question to irani friends about korean drama

[bobjones2]

hey guys,

i was reading korean newspaper that a korean TV drama called "Jewel in the Palace" (Daejangeum) is popular in Iran. I just wanted to see if this is true or the paper was lying. anyone over their whose mom watch this drama?

I'm just curious what the Irani take on a Korean historical drama is like. Aside from Korean and Iran having a lot of conservative people, culture is so different, I wonder what they think about it.

anyway, thanx for readin'.

[Mani]

Never seen a Korean drama on Iranian TVs, Japanese TV serials have always been very popular in Iran though.

[bobjones2]

hey Mani, i'm just curious what kind of Japanese stuff are popular in Iran.

is is old stuff like Oshin? Or trendy dramas for teeny bopper girls? those samurai historical stuff? just curious. I'm just curious what Iranians think of japan as a result.

I remember when i was a kid watching american stuff and thinking stuff like,"wow, they are rich/advanced" or "wow, kids are spoiled".

Do Iranians watch arab stuff and vice versa? Basically, i'm just curious what it's like channel surfing in Iran.

I think in the States, we assume Iranian TV is some mullah reciting verses 24/7. what's it really like over there?

[Mani]

hey Mani, i'm just curious what kind of Japanese stuff are popular in Iran.
All varieties.

is is old stuff like Oshin? Or trendy dramas for teeny bopper girls? those samurai historical stuff? just curious. I'm just curious what Iranians think of japan as a result.
Oshin was really big in Iran twenty years ago, probably the most popular TV series in Iran ever, it was like a cult. But nowadays, most of the Japanese TV series on Iranian TV have modern themes.

Iranians generally love Japan and Japanese culture, and that's mostly because of the strong presence of Japanese popular culture in Iran. Most Iranians grow up watching mostly Iranian and Japanese cartoons and TV programs....
Do Iranians watch arab stuff and vice versa? Basically, i'm just curious what it's like channel surfing in Iran.
No, Iranians don't watch any Arabic TV serials and movies, but some Arabs do watch Iranian TV and movies. That's because 1) Iran's movie indutsry is more reputable and advanced than any Arab country 2) Iran's brodacsting company dubs a lot Iranian TV darams and movies into Arabic, for an Arab audince.
I think in the States, we assume Iranian TV is some mullah reciting verses 24/7. what's it really like over there?
Iran's state broadcasting company has a dozen channels and a wide variety of programing, and they've improved a lot in recent years, because virtually every Iranian owns a satellite dish, so they must compete with their Western counterparts to win an audience. However, they sill don't show any nudity, and as a result censor the Western movies they show.

To see some examples of Iranian programs, here is a typical Iranian talk show (http://blip.tv/file/get/Pulsetvir-BahramRadanInterViewPart1Low649.wmv):

http://persianpride.persiangig.com/image/golzar.jpg

Here is a typical Iranian TV drama:

http://persianpride.persiangig.com/image/madarpayai.jpg

By the way, there is actually a Korean TV series on air in Iran now, titled "Jewel in the Palace". I haven't watched it though.

http://persianpride.persiangig.com/image/javaher.jpg

[bobjones2]

thanx mani! just curious what life is like in Iran since I don't know any Iranis. I met one Irani in my life at college. He said, "I'm persian." Later on, I thought all Iranians were persians, but from internet postings, it seems persian is a subset of Iranian.

Anyway, with a lot of japanese pop culture in iran, do you guys also have a taste in Japanese food like sushi or tonkatsu and stuff like that?

also what's Iranians perception of your immediate neighbors like the central asian countries, iraqis, and pakistanis? I noticed a ton of Iranians saying they like Iraqis which surprised me since the war wasn't so long ago. It seems Iranians wouldn't have much in common with pakistanis.. but i have no idea.

last thing... i was reading National Graphics and it was saying that young generation of Iranians were like youths everywhere---sex drugs rock & roll sort of thing. But since you can't buy beer there, i take it noone drinks? Do kids have any desire to do the Haj?

anyway, thanx for answering me. apprecite you satisfying my curiosity.

