila, kung titingnan mo talaga yung mga
script ng mga yung naunang magsulat sa’yo, dun ka talaga makakakuha ng idea. Kasi
hindi ka naman bastang pwedeng magsulat, oh, ah marunong kang magsalita,
marunong kag magsulat. Pero hindi naman tayong lahat salitang kanto magsalita. So
you have to follow yung proper way of, yung paano magsalita. Paano yung speaking.
Syllables. Grammar.
P: Tsaka yung audience din.
R: Yan, yung audience.
P: At tsaka yung mga bawal na words.
R: Yes, yun.
93
A: Tell me about that.
P: Yun nga pala. Sa mga States ‘di ba, usually pwede mo sabihin yung mga curse word,
ok lang yun? Pag nagtatranslate into Tagalog, bawal gumamit ng mga, kahit yung sa
original script, yung mga kabatusan. Kailangan ‘di siya bastos.
R: Kailangan hahanap ka rin ng paraan na ano, paano mo siya itatranslate. Kasi
kadalasan mga taboo, eh. Paano mo siya itatrasnlate into, let’s say, “clean”. The clean
version of that.
P: Example, yung word na “stupid”. Actual translation nun, “tanga”. Pero, hindi yun
pwede gamitin.
R: May mga gumagamit, oo, kaya lang kasi hindi –
P: May times na hindi pwede –
R: Pero, yeah, most times hindi talaga ginagamit dahil considered taboo.
P: So yung tinuruan sa’kin na, yung word na “tanga” pwede mo lang gamitin pag
nirerefer ng character sa sarili niya. “Ay, ang tanga ko.” Ganun. Pero hindi pwede –
R: Hindi mo pwedeng ibaril sa ibang tao yan.
A: So may conteksto kung kalian siya ok gamitin.
R: Yeah.
P: Usually pag sinabi mong, “Ay, tanga ka”, usually, “Wala kang utak!” Or –
R: Mga, “Ang hina ng isip mo!” “Ang hina ng ulo mo!”
P: Kailangan mong ibahin.
R: Pero kasi yung mga ganun, depende rin sa anong klaseng palaba yun. Kasi may mga
palabas na ok lag gamitin ‘to kasi very comedic. Mga ganun. Pero siyempre, to a very
limited, ganun. Hanggang dito ka lang, ganyan. ‘Di pwedeng sobra.
P: Steps pa ba? Ano ang steps? Materials. Observation sa dubbing.
R: ‘Di, actually, mauuna dapat yung observe, eh. Observe, get the material, and get the,
siyempre, yung raw script.
P: Along the way, learn the material.
R: Yes.
P: Pwede ka magresearch on the internet about yug ginagawa mo.
R: Yeah, yung synopsis. Ano yung kwento nung buong palabas na yun.
94
A: Pero hindi nirerequire sainyo yun? Na parang, alamin niyo muna yung buong
kwento?
R: Hindi talaga nirerequire. Pero kasi yun yung ano talaga, pinaka, the best advice.
Alamin mo muna yung kwento ng ano, kasi, pasa alam mo yung situation, eh.
Kadalasan kasi ibibigay sa’yo yung episode na pang-gitna na. Hindi mo malalaman yun
hangga’t hindi mo naaano yung at least synopsis lang nug palabas. So, the best advice,
panoorin mo muna ng buo yan.
A: Ginagawa niyo po ba yun, pinapanood niyo muna ng buo?
R: Well, ako kasi –
P: Depende yan.
R: Depende rin, pero kasi depende kapag yung halimbawa, kadalasan wala nang time
na
manood ng ano.
P: Time consuming.
R: Ang ginagawa nalang is, sige, translate. Pero siyempre, hindi kami yung, as in, tira
lang. Matatranslate, kung ano yung ginagawa namin na careful ka sa translation mo,
ganyan. Kailangan maayos yung grammar mo, kailangan ayos yung atake nung linya.
Then we have no problem.
P: May mga step pa ba?
R: Ano pa ba?
P: Watch.
R: Well, yun na yun kanina. Watch.
P: Pag may mistakes, kailangan mo lang, constructive criticism lang yun. So kailangan,
magimprove on the way.
R: Yun lang, listen. Keep your ears open. Keep your ears clean. (laughs)
P: Don’t use bad words. (laughs) Dahil kakagamit ko lang. Ay, bad pala yun!
R: Kanina nga eh. (laughs)
A: Wala kayong list, ng bad words?
P: Kasi alam mo naman ang bad words. Alam naman natin ano yang mga bad words na
yan.
Siyempre alam mo naman ang Pilipinas meron tayong MTRCB. Mga “bawal sabihin ang
mga ito”. Yeah.
95
P: Nag-iisip ako ng mga steps.
R: Naubusan. (laughs)
A: Hindi naman siya concrete, delineated na process.
P: Basta masubmit mo yung sulat mo on dubbing day, tsaka idudub nila.
R: Yun lang naman ang objective.
P: Meet the deadline. Kasi time and money din yun.
R: Hindi meet – meet and beat the deadline. Kailangan umano ka sa deadline. Sumunod
ka. Yun lang yun.
P: Kasi lahat ng dubbers... may bayad yun.
R: May bayad yun.
P: Lahat ng tao. So pag wala kang script, or mapangit-pangit, misan, lumalagpas ng
studio hours... kailangan mo talagang try mo gawing matino yung script mo.
R: Yes. Yun yung ilan sa mga objective sa mga scriptwriter. Pagdating sa dubbing.
APPENDIX E
DISCOURSE ANALYSIS: 3 Dads with 1 Mommy, Arc 1
3 Dads with 1 Mommy
Episode # 1
Filipino
CONCEPTS
WORDS
CONCEPT
UALIZATION
Filipino
colloquialisms
INDICATORS
Filipino slang: street
jargon, gay lingo,
acronyms, etc.
- burles
- taya ko (“taya ko dalawang taon…”)
- i-reto
- kabit
“Traditional” Filipino:
Terms for respect, “Old
Tagalog”, etc.
- po
Technical / academic
terms, etc.
Terms of reference for
people / family / friends
Greetings /
expressions
Expressions of calling
- nagpapa-hormone shots
- ovulate
- diborsyado
- mama
- papa
- pare
- anak
- baby
- lola
- “ano ba”
VISUAL
ELEMENTS,
CHARGEN,
OTHER
ELEMENTS
NOTES FOR
COMPARISON
Similarity / change
compared to original with
subtitles
TERMS /
EXPRESSIONS USED
(SUBTITLES):
- “punks / punk (8) / dirty
punk/s (2); “crazy fool” –
derogatory terms
- “be safe”, “try hard” –
farewell / well-wishes
- “Let’s live beautifully”
-“Tell me I’m the best” –
attitude where one needs
encouragement before
meeting their superiors
- “I’m sick of Poker and
the Boys Night” –
choosing friends over
one’s wife issue
- “Look at her wrists.
97
attention; love and
affection; hatred and
antagonism
Others / emerging
Practices of respect
THEMES
Social Values
Showing importance of
family, friends,
community
Practices of
“Traditional Filipino
Values” such as hard
work, hospitality,
“utang na loob”, etc.
“ano ka ba”
- “hay nako”
- “hoy”
- pasaway (4)
- bwiset (1)
- loko (4)
- baliw (2)
- use of CURRENCY – pesos
- saying “PO” and similar terms
- PROMPTNESS for important events
such as weddings – some characters
possessed this trait, some did not
- spending time with friends as a
RITUAL
- consulting with family members
about what they want before making
decisios – some characters do this,
some do not
- HOSPITALITY - allowing friends to
regularly visit / eat in one’s home,
despite inconveniences caused
- GENEROSITY - giving gifts to
commemorate events, or simply out
That’s why you should
have married a strong
girl.”
- “Infertile”
- Showing of
Korean currency
(but “pesos” not
mentioned at the
particular scene;
only in a later
scene where no
visual
representation of
the currency is
shown)
98
of kindness
Others / emerging
Poverty and social
inequity
Corruption
Social Issues
Crime and Violence
Others / emerging
Initiating Event
Goal
Attempt
Plot
Consequence
Reaction
NARRATIVES
Setting
Urban / Rural / Others
Characters
(names,
physical
description,
personality,
Main characters
- temper related outbursts – at work
(detective / police work); at home
(irreconcilable differences in opinion
between the married couple)
Marriage between Justin and Lizette
For the couple to have a child
Trying different methods to conceive;
Justin’s 3 friends go about their daily
lives as some years go by
Argument between husband and wife
about whether or not they have
exhausted all means to have a child
Justin resorting to the SPERM
DONOR option
Urban – park / garden with windmills
(whimsical fairytale feeling exuded);
wedding chapel (in a building /
establishment); house / apartment;
places of work: police department,
office
- Nicole – introduction narrator; fetus;
baby girl voice; respectful but playful
- Justin – groom; ‘geeky’ look;
confident in his bride and submissive
to her; stern sounding, but actually
not stern in handling people
CHARACTERS:
- Korean
Chargen (with no
translations)
shown on the
screen during
Nicole’s
- Baby Ha Seon’s voice –
sounds more
authentically like a child
- Characters are largely
the same, but voices are
less expressive / sound
the same when
modulated; “calm”
sounding voices
(DELIVERY AS A OF
LOCAL LANGUAGE)
- Seong Min – groom
- Na Young – bride
- Kwang Hee – comic
artist friend
- Soo Hyeon – moneyhungry friend
- Kyeong Tae – detective
friend
99
voice /
delivery)
- Jake – friend 1; “gwapo”; very
money minded, always in a suit;
clean; always nitpicking; only wants
rich women
- Jayden – friend 2; vain; casual in
dress and manner; complains a lot /
childish; does not want to marry yet
- Ariel – friend 3; ‘good friend’, pays
compliments; messy, wears loose
clothes; interested in meeting women
- Lizette – bride; young looking but
wears apron and ‘mom’ clothes
instead of casual clothes; badly wants
a child; very headstrong about
opinions
Minor Characters /
Others
DISCOURSES
Ideologies /
World-views /
Value
judgments /
Arguments
Narrative related (plot /
setting / characterrelated) +
Identity / Ideologyrelated (related to
gender, race, politics,
society, etc.)
- RITUALS – “linggo ngayon, kain
tayo kina Justin!”
- CELEBRATING WEDDING
ANNIVERSARIES – yearly;
significant especially to bride
- ON WORK – “detective: haligi ng
bayan”; therefore, pagsugal = not
“ayos”
- ON MARRIAGE – “huling
pagkakataon umatras”; “wag ka pipili
ng babaeng walang pera”
- ON CHILDREN – woman wants
child already (after 1 year married);
children = happiness
- ON MONEY – necessity for
introductory
narration
- CGI – fetus in
womb
- Women in
Korean traditional
costume / Korean
words on ribbons
at wedding
ceremony
- “W30000”
chargen = line
spoken is “30
dollar guests lang
silang lahat”
- Kyeong Tae’s pet dog
referred to as “Milk-ssi”
DELETED SCENES:
- Scene – winner of cards
game among the boys
dictates who does what
chores; Na Young gets
some money from the
boys
- Korean chargen with
subtitles in English:
“Episode 1”
- “Marriage is a moment
of fun and a lifetime of
hell”
100
marriage
- FRIENDSHIP TEST – sperm
donation
Others / emerging
EXTRATEXTUAL
CONTEXTS
Elements with
aspects of
meaning
arising from
outside the
narrative text
(extra and
inter-textual
elements)
Plot / setting /
character-related
(names, positions,
voice, manner of
delivery and emphasis,
and others / emerging
elements)
References to realworld people, places,
events, situations, etc.
Appearance of
products, logos,
brands, etc.
BG Music
OBB
CBB
CULTURAL / EXTRA
TEXTUAL
REFERENCES:
- “Cheon An city”
- “Kangnam area”
-“a face like Jang Dong
Gun” – motion of hand
underscoring face
- “-ssi” – term of
endearment
- use of Korean locality – “Kailangan
mag undercover sa ‘Jonan’”
- Instrumentals
- Songs with Korean lyrics
- Songs with English lyrics
- “Saranghae Joo Se Yo”
- Review of previous episode
- 0:24 secs. (excluding review)
- “Saranghae Joo Se Yo”
- Preview of next episode
- 0:60 secs.
Length of Episode
24:52
Commercial cuts
- First CM at 09:15
- Second CM at 14:13
- Third CM at 18:53
Programming
schedules
Late morning (10:00 AM)
- English chargen
of cast
- English chargen
of credits
PRODUCTION /
VISUALS:
* Episode 1 = covers
episodes 1 – 2 of Filipino
version
- More comic emphasis
when hearing dialogue in
Filipino; no hassle
reading subtitles
101
Artists
- Korean artists
- Korean singers – for BG music /
OBB / CBB
Others / emerging
- use of TAGLISH
3 Dads with 1 Mommy
Episode # 2
Filipino
CONCEPTS
CONCEPT
UALIZATION
INDICATORS
Filipino slang: street
jargon, gay lingo,
acronyms, etc.
“Traditional” Filipino:
Terms for respect, “Old
Tagalog”, etc.
WORDS
Filipino
colloquialisms
Technical / academic
terms, etc.
Terms of reference for
people / family / friends
Greetings /
VISUAL
ELEMENTS,
CHARGEN,
OTHER
ELEMENTS
NOTES FOR
COMPARISON
Similarity / change
compared to original with
subtitles
TERMS /
EXPRESSIONS USED
(SUBTITLES):
- sperm cells
- electromagnetic waves
- body temperature
- centipede
- gall bladder
- p’re
- pare
- tol
- ama
- papa
- anak
- dad
-“Ahjussi”
- “Seoul university” = “you
sure are smart”
- “Oppa” (2)
-“Ahjumma”
- mom
- punk (3)
- “Han”
- honey
- “I bought the eel. With
my blood money”
- “Cheap”
- “You bragging fools”
102
expressions
Expressions of calling
attention; love and
affection; hatred and
antagonism
- hoy
- my love
- bwiset
- honey
- kuripot
Others / emerging
Practices of respect
Showing importance of
family, friends,
community
Social Values
THEMES
Practices of
“Traditional Filipino
Values” such as hard
work, hospitality,
“utang na loob”, etc.
