The K-drama industry really needs to do more thorough research when portraying other cultures. I have yet to see…
While I agree wholeheartedly and strongly with you, it's not something to expect from most Korean prods and Koreans in general.
I've worked with Koreans (and mainland Chinese) numerous times, and they almost always see themselves as superior than everyone else, you'll actually get offended when they speak.
But, once you calm down you realise, they think that way because they have far less exposure outside their own because of the language barrier and media.
For example, many Korean clients I've worked with often share the same things: 1. We thought the Philippines is dangerous. Our media always report about crimes and drugs and kidnappings. 2. We thought Filipinos are not techie but you can actually compete with us. 3. We thought the Philippines is very corrupt but it's just like any other country even ours. 4. We thought Filipinos are not approachable or beggars, but you are actually very accommodating and kind. Kinder than us Koreans!
And so on.
The media and their intense hold on traditional culture, as they explained, are the major factors why Koreans have a different view of other countries.
And this is why there was a recent surge in promoting other countries through variety shows, Korea wants to break the stereotypes of old and balance out the news reports.
In fairness to news reports, positive news from abroad rarely sells. I mean, even locally. Positive news are for other shows, not a news show. And Koreans love to watch news. Then the news become the talk of the Nation. Which in turn only makes the negative news abroad even more magnified and often exaggerated.
I am not definding them. It's just… it's going to take them years to change that, and it must come from within.
The Philippines already complained numerous times about how our country is often depicted as the escape paradise for Korean criminals. But pretty much nothing changed. You'll see improvements and then it's back to their stereotype again.
have they filmed this in some existing palace like changdeokgung/gyeongbokgung or everything is reconstructed…
There are a few replicas meant for a more hands-on experience for tourists that prods use regularly.
There are also entire towns as well, and prods can reserve it for filming (thus closing most of the area from tourists on certain days).
Also, usually they use camera tricks to make the place larger than it actually is. They rarely need to close off a large part of the tourist replica set.
Some were originally made as a set but was preserved by the land owner and turned into a tourist hands-on experience. Occasionally, prods film there.
Of course, they also film in actual historical places. But of course, it's more expensive and stricter.
It appears that there will be many. I guess the E01 competition was a hint. I actually thought it was only an intro but looks like they were setting our expectations.
You have to approach this from the writer's perspective otherwise you'll be disappointed.It is not about the ML…
I am not saying it is perfect. In fact, if you check my review https://kisskh.at/profile/YourOnlyOne/review/491522 I mentioned how they missed a lot of opportunities to tell an even more deeper story within the context of "Love is esquire".
The message and moral lesson is there but they didn't pushed it or explored it deeper. They were on the right track.
It feels like it was meant for a 16-episode series but due to constraints (budget, scheduling, something else) they had to cut it down. This is typical of live-action productions originally written with a set number of episodes and was suddenly asked to cut it down while they were already filming, or threatened it will only be green lit if it's shorter. It's not easy to shorten a story you already outlined. The flow is there and suddenly you have to make it shorter.
It's only Amazon Prime which titled it to Confidence Queen. The original title in Korean if properly translated…
Haha yep!
When it makes more sense to use a different title in another language, OTT services don't. But when it doesn't make sense, they do. OTT services are illogical. Hahahaha
Another is, when the original production already provided an official English title, OTT services often still changes it, and then everyone else use that "unofficial" English title as base for another translation instead of the official one. 😅
Of course, in fairness, sometimes translators make a better title and it gets adopted and used a lot in Korean, too.
Maybe there's a competition on who can make up most viral title? 😜😁
My theory is:There's a group of geniupaths who kidnaps children who are geniupaths as well. They find their particular…
There is actually at least one such similar group in-real-life. The group is benevolent, but their methods and systems were used for crimes in fictional dramas/series.
The idea, they only search for genius people. If you pass their extreme tests, you become a member of a secretive organization who tackles certain hard world problems and see if the group can contribute on providing solutions to it.
There are other similar groups, but I only participated in one. I passed multiple tests until I reached a roadblock. 🤣 One such group, there were leakers. LOL.
So, my theory is that those masked kidnappers were probably just another fictionalized version of such benevolent real-life groups who are only looking for geniupaths. 🤪 After all, a benevolent group wouldn't be interesting in storytelling, it's better to make them a crime syndicate.
someone explain the last 10 mintues, is yi rang after gu ho??? like what's that flashback about??? The hide and…
My theory is:
There's a group of geniupaths who kidnaps children who are geniupaths as well. They find their particular skillset and hone it.
The FL appears to have escaped and is on the revenge mode.
The FL remembers who were the other kids and is forming her own group. Fail that, she will take down those other kids if they are "bad" or still doing the goals of that group.
Meanwhile, that group is probably behind some of the best crimes in world. Some of her targets were probably their clients once. For example, Mr. 50 billion won was probably connected to that group one way or another, as well as to GuHo.