I wonder what it's like to live over there. gas prices must be so cheap...

[!Bob]

thanx mani! just curious what life is like in Iran since I don't know any Iranis. I met one Irani in my life at college. He said, "I'm persian." Later on, I thought all Iranians were persians, but from internet postings, it seems persian is a subset of Iranian.
Historically persian was one ethnic group of Iranians, but for quite some time now, the two are the same thing. For various reasons, some prefer to be called Persian while others Iranian. Iranians often say they are Persian to show they are not Arabs and are in fact Aryans.

Anyway, with a lot of japanese pop culture in iran, do you guys also have a taste in Japanese food like sushi or tonkatsu and stuff like that?

Nope. Japanese food isn't that big in Iran and I have not heard of any restaurants serving Japanese food. It's probably because I doubt it would really catch on (raw fish and all).


also what's Iranians perception of your immediate neighbors like the central asian countries, iraqis, and pakistanis? I noticed a ton of Iranians saying they like Iraqis which surprised me since the war wasn't so long ago. It seems Iranians wouldn't have much in common with pakistanis.. but i have no idea.

The majority of Iraqis are Shiites (sub-set of Islam) and that is why they have close ties to Iran. Saddam was Sunni and it was basically minority rule and largely because of threat of Shias, he attacked Iran. Hence Iran has historically not had good relations with countries like Saudi even though both countries are Muslim countries. It gets a bit complicated.

With Pakistan Iran shares very little (other than some similarities in language). There are tribal group on Iran/Pakistan border who are "different" from an Iranian in central Iran, but again, Iran has a very large number of ethnic minorities in every corner. From North to South, East to West, the skin colour, accent, sometimes language, food and clothing change a lot.

last thing... i was reading National Graphics and it was saying that young generation of Iranians were like youths everywhere---sex drugs rock & roll sort of thing. But since you can't buy beer there, i take it noone drinks? Do kids have any desire to do the Haj?
Yep; plenty of those things in big cities and getting alcohol isn't that problematic either; it is just drunk in doors. I vaguely remember someone telling me Iran has the biggest condom producing factory in the Middle-East or even beyond perhaps!

anyway, thanx for answering me. apprecite you satisfying my curiosity.

I wonder what it's like to live over there. gas prices must be so cheap...
If you can, go visit. You will be pleasantly surprised. I haven't seen much of Iran myself but it is difficult to describe an ancient civilisation with a very rich culture in a few short paragraphs.

[bobjones2]

thanks bob.

being korean american and all... i can forsee some problem with visiting iran.

Either Iran might not let me go, or US State Dept. might think i'm selling scud or something.

[Mani]

The closest countries to Iran culturally, historically, and linguistically are Tajikistan and Azerbaijan. Tajiks are essentially Persians who live outside Iran's modern boarders, and 1/3 of Iran's population are ethnically Azerbaijani. There are more Azerbaijanis in Iran than in Azerbaijan itself. Armenia, Iraq, Turkey, Afghanistan, and Uzbekistan are also close/related to Iran or different peoples of Iran.

[Rostam]

Bob,
Continue to do your own research and don't believe everything you hear from the popular media.

This thread is about Iran in pictures, it can give you a prespective of life and standards of living for most Iranians, specially in urban areas.

http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=199709

[bobjones2]

wow. these pictures are excellent. a learning experience.
beautiful country, and man, da ladies are HOT! ahh~~ but i must assume there's sampling bias if they were taken by Iranian tourism ministry. ;) there's no way how a country would only have hot women and no ugly ones. such thing, i cannot believe is possible.

wow, you guys weren't kidding about the 4 season and wide varities of climate! nice kudos.

[Ganahal]

uh oh Irans got problem if their import Kdrama

Old folk like Jewel in Palace but I thught it was bore

[Faran]

Infact Japanese food can be found in Iran and there are Sushi bars, but the sushi is not as good as that you would get in trendy cities in the United States. There is also a great Thai restaurant in Esteghlal hotel where most Western foreigners stay, and Chinese food is pretty popular. Never assume these things don't exist in Iran until you hear that they do, Bob; in Iran you can find everything you can find in the West.