- saying “PO” and similar terms
- Ariel valuing his mother’s maiden
name because she raised him by
herself after hie father died – “Hwang
ang apelido ng nanay ko” (Ariel Na
Hwang; Na = father, Hwang =
mother)
- UTANG NA LOOB – the friends give
in when Justin reminds them of their
debts (with concept of SAVING
FACE)
- PALABRA DE HONOR – contract
signing
- “BAHALA NA” – “wag niyo na isipin,
sasakit lang ulo niyo eh”
Others / emerging
Poverty and social
inequity
Corruption
Crime and Violence
Social Issues
Others / emerging
- Blackmail (which in this context, was
Justin reinforcing his friends’ “utang
na loob” to him, to get them to donate
their sperm to him)
- Tardiness – “lagi ka nalang late”
103
Initiating Event
Goal
Attempt
Plot
Consequence
Reaction
NARRATIVES
Setting
Urban / Rural / Others
Characters
(names,
physical
description,
personality,
voice /
delivery)
Main characters
Aftermath of a drunken night = the 3
friends’ agreement to donate their
sperm
Donate sperm to get Lizette pregnant
Getting ready to donate; Making
healthy lifestyle changes to have
healthy sperm to donate
Donating of sperm pushes through
with much hesitation from the 3
friends
With bad feelings afterwards, the
three try to convince Justin not to
push through with the insemination;
Justin lies about not pushing through
with the operation, but does so
anyway
Urban – house / apartment; places of
work: police department, office;
suburban city streets; subway and
subway station
- Nicole
- Justin
- Jake
- Jayden
- Ariel
- Lizette
DELETED SCENES:
- Scene (present in the
Tagalog episode preview
but not in the actual copy)
= A lady showing Lizette
underwear with
Pomegranates sewn into
it saying it will help her
conceive; Seong Min
being contemplative
= “This is underwear
made from receiving
blankets”; “I’m sure it
went along with the
enemy’s laundry”
= “I can do it! Song Na
Yeong, fighting! I can
become a mother!” postits on the refrigerator
- Korean text
shown:
nameplate in
office scene with
Jake = he says
“Mr. President” to
refer to the man
behind the desk
- Traditional
costumes in party
daydream scene
of Jayden
- Mention of a
- Scene = Na Young’s
dream where she is trying
to throw apples to Seong
Min
- Subtitle of “Sperm
collection room” in the
hospital scene
- Scene = 3 friends being
relieved after Seong Min
said he wouldn’t push
104
soccer player
called “Yung
Pyo”
- Korean text in a
hospital door
with “Women’s
Hospital”
translation below
it
- Korean text on
city streets,
restaurant
- Mention of
“Loch soup”
- CGI – sperm
cells
Minor Characters /
Others
DISCOURSES
Ideologies /
World-views /
Value
judgments /
Arguments
Narrative related (plot /
setting / characterrelated) +
Identity / Ideologyrelated (related to
gender, race, politics,
society, etc.)
Others / emerging
- female detective and co-worker of
Ariel – perky; interested in Ariel
- Young successful woman = good
wife
- Children as a LONG TERM
RESPONSIBILITY that men are
afraid of
- REPAYING DEBTS and SAVING
FACE – effective ways of coercing
people; Justin getting the boys to
donate sperm
- wanting to do something WELL /
COMPETITION / being the best
(donating sperm = need to be
healthy)
through with the sperm
donation; Couple
meditating and chanting
- “Sing a happy song”
background music during
sperm CGI, not present in
the Tagalog version
- “I have to get married
and have my own family
one day” – to avoid
running into trouble with
friends’ families
- “I can’t have my
freedom and youth stolen
like this” – ON HAVING
KIDS
- SUPERSTITIONS:
“Pomegranates are
charms for fertility”; “I
graduated college. How
can I believe a
105
superstition like that?”;
“What’s good for
fertility?”; “Dog stew,
abalone…”
Plot / setting /
character-related
(names, positions,
voice, manner of
delivery and emphasis,
and others / emerging
elements)
EXTRATEXTUAL
CONTEXTS
Elements with
aspects of
meaning
arising from
outside the
narrative text
(extra and
inter-textual
elements)
References to realworld people, places,
events, situations, etc.
CULTURAL / EXTRA
TEXTUAL
REFERENCES:
- SUPERSTITION / Beliefs in certain
practices – plants working against
electromagnetic waves which are bad
for the body
Appearance of
products, logos,
brands, etc.
BG Music
OBB
CBB
- Instrumentals
- Songs with Korean lyrics
- Songs with English lyrics
- “Saranghae Joo Se Yo”
- Review of previous episode
- 0:24 secs. (excluding review)
- “Saranghae Joo Se Yo”
- Preview of next episode
- 0:60 secs.
Length of Episode
24:08
Commercial cuts
- First CM at 08:37
- Second CM at 15:17
- Third CM at 19:46
Programming
schedules
Late morning (10:00 AM)
- English chargen
of cast
- English chargen
of credits
- “Kimbap and ramen”;
“Fish egg soup”; “That’s
8000 won”
- “daughter of the
gangster boss of Seven
Star group”
-“Yong Pyo” – soccer
player
- “Eat spinach and be
Popeye”
- “Loach soup”
PRODUCTION /
VISUALS:
* “KBS2TV” on upper left
of screen and “15” on
upper right
106
Artists
Others / emerging
- Korean artists
- Korean singers – for BG music /
OBB / CBB
- use of TAGLISH
* LIP
MOVEMENTS
AREN’T
ALWAYS IN
SYNC WITH
THE TAGALOG
DUBBING /
DIALOGUE
3 Dads with 1 Mommy
Episode # 3
Filipino
CONCEPTS
WORDS
CONCEPT
UALIZATION
Filipino
colloquialisms
INDICATORS
Filipino slang: street
jargon, gay lingo,
acronyms, etc.
“Traditional” Filipino:
Terms for respect, “Old
Tagalog”, etc.
Technical / academic
terms, etc.
Terms of reference for
people / family / friends
VISUAL
ELEMENTS,
CHARGEN,
OTHER
ELEMENTS
NOTES FOR
COMPARISON
Similarity / change
compared to original with
subtitles
TERMS /
EXPRESSIONS USED
(SUBTITLES):
- po
- Anemia
- silkworm (as something a pregnant
woman wants to eat)
- baby
- honey
- honey (6)
- baby (3)
- dude (2)
- “Bummer!”
- “Ahjussi”
- “Aren’t you suffering
from Azoospermia?”
107
- p’re
- papa
- mama
- manugang
- biyenan
Greetings /
expressions
Expressions of calling
attention; love and
affection; hatred and
antagonism
Others / emerging
Practices of respect
THEMES
Social Values
- ayos ba? (sarcastic)
- saying “PO” and similar terms
Showing importance of
family, friends,
community
- taking care of friends and family
even if you don’t want to
- taking “extreme” care of
PREGNANT woman – “hindi ako
papasok” (Justin to his wife after she
conceives)
- helping out (in this case, Lizette’s
father) with serious DEBT /
CONCERN – giving money,
encouraging, despite one’s own
difficulties and concerns
- boys helping take care of a friend in
need (Lizette, when Justin has to
leave)
Practices of
“Traditional Filipino
Values” such as hard
work, hospitality,
“utang na loob”, etc.
- UTANG NA LOOB – Lizette
recalling the times she cooked for the
friends
- uncle
- daddy
- mommy
- father
- rascal/s (3)
- “Oppa” (5)
- “Noonim” (2)
- auntie (2)
- son-in-law
- daughter
108
Others / emerging
Poverty and social
inequity
Corruption
Social Issues
Crime and Violence
Others / emerging
Initiating Event
Goal
Plot
Attempt
NARRATIVES
Consequence
Reaction
Setting
Urban / Rural / Others
Characters
Main characters
(names,
- Underhanded / violent / coercive
means of debt collection
- Kidnapping and physical harm,
blood
- LOTTO / BETTING – hoping for a
win; making big plans for if one does
win
Lizette’s pregnancy is finally positive
* Side story = a mysterious phone call
leads Justin away from Lizette; he
says it’s a work-related trip
Lizette falls ill; Friends take care of
Lizette in the mean time
* Justin helps his father-in-law pay his
debt
The friends giving gifts to Lizette to
make her feel better
* Justin talks to his father-in-law
telling him about Lizette’s pregnancy
Lizette gets better from her illness;
she is already very pregnant
* Justin meets a car accident
Grieving in Justin’s wake
Urban – house / apartment; places of
work: police department, office; city
streets / mountain road; funeral parlor
- Justin
- Jake
- Jayden
- LOTTO ticket
with Korean
characters
CHARACTERS:
- Na Young’s father is not
only in a lot of financial
trouble, he also has the
gall to be demanding to
Seong Min; though he
does seem to think highly
of his daughter
DELETED SCENES:
- Scene = Begins with
CGI of a tiger; “Episode
2” (English subtitled) and
credits chargen in Korean
= “It was a baby dream”
- Mention of
“Hwa Seung
Electronics”
- Scene = Na Yeong
asking things of Seong
Min
109
physical
description,
personality,
voice /
delivery)
- Ariel
- Lizette
Minor Characters /
Others
- bartender = INUMAN / celebrates
with the guys
- Ariel’s mom – consultant for
pregnancy issues
- Justin’s father-in-law = IN DEBT
TROUBLE
- “Dati akong
cook sa army
noon”
(CULTURAL
REFERENCE)
- Korean names
and meanings =
sheong jeong
(tapat), shin
jeong (mind and
spirit), yi juk
(milagro)
- Korean text on
store window,
city streets;
ROAD SIGNS =
Justin says, “road
closed, bakit
kaya?”
- Korean chargen
with a small baby
cartoon
appearing on the
bottom right side
of the screen in
the middle of the
episode
- Scene = Boys karaoke
and go partying
- Scene = Seong Min
trying to contact his
friends to take care of Na
Young
- “Silly man who got into
trouble after donating his
sperm”
- Scene = Editor flirting
with Kwang Hee
- Scene = 2 guys talking
about not wanting kids;
all 3 guys worrying about
how to cook for Na
Young
110
DISCOURSES
Ideologies /
World-views /
Value
judgments /
Arguments
Narrative related (plot /
setting / characterrelated) +
Identity / Ideologyrelated (related to
gender, race, politics,
society, etc.)
- “Ang sanggol ay regalo mula sa
langit”
- INUMAN = celebration for all
occasions
- LYING – method of not making
others work = Justin to his friends on
her pregnancy, and to Lizette about
father’s debt
- Mother wanting son to have a wife
(setting up means such as a blind
date)
- DREAMS as omens /
having meanings
Others / emerging
EXTRATEXTUAL
CONTEXTS
Elements with
aspects of
meaning
arising from
outside the
narrative text
(extra and
inter-textual
elements)
Plot / setting /
character-related
(names, positions,
voice, manner of
delivery and emphasis,
and others / emerging
elements)
References to realworld people, places,
events, situations, etc.
Appearance of
products, logos,
brands, etc.
BG Music
OBB
CULTURAL / EXTRA
TEXTUAL
REFERENCES:
- “Hwasung Electroics”
- Food reference again:
Al tang, ramen, kimbap
- “I want to upload it on
the internet” – photos
- Instrumentals
- Songs with Korean lyrics
- Songs with English lyrics
- Hallelujah chorus
- “Saranghae Joo Se Yo”
- Review of previous episode
- 0:24 secs. (excluding review)
PRODUCTION /
VISUALS:
- English chargen
of cast
* Episode 2 = covers
episode 3 – 4 of Filipino
version
111
CBB
- “Saranghae Joo Se Yo”
- Preview of next episode
- 0:60 secs.
Length of Episode
25:47
Commercial cuts
- First CM at 08:38
- Second CM at 15:44
- Third CM at 21:01
Programming
schedules
Late morning (10:00 AM)
Artists
- Korean artists
- Korean singers – for BG music /
OBB / CBB
Others / emerging
- use of TAGLISH
- English chargen
of credits
3 Dads with 1 Mommy
Episode # 4
Filipino
CONCEPTS
WORDS
CONCEPT
UALIZATION
Filipino
colloquialisms
INDICATORS
Filipino slang: street
jargon, gay lingo,
acronyms, etc.
“Traditional” Filipino:
Terms for respect, “Old
Tagalog”, etc.
Technical / academic
terms, etc.
- maharot
- po
VISUAL
ELEMENTS,
CHARGEN,
OTHER
ELEMENTS
NOTES FOR
COMPARISON
Similarity / change
compared to original with
subtitles
TERMS /
EXPRESSIONS USED
(SUBTITLES):
- mommy
- daddy
- baby
-“That’s really cool”
112
Terms of reference for
people / family / friends
Social Values
THEMES
Greetings /
expressions
Expressions of calling
attention; love and
affection; hatred and
antagonism
Others / emerging
Practices of respect
Showing importance of
family, friends,
community
Practices of
“Traditional Filipino
Values” such as hard
work, hospitality,
“utang na loob”, etc.
- girlfriend
- mama
- papa
- manong
- daddy
- mommy
- dudes
- uncles
- rascal
- son of a bitch
- moron
- jerk
- “kaibigang loko” = “mga tito” (Justin
referring to his friends in his video
diary)
- loko
- saying “PO” and similar terms
- “Sumama ka muna sa’min”; taking
care of bereaved
- RESILIENCE in the face of tragedy;
trying to rebuild; strength for child to
be born
Others / emerging
Social Issues
Poverty and social
inequity
Corruption
Crime and Violence
- temper related outbursts – at work
(detective / police work)
Others / emerging
NARRATIVES
Plot
Initiating Event
Justin’s funeral
- Korean text on
Justin’s grave
site
- “Jeong Seong Min’s
Tree” in English subtitles
- Text on CD subtitled:
113
Goal
Attempt
Consequence
Reaction
Setting
Urban / Rural / Others
Characters
(names,
physical
description,
personality,
voice /
delivery)
DISCOURSES
Ideologies /
World-views /
Value
judgments /
Arguments
Main characters
Elements with
aspects of
They find Justin’s CD video diary
They find out the truth about the
sperm donation pushing through
Urban – house / apartment; places of
work: police department, office; city
streets / mountain road; burial ground
- Nicole
- Jake
- Jayden
- Ariel
- Lizette
Minor Characters /
Others
Narrative related (plot /
setting / characterrelated) +
Identity / Ideologyrelated (related to
gender, race, politics,
society, etc.)
Others / emerging
EXTRATEXTUAL
Lizette and the 3 friends resume life
and take care of the Lizette because
of her situation
Lizette has much difficulty coping; the
friends take care of her
Plot / setting /
character-related
- INUMAN = cure-all
“For my dearest baby Ha
Seon. Daddy”
- Korean text on
CD cover = no
words are
spoken in the
shot
*JUMP IN
EPISODE –
Jayden’s scene
skipped
114
CONTEXTS
meaning
arising from
outside the
narrative text
(extra and
inter-textual
elements)
(names, positions,
voice, manner of
delivery and emphasis,
and others / emerging
elements)
References to realworld people, places,
events, situations, etc.
- References to MYTHOLOGY when
Lizette and Justin are talking I a
flashback scene = “pig demon,
monkey, monghe”
Appearance of
products, logos,
brands, etc.
BG Music
OBB
CBB
- Instrumentals
- Songs with Korean lyrics
- Songs with English lyrics
- “Saranghae Joo Se Yo”
- Review of previous episode
- 0:24 secs. (excluding review)
- “Saranghae Joo Se Yo”
- Preview of next episode
- 0:60 secs.
Length of Episode
18:52
Commercial cuts
- First CM at 05:33
- Second CM at 09:29
- Third CM at
Programming
schedules
Late morning (10:00 AM)
Artists
- Korean artists
- Korean singers – for BG music /
OBB / CBB
Others / emerging
- use of TAGLISH
- English chargen
of cast
- English chargen
of credits
115
3 Dads with 1 Mommy
Episode # 5
Filipino
CONCEPTS
CONCEPT
UALIZATION
INDICATORS
Filipino slang: street
jargon, gay lingo,
acronyms, etc.
“Traditional” Filipino:
Terms for respect, “Old
Tagalog”, etc.
Technical / academic
terms, etc.
WORDS
Filipino
colloquialisms
Terms of reference for
people / family / friends
- kalaguyo
- po
- sperm
- ama
- baby
- anak
- papa
Greetings /
expressions
Expressions of calling
attention; love and
affection; hatred and
antagonism
Others / emerging
- “baka mabaliw yun” /
“baliw ka talaga”
- “napakasama mo,
napakasakim mo”
- “nakakainis ka talaga. Tao
ka ba?”