Or, that group probably dissolved, lost its way, or was taken over.
btw. its called "confidence queen", in the intro on German prime its called "confidence men" and…
It's only Amazon Prime which titled it to Confidence Queen. The original title in Korean if properly translated is «Confidence Men KR» or «Confidence Man» as shown in the official title card. Western OTT tend to create titles very different from the original title.
The few Filipino lines were also perfect. It wasn't just perfect, it's the correct way we say it. In some foreign…
Anyway, I'm just surprised with the clean scenes. This is the first time I actually saw a foreign prod maintain their style of filming and level of quality. Usually, the local prod and authorities demand so many things, foreign prods have to settle with local style, quality, and whatever sh*t they demand (inserting their families as extras, making some local actor have a dialogue, and all those "we need some creative control demands).
I'm sorry, but it's true, and I hate that "X deal" system. It's that very system that has kept Philippine prods stuck in the 90s style and quality. Too many people and authorities you need to appease.
The few Filipino lines were also perfect. It wasn't just perfect, it's the correct way we say it. In some foreign…
Those airport scenes were something. It is not easy to film clean scenes in Philippine airports, especially not during daytime. It tells you the local prod they hired knew how and what to do.
And if the outdoor night street food scenes is a tell, they filmed around October to December with all those Christmas lights. Which means airports are very busy, and street night life are jam-packed.
PMY filming in the Philippines? She has a huge fanbase here. It wouldn't be easy to film those clean shots, it's going to be stressful.
I'm not saying Filipinos are like Koreans, far from it. If it's business, fans do flock. If it is personal, only a few arses are rude, the majority keeps their distance. Filming is business, so yeah, expect fans to flock.
The few Filipino lines were also perfect. It wasn't just perfect, it's the correct way we say it. In some foreign…
Wnoever they partnered with in the Philippines, they should work with them again. Same crew. They know what to do to make it authentic. And they know how to film clean scenes.
Wow. They actually filmed in the Philippines, and what's new is that the shots are clean.Usully foreign prods…
The few Filipino lines were also perfect. It wasn't just perfect, it's the correct way we say it. In some foreign prods, they just translate without actually considering the nuances and context and how it should be delivered, which makes it weird.
But here, the pronunciation were good and the proper words and delivery were very local. So, there's no doubt a local prod was involved, and not just local, high quality local prod who aims for accuracy. Someone who deserves a pay raise for paying attention to the things usually ignored.
Wow. They actually filmed in the Philippines, and what's new is that the shots are clean.
Usully foreign prods partner with local prods to make things cheaper and help them with local laws and practices, which usually end up getting local-quality scenes, extras, dialogues, and unnecessary local actors. The usual complexities shooting abroad.
But this one, none of it. It was as if they brought all their tech and prod crew in the Philippines, including extras, and blocked off a 5 km radius or forced everyone to sign an NDA.
I can't tell if a local prod was involved in any part of the Philippine scenes.
Unless, there is now a Philippine-based Korean prod company that's why they can maintain Korean-quality shoots?
"Esquire" is used here in the context of young lawyers who are still learning the ropes. It is similar to old English "squire" (there's an etymology connection there).
"Love is esquire" means that love is an endless process of learning, just like an esquire must always learn to become better lawyers. (Or a squire to become a knight.)
No matter what form love takes, «love is esquire».
1 
I've worked with Koreans (and mainland Chinese) numerous times, and they almost always see themselves as superior than everyone else, you'll actually get offended when they speak.
But, once you calm down you realise, they think that way because they have far less exposure outside their own because of the language barrier and media.
For example, many Korean clients I've worked with often share the same things:
1. We thought the Philippines is dangerous. Our media always report about crimes and drugs and kidnappings.
2. We thought Filipinos are not techie but you can actually compete with us.
3. We thought the Philippines is very corrupt but it's just like any other country even ours.
4. We thought Filipinos are not approachable or beggars, but you are actually very accommodating and kind. Kinder than us Koreans!
And so on.
The media and their intense hold on traditional culture, as they explained, are the major factors why Koreans have a different view of other countries.
And this is why there was a recent surge in promoting other countries through variety shows, Korea wants to break the stereotypes of old and balance out the news reports.
In fairness to news reports, positive news from abroad rarely sells. I mean, even locally. Positive news are for other shows, not a news show. And Koreans love to watch news. Then the news become the talk of the Nation. Which in turn only makes the negative news abroad even more magnified and often exaggerated.
I am not definding them. It's just… it's going to take them years to change that, and it must come from within.
The Philippines already complained numerous times about how our country is often depicted as the escape paradise for Korean criminals. But pretty much nothing changed. You'll see improvements and then it's back to their stereotype again.