Bob I can tell you (or anybody interested) alot about the life of young people in various parts of Iran. If you like, feel free to pm me for my msn/yahoo. It would be my pleasure. I happen to be very interested in the Korean peninsula, both North and South (and the contrast that exists between the two). I would say Korea is the foreign country I am most interested in, due mostly to the North-South situation

You wouldn't have any problems visiting Iran from the Iranian side. The biggest problem I could concieve would be rudeness from the customs officers back in the states when you return. In Iran white people, especially Americans, recieve VIP treatment. You would as well if they found out you were from the states...you would at any rate being from abroad and a "guest" but especially if you were known to be from a country with false stereotypes that Iranians would want to work to dispell.

Iranian girls are very pretty because they spend alot of time on their physical appearance (guys as well) and in general lead a very healthy life-style up until the last year or two of highschool, when life becomes very stressfull. The sunlight and climate help alot. Don't worry, the ones who do choose to crap on their feminimity and wear the veil and abide completely by the government's regulations are indeed very ugly ;)

Popular activites for young people in Iran are dancing, skiing, rollerskating, football, paintball, martial arts, and counterstrike :D Basketball is a little less popular but it is played. Girls play alot of badminton and volleyball. bowling is also gaining popularity. Robotics is a very popular extracurricular activity among girls and boys. Most Iranian boys in Tehran are hackers. Heroin, alcohol, and ecstasy are unfortunately very widely used :(

In the Enghelab sports complex in Tehran you can find pretty much any sport, even sports that are obscure in Asia, like Lacrosse and American football.

Please don't hesitate to pm me if you'd like to learn a little bit about life and sights in our country. The interest is mutual, and we are always glad to be able to show people that we aren't as we are portrayed in Western media.

How hard would it be to find a bleak and decrepit area of New York City, full of crack addicts, and constantly broadcast sights from that area around the World? Not too hard! Iran has alot of trendy malls and restaurants. They do pretty well for all the economic problems that exist.

take care

PS I have seen Iranian TV showing what appears to be that Korean Serial (same girl). It is dubbed in Persian, not subtitled. Virtually all Iranians have satellite. Young people like to watch MTV and Persian channels from Iran and Dubai the most. "Friends" is also pretty popular.

[!Bob]

As you can see, you will get different answers depending on whom you are talking to. I do disagree with some of what Faran has said and both him and Rostam obviously disagree with parts of what I have said. That is why it is probably best for you to go and visit, and I do agree with Faran there, you won't have too much of a problem with either side should you decide to go and visit.

[bobjones2]

hey faran, thanx for a great post!

i left korea when i was 9, so i can't be too much help when explaining Korea related things. My view of Korea is kinda outdated. I have a tendency to think Korea as being conservative when it changes so fast...

i really appreciate offer for PM. you said that robotics is popular with girls... i didn't really understand.

When I had Iranian food, i thought the food was very similiar with middle eastern and afghanistani food ihad before. But since I only ate it once, could you let me know how it might be different?

what's highschool and college life like over there?

In Korea, back in the day (as late as 1980's) high school teachers would beat the crap out of students for discipline. You can see this in Korean movies. Nowadays, it seems to have disappeared, so it's hard for me to gauge Korea, since it keeps changing on me. When I was growing up in Korea, (early 1980s) there were still decent number of houses without proper plumbing or heating. Things are quite different now. I remember when stuff like American peanut butter, plain butter, bananas were considred luxury import items.

unlike in the United States, Korean college kids seem to have their social life revolve around "clubs". I'm not sure if this is true or not since I only visited korean colleges few times... Another weird thing about korean colleges---since military is mandatory, there are some super-senior looking guys.

What's it like over in Iran? I'd imagine as the rich country of the region, it would attract a lot of immigrants. Especially since there are so many common ethnic groups that reside in neighboring countries.

anyways, again thanx for the answers~~

[Faran]

hey faran, thanx for a great post!

i left korea when i was 9, so i can't be too much help when explaining Korea related things. My view of Korea is kinda outdated. I have a tendency to think Korea as being conservative when it changes so fast...



oh np, I was just saying




i really appreciate offer for PM. you said that robotics is popular with girls... i didn't really understand.