- “di siya katulad mo,
mukang pera”
VISUAL
ELEMENTS,
CHARGEN,
OTHER
ELEMENTS
- Korean text in
thought
balloons, with no
translations
NOTES FOR COMPARISON
Similarity / change compared
to original with subtitles
TERMS / EXPRESSIONS
USED (SUBTITLES):
- father
- rascal (3)
- cruel dude, selfish dude
- uncles
- mommy
- daddy
- baby
- stinking fella
- “extra-marital affair?”;
“Messing around?”; “He had
another woman!”
- “You think Na Young is a
miser like you?”
- damn it
- mullet fish = for women who
have given birth
- ahjumma
- “aja!”
- oppa
- “aigoo” – expression of
116
frustration
- “wonderful” – spoken in
English
Practices of respect
Social Values
THEMES
- saying “PO” and similar
terms
Showing importance of
family, friends,
community
Practices of
“Traditional Filipino
Values” such as hard
work, hospitality,
“utang na loob”, etc.
Others / emerging
- MORAL DILEMMA – telling
Lizette the truth or not based
on Justin’s wishes; Lizette
denying her pregnancy to
get a job to support her baby
- Korean
nametag on
Lizette
Poverty and social
inequity
Corruption
Crime and Violence
Social Issues
Others / emerging
Initiating Event
NARRATIVES
Plot
Goal
- Wanting to pander to a
RICH woman by studying
about what she likes;
USING friends to help
achieve this goal
Friends know the truth about
the sperm donation
They decide to tell Lizette
the truth but they don’t yet;
Lizette wanting to take care
of herself
- Korean title
cards on art
works
DELETED SCENES:
- Scene: Na Young practicing
for work
-Scene: Na Young on the
bus, waiting in line in a
117
Attempt
Consequence
Reaction
Setting
Urban / Rural / Others
Characters
(names, physical
description,
personality, voice /
delivery)
Main characters
Tussle over how to tell her
the truth
*Side story: Jake wanting to
woo Chloe
Complications arise; details
about Justin’s death are
revealed
*Jake looking foolish in the
art gallery
Lizette searching for a job
and suffering because of it,
eventually passing out on
the sidewalk
Urban – house / apartment;
places of work: police
department, office; city
streets; art gallery
- Nicole
- Justin – deceitful after all
- Jake
- Jayden
- Ariel
- Lizette
bathroom with CGI of the
baby
- Korean
passports and
documents,
newspapers
-Mention of “Han
sae Industries”
- “Children’s
Talent
Education”
company that
Lizette works for
- Korean
Chargen shown
in opening
scene
CHARACTERS:
- Kyeog Tae appears more
as the “ignored” one or “not
smart” one, even if he himself
tries to be chivalrous
- a “level 8” government
official; “40 million won per
year”
- Lee Ji Min – Na Young’s
friend from work
- In Filipino, Na Young was
turned down verbally; in the
Korean version, the company
hung up on her
- “People cycle to the moon,
we’ll ride a bike there! Fly to
the moon!” = NO E.T.
REFERENCE
118
Minor Characters /
Others
DISCOURSES
Ideologies / Worldviews / Value
judgments /
Arguments
Narrative related (plot /
setting / characterrelated) +
Identity / Ideologyrelated (related to
gender, race, politics,
society, etc.
- Amy – Lizette’s workmate
who knows the truth about
her; concerned with her
- Lizette’s co-applicants and
employer
- Jayden’s girlfriend
- Chloe – rich art patron,
boss’s daughter; Jake’s
would-be girlfriend
- Taking RESPONSIBILITY
(Ariel towards the child
which could be his)
- WOMAN wanting to be
strong (Lizette) / responsible
for her own child = “Ito ang
tanging nag-uugnay sa’ming
dalawa”
- As Lizette searches for a
job = PREMIUM ON
EDUCATION, but BIAS
AGAINST PREGNANT
WOMEN
- SOO HYEON NOT
WATING THE
RESPONSIBILITY OF
RAISING A CHILD: “You
need 200 million won to raise
a kid”
Others / emerging
EXTRATEXTUAL
CONTEXTS
Elements with
aspects of
meaning arising
from outside the
narrative text
(extra and intertextual elements)
Plot / setting /
character-related
(names, positions,
voice, manner of
delivery and emphasis,
and others / emerging
elements)
References to realworld people, places,
CULTURAL / EXTRA
TEXTUAL REFERENCES:
- “E.T.” film – “pupunta tayo
sa buwan; di ba dun sa
- Korean marquee (with
scrolling text and figures, a
news bar?) at the bottom of
the screen at the beginning
of the episode and stays the
entire episode
119
events, situations, etc.
pelikula, sumakay ng bike
yung ET para mamasyal”
- Gallery called THE SPAC
- use of the song “Girlfriend”
by Avril Lavigne, not in the
Tagalog version
- Mention of Yale University,
“Happy Tears” painting
Appearance of
products, logos,
brands, etc.
BG Music
OBB
- Instrumentals
- Songs with Korean lyrics
- Songs with English lyrics
- “Saranghae Joo Se Yo”
- Review of previous
episode
- 0:24 secs. (excluding
review)
CBB
- “Saranghae Joo Se Yo”
- Preview of next episode
- 0:60 secs.
Length of Episode
23:21
Commercial cuts
- First CM at 07:35
- Second CM at 12:41
- Third CM at 17:56
Programming
schedules
Late morning (10:00 AM)
Artists
- Korean artists
- Korean singers – for BG
music / OBB / CBB
Others / emerging
- use of TAGLISH
PRODUCTION / VISUALS:
- English
chargen of cast
- English
chargen of
credits
* Episode 5 of the Tagalog
series begins in Episode 3 of
the original Korean and ends
about one-third into Episode
3
120
DISCOURSE ANALYSIS: 3 Dads with 1 Mommy, Arc 2
3 Dads with 1 Mommy
Episode # 21
Filipino
CONCEPTS
CONCEPT
UALIZATION
INDICATORS
Filipino slang: street
jargon, gay lingo,
acronyms, etc.
“Traditional” Filipino:
Terms for respect,
“Old Tagalog”, etc.
Technical / academic
terms, etc.
WORDS
Filipino
colloquialisms
Terms of reference for
people / family /
friends
- bading
- bakla
- “tawagin ba naman tayong totoy
kendeng”
- po
- Excel
- Powerpoint
- baby
- tatay
- ama
- uncle
Greetings /
expressions
Expressions of calling
attention; love and
affection; hatred and
antagonism
- bwiset (2)
- walang’ya
- tanga
- napakapangit
- baliw (2)
- buang
- manhid
VISUAL ELEMENTS,
CHARGEN, OTHER
ELEMENTS
NOTES FOR
COMPARISON
Similarity / change
compared to original
with subtitles
TERMS /
EXPRESSIONS USED
(SUBTITLES):
- “Police station” in
English, and Kyeong
Tae trying to spell it out
in English
- “Illegitimate son,
adopted son, hidden
son?”
- “childcare leave”
- baby
- captain, chief,
president (hierarchy in
police ranks)
- bachelor
- “120cc. Not too hot.
Hurry.” = Kyeong Tae
asking for water for the
baby Ha Seon
- “bitch” = “puppy-like
121
- loko
- “may katok ka ba?”
- “kainis ka / sila”
Others / emerging
Social Values
THEMES
Practices of respect
Showing importance
of family, friends,
community
Practices of
“Traditional Filipino
Values” such as hard
work, hospitality,
“utang na loob”, etc.
- saying “PO” and similar terms
- UTANG NA LOOB – always giving
thanks
Others / emerging
Social Issues
Poverty and social
inequity
Corruption
Crime and Violence
- depiction of threatening, fighting,
guy/person” =
CONCEPT OF TONING
DOWN CURSE
WORDS DID NOT
APPEAR IN TAGALOG
VERSION
- punk (2)
- ass (cuss word)
- baby-stter – in English
= “Baby sister”
according to Kyeong
Tae
- cabbage head
- dad
- mommy
- “rat’s poo colors” =
“dark colors” in Tagalog
version
- “gay” – in English
122
Others / emerging
Initiating Event
Goal
NARRATIVES
Plot
Attempt
Consequence
violence and blood (Ariel on the job
as a detective during an arrest)
- weapon – knife
- tussle between the three guys
- bringing a BABY into the work
place (police station) – need to
make environment kid-friendly
- blackmail – Ariel threatening the
other 2 friends about telling Lizette
the truth if he does not get his own
way of taking care of baby Nicole
Ariel taking Nicole to work
*Lizette in her new work; wondering
why some apartments don’t sell
while others do
Ariel trying to convince everyone to
take care of Nicole together
*Lizette trying to figure out the
problems in her work
Ariel achieving a compromise by
blackmailing the other 2 that he
would tell Lizette the truth about the
sperm donation and the other 2
being afraid because of the idea
that they could be the baby’s real
father
*Lizette working hard to solve the
problems at work
Jake and Jayden being reluctant
about caring for Nicole, but Ariel
enjoying; eventually, they all start to
work it out
*Lizette receiving a gift from James
DELETED SCENES:
- Scene: Kyeong Tae
showing the baby off to
his office mates (cut
short for Tagalog
version)
CHARACTERS:
- Shin Dang Dong
Dduk-Bok-Ki – criminal
- Su Yeon = Chloe
- Korean writing on
Justin’s drawing of
house
- Korean and English
“Waiting room for civil
- “Today’s my dad’s
memorial. Don’t be late
of you’re dead” – Kyeog
Tae reminding the
others of his father’s
death anniversary
123
(sneakers)
Reaction
Setting
Urban / Rural / Others
Characters
(names,
physical
description,
personality,
voice /
delivery)
DISCOURSES
Ideologies /
World-views /
Value
judgments /
Arguments
Main characters
Minor Characters /
Others
Narrative related (plot
/ setting / characterrelated) +
Identity / Ideologyrelated (related to
gender, race, politics,
society, etc.
Everything working out
Urban – house / apartment; places
of work, ie: police department,
office; city streets
- Nicole
- Jake
- Jayden
- Ariel
- Lizette
- James – Lizette’s boss; kind, but
also seems interested in Lizette for
other reasons
- Detectives and suspects in
prescient
- Lin Dong Shin – a wanted criminal
- The 3 guys’ nosy woman neighbor
- Not wanting to leave a CHILD in
care of someone else like a yaya or
a day care / “play house”
- PINK as a GAY COLOR
- “wag mo akong kalimutan ha” –
something said to someone who is
expected to become rich /
successful in the future
affairs”
- Mention of “Seoul”
- gay accusations
towards Ariel and
Jayden fueled by their
actions of whispering
to each other
Others / emerging
EXTRATEXTUAL
CONTEXTS
Elements with
aspects of
meaning
Plot / setting /
character-related
(names, positions,
PRODUCTION /
VISUALS:
124
arising from
outside the
narrative text
(extra and
inter-textual
elements)
voice, manner of
delivery and
emphasis, and others
/ emerging elements)
References to realworld people, places,
events, situations, etc.
Appearance of
products, logos,
brands, etc.
BG Music
OBB
CBB
* Episode 21 begins
during the first 10
minutes of Episode 9 of
the original series
- Instrumentals
- Songs with Korean lyrics
- Songs with English lyrics
- “Saranghae Joo Se Yo”
- Review of previous episode
- 0:24 secs. (excluding review)
- “Saranghae Joo Se Yo”
- Preview of next episode
- 0:60 secs.
Length of Episode
22:28
Commercial cuts
- First CM at
- Second CM at
- Third CM at
Programming
schedules
Late morning (10:00 AM)
Artists
- Korean artists
- Korean singers – for BG music /
OBB / CBB
Others / emerging
- use of TAGLISH
- English chargen of
cast
- English chargen of
credits
125
3 Dads with 1 Mommy
Episode # 22
Filipino
CONCEPTS
WORDS
CONCEPT
UALIZATION
Filipino
colloquialisms
INDICATORS
Filipino slang: street
jargon, gay lingo,
acronyms, etc.
“Traditional” Filipino:
Terms for respect,
“Old Tagalog”, etc.
Technical / academic
terms, etc.
Terms of reference for
people / family /
friends
Greetings /
expressions
Expressions of calling
attention; love and
affection; hatred and
antagonism
- po
- “unang hakbang”
- nagdadalang-tao
- alipunga
- baby
- grabe
- good night
- lokong ‘yun
- bwiset
- “I love you Nicole” (Jake, very
affectionately)
- “Ang batang ‘to talaga” (Not
affectionate)
Others / emerging
THEMES
Social Values
Practices of respect
Showing importance
- saying “PO” and similar terms
VISUAL ELEMENTS,
CHARGEN, OTHER
ELEMENTS
NOTES FOR
COMPARISON
Similarity / change
compared to original
with subtitles
TERMS /
EXPRESSIONS USED
(SUBTITLES):
- cheap bastard
- “I’m actually crying
blood” – Soo Hyeon
says this to himself; he
is lying through his teeth
to his would be fiancée
- “strawberry” is said in
Korean and with a
particular rhythm
- daddy
- baby formula
- “athlete’s foot”
- punk
- mom
- father
- mommy
- punk
- dress shoes, sneakers
- aigoo
126
of family, friends,
community
Practices of
“Traditional Filipino
Values” such as hard
work, hospitality,
“utang na loob”, etc.
Others / emerging
Social Issues
- Korean words on
menu, TV shopping
channel, phone,
supermarket products
Poverty and social
inequity
Corruption
Crime and Violence
Others / emerging
Initiating Event
NARRATIVES
- SAVING FACE – lying and paying
a high bill even if you can’t afford it
so as not to be embarrassed in
front of the woman you are dating
Plot
Goal
Attempt
Consequence
- Jake talking behind Chloe’s back
that she’s driving him insane
Jake is getting stressed with
maintaining Chloe
*Jayden’s boss is plotting against
him
*Lizette’s feet hurt from working too
hard and James is obviously
concerned
*Ariel’s father’s death anniversary –
His mom expresses concern for
Ariel
Jake still has to hold on to her a
little longer and tries to please her
by learning golf
He goes to the supermarket with
Nicole
He loses Nicole but finds her again
- Korean setting at
memorial of Ariel’s
father
- Change in context
between Chloe buying
Jake’s car (Tagalog),
and her just wanting to
buy a new one just like
it (Korean)
- “This is decent? I
might go bankrupt
hanging out with you” –
talking about the price
of food in high end
restaurants
- “The girl you saw last
time… Sobyun or
Daebyun (pee or
poo)…”
127
Reaction
Setting
Characters
(names,
physical
description,
personality,
voice /
delivery)
DISCOURSES
Ideologies /
World-views /
Value
judgments /
Arguments
Urban / Rural / Others
Main characters
Minor Characters /
Others
Narrative related (plot
/ setting / characterrelated) +
Identity / Ideologyrelated (related to
gender, race, politics,
society, etc.
after a stressful search
*Nicole is still studying at home and
her nose bleeds; Jake criticizes her
for working too hard but helps her
Jake realizes he loves Nicole after
all; Nicole learns to walk
Urban – house / apartment; places
of work: police department, office;
city streets
- Nicole
- Jake
- Jayden
- Ariel
- Lizette
- Jayden’s boss
- Chloe – Jayden’s very rich
girlfriend
- other baby girl and her parents
- Ariel’s mom
- Looking down on poor (or poorlooking) people with lots of kids; not
having kids if you are not rich
enough to support them
- being VERY conscious about
money and expenditure to the point
of lying to get on a rich person’s
good side; being willing to spend
only with being rich in the future in
mind
- Mother’s concern for her son
having a family
- Korean Chargen
shown in opening
scene with small baby
cartoon
- mentions of “2
dollars ang presyo
nito”
- “No wonder moms
with babies have buff
arms”
- “Miraculous moment”
= “This is one small
step for one person. But
for us this is a giant
step”
- “The sun will rise in
the west tomorrow” = on
Soo Hyeon giving a gift
- “How can we be
friends? We’re
neighborhood brothers”
- “But what baby doesn’t
know when her mother
is crying?” = different
expression from
Tagalog version
- “Let’s not hesitate.
