11/6 Gag men with fame! (Let's talk about comedy)

[Dean]

Gag men with fame!  

A trio of comedians from the SBS comedy program "People Who Search for Laughs" is cracking up Korean audiences with its zany "Silmido" parody act. "Gagmen" Chang Jae-young, 27, Jong Young-kuk, 26, and Lee Woo-je, 25, have gained fame as oddball characters on the popular show.
Chang is "Burberry," a "flasher" who sports a trench coat of the same brand; Jong is "The Monk," a reference to his signature shaved head; while Lee defiantly has no nickname, and prefers it that way.
Older generations of Koreans are not accustomed to laughing at TV comedy skits - a genre geared to younger viewers. But just as fashion makes quick changes in this trend-conscious nation, comedians are fighting to keep in touch with "what`s funny." Studying for 12 hours a day, coupled with the stress of university entrance exams, will have drastic effects on one`s sense of humor.
"In the old days, comedy was delivered in stories told by comedians, but now, if you can`t make them laugh within 10 seconds, they won`t crack a smile. Nowadays, young people are simpler. ... They don`t want to think," Chang said in an interview with The Korea Herald.
"Just five years ago, comedy was delivered in story lines with a little bit of drama and some humor mixed in - but now, people are impatient! We have to deliver laughs, one after the other without breaks," Jong added.
"I feel like we are basically changing and adapting our own styles to suit our audiences," Lee commented.
"Death is easy, but comedy is hard," or so the proverb goes. Every week is a test for this threesome, with major TV stations offering few guarantees to comedians who score low on the laugh-o-meter. Even with an average of five years of experience, the pressure mounts when this trio is brainstorming for its next act.
"We argue a lot, because we all have different styles: Jae-young likes slapstick, Young-kuk likes more verbal comedy and Woo-je likes showy comedy. We always strike a balance among these styles," said Chang, "We could fight for up to six hours before getting our sequences together," Jong smiled.

By Krista Kim (kristakim@heraldm.com 2004. 4)



--- Essay Homework (Optional) ----

Write 50 words minimum, giving your opinion of Comedy.