When I had Iranian food, i thought the food was very similiar with middle eastern and afghanistani food ihad before. But since I only ate it once, could you let me know how it might be different?

what's highschool and college life like over there?

In Korea, back in the day (as late as 1980's) high school teachers would beat the crap out of students for discipline. You can see this in Korean movies. Nowadays, it seems to have disappeared, so it's hard for me to gauge Korea, since it keeps changing on me. When I was growing up in Korea, (early 1980s) there were still decent number of houses without proper plumbing or heating. Things are quite different now. I remember when stuff like American peanut butter, plain butter, bananas were considred luxury import items.

unlike in the United States, Korean college kids seem to have their social life revolve around "clubs". I'm not sure if this is true or not since I only visited korean colleges few times... Another weird thing about korean colleges---since military is mandatory, there are some super-senior looking guys.

What's it like over in Iran? I'd imagine as the rich country of the region, it would attract a lot of immigrants. Especially since there are so many common ethnic groups that reside in neighboring countries.

anyways, again thanx for the answers~~



What I meant by the robotics is that highschool and colllege students have alot of extra-curricular activies pertaining to technology and Iran are heavyweights in the robocup competition (where they build robots that play soccer).

Iranian food is very similar to that of neighbors Afghanistan and Iraq. When Iranians go out to eat, they usually eat "chelokabab" which meant white rice (with saffron coloring/flavoring) and kebab-as you probably know meat cooked on a spit. It is served with roast tomatoes.

Otherwise, there are stews, rice dishes, etc...pretty much the works. But to go out, Iranians usually eat pizza or kabab. Pizza in Iran is pretty idiosyncratic, the pizzas are so loaded with toppings you can hardly taste the cheese. It's funny that in Iran cheeseburgers and pizza are considered "high class" since they are originally Western :D

Highschools are seperate for boys and girls, of course. Because of this, social life involves the internet very heavily. Iranian teenagers use social networking sites like orkut, myspace, gazzag, etc. These are routinely filtered by the government and for a while proxy changers can be found but eventually they need to find a new networking site or create one. Right now Xuqa is the one they are using, that is being filtered though. Yahoo 360 is also being used. Just to give you an idea of how it is for them, hehe

Getting into university is all dependent on one exam, just like in Japan, called the konkoor (from the French concours...). It is extremely stressfull and starting in the summer after junior year students basically study for 12 hours a day each day. Only around 9 percent of students pass the exams as spaces in college are limited. For those who don't, there are colleges like the community colleges in the states, but generally failing to get into college means military service for boys (if they also fail the year after-again, most do because it is unbelievably difficult), while girls can keep studying for the concours year after year .

They are planning to scrap this system and model it after better systems like in the states, where GPA and other factors will also be considered-but they have been "planning" to do this for a long, long time.

Teachers could beat up students in the past, but it actually doesn't happen so much anymore. it depends where you go and what school you are talking about. But kids are harassed for dressing "improperly" in schools, or listening to Western music, or socializing with the opposite gender. In the best schools, teachers tend to take it easier.

Unfortunately, students are compared and ranked to eachother in schools. After an exam, everyone knows who the best and worst performers were. It is unfortunate that individuality is not more encouraged in schools.

Iran's oil business is nationalized so companies like exon and mobile don't pour their money into Iran...so the rich countries of the region are Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, etc. Iran doesn't have much immigration except from Afghanistan. For Afghans, Iran is like the US for illegal Mexican immigrants and illegal immigration is a problem in Iran. Afghans are the butt of many jokes but the Iranian people are generally not malicious towards them, or intent on kicking them out, like the so-called "minutemen" of the southern US.

Another reason people from most countries wouldn't immigrate illegally to Iran is the social restrictions. Even the underground raves and parties you'll hear so much about from Iranians wouldn't be so fun for non-Iranians, as the main reason they are fun for us are the fact that we can sympathize with fellow Iranians in those places.