There are also entire towns as well, and prods can reserve it for filming (thus closing most of the area from tourists on certain days).
Also, usually they use camera tricks to make the place larger than it actually is. They rarely need to close off a large part of the tourist replica set.
Some were originally made as a set but was preserved by the land owner and turned into a tourist hands-on experience. Occasionally, prods film there.
Of course, they also film in actual historical places. But of course, it's more expensive and stricter.
It appears that there will be many. I guess the E01 competition was a hint. I actually thought it was only an intro but looks like they were setting our expectations.
The message and moral lesson is there but they didn't pushed it or explored it deeper. They were on the right track.
It feels like it was meant for a 16-episode series but due to constraints (budget, scheduling, something else) they had to cut it down. This is typical of live-action productions originally written with a set number of episodes and was suddenly asked to cut it down while they were already filming, or threatened it will only be green lit if it's shorter. It's not easy to shorten a story you already outlined. The flow is there and suddenly you have to make it shorter.
At least that's my suspicion.
It is not about the ML and FL having a romantic relationship or kissing or falling in love.
1. The FL analysed it for the viewers in the finale episode.
2. The ML poetically summarised what she said into: "Love is esquire".
See: https://kisskh.at/780258-esquire#comment-23381472
When it makes more sense to use a different title in another language, OTT services don't. But when it doesn't make sense, they do. OTT services are illogical. Hahahaha
Another is, when the original production already provided an official English title, OTT services often still changes it, and then everyone else use that "unofficial" English title as base for another translation instead of the official one. 😅
Of course, in fairness, sometimes translators make a better title and it gets adopted and used a lot in Korean, too.
Maybe there's a competition on who can make up most viral title? 😜😁
The idea, they only search for genius people. If you pass their extreme tests, you become a member of a secretive organization who tackles certain hard world problems and see if the group can contribute on providing solutions to it.
There are other similar groups, but I only participated in one. I passed multiple tests until I reached a roadblock. 🤣 One such group, there were leakers. LOL.
So, my theory is that those masked kidnappers were probably just another fictionalized version of such benevolent real-life groups who are only looking for geniupaths. 🤪 After all, a benevolent group wouldn't be interesting in storytelling, it's better to make them a crime syndicate.
There's a group of geniupaths who kidnaps children who are geniupaths as well. They find their particular skillset and hone it.
The FL appears to have escaped and is on the revenge mode.
The FL remembers who were the other kids and is forming her own group. Fail that, she will take down those other kids if they are "bad" or still doing the goals of that group.
Meanwhile, that group is probably behind some of the best crimes in world. Some of her targets were probably their clients once. For example, Mr. 50 billion won was probably connected to that group one way or another, as well as to GuHo.
Or, that group probably dissolved, lost its way, or was taken over.
I'm sorry, but it's true, and I hate that "X deal" system. It's that very system that has kept Philippine prods stuck in the 90s style and quality. Too many people and authorities you need to appease.
And if the outdoor night street food scenes is a tell, they filmed around October to December with all those Christmas lights. Which means airports are very busy, and street night life are jam-packed.
PMY filming in the Philippines? She has a huge fanbase here. It wouldn't be easy to film those clean shots, it's going to be stressful.
I'm not saying Filipinos are like Koreans, far from it. If it's business, fans do flock. If it is personal, only a few arses are rude, the majority keeps their distance. Filming is business, so yeah, expect fans to flock.
But here, the pronunciation were good and the proper words and delivery were very local. So, there's no doubt a local prod was involved, and not just local, high quality local prod who aims for accuracy. Someone who deserves a pay raise for paying attention to the things usually ignored.
Usully foreign prods partner with local prods to make things cheaper and help them with local laws and practices, which usually end up getting local-quality scenes, extras, dialogues, and unnecessary local actors. The usual complexities shooting abroad.
But this one, none of it. It was as if they brought all their tech and prod crew in the Philippines, including extras, and blocked off a 5 km radius or forced everyone to sign an NDA.
I can't tell if a local prod was involved in any part of the Philippine scenes.
Unless, there is now a Philippine-based Korean prod company that's why they can maintain Korean-quality shoots?
ML: For me, love is
*Then title card showed up: Esquire*
Me: Ooh, that's a tricky way to summarize it. Esquire, esquire, dear writer, what are you thinking, what are you trying to tell us.
20 minutes later
Me: Ahh! This is it! The process. The moral lesson in each episode. The analysis of the FL were pointing to it. The ML simply summarized it.
Me: Really poetic, dear writer.
---
It just suddenly made sense.
«Love is esquire»
"Esquire" is used here in the context of young lawyers who are still learning the ropes. It is similar to old English "squire" (there's an etymology connection there).
"Love is esquire" means that love is an endless process of learning, just like an esquire must always learn to become better lawyers. (Or a squire to become a knight.)
No matter what form love takes, «love is esquire».