Television

So, I was fortunate enough to have an (albeit inferior) TV in my apartment. However, my viewing selections are limited by my lack of Korean skills. Though I'd like to watch the news to find out what's happening on the peninsula, I usually end up watching the following:

EBS
I think "Educational Broadcast Station" or something like that. Basically, if they're teaching English, I watch them teach English. Pathetic, but its the most advanced Korean program I can understand. Any words I don't catch are usually translated in the story they're explaining, so I usually walk away having learned a little something. There's a lot of repetition too, so I get practice. EBS also provides entertainment value, as I get to laugh at the failed TV actors who came over here to read dialogue scripts.

Of course, I have to watch people like this guy...

M-net
This is the Korean MTV. That's right. Option 2 is K-Pop. Its just that they use the same words over and over again. I can actually comprehend most of whats going on. The downside is its K-Pop. For example: the conspicuously homosexual, Michael Jackson wannabe WheeSung:

or the plastic surgery binging "Girl's Generation":


At the very least, this channel keeps me current with what the kids are asking me in class. Everyday it's "Teacher! You know Wonder Girls (Wunduh Gulj)? Teacher! You know Big Bang (Beak Beng)?"

Tooniverse
The Korean Cartoon Network known as Tooniverse serves two primary functions. The first is a morning function. For all the stay at home toddlers and white guys who work nights, Tooniverse offers a variety of educational baby shows. This is the level of Korean I can speak fluently. Sesame Street. So depressing.

The second function is an exhausted, after work one. Every night from 11-1, Tooniverse airs 4 episodes of subtitled The Simpsons. In beautiful, beautiful English. Thank you Matt Groener for preserving my sanity.