You are most welcome for the answers, I hope I helped a bit :)

[bobjones2]

as always, thanx!

It's funny how Western fast food tend to be "special" dining experience all over. I remember when pizza first came to Korea===in retrospect, it was like eating crackers with ketchup with a sprinkle of mozarella and pepperoni.

What's weird is, for the same price of a Mickey D's value meal in Korea, you can get a fairly kickass Korean meal. For a non-korean, they can get homesick fairly easy especially with food, since Korean food is really different. (even for chinese and japanese people) The big plus about living in Korea is that booze is extremely cheap. It'll be virtually impossible to find drugs however.

[Kamran]

As a person who stayed in Iran for the past 7-8 months... I can tell you that your Korean series is probably one of the most popular series on TV and most households love to watch it... for me though, it is a bit too boring watching a series which is essentially about food and kitchen in a Korean palace with like 100 chicks running around with different names... I would rather spend my time watching some real drama like Sopranos!!

but yeah it is pretty famous in Iran to the extend that ppl throw around the character names in their daily conversations which always gets me to respond with a big "HA?!!"...

[Ganahal]

As a person who stayed in Iran for the past 7-8 months... I can tell you that your Korean series is probably one of the most popular series on TV and most households love to watch it... for me though, it is a bit too boring watching a series which is essentially about food and kitchen in a Korean palace with like 100 chicks running around with different names... I would rather spend my time watching some real drama like Sopranos!!

but yeah it is pretty famous in Iran to the extend that ppl throw around the character names in their daily conversations which always gets me to respond with a big "HA?!!"...

That series is real popular in Japan, China, Tiewan, Philpines, Viets, lotta Arab countrys etc so I'm not surpirse its popular Iran. I agree your opinion that its bore

If you want more fun Kdrama, see this its friggin hilarious

Its call My Name is Kim Sam Soon or My Lovly Kim Sam Soon

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1QpyG3313c

[hanul21]

Full House is a pretty damn good drama series you could watch with your girlfriend. its on youtube with subtitles, and the Korean Media is too stupid to realize that us Yankees are pirating their precious shows.

btw.. Iranian culture has a huge impact on the Middle East. I read this book called "Kite Runner" and I cant remember if it was fact or fiction but Iran was the "Japan" of the Middle East. Lots of Middle Easterns flocked to Tehran around the 1960's to watch the World Cup on TV since most countries didnt even have a television. plus Farsi is basically the English language of the Middle East. they have a pretty rich culture, its just been soo shut down by the media these days because their country is just going through soo much.

[bobjones2]

thanks kami!

so the korean newspaper does tell truth sometimes afterall.

i remember years ago when this show became a hit in Korea. a lot of korean dramas have been doing well around far east countries, southeast asia, and central asia like mongolia. But those were usually teeny bopper trendy crap. I always wondered if people foreigners would understand Korean historical drama. When I read news that the show would go to China/Taiwan/etc, I wondered how they would take it. When I read that it was going to be shown in Japan, I was skeptical it would do well, since Korean culture might be hard to understand. Then I read it was being broadcasted in Egypt. I don't think it's that big over there, but I wondered what Egyptians thought about it.

Now, thanks to you, I know that many Iranians watch it. I know the show is popular mainly, because the main character is a woman overcoming obstacles in a male-dominated society. This sort of story is always popular with the women folks who really controls the remote control. There was a news paper article from China that said that a woman tried to kill herslef because she wanted to watch this show, but her husband wouldn't let her, so he could watch football.

But the thing is, the Iranian food I had is really different from Korean food. Half the show is just cooking contests. I wondered if an Iranian watching this show would be like, "actually that dish look awful." A quarter of the show is about traditional far eastern medicine---I wondered what the Iranians thought about acupuncture... Since Iran is in the middle east and had very advanced medical knowledge in ancient times, I wondered what Iranians thought about ancient chinese medicine.... hmm..

anyway, i will stop bantering.

i appreciate all your replys. it's fun to find out how different people live and think. Same same in many ways and different in many ways too.

P.S. don't be so down about Asian Cup. You have bigger things to worry about in 2010.