With that money, your
life can change”
128
- NICOLE WALKING – “Isa lamang
itong maliit na hakbang, pero para
satin, napakalaki nito!”
EXTRATEXTUAL
CONTEXTS
Elements with
aspects of
meaning
arising from
outside the
narrative text
(extra and
inter-textual
elements)
Others / emerging
Plot / setting /
character-related
(names, positions,
voice, manner of
delivery and
emphasis, and others
/ emerging elements)
References to realworld people, places,
events, situations, etc.
Appearance of
products, logos,
brands, etc.
BG Music
OBB
CBB
CULTURAL / EXTRA
TEXTUAL
REFERENCES:
- Instrumentals
- Songs with Korean lyrics
- Songs with English lyrics
- Song with Tagalog lyrics
- “Saranghae Joo Se Yo”
- Review of previous episode
- 0:24 secs. (excluding review)
- “Saranghae Joo Se Yo”
- Preview of next episode
- 0:60 secs.
Length of Episode
23:56
Commercial cuts
- First CM at
- Second CM at
- Third CM at 18:00 (???)
Programming
schedules
Late morning (10:00 AM)
- Use of the song
“Dance of the Sugar
Plums” for background
music
-Jjajangmyun – food
reference
- English chargen of
cast
- English chargen of
credits
PRODUCTION /
VISUALS:
* Episode 22 of the
Tagalog version is the
latter half of Episode 9,
original version
129
Artists
- Korean artists
- Korean singers – for BG music /
OBB / CBB
Others / emerging
- use of TAGLISH
3 Dads with 1 Mommy
Episode # 23
Filipino
CONCEPTS
WORDS
CONCEPT
UALIZATION
Filipino
colloquialisms
INDICATORS
Filipino slang: street
jargon, gay lingo,
acronyms, etc.
“Traditional” Filipino:
Terms for respect,
“Old Tagalog”, etc.
Technical / academic
terms, etc.
Terms of reference for
people / family /
friends
Greetings /
expressions
Expressions of calling
attention; love and
affection; hatred and
- burara
- po
- oho
- ho
- herbicide pills
- bacteria
- “anak” (Lizette to Nicole);
“ninerbyos ako sa’yo, ano ka ba?”
- papa
- “Nako!” (In a lot of pain)
- “Wonderful!” (Jayden – in proud
dad mode; Jake – trying to say the
word, haltingly)
- “Mr. Kuripot”
- “kadiri ka”
- “bakit, pano mo nalaman, doctor
VISUAL ELEMENTS,
CHARGEN, OTHER
ELEMENTS
NOTES FOR
COMPARISON
Similarity / change
compared to original
with subtitles
TERMS /
EXPRESSIONS USED
(SUBTITLES):
- vermicide
- daddy
- daughter
- “maze” – title of art
work
- baby
- cheapo
- punk
- brothers
- uncles
130
antagonism
Social Values
THEMES
Others / emerging
Practices of respect
Showing importance
of family, friends,
community
Practices of
“Traditional Filipino
Values” such as hard
work, hospitality,
“utang na loob”, etc.
ka ba?”
- “Ibang klase” (sarcastic, ashamed)
- “magbasa-basa ka nga”
- saying “PO” and similar terms
- celebrating a child’s first steps
Others / emerging
Social Issues
Poverty and social
inequity
Corruption
Crime and Violence
Others / emerging
Initiating Event
NARRATIVES
Plot
Goal
Attempt
Nicole disappears the morning after
her party celebrating her first steps
*The three friends still go about
their lives (Jake: learning golf for
Chloe; Ariel: trying a better lifestyle;
Jayden: trying to go back to work as
a comics artist)
They find her in the bathroom
drinking out of the toilet, and realize
the dangers she faces as a baby
walking around by herself
Jake gets everyone medicine after
the toilet fiasco; Everyone tries to
CHARACTERS:
- Not enough urgency in
Soo Hyeon’s voice
when a Young faints
- “What if Ha Seon was
kidnapped by robbers?”
- “Did you take a big
one, or did you take a
small one?” = on using
the toilet
131
Consequence
Reaction
Setting
Urban / Rural / Others
Characters
(names,
physical
description,
personality,
voice /
delivery)
DISCOURSES
EXTRATEXTUAL
CONTEXTS
Ideologies /
World-views /
Value
judgments /
Arguments
Elements with
aspects of
meaning
arising from
Main characters
keep her safe in their own ways
Jake in particular starts to suffer
because of it; then he hears Nicole
say “papa”
He believes this is a sign that he is
her father; The same situation
happens with Ariel
Urban – house / apartment; places
of work: police department, office;
city streets
- Nicole
- Jake
- Jayden – always a cocky, in-yourface air about him
- Ariel
- Lizette
- Korean words on
computer
- Situation with Soo
Hyeon buying books for
Ha Seon – first book
was “too easy”, different
context from Tagalog
version
- bar appears at the
bottom part of screen
to advertise ASAP ’08
(02:04); Singing Bee
(07:45)
Minor Characters /
Others
Narrative related (plot
/ setting / characterrelated) +
Identity / Ideologyrelated (related to
gender, race, politics,
society, etc.
Others / emerging
Plot / setting /
character-related
(names, positions,
voice, manner of
- Taking RESPONSIBILITY,
working hard for the sake of one’s
children, particularly on the side of
mothers (Jayden= found impetus to
work harder because of Lizette;
Ariel = recognized his mom’s hard
work raising him)
- SAVING MONEY – “ayos,
makakatipid ako”; “magiging pera
yan, sige na nga”
CULTURAL / EXTRA
TEXTUAL
REFERENCES:
132
outside the
narrative text
(extra and
inter-textual
elements)
delivery and
emphasis, and others
/ emerging elements)
References to realworld people, places,
events, situations, etc.
Appearance of
products, logos,
brands, etc.
BG Music
OBB
CBB
- “Call 112”
PRODUCTION /
VISUALS:
- Instrumentals
- Songs with Korean lyrics
- Songs with English lyrics
- “Saranghae Joo Se Yo”
- Review of previous episode
- 0:24 secs. (excluding review)
- “Saranghae Joo Se Yo”
- Preview of next episode
- 0:60 secs.
Length of Episode
21:54
Commercial cuts
- First CM at 06:59
- Second CM at
- Third CM at
Programming
schedules
Late morning (10:00 AM)
Artists
- Korean artists
- Korean singers – for BG music /
OBB / CBB
Others / emerging
- use of TAGLISH
* Episode 23 of the
Tagalog version is part
of Episode 10 of the
original
- English chargen of
cast
- English chargen of
credits
- Subtitles for prices are
in dollars
133
3 Dads with 1 Mommy
Episode # 24
Filipino
CONCEPTS
CONCEPT
UALIZATION
INDICATORS
Filipino slang: street
jargon, gay lingo,
acronyms, etc.
“Traditional” Filipino:
Terms for respect,
“Old Tagalog”, etc.
Technical / academic
terms, etc.
WORDS
Filipino
colloquialisms
Terms of reference for
people / family /
friends
Greetings /
expressions
Expressions of calling
attention; love and
affection; hatred and
antagonism
Others / emerging
THEMES
Social Values
Practices of respect
- po
- “pasensya na po kayo”
- “gawa kasi yan ng mga magulang
ng winners ng Nobel prize”
- uncle
- papa
- baby
- boyfriend, said as “boypren”
- anak
- cheers
- kuripot
- “gusto mo kasi ikaw ang bida, eh”
(Jayden mockingly at Ariel)
- “tanggal ka na”
- “feeling mo siguro Jayden,
tinanggap ka namin dito kasi
magaling ka.”
- “parang basura.”
- saying “PO” and similar terms
VISUAL ELEMENTS,
CHARGEN, OTHER
ELEMENTS
NOTES FOR
COMPARISON
Similarity / change
compared to original
with subtitles
TERMS /
EXPRESSIONS USED
(SUBTITLES):
- noontime
- editor-in-chief
- TRASH!
- honey water
- “My insides are getting
refreshed”
- “Three guys and the
golden poop”
- Gastroenteritis
- Fiction! = said in
English
“ For the sensitive
comic” = Kwang Hee
thanking Na Young
- boyfriend
134
Showing importance
of family, friends,
community
Practices of
“Traditional Filipino
Values” such as hard
work, hospitality,
“utang na loob”, etc.
- HUMILITY – giving thanks and
asking for forgiveness, even in
embarrassing situations (Jayden to
his Boss, Lizette to trash collectors
who find Jayden drunk)
Others / emerging
Social Issues
Poverty and social
inequity
Corruption
Crime and Violence
Others / emerging
Initiating Event
Goal
Attempt
NARRATIVES
Plot
Consequence
Reaction
- Getting drunk/ in dangerous
situations when depressed
Jayden’s work is suffering to some
extent
*** Screen has ABSCBN logo on upper
right corner and
Parental Guidance on
lower right corner
His boss wants him to notice her
She fires him and calls his work
“basura”
He gets depressed and drunk, and
gets into trouble; Lizette comes to
his rescue
Lizette sees Jayden’s work,
inspired by their lives; Jayden lies
about getting fired; She inspires him
to work again (if independently)
- “3 men and the
golden poo” Korean
comic of Jayden
Korean text
- Korea chargen with
small baby cartoon
135
Setting
Characters
Urban / Rural / Others
Main characters
(names,
physical
description,
personality,
voice /
delivery)
Minor Characters /
Others
DISCOURSES
Ideologies /
World-views /
Value
judgments /
Arguments
Narrative related (plot
/ setting / characterrelated) +
Identity / Ideologyrelated (related to
gender, race, politics,
society, etc.
Urban – house / apartment; places
of work, ie: police department,
office; city streets
- Nicole
- Jake
- Jayden
- Ariel
- Lizette
- Korean words on
books
- “W19,200” in Korean
is “19 dollars and 20
cents” when spoke in
the scene
- “Eh, English to ah.
Maiintindihan na ba
niya yung mga laman
nito?”
- Korean words on
computer screens
- Chloe
- Jayden’s boss – harsh, but
actually likes him; “older woman
appeal”
- Garbage collectors and spectators
- Honing a child’s intelligence by
giving advanced reading materials,
etc. as opposed to just allowing a
child to play; “ang mahalaga
nagsasalita na ang Nicole natin”
- SAVING FACE – “Salamat sa
pagpupublish ng basura ko, ah”
- FRIENDS as a support system –
“magaling ka talagang artist”
Others / emerging
EXTRATEXTUAL
CONTEXTS
Elements with
aspects of
meaning
Plot / setting /
character-related
(names, positions,
PRODUCTION /
VISUALS:
136
arising from
outside the
narrative text
(extra and
inter-textual
elements)
voice, manner of
delivery and
emphasis, and others
/ emerging elements)
References to realworld people, places,
events, situations, etc.
Appearance of
products, logos,
brands, etc.
BG Music
OBB
CBB
* Episode 24 of the
local version begins and
ends within Episode 10
of the original
- Instrumentals
- Songs with Korean lyrics
- Songs with English lyrics
- “Saranghae Joo Se Yo”
- Review of previous episode
- 0:24 secs. (excluding review)
- “Saranghae Joo Se Yo”
- Preview of next episode
- 0:60 secs.
Length of Episode
24:34
Commercial cuts
- First CM at 08:28
- Second CM at 17:58
- Third CM at
Programming
schedules
Late morning (10:00 AM)
Artists
- Korean artists
- Korean singers – for BG music /
OBB / CBB
Others / emerging
- use of TAGLISH
- English chargen of
cast
- English chargen of
credits
137
3 Dads with 1 Mommy
Episode # 25
Filipino
CONCEPTS
CONCEPT
UALIZATION
INDICATORS
Filipino slang: street
jargon, gay lingo,
acronyms, etc.
“Traditional” Filipino:
Terms for respect,
“Old Tagalog”, etc.
Technical / academic
terms, etc.
WORDS
Filipino
colloquialisms
Terms of reference for
people / family /
friends
- po
- ho
- BCG
- Hepa
- Japanese Encephalitis
- Hepa A
- apo
- biyenan
- anak
- kaibigan
- lolo
- papa, daddy, dada, ama
Greetings /
expressions
Expressions of calling
attention; love and
affection; hatred and
antagonism
- “kahit kelan makasarili talaga
ang unggoy na yan eh”
- “pabayaan mo yan. Maglalaro
daw ng golf. Kasama ang magiging
biyenan niya.”
- “napaka iresponsable…”
- “kahit na!” (insistent)
VISUAL ELEMENTS,
CHARGEN, OTHER
ELEMENTS
NOTES FOR
COMPARISON
Similarity / change
compared to original
with subtitles
TERMS /
EXPRESSIONS USED
(SUBTITLES):
- buffet
- cheapo (2)
- “policeman” = in
English
- “my future father-inlaw”
- punk
- mothers
- father/s
- despicable little brat
- mom
- uncle/s
- our angel, our cutie
- grandfather
- gradndpa
- “You’re so loud like a
woodpecker”
- “So annoying, why are
they doing that?” = Ha
Seon speaking
- (Kyeong Tae on being
138
- “normal lang yun. Wag mong
bigyan ng malisya ang ganun”
- “wag kang mag-aalala, mura lang
naman yun eh” (Jake lying to
Lizette because he wanted to give
her a gift)
- “patawarin mo sana ako.
Patawad.”
- “nagkukuripot ka nanaman,
nakakahiya kay Lizette”
- “arte mo talaga!”
assigned the name
“daddy” by Kwang Hee)
“I hate English. Change
it to Appa”; “Show off
your ignorance” =
creates confusion in
subtitles, since Appa is
also Daddy
Others / emerging
Practices of respect
Social Values
THEMES
- saying “PO” and similar terms of
respect, even when speaking to
someone you dislike
Showing importance
of family, friends,
community
Practices of
“Traditional Filipino
Values” such as hard
work, hospitality,
“utang na loob”, etc.
Others / emerging
Social Issues
NARRATIVES
Plot
Poverty and social
inequity
Corruption
Crime and Violence
Others / emerging
Initiating Event
Goal
Nicole’s birthday is in one week
Ariel wants to make a surprise party
for her
CHARACTERS:
139
Attempt
Consequence
Reaction
Setting
Characters
Urban / Rural / Others
The boys all pitch in; Jake almost
chooses to go meet Chloe’s father
instead of the party
They all make it to the party,
including Lizette’s estranged father,
whom Ariel invited
Lizette reconciles with her father
* The guys decide on what Nicole
should call each of them
Urban – house / apartment; places
of work, ie: police department,
office; city streets; park
Main characters
- Nicole
- Jake
- Jayden
- Ariel
- Lizette
Minor Characters /
Others
- Chloe
- Chloe’s father – a big shot,
Jayden’s boss and prospective
future father-in-law; the kind of man
everyone panders to
- The boys’ friends and work mates
who all work together to give Nicole
(names,
physical
description,
personality,
voice /
delivery)
- Seo Hyeon’s father –
high and mighty
- Changed context =
Soo Hyeon supposed to
sing the high notes in
their rehearsed song
- Jayden’s Korean
comics on his
computer
- Ariel’s Korean baby
book
- Korean banner and
cake for Nicole
- Lizette’s calendar
- Signs at a (karaoke)
bar “W 1,250,000”
spoken as “1,250
dollars”
- Korean grave of
Justin
140
a party
- Lizette’s father – apologetic,
repentant
CULTURAL
REFERENCES:
DISCOURSES
Ideologies /
World-views /
Value
judgments /
Arguments
Narrative related (plot
/ setting / characterrelated) +
Identity / Ideologyrelated (related to
gender, race, politics,
society, etc.
- Big First Birthday party celebration
– “hindi na mauulit, kahit kailan”
- “mas makapal daw ang dugo sa
tubig”
- “gumawa ako ng
seaweed soup”;
“bakit, meron bang
may birthday
ngayon?”
- Nicole in Korean
national costume
during her party
- Boys singing a
Korean song in
Korean to Nicole, with
Filipino subtitles
- Game where Nicole
chooses an item to
predict her future
- “You have to treat kids
like people”
Others / emerging
EXTRATEXTUAL
CONTEXTS
Elements with
aspects of
meaning
arising from
outside the
narrative text
Plot / setting /
character-related
(names, positions,
voice, manner of
delivery and
emphasis, and others
/ emerging elements)
PRODUCTION /
VISUALS:
* Episode 25 of the
Tagalog version begins
within Episode 10 of the
original and ends as the
141
(extra and
inter-textual
elements)
References to realworld people, places,
events, situations, etc.
Appearance of
products, logos,
brands, etc.
BG Music
OBB
CBB
\
episode ends
- Instrumentals
- Songs with Korean lyrics
- Songs with English lyrics
- “Saranghae Joo Se Yo”
- Review of previous episode
- 0:24 secs. (excluding review)
- “Saranghae Joo Se Yo”
- Preview of next episode
- 0:60 secs.
Length of Episode
24:14
Commercial cuts
- First CM at 03:32
- Second CM at
- Third CM at
Programming
schedules
Late morning (10:00 AM)
Artists
- Korean artists
- Korean singers – for BG music /
OBB / CBB
Others / emerging
- use of TAGLISH
- English chargen of
cast
- English chargen of
credits
- English subtitles for
some texts / images
which had no subtitles
or anything in the
original version
(audiences are
expected to read
context clues in this
case)
142
DISCOURSE ANALYSIS: Boys Over Flowers, Arc 1
Boys Over Flowers
Episode # 21
Filipino
CONCEPTS
WORDS
THEMES
CONCEPT
UALIZATION
Filipino
colloquialisms
Social Values
INDICATORS
Filipino slang: street
jargon, gay lingo,
acronyms, etc.
“Traditional” Filipino:
Terms for respect,
“Old Tagalog”, etc.
Technical / academic
terms, etc.
Terms of reference for
people / family /
friends
Greetings /
expressions
Expressions of calling
attention; love and
affection; hatred and
antagonism
Others / emerging
Practices of respect
Showing importance
of family, friends,
community
VISUAL ELEMENTS,
CHARGEN, OTHER
ELEMENTS
NOTES FOR
COMPARISON
Similarity / change
compared to original
with subtitles
TERMS /
EXPRESSIONS USED
(SUBTITLES):
- po
- “Ok ka lang ba?”
- “Ang lakas ng loob niyang utusan
ako”
- saying “PO” and similar terms
- family supporting their daughter’s
opportunities to have a place in
society, but inevitably with their rise
- “Hyungmin”
- “What did they say he
has?”; “Su Am Culture
Foundation! Real
Barcelona! Hana
Dolphins!”
- Young Master
- “Unni” (3)
- “Sunbae”(3)
- rascal
- crazy / son of a bitch
(2)
143
in status in mid as well
Practices of
“Traditional Filipino
Values” such as hard
work, hospitality,
“utang na loob”, etc.
Others / emerging
Poverty and social
inequity
Social Issues
-DOING WHAT’S RIGHT, EVEN AT
RISK TO YOURSLEF / FATALISM
– Baka ako rin ang magsisi, pero
kailangan kong gawin” (Ji Hoo of
his plans to bring Jan Di ad Jun Pyo
together)
- DISPARITY between rich and
poor: “kabayo ang unang regalo
niya sa ‘yo?”; “noong bata pa ako,
kelangan ko pa mag-hunger strike
ng apat na araw, para maibili lang
nila ako ng puppy”; “ayun, binugbog
lang ako ng nanay ko”
Corruption
Crime and Violence
Others / emerging
Initiating Event
Goal
NARRATIVES
Plot
Attempt
Consequence
Jan Di and Ji Hoo go on a date
Ji Hoo and Jan Di finally have their
chance with each other
Jan Di can’t stop thinking of Jun
Pyo throughout the date
Jan Di realizes that Ji Hoo is the
first love that she must learn to let
go of; Ji Hoo realizes he must bring
Jan Di and Jun Pyo together
- “Rope Way” written
in both Korean and
English
- “30,000 Won coffee”
- “she couldn’t be more
than just child’s play”
- “you really wanna die?
/ I’ll kill you”
CHARACTERS:
- Voices are quite close
to the Tagalog version;
144
Reaction
Setting
Urban / Rural / Others
Characters
(names,
physical
description,
personality,
voice /
delivery)
Main characters
Ji Hoo pretends to get bored with
Jan Di to incite Ju Pyo’s anger –
“hindi naman masamang
makipaglaro sa kanya”; “hindi,
mahalaga siya sa’kin!”
Urban – house; city landmarks
(ferris wheel); city streets / stores /
malls
- Geum Jan Di – panicky, “praning”
tendencies; outspoken and
headstrong
- Gu Jun Pyo – toughie exterior but
softie interior; very stubborn and
outspoken and aware of his position
and people’s fear of him
- Yoon Ji Hoo – sweet, calm,
thoughtful air about him
- So Yi Jeongand Song Woo Bin –
the loyal, playful friends who push
Jun Pyo to act on his emotions, tryo
to stop him from getting violent,
although they clearly understand
his tendencies
- “30 dollars ang
coffee”
- “Jun Pyo and Jan
Di’s first night
together” written in
Korean with English
subs, verbalized in
Filipino
- “Ji Hoo and Su Jin”
on Ji Hoo’s violin case
written in Korean,
subtitled and
verbalized in English
- Korean text
message of “Kita tayo
sa Ice Rink. Let’s play
Hockey” verbalized in
Filipino
- English print of
names on the boys’
Hockey jerseys
very apt to the
characters, however the
Tagalog version still
sounds “louder” and
“more expressive”; this
probably owes to the
fact that there is a need
to override the visuals
to some degree in the
Tagalog version
145
Minor Characters /
Others
DISCOURSES
Ideologies /
World-views /
Value
judgments /
Arguments
Narrative related (plot
/ setting / characterrelated) +
Identity / Ideologyrelated (related to
gender, race, politics,
society, etc.
Others / emerging
EXTRATEXTUAL
CONTEXTS
Elements with
aspects of
meaning
arising from
outside the
narrative text
(extra and
inter-textual
- Jun Pyo’s older sister – “watching
from the sidelines” effect, happy for
her brother’s maturity
- Jan Di’s father, mother and young
brother – very eager and supportive
of their daughter, to a fault, forcing
her to pursue relationships with the
rich boys
- Need to be “seksi”, “magpabango”
to be more attractive; in relation to
the need to bag a rich man to make
the family happy and secure
- “Kung lahat madadaan sa sorry,
bakit may mga batas pa sa
mundo?”
- FIRST LOVE – (to Ji Hoo)
extremely important, difficult to “let
go of”/”kalimutan” and “set
free”/”palayain”, even when the time
to do so does come; (to Jan Di)
“kung mahal mo ang isang tao,
kahit ano ang mangyari, magkikita
pa rin kayo”
- the use of English to portray
wealth, position and education
Plot / setting /
character-related
(names, positions,
voice, manner of
delivery and
emphasis, and others
/ emerging elements)
References to real-
PRODUCTION /
VISUALS:
- the ferris wheel as a date spot
* Episode 21 of the
Tagalog Boys Over
Flowers begins and
ends in the middle of
Episode 8 of the original
146
elements)
world people, places,
events, situations, etc.
Appearance of
products, logos,
brands, etc.
BG Music
OBB
CBB
series
- Instrumentals
- Songs with Korean lyrics
- “Almost Paradise by T-Max”
- Review of previous episode
- 35 secs. (excluding review)
- “Because I’m Stupid by SS501”
- Preview of next episode
- 1:19 secs.
Length of Episode
25:50 (including OBB, excluding
CBB)
Commercial cuts
- First CM at 11:59
- Second CM at 17:30
- Third CM at 22:33
Programming
schedules
Prime Time (10:00 PM)
Artists
- Korean artists
- Korean singers – for BG music /
OBB / CBB
Others / emerging
- use of TAGLISH
- English chargen of
cast
*** begins with
“Inihahandog ng ABSCBN”
- English chargen of
credits
*** ABC-CBN logo on
upper right of screen,
“PARENTAL
GUIDANCE” on upper
left of screen
- Korean marquee at
the bottom of the screen
while Jan Di and Ji Hoo
are walking home;
during the hockey
scene
147
Boys Over Flowers
Episode # 22
Filipino
CONCEPTS
WORDS
CONCEPT
UALIZATION
Filipino
colloquialisms
INDICATORS
Filipino slang: street
jargon, gay lingo,
acronyms, etc.
“Traditional” Filipino:
Terms for respect,
“Old Tagalog”, etc.
Technical / academic
terms, etc.
Terms of reference for
people / family /
friends
Greetings /
expressions
Expressions of calling
attention; love and
affection; hatred and
antagonism
THEMES
Social Values
Others / emerging
Practices of respect
Showing importance
of family, friends,
community
Practices of
VISUAL ELEMENTS,
CHARGEN, OTHER
ELEMENTS
NOTES FOR
COMPARISON
Similarity / change
compared to original
with subtitles
TERMS /
EXPRESSIONS USED
(SUBTITLES):
- po
- “patawarin mo na ako”
- anak
- ate
- “sige ha, hanggang sa muli
nalang!”
- “long time no see”
- “sira ulo ka ji hoo!” (violently)
- “kapag nawala mo yan, lagot ka
sakin”
- “kung ano man ang nagawa ko,
sorry na”
- young master
- saying “PO” and similar terms
- UTANG NA LOOB – “may utang
- sunbae (4)
- rascal
- “your company closed
doors” (threatening)
- “gosh really”
- “hyungnim” (3)
- honey (3)
- “you’re dead” (2)
- “let’s eat and die!”
(very happy)
- Noona
- “Escarrrrrgo”
- Shinhwa Young
Master
- father
- mother, mom
148
“Traditional Filipino
Values” such as hard
work, hospitality,
“utang na loob”, etc.
siyang kailangang bayaran…
winasak niya ang wooden robot ko”
Others / emerging
Poverty and social
inequity
Social Issues
- “sayang naman” – Jan Di on
leftover food, as opposed to the rich
kids who find leftovers disgusting
and laughable
- “Escargot!” – “rich person’s food”
that poor people only dream about
- “kung bill collectors ‘yan, sabihin
mo wala kami”
Corruption
Crime and Violence
- threatening – “pag sinaktan mo
ang feelings ni Jan Di, papatayin
kita!”, with physical fist fighting
Others / emerging
Initiating Event
Goal
Plot
Attempt
Consequence
NARRATIVES
Reaction
Setting
Urban / Rural / Others
Characters
Main characters
Ji Hoo gets Jun Pyo to realize that
Jan Di is important to Jun Pyo
Jun Pyo and Jan Di finally get
together, “informally”
Jun Pyo takes her on a date
She still seems uncomfortable, but
sees that he is truly trying to warm
up to her and her family
Ju Pyo turns up at her door one
night
Urban – house ; hospital; city
streets; high class “sushi”
restaurant; drive in movie
- Geum Jan Di – very concerned
- “pick up the phone
please” ringtone
- “it’s like a refugee
camp experience so I’m
feeling thrill 10,000
points”
- “Gu Jun Pyo calling”
149
(names,
physical
description,
personality,
voice /
delivery)
Minor Characters /
Others
DISCOURSES
Ideologies /
World-views /
Value
judgments /
Arguments
with people around her; tomboyish
and crude in word and action
- Gu Jun Pyo – very proud; thinks
very highly of himself and assumes
that everyone else recognizes his
authority and power
- Yoon Ji Hoo – devious, and can
easily hide it because of his quiet
nature
- So Yi Jeong – largely stay away
from the conflict between the two,
expect to stop them from physically
hurting each other
- Song Woo Bin – similar to So Yi
Jeong, but seems the more
theatrical of the two
- Gail – cheerful and concerned
with Jan Di
- Jan Di and Gail’s boss – cheerful
and concerned with Jan Di
- Jun Pyo’s bodyguards and
servants
in Korean with English
subtitles; the same
with Gu Jun Pyo’s
hospital room, and his
text messages
(verbalized in Filipino)
- TV Patrol world
marquee / crawls at
the bottom of the
screen during the part
where Jan Di enters
the hospital room
- Korean words on
city streets / stores
- Traditional Korean
meal set up
- Korean words on
aprons
- “Pahingi pa nga ng
isang Kimchi”
Narrative related (plot
/ setting / characterrelated) +
Identity / Ideologyrelated (related to
gender, race, politics,
society, etc.
Others / emerging
EXTRATEXTUAL
CONTEXTS
Elements with
aspects of
meaning
arising from
Plot / setting /
character-related
(names, positions,
voice, manner of
*FOR BOYS OVER
FLOWERS: The first
2 minutes of the
episode is always a
-mention of Taerung
National Training
Village
150
outside the
narrative text
(extra and
inter-textual
elements)
delivery and
emphasis, and others
/ emerging elements)
References to realworld people, places,
events, situations, etc.
Appearance of
products, logos,
brands, etc.
BG Music
OBB
CBB
repetition of the last 2
minutes of the
previous episode
- “Akala ko nagtetraining ka para sa
Olympics”
- Instrumentals
- Songs with Korean lyrics
- Songs with English lyrics
- “Almost Paradise by T-Max”
- Review of previous episode
- 35 secs. (excluding review)
- “Because I’m Stupid by SS501”
- Preview of next episode
- 1:19 secs.
Length of Episode
26:52 (including OBB and CBB)
Commercial cuts
- First CM at 10:39
- Second CM at 17:12
- Third CM at 22:03
Programming
schedules
Prime Time (10:00 PM)
Artists
- Korean artists
- Korean singers – for BG music /
OBB / CBB
Others / emerging
- use of TAGLISH
PRODUCTION /
VISUALS:
* Episode 22 begins in
the middle of Episode 8
of the original series
and ends a few minutes
before Episode 8 ends
- English chargen of
cast
- English chargen of
credits
*** “KBS2TV” and “15”
appear on the upper left
and right hand of the
screen respectively
- Marquee during the
scene where Jun Pyo is
about to meet Ji Hoo,
so Jan Di leaves Ji Hoo
151
Boys Over Flowers
Episode # 23
Filipino
CONCEPTS
CONCEPT
UALIZATION
INDICATORS
Filipino slang: street
jargon, gay lingo,
acronyms, etc.
“Traditional” Filipino:
Terms for respect,
“Old Tagalog”, etc.
Technical / academic
terms, etc.
WORDS
Filipino
colloquialisms
Terms of reference for
people / family /
friends
Greetings /
expressions
THEMES
Social Values
Expressions of calling
attention; love and
affection; hatred and
antagonism
Others / emerging
Practices of respect
Showing importance
of family, friends,
community
Practices of
VISUAL ELEMENTS,
CHARGEN, OTHER
ELEMENTS
NOTES FOR
COMPARISON
Similarity / change
compared to original
with subtitles
- isaw (mentioned in preview but cut
from actually episode)
- po
- papa
- mama
- kuya
- manugang
- “mauna na ako”
- “game na!”
- “sarap!”
- saying “PO” and similar terms
TERMS /
EXPRESSIONS USED
(SUBTITLES):
- “Hey,cleaner”
- “Butler Lee!”
- dad
- son-in-law (3)
- honey (3)
- brother-in-law
- mom
- “where is this child?”
- miss
- sunbae (2)
152
“Traditional Filipino
Values” such as hard
work, hospitality,
“utang na loob”, etc.
Others / emerging
Social Issues
Poverty and social
inequity
Corruption
Crime and Violence
Others / emerging
Initiating Event
Goal
Attempt
Plot
Consequence
Reaction
NARRATIVES
Setting
Urban / Rural / Others
Characters
(names,
physical
description,
Main characters /
Heroes / Protagonists
- Giving the best to guests – “Kasi
kahit pasko hindi kami naghahanda
ng ganitong kasasarap na pagkain!”
- “abnormal po kasi ang bathroom
niyo!” – comparing sizes of homes
- “Pwede mo na rin ipauso ang style
na yan!” – flattering the rich guy to
win his favor
Jun Pyo stays over at Ja Di’s
He wants to get closer to her
He experiences a whole day with
her family
He learns about the life of a
“commoner” and learns to
appreciate it
His mother finds out that he is still
“hanging out” with friends; Ji Hoo
tells Jan Di to be patient with Jun
Pyo
Urban – house / apartment; places
of work, ie: police department,
office; city streets
- Geum Jan Di
- Gu Jun Pyo
- Yoon Ji Hoo
- So Yi Jeong
- Song Woo Bin
- Korean chargen
“Episode 9” subtitledin
English
CHARACTERS:
- Korean public bath –
“public spa”; “fishcake
na binebenta sa
kalye”
- Jun Pyo’s mother –
still has a very stern
face, but her voice is
not quite as stern; it still
sounds calm, and lacks
the deprecating tone
that is expected
153
personality,
voice /
delivery)
Minor Characters /
Others
DISCOURSES
Ideologies /
World-views /
Value
judgments /
Arguments
Narrative related (plot
/ setting / characterrelated) +
Identity / Ideologyrelated (related to
gender, race, politics,
society, etc.
Others / emerging
EXTRATEXTUAL
CONTEXTS
Elements with
aspects of
meaning
arising from
Plot / setting /
character-related
(names, positions,
voice, manner of
- Gail
- Jan Di’s father, mother and
younger brother – want so much to
please Jun Pyo even at Jan Di’s
expense
- Jun Pyo’s mother – Extremely
hard-lined about Jun Pyo being an
heir
- Jun Pyo’s sister – concerned with
Jun Pyo’s future, trying to protect
him
- “may alam ba talaga kayo sa
buhay? Wala di ba?”
- “pag umiwas ka, duwag ka”
- “pag una kang tumawag, magiging
alipin ka iya habang buhay”
- ON BEING IN A
POSITION OF GREAT
POWER: NECESSITY
TO RETAIN POWER
BY ALL MEANS = “No
one will dare compete
with him, and he should
be cold enough to cut
even his family if he
needed to”
- NO “WORLDS”
APART = “Just like you
and I are in the same
world right now”
- “That’s the first
amendment of the
guide to being a player,
pushing and pulling”
CULTURAL / EXTRA
TEXTUAL
REFERENCES:
154
outside the
narrative text
(extra and
inter-textual
elements)
delivery and
emphasis, and others
/ emerging elements)
References to realworld people, places,
events, situations, etc.
Appearance of
products, logos,
brands, etc.
BG Music
OBB
CBB
- “Kimjang” – making
Kimchi for winter
- In Korean fairy tales,
tiger and smallpox are
the most scary things =
“I’m more afraid of
Geum Jan Di than tigers
or smallpox”
- Instrumentals
- Songs with Korean lyrics
- Songs with English lyrics
- “Almost Paradise by T-Max”
- Review of previous episode
- 0:35 secs. (excluding review)
- “Because I’m Stupid by SS501”
- Preview of next episode
- 1:19 secs.
Length of Episode
25:39 (including OBB and CBB)
Commercial cuts
- First CM at 06:03
- Second CM at 12:27
- Third CM at 18:38
Programming
schedules
Prime Time (10:00 PM)
Artists
- Korean artists
- Korean singers – for BG music /
OBB / CBB
Others / emerging
- use of TAGLISH
PRODUCTION /
VISUALS:
- English chargen of
cast
- English chargen of
credits
*Episode 23 begins at
the end of Episode 8 of
the original series, and
continues into the first
quarter of Episode 9
155
Boys Over Flowers
Episode # 24
Filipino
CONCEPTS
CONCEPT
UALIZATION
INDICATORS
Filipino slang: street
jargon, gay lingo,
acronyms, etc.
WORDS
Filipino
colloquialisms
“Traditional” Filipino:
Terms for respect,
“Old Tagalog”, etc.
Technical / academic
terms, etc.
Terms of reference
for people / family /
friends
Greetings /
expressions
Expressions of calling
attention; love and
affection; hatred and
antagonism
THEMES
Social Values
Others / emerging
Practices of respect
Showing importance
- “Sa susunod pumili ka ng
matinong lalaki”
- Nanggulpi
- Pinagtripan
- Hot chicks
- “Hoy manang, pwede ba tigilan
mo na yung pagtetext sa’kin?”
- po
- malourished
- blog
- bro
- “Pagkakataon nga naman” (Jun
Pyo pretending to run into Jan Di)
- “Ano ka ba!?” (3)
- “Humingi ka ng sorry. Mag-sorry
ka.”
- Napakayabang
- “Grabe ka”
- saying “PO” and similar terms
VISUAL ELEMENTS,
CHARGEN, OTHER
ELEMENTS
NOTES FOR
COMPARISON
Similarity / change
compared to original
with subtitles
TERMS /
EXPRESSIONS USED
(SUBTITLES):
- boyfriend
- “Don’t scratch me” =
doesn’t want to be
argued with
- “Gu Jun Pyo’s just not
a help in life”
- Oppa (4)
- “Hi! Banga~ Banga~”
- Hyung
- Dongseng
- boaster
- sunbae (3)
156
of family, friends,
community
Practices of
“Traditional Filipino
Values” such as hard
work, hospitality,
“utang na loob”, etc.
Others / emerging
Social Issues
Poverty and social
inequity
Corruption
Crime and Violence
Others / emerging
Initiating Event
Goal
Plot
Attempt
Consequence
Reaction
NARRATIVES
Setting
Urban / Rural / Others
Characters
(names,
physical
description,
personality,
voice /
Main characters /
Heroes / Protagonists
- “Kahit nahihirapan siya” – Jun Pyo
doing what he usually doesn’t for
Jan Di
- tardiness
Jan Di asks Jun Pyo out on a
double date
They go with Gail and her
boyfriend, Su Pyo
Jun Pyo gets into trouble sith Su
Pyo
Jun Pyo walks out on Jan Di; Su
Pyo no longer replies to Gail
Jan Di attempts to get an
explanation; she gets sick
Urban – house / apartment; city
streets
- Geum Jan Di
- Gu Jun Pyo – playful and childish,
particularly in expressing joy;
tempermental and moody
- Yoon Ji Hoo – still very concerned
with Jan Di and Jun Pyo’s
relationship
-
-
- Pinoy Bingo Night
ad at the bottom of
the screen at the
beginning of the
episode, followed by
Love or Bread ad
DELETED SCENES:
- Scene = “Gopchang”
(“isaw”) scene
(appeared in the
preview but was not in
the CD copy episode)
157
delivery)
DISCOURSES
Ideologies /
World-views /
Value
judgments /
Arguments
- So Yi Jeong
- Song Woo Bin
- Gail
Minor Characters /
Others
- Gail’s boyfriend Gong Su Pyo –
very outspoken, obnoxious
Narrative related (plot
/ setting / characterrelated) +
Identity / Ideologyrelated (related to
gender, race, politics,
society, etc.
- Boys don’t always “do right” in
front of girls
- Rich guys wouldn’t date poor girls
unless they’re hot / pretty
- “Fools rush in where angels fear
to tread”
Others / emerging
EXTRATEXTUAL
CONTEXTS
Elements with
aspects of
meaning
arising from
outside the
narrative text
(extra and
inter-textual
elements)
Plot / setting /
character-related
(names, positions,
voice, manner of
delivery and
emphasis, and others
/ emerging elements)
References to realworld people, places,
events, situations,
etc.
Appearance of
products, logos,
brands, etc.
BG Music
- Ads for Tayong
Dalawa and George n
Cecil during the
skating scene
- “Do you mean that a
one-day puppy should
be scared of a tiger?”
- FOR WEIRD /
IRRATIONAL
ACTIONS: “There’s
always a reason”
PRODUCTION /
VISUALS:
- “Ano bang akala mo sa sarili mo,
Little Match Girl?”
- “Magpasyal tayo” – “Champs
Elysee”
- Instrumentals
- Songs with Korean lyrics
- Songs with English lyrics
- Episode 24 of the
Tagalog series begins
and ends in the middle
of Episode 9 of the
original series
158
OBB
CBB
- “Almost Paradise by T-Max”
- Review of previous episode
- 0:35 secs. (excluding review)
- “Because I’m Stupid by SS501”
- Preview of next episode
- 1:19 secs.
Length of Episode
25:00 (including OBB and CBB)
Commercial cuts
- First CM at 07:16
- Second CM at 13:33
- Third CM at 17:11
Programming
schedules
Prime Time (10:00 PM)
Artists
- Korean artists
- Korean singers – for BG music /
OBB / CBB
Others / emerging
- use of TAGLISH
- English chargen of
cast
- English chargen of
credits
Boys Over Flowers
Episode # 25
Filipino
CONCEPTS
WORDS
CONCEPT
UALIZATION
Filipino
colloquialisms
INDICATORS
Filipino slang: street
jargon, gay lingo,
acronyms, etc.
“Traditional” Filipino:
Terms for respect,
“Old Tagalog”, etc.
- baduy (in preview)
- po
VISUAL ELEMENTS,
CHARGEN, OTHER
ELEMENTS
NOTES FOR
COMPARISON
Similarity / change
compared to original
with subtitles
TERMS /
EXPRESSIONS USED
(SUBTITLES):
- “a total plutocrat”
- “pretty my ass”
159
Technical / academic
terms, etc.
Terms of reference
for people / family /
friends
Social Values
THEMES
Social Issues
Greetings /
expressions
Expressions of calling
attention; love and
affection; hatred and
antagonism
Others / emerging
Practices of respect
Showing importance
of family, friends,
community
Practices of
“Traditional Filipino
Values” such as hard
work, hospitality,
“utang na loob”, etc.
Others / emerging
Poverty and social
inequity
Corruption
Crime and Violence
Others / emerging
Initiating Event
NARRATIVES
Plot
Goal
- girlfriend
- boyfriend
- honey
- mama
- papa
- bwiset
- sorry
-“I’m busy playing with a
couple of tacky kids”
- oppa (2)
- girlfriend
-boyfriend
- sunbae
- “You’re dead!”
- “Oppa, I’m sowwy” in
subtitles
- “That rascal looks
pretty weak, right?” –
about a ceramic cup
- saying “PO” and similar terms
Jan Di and Gail find Gail’s boyfriend
cheating
Gail has to deal with being made a
fool of by Su Pyo; Jan Di must
CHARACTERS:
- Professor So Hyun
Sub – Yi Jeong’s father
160
Attempt
Consequence
Reaction
Setting
Urban / Rural / Others
Main characters /
Heroes / Protagonists
- Geum Jan Di
- Gu Jun Pyo
- Yoon Ji Hoo
- So Yi Jeong—reveals a side of
him that is bitter and resentful of his
father; voice seems a little too soft
so that it doesn’t suit him very well
to be bitte, nor comforting
- Song Woo Bin
- Gail – fragile and affected by her
boyfriend’s cheating
Minor Characters /
Others
- Yi Jeong’s father – art teacher,
womanizer
Characters
(names,
physical
description,
personality,
voice /
delivery)
apologize to Jun Pyo
Gail breaks down and Yi Jeong
tries to help her get even, because
of his own resentment against his
father; Jan Di apologizes to Jun
Pyo
They go to a bar and show Su Pyo
up; Jun Pyo follows Jan Di home
and accepts her apology
dramatically
Gail falls for Yi Jeong; Jan Di and
Jun Pyo share a kiss
Urban – house / apartment; city
streets; bar
(visible nameplate in
voyeur scene where Yi
Jeong finds his father
kissing a younger
woman)
- TV Patrol crawler as
Gail and Jan Di talk
about apologizing to
Jun Pyo
- Korean writing on Yi
Jeong’s father’s office
- Ad for May Bukas
Pa during Jun Pyo’s
tirade when Jan Di
comes to apologize
- Ad for Pinoy Bingo
Night while Yi Jeong
talks to Gail
- Korean text in Jan
Di’s laundry shop
window
161
DISCOURSES
Ideologies /
World-views /
Value
judgments /
Arguments
Narrative related (plot
/ setting / characterrelated) +
Identity / Ideologyrelated (related to
gender, race, politics,
society, etc.
- “Kung pwede na ang sorry, para
saan pa ang mga batas at pulis?”
- Process of making good ceramics
= to create something strong and
resilient
- ENGLISH associated with wealth
and influence
- CHRISTMAS associated with
happiness
- Jun Pyo’s maids
singing in Korean
Others / emerging
EXTRATEXTUAL
CONTEXTS
Elements with
aspects of
meaning
arising from
outside the
narrative text
(extra and
inter-textual
elements)
Plot / setting /
character-related
(names, positions,
voice, manner of
delivery and
emphasis, and others
/ emerging elements)
References to realworld people, places,
events, situations,
etc.
Appearance of
products, logos,
brands, etc.
BG Music
OBB
CBB
CULTURAL / EXTRA
TEXTUAL
REFERENCES:
- “Jabcho” = weed =
Jan Di = “Miss Weed”
- “Apple and apology in
hangul sound the same”
- food = “oden”, “kim
jang”
PRODUCTION /
VISUALS:
- Instrumentals
- Songs with Korean lyrics
- Songs with English lyrics
- “Almost Paradise by T-Max”
- Review of previous episode
- 0:35 secs. (excluding review)
- “Because I’m Stupid by SS501”
- Preview of next episode
- English chargen of
cast
* Episode 25 begins
and ends within
Episode 9 of the original
series
- English chargen of
credits
- Some changes in use
of background music
162
- 1:19 secs.
Length of Episode
24:54 (including OBB and CBB)
Commercial cuts
- First CM at 07:17
- Second CM at 11:31
- Third CM at
Programming
schedules
Prime Time (10:00 PM)
Artists
- Korean artists
- Korean singers – for BG music /
OBB / CBB
Others / emerging
- use of TAGLISH
- Marquee during scene
where the boys are
playing cards
163
DISCOURSE ANALYSIS: Boys Over Flowers, Arc 2
Boys Over Flowers
Episode # 51
Filipino
CONCEPTS
CONCEPT
UALIZATION
INDICATORS
VISUAL ELEMENTS,
CHARGEN, OTHER
ELEMENTS
Filipino slang: street
jargon, gay lingo,
acronyms, etc.
WORDS
Filipino
colloquialisms
“Traditional” Filipino:
Terms for respect,
“Old Tagalog”, etc.
- po , ho
- “hindi ba’t kahihiyan..?”
- “maaliwalas ang kanyang mukha”
- “magandang dalaga…
napakabait”
- “nasabak nanaman kayo sa gulo
ano?”
- “hindi ako basagulero”
- “pwede na kami sa pangingisda”
- “nakagawa na ako ng solusyo
para matapos na ang kamalasang
ito”
Technical / academic
terms, etc.
Terms of reference for
people / family /
friends
- boyfriend
- apo
- asawa
- mama
- papa
- contexts of words
taken into
consideration, they
have a bigger
emotional impact
towards characters
NOTES FOR
COMPARISON
Similarity / change
compared to original
with subtitles
TERMS /
EXPRESSIONS USED
(SUBTITLES):
- monkey
- boyfriend
- “son of the mafia”
- “Get lost!”
- master
- bastards
- “Good morning!” in
English
- “Last night was a
historical night for Gu Ju
pyo and Ha Jae
Kyeong”
- “Just like how a thread
follows a needle, I’ll get
going too”
- “She has a good face.
The young lady’s face
can make muddy
164
- ate
- “fiancée lang kita, hindi asawa”
- uncle
Greetings /
expressions
- “mag-ingat po kayo sa pag-uwi”
Expressions of calling
attention; love and
affection; hatred and
antagonism
- baliw (Jan Di at herself for not
being able to let go of Jun Pyo)
- monkey – Jun Pyo, not amused at
Jae Kyeong
Others / emerging
- “Nagkaroon kami ni Jun Pyo ng
drama”
Practices of respect
Showing importance
of family, friends,
community
Social Values
Practices of
“Traditional Filipino
Values” such as hard
work, hospitality,
“utang na loob”, etc.
THEMES
- saying “PO” and similar terms
- “Alagaan mo si Kang San” –
parents making sacrifices to help
children survive
- “Akala ko ba magkakapatid na
tayo? Tayong apat? Tayo ang F4!”
– Yi Jeong to Woo Bin
- “Napahiya si Jun Pyo kaya umalis
na siya” – SAVING FACE
- HIYA – “para sa inyo, nahihiya na
ako. Wala na akong mukhang
maihaharap sainyo” – Woo Bin, son
of a Mafia family
Others / emerging
Social Issues
Poverty and social
inequity
Corruption
Crime and Violence
- Parents having to move away so
that the children can afford a
cheaper lifestyle by themselves;
falling into debt
- Drinking, threatening and brawling
- Korean tables in Ji
Hoo’s grandfather’s
clinic
waters clear. Be sure to
treasure her. That girl
will give you a family” =
as opposed to “bagay
kayo”
- grandmother
- “I adore her to pieces”
- grandson
- granddaughter-in-law
“Geum Jan Di, my
eldest”
- noona
165
Others / emerging
Initiating Event
Goal
Attempt
Plot
Consequence
Reaction
NARRATIVES
Setting
Urban / Rural / Others
Characters
(names,
physical
description,
personality,
voice /
delivery)
Main characters
Jun Pyo saves Jan Di from
drowning;, but he is trying to
distance himself from her
Jae Kyeong tries to get closer to
Jun Pyo
She confronts him in the pool and
even makes it looks as if something
happened
Jun Pyo goes away alone; Ji Hoo
tries to comfort Jan Di, who goes
home to find her parents have
decided to leave in order to allow
her and Kang San to stay in the city
Everyone including Woo Bin and Yi
Jeong are forced to confront their
personal problems
Urban – house; city streets; hotel;
bar
- Geum Jan Di
- Gu Jun Pyo
- Yoon Ji Hoo
- So Yi Jeong – reveals his reckless
side, getting drunk and picking
fights
- Song Woo Bin – reveals his
sensitive side, ashamed of his roots
to his friends, who accept him
despite everything
- Gail
- Korean text on city
buildings / neon lights
- Jun Pyo’s text
message to Ji Hoo,
with English subs
- Only you and The
Wedding ads below
the screen after the
second commercial
- Ji Hoo and Jan Di
worship at what
seems to be a
Buddhist temple
166
Minor Characters /
Others
DISCOURSES
EXTRATEXTUAL
CONTEXTS
Ideologies /
World-views /
Value
judgments /
Arguments
Elements with
aspects of
meaning
arising from
outside the
narrative text
(extra and
inter-textual
elements)
Narrative related (plot
/ setting / characterrelated) +
Identity / Ideologyrelated (related to
gender, race, politics,
society, etc.
Others / emerging
Plot / setting /
character-related
(names, positions,
voice, manner of
delivery and
emphasis, and others
/ emerging elements)
References to realworld people, places,
events, situations, etc.
Appearance of
products, logos,
brands, etc.
BG Music
- Jae Kyeong – Jun Pyo’s fiancée;
happy, perky, but is troubled
because of her attraction to Jun
Pyo and his attraction for Jan Di
- Priest
- Ji Hoo’s grandfather and his old
woman patient
- Jan Di’s mother, father and
younger brother (Kang San)
- Korean writing of
prayers on tablets,
with English subtitles
– “Prayer for passing
exams”, “constant
happiness”,
“acceptance”
- “ Kung iinumin mo
ang tubig dito, papasa
ka sa test”
- Korean text on Woo
Bin’s cellular phone
- Avenging a friend =
violence against
violence; sense of
honor
- “Even out initials are
fated”
CULTURAL / EXTRA
TEXTUAL CONTENT:
- CULTURAL PRACTICES –
religious practices and the beliefs
attached to them
- Ya shim jak =
“masterpiece”
- junior high and high
school students
PRODUCTION /
VISUALS:
- Instrumentals
- Songs with Korean lyrics
* Episode 51 of the
Tagalog series begins
in the last minute of
167
- Songs with English lyrics
OBB
CBB
- “Almost Paradise by T-Max”
- Review of previous episode
- 0:35 secs. (excluding review)
- “Because I’m Stupid by SS501”
- Preview of next episode
- 1:19 secs.
Length of Episode
21:54 (including OBB and CBB)
Commercial cuts
- First CM at 8:04
- Second CM at 12:59
- Third CM at 17:15
Programming
schedules
Prime Time (10:00 PM)
Artists
- Korean artists
- Korean singers – for BG music /
OBB / CBB
Others / emerging
- use of TAGLISH
- English chargen of
cast
Episode 17 of the
original series and ends
towards the end of the
first half of Episode 18
- English chargen of
credits
Boys Over Flowers
Episode # 52
Filipino
CONCEPTS
WORDS
CONCEPT
UALIZATION
Filipino
colloquialisms
INDICATORS
Filipino slang: street
jargon, gay lingo,
acronyms, etc.
“Traditional” Filipino:
- “pasensya ka na anak”
VISUAL ELEMENTS,
CHARGEN, OTHER
ELEMENTS
NOTES FOR
COMPARISON
Similarity / change
compared to original
with subtitles
TERMS /
EXPRESSIONS USED
(SUBTITLES):
168
Terms for respect,
“Old Tagalog”, etc.
Technical / academic
terms, etc.
Terms of reference for
people / family /
friends
Greetings /
expressions
Expressions of calling
attention; love and
affection; hatred and
antagonism
Others / emerging
Practices of respect
Showing importance
of family, friends,
community
THEMES
Social Values
Practices of
“Traditional Filipino
Values” such as hard
work, hospitality,
“utang na loob”, etc.
Others / emerging
Social Issues
Poverty and social
- “hindi na, anak” – old lady patient
to Jan Di
- tahanan
- Young Master
- husband
- Madam
- “Ano’ng pakialam mo?”
- monkey
- “Kailangan tawagan mo kaagad
ako kung may kakaibang
nangyayari”
- saying “PO” and similar
- OPTISM and “never say die”
attitude – Jan Di and Kang San
moving into their dingy new place
without their parents
- Working hard and working
together
- “Gusto ko na maging
independent”
- husband
- sweetie
- fiancée
- wife
- “it’s simple, but it’s still
a wonder” = on women
being like math
problems
- noona
- mom
- dad
-“Fighting!”
- Delivery girl
- hyung nim
- little bro
- sister
169
inequity
Corruption
Crime and Violence
Others / emerging
Initiating Event
Goal
Plot
Attempt
Consequence
NARRATIVES
Reaction
Setting
Urban / Rural / Others
- difficulty in finding an affordable,
safe place to stay in the city
Jan Di’s parents leave her and her
brother because they can no longer
afford to keep the family together;
Jae Kyeong tries to win Jun Pyo
over
Jan Di and Kang San search for a
place to stay
They find a small, decrepit place
but make the best of their situation
Jun Pyo finds out that Jan Di’s
shoulder injury is his fault and
wants to make it up to her; he
moves to the house next to hers
Jan Di is still not forgiving towards
Jun Pyo
Urban – house / apartment; clinic,
office; city streets
Characters
(names,
physical
description,
personality,
voice /
delivery)
Main characters
- Geum Jan Di
- Gu Jun Pyo
- Yoon Ji Hoo
- So Yi Jeong
- Song Woo Bin
- Gail
CHARACTERS:
- Ads for Only You
and Tayong Dalawa
at the beginning of
the episode
- Korea newspaper
(“room for rent” in
Korean, verbalized in
English), writing on
girls’ aprons
- Only You and The
Wedding Ads after the
- Chief Jung – his
character seems to be
given more prominence,
longer screen time, and
an air of fatherly
concern for Jun Pyo
170
first commercial
Minor Characters /
Others
DISCOURSES
Ideologies /
World-views /
Value
judgments /
Arguments
Narrative related (plot
/ setting / characterrelated) +
Identity / Ideologyrelated (related to
gender, race, politics,
society, etc.
Others / emerging
EXTRATEXTUAL
CONTEXTS
Elements with
aspects of
meaning
arising from
outside the
narrative text
Plot / setting /
character-related
(names, positions,
voice, manner of
delivery and
emphasis, and others
/ emerging elements)
- Jae Kyeong – trying so hard to be
good to Jun Pyo
- Yi Jeong’s childhood friend –
amazed at Yi Jeong; loves pottery
and takes it very seriously
- Jun Pyo’s mother – extremely
suspicious and controlling
- Kang San – optimistic and perky
- Jun Pyo’s “mayordomo” –
obedient but concerned for Jun Pyo
- “We can do everything we want” –
outlook of the rich; ideologically
interpellated
- ON WOMEN: “Fiancee lang kita,
hindi asawa” – Jun Pyo cold
towards Jae Kyeong
- “Parang math problems ang
women” – Yi Jeong being able to
play around with women;
boomerang effect of his
womanizing
- “Ang mga katulad natin, we don’t
deserve true love”; “lagi nalang
natin sasaktan ang babaeng ating
minamahal”
- “standing on my own”
CULTURAL / EXTRA
TEXTUAL CONTENT:
- Jun Pyo’s mistaken
sayings = must be
translated so that they
are nearly a quotation,
171
(extra and
inter-textual
elements)
References to realworld people, places,
events, situations, etc.
Appearance of
products, logos,
brands, etc.
BG Music
OBB
CBB
but he bungles them
with a word that sounds
like the right one
- Soap operas with plots where rich
kids learn to live o their own; Sparta
- Instrumentals
- Songs with Korean lyrics
- Songs with English lyrics
- “Almost Paradise by T-Max”
- Review of previous episode
- 0:35 secs. (excluding review)
- “Because I’m Stupid by SS501”
- Preview of next episode
- 1:19 secs.
Length of Episode
23:31 (including OBB and CBB)
Commercial cuts
- First CM at 06:16
- Second CM at 12:58
- Third CM at 17:22
Programming
schedules
Prime Time (10:00 PM)
Artists
- Korean artists
- Korean singers – for BG music /
OBB / CBB
Others / emerging
- use of TAGLISH
PRODUCTION /
VISUALS:
- English chargen of
cast
- English chargen of
credits
* Episode 52 begins
and ends in the middle
of Episode 18 of the
original series
172
Boys Over Flowers
Episode # 53
Filipino
CONCEPTS
WORDS
CONCEPT
UALIZATION
Filipino
colloquialisms
INDICATORS
Filipino slang: street
jargon, gay lingo,
acronyms, etc.
“Traditional” Filipino:
Terms for respect,
“Old Tagalog”, etc.
Technical / academic
terms, etc.
Terms of reference for
people / family /
friends
Greetings /
expressions
Expressions of calling
attention; love and
affection; hatred and
antagonism
Others / emerging
THEMES
Social Values
Practices of respect
Showing importance
of family, friends,
community
Practices of
VISUAL ELEMENTS,
CHARGEN, OTHER
ELEMENTS
TERMS /
EXPRESSIONS USED
(SUBTITLES):
- po
- “I only ate one
chopstick full because
of you”
- little brother
- Miss Ga Eul
- sunbae
- “SOMEBODY SAVE
ME!”
- unni
- “Sorry” in English
- miss, as in, “yes, miss”
- baliw
- monkey
- nako!
- saklolo! (Jun Pyo panicking
because of a cockroach)
- saying “PO” and similar terms
- Ensuring that someone is safe /
comfortable before leaving them
(Jan Di to Ju Pyo)
- HOSPITALITY – Offering tea to
NOTES FOR
COMPARISON
Similarity / change
compared to original
with subtitles
- Korean writing on
boxes and furniture;
books
173
“Traditional Filipino
Values” such as hard
work, hospitality,
“utang na loob”, etc.
guests
- HARD WORKING – studying well
despite a poor / difficult lifestyle;
coping in whatever way possible
and receiving help from friends
Others / emerging
Social Issues
Poverty and social
inequity
Corruption
Crime and Violence
Others / emerging
Initiating Event
Goal
Plot
Attempt
NARRATIVES
Consequence
Reaction
Setting
Urban / Rural / Others
Ju Pyo and Jan Di are now
neighbors
* Gail is told by her pottery teacher
to tell Yi Jeong about her feelings
Jun Pyo is trying to get close to Jan
Di again
Jan Di is disturbed because she is
trying to study, but she helps Jun
Pyo anyway; Ji Hoo helps Jan Di
study
* Gail tells Yi Jeong the truth
- Jan Di spends time with Ji Hoo
* Yi Jeong rejects gail
- Jan Di and Ji Hoo figure out the
lotur flower puzzle set my Jan Di’s
mysterious teacher / customer
* Jae Kyeong continues to hound
Jun Pyo
Urban – house / apartment; city
streets; pottery studio; library; art
gallery
- ramen
CHARACTERS:
- Jae Keong’s
bodyguard = Chen
174
Characters
(names,
physical
description,
personality,
voice /
delivery)
DISCOURSES
Ideologies /
World-views /
Value
judgments /
Arguments
Main characters /
Heroes / Protagonists
- Geum Jan Di
- Gu Jun Pyo – deathly afraid of
cockroaches; very appropriate and
believable voice
- Yoon Ji Hoo
- So Yi Jeong
- Song Woo Bin
- Gail
Minor Characters /
Others
- Gail’s pottery teacher and Yi
Jeong’s former love – passionate
about pottery
- Jan Di’s mysterious “teacher” /
customer who is really Ji Hoo’s
grandfather – thinks Jan Di is
interesting and smart
Narrative related (plot
/ setting / characterrelated) +
Identity / Ideologyrelated (related to
gender, race, politics,
society, etc.
- ON LOVE – “Natatakot ako.
Malaki ang agwat naming dalawa”;
“Ang pag-ibig ay hindi pinipigilan”
- “Kung hindi mo gustong magsisi,
kailangan maging matapang ka,
Gail”
- Only You, The
Wedding and May
Bukas Pa ads after
the first commercial
- “Exhibit closed for
today” sign in Korean
with English subtitles
Others / emerging
EXTRATEXTUAL
CONTEXTS
Elements with
aspects of
meaning
arising from
outside the
narrative text
(extra and
inter-textual
elements)
Plot / setting /
character-related
(names, positions,
voice, manner of
delivery and
emphasis, and others
/ emerging elements)
References to realworld people, places,
events, situations, etc.
- Proverbs involving lotuses
blooming in mud – lotuses make
the world beautiful and fragrant,
even while it grows in mud
- Art gallery with real art works
- Vancouver
CULTURAL / EXTRA
TEXTUAL CONTENT:
- subtitles of the books
Jan Di checks out,
“Henri Matisse”
PRODUCTION /
VISUALS:
175
Appearance of
products, logos,
brands, etc.
BG Music
OBB
CBB
- Instrumentals
- Songs with Korean lyrics
- Songs with English lyrics
- “Almost Paradise by T-Max”
- Review of previous episode
- 35 secs. (excluding review)
- “Because I’m Stupid by SS501”
- Preview of next episode
- 1:19 secs.
Length of Episode
23:33 (including OBB and CBB)
Commercial cuts
- First CM at 5:22
- Second CM at 11:25
- Third CM at 15:18
Programming
schedules
Prime Time (10:00 PM)
Artists
- Korean artists
- Korean singers – for BG music /
OBB / CBB
Others / emerging
- use of TAGLISH
*Episode 53 local starts
in the middle of Episode
18 original and ends as
Episode 18 ends as well
- English chargen of
cast
- English chargen of
credits
- Marquee at the
beginning of the scene
with Ga Eul and her
pottery teacher
176
Boys Over Flowers
Episode # 54
Filipino
CONCEPTS
CONCEPT
UALIZATION
INDICATORS
Filipino slang: street
jargon, gay lingo,
acronyms, etc.
“Traditional” Filipino:
Terms for respect,
“Old Tagalog”, etc.
Technical / academic
terms, etc.
WORDS
Filipino
colloquialisms
Terms of reference
for people / family /
friends
VISUAL ELEMENTS,
CHARGEN, OTHER
ELEMENTS
- “bagay kayong dalawa”
- po
TERMS /
EXPRESSIONS USED
(SUBTITLES):
- sir
- mommy
- iha
- grandpa
- apo
- Maruja and Tayong
Dalawa ads after the
second commercial
- “Thank you Doctor”
note in Korean with
English subtitles and
other posters around
the clinic
- “masyado kang malupit sa kanya”
- “hate ko talaga ang mga
sinungaling”
- “malakaing kalokohan naman
ang gusto mong mangyari”
- “I’m sorry”; “Akong dapat sisihin”
- “Siguro sinumpa mo ako”
- Tayong Dalawa and
The Wedding ads
after the third
commercial
Greetings /
expressions
Expressions of calling
attention; love and
affection; hatred and
antagonism
NOTES FOR
COMPARISON
Similarity / change
compared to original
with subtitles
- sir
-mother
- sunbae
- “you crossed the line,
son”
- brother
- grandfather
- “the sir”
- dongseng
- “let’s go!” in English
- “the chld”
177
Others / emerging
Social Values
THEMES
Social Issues
Practices of respect
Showing importance
of family, friends,
community
Practices of
“Traditional Filipino
Values” such as hard
work, hospitality,
“utang na loob”, etc.
Others / emerging
Poverty and social
inequity
Corruption
Crime and Violence
Others / emerging
Initiating Event
NARRATIVES
Plot
Goal
- “Huwag niyo na akong matatawag
na apo”
- “Wala ‘tong anuman”
- “Sira ang controller. Hindi ka
nanalo.”
- saying “PO” and similar terms
- “Excuse me, sir” – being
respectful even under pressure ad
embarrassment
- Offering friends to come in and
have tea
- drinking and using other people to
drown out problems (Yi Jeong to
Gail, trying to remind his father of
his ailing mother)
Jan Di is brought by Ji Hoo to the
clinic
* Jae Kyeong is still trying to get
close to Jun Pyo
Jan Di tries to reconcile grandfather
and grandson (Ji Hoo and the
doctor)
* Jun Pyo loses a bet to Jae
Kyeong and is forced to hang out
with her; she brings him to Jan Di’s
- “you still haven’t seen
the highlight yet” = Gail
meeting Yi Jeong’s
father
178
Attempt
Consequence
Reaction
DISCOURSES
Setting
Urban / Rural / Others
Characters
Main characters /
Heroes / Protagonists
(names,
physical
description,
personality,
voice /
delivery)
Minor Characters /
Others
Ideologies /
World-views /
Value
judgments /
Arguments
Narrative related (plot
/ setting / characterrelated) +
Identity / Ideologyrelated (related to
gender, race, politics,
society, etc.
new place
Ji Hoo recalls painful memories of
his parents’ passing
He cannot forgive his grandfather
for abandoning him for 15 years,
though both men blame themselves
Ji Hoo walks in the rain and gets
sick
Urban – house / apartment; city
streets; bar; restaurant; clinic;
supermarket; cellphone shop
- Geum Jan Di
- Gu Jun Pyo
- Yoon Ji Hoo
- So Yi Jeong
- Song Woo Bin
- Gail
- Jae Kyeong
- Yi Jeong’s father – calm and
amiable, but is actually a
womanizer
- Kang San – likes pizza as
opposed to always eating noodles,
but seems satisfied with lifestyle
- “Like father, like son”
- “Real men don’t tell lies”
- Korean text in the
cemetery
- Korean text all over
the supermarket
- “I guess we can’t fool
our blood”
- “a man must always
keep his word”
Others / emerging
EXTRA-
Elements with
Plot / setting /
CULTURAL / EXTRA
179
TEXTUAL
CONTEXTS
aspects of
meaning
arising from
outside the
narrative text
(extra and
inter-textual
elements)
character-related
(names, positions,
voice, manner of
delivery and
emphasis, and others
/ emerging elements)
References to realworld people, places,
events, situations,
etc.
Appearance of
products, logos,
brands, etc.
BG Music
OBB
CBB
TEXTUAL CONTENT:
- foie gras
PRODUCTION /
VISUALS:
- Videogame and Playstation 3
console
- Instrumentals
- Songs with Korean lyrics
- Songs with English lyrics
- “Almost Paradise by T-Max”
- Review of previous episode
- 0:35 secs. (excluding review)
- “Because I’m Stupid by SS501”
- Preview of next episode
- 1:19 secs.
Length of Episode
22:39 (including OBB and CBB)
Commercial cuts
- First CM at 06:22
- Second CM at 11:01
- Third CM at 16:35
Programming
schedules
Prime Time (10:00 PM)
Artists
- Korean artists
- Korean singers – for BG music /
OBB / CBB
Others / emerging
- use of TAGLISH
* Episode 54 local is
Episode 19 original, and
ends a quarter into
Episode 19
- English chargen of
cast
- English chargen of
credits
180
Boys Over Flowers
Episode # 55
Filipino
CONCEPTS
CONCEPT
UALIZATION
INDICATORS
VISUAL ELEMENTS,
CHARGEN, OTHER
ELEMENTS
NOTES FOR
COMPARISON
Similarity / change
compared to original
with subtitles
Filipino slang: street
jargon, gay lingo,
acronyms, etc.
“Traditional” Filipino:
Terms for respect,
“Old Tagalog”, etc.
WORDS
Filipino
colloquialisms
Technical / academic
terms, etc.
Terms of reference
for people / family /
friends
Greetings /
expressions
Expressions of calling
attention; love and
affection; hatred and
antagonism
Others / emerging
- po
- masarap, sarap
- “Ayaw sumindi”; “Ayaw gumana
ng stove”
TERMS /
EXPRESSIONS USED
(SUBTITLES):
- Madam
- “that child”
- father
- mother
- young master
- “booger-sized room
infested with fleas”
- “I’m like you older
brother or guardian”
- hyungnim
- “Good morning madam”
- “Kamusta kayo dito?”
- “Mabuti naman po”
- “Mahirap pakibagayan ang anak
kong si Ju Pyo”
- “kaya lumayas ako”
- There are some
jumps in the episode
as in the previous one
– maybe a change in
editing or with the CD
copy
181
Social Values
THEMES
Practices of respect
Showing importance
of family, friends,
community
Practices of
“Traditional Filipino
Values” such as hard
work, hospitality,
“utang na loob”, etc.
Others / emerging
Social Issues
Plot
- Sharing one’s wealth to make
others happy (whether or not it is
out of guilt or obligation; Jun Pyo to
Kang San)
Poverty and social
inequity
Corruption
Crime and Violence
Others / emerging
Initiating Event
NARRATIVES
- saying “PO” and similar terms
- Taking care of the sick
- Being worried about friends’
whereabouts and condition
Goal
Attempt
Consequence
Ji Hoo is sick, so Jan Di takes care
of him and makes him food for the
following morning ; Jun Pyo is
worried about Jan Di coming home
late
* Yi Jeong gets home very drunk
Jun Pyo tries to tell her how worried
he is; he attempts to be calm and
nice to her
He buys Kang San the pizza he
wants, and even tries to cook for
himself
* Gail helps Yi Jeong get home
He begins to get comfortable; His
mothers finds out that he is still
- Jun Pyo’s mistake
between Privacy and
Pride is clearer
182
Reaction
Setting
Characters
(names,
physical
description,
personality,
voice /
delivery)
DISCOURSES
Ideologies /
World-views /
Value
judgments /
Arguments
Urban / Rural / Others
hanging around Jan Di
* Yi Jeong tells her a little about
why he “left” his former love
Hi mother wants him back in their
home
Urban – house / apartment; city
streets
Main characters /
Heroes / Protagonists
- Geum Jan Di
- Gu Jun Pyo
- Yoon Ji Hoo
- So Yi Jeong
- Song Woo Bin
- Gail – very concerned with Yi
Jeong
Minor Characters /
Others
- Jae Kyeong
- Kun Pyo’s mother
- Chief Jung
Narrative related (plot
/ setting / characterrelated) +
Identity / Ideologyrelated (related to
gender, race, politics,
society, etc.
- Tiny sacrifices being very difficult
to make by people who grew up
privileged / they might want to help
themselves and be independent but
this is more difficult than it sounds
(As preached by Jan Di to Jun Pyo,
Jun Pyo trying to defend himself)
- The Wedding ad
after the first
commercial; followed
by TV Patrol crawler;
followed also by The
Wedding ad
- “Go for it Kang San!
Help yourself!”
crawler in Korean with
English subtitles and
verbalized in Tagalog
Others / emerging
EXTRATEXTUAL
Elements with
aspects of
Plot / setting /
character-related
- “Kung Pride yun at hindi privacy,
tatanungin ko muna ang English
PRODUCTION /
VISUALS:
183
CONTEXTS
meaning
arising from
outside the
narrative text
(extra and
inter-textual
elements)
(names, positions,
voice, manner of
delivery and
emphasis, and others
/ emerging elements)
References to realworld people, places,
events, situations,
etc.
Appearance of
products, logos,
brands, etc.
BG Music
OBB
CBB
Length of Episode
Commercial cuts
teacher ko!”
* Episode 55 local starts
and ends within
Episode 19 original
- Instrumentals
- Songs with Korean lyrics
- Songs with English lyrics
- “Almost Paradise by T-Max”
- Review of previous episode
- 0:35 secs. (excluding review)
- “Because I’m Stupid by SS501”
- Preview of next episode
- 1:19 secs.
22:39 (start) -- 39:45 (excluding
OBB and CBB)
- First CM at 28:03
- Second CM at 32:48
- Third CM at 39:45
Programming
schedules
Prime Time (10:00 PM)
Artists
- Korean artists
- Korean singers – for BG music /
OBB / CBB
Others / emerging
- use of TAGLISH
- English chargen of
cast
- English chargen of
credits
APPENDIX E
AUDIO VISUAL PRESENTATION (AVP) SCRIPT
AVP Voice Over Script and Shot list
VO: Voice Over (Ana Ecaterina C. Tan)
TRT: 5:00
AUDIO
BGM in, sustain 5 seconds, under for
VIDEO
MONTAGE of Korean writings, Koreaovela
CDs, and related shots
VO: Ang Koreanovela – ang
pinakakinasasabikang panoorin sa TV ng
mga Pinoy. Kahit ano pang edad, kasarian, MONTAGE of Filipinos shots, different
o antas sa buhay, halos lahat na ng mga
people, on the streets, talking, watching
Pilipino ay nanonood ng mga teleseryeng
TV, Koreanovelas, surfing the net, etc.
ito, na nagmula pa sa South Korea.
VO: Ang unang Koreanovela na
ibinrodkast sa Pilipinas ay ang “Endless
Love: Autumn in my Heart” noong 2003.
Sinundan ito ng “Lovers in Paris”, “My
Girl”, “Full House”, at iba’t-iba pang mga
programang drama, comedy, at siyempre,
love story, na inilikha sa Korea, at isinalin
sa Pilipino.
Posters of Koreanovelas
VO: Hanggang sa kasalukuyan, walang
humpay ang pagsubaybay ng mga Pinoy
audiences sa mga Koreanovelas.
Shots of People watching Koreanovelas,
talking, enjoying, with Shots of
Koreanovelas on TV, on the net.
MOS: What is your favorite Koreanovela?
MOS
“Boys Over Flowers” Original dialogue
SFX: Wind
“Boys Over Flowers” scene
Freeze frame with chargen “Ano Daw?”
“Boys Over Flowers” Tagalog Dub
SFX: Cheering
Same “Boys Over Flowers” scene
Freeze frame with chargen “Kilig!!!”
VO: Bakit nga ba baliw na baliw ang mga
Pilipino sa mga Koreanovela? Ano ba
talaga ang meron sa mga Korean drama
series na ito, at tunay nga namang
bentang benta sila sa’ting mga Pinoy?
MONTAGE of Koreanovela shots
185
MOS: What do you like about
Koreanovelas?
MOS
VO: Nakakaiyak? Nakakatawa?
Nakakakilig! Ang sagot, napapaloob sa
sariling nating kulturang Pinoy. Ang mga
Korean drama, Koreano pa nga ba? O,
Pinoy na? Ating usisain ang tunay na
kultura na napaploob sa ating paboritong
mga Koreanovelas.
MONTAGE of Koreanovela shots, with
MONTAGE of Filipinos shots, emphasis on
reaction shots
BGM fade up, sustain for credits, fade
out
Credits
Fade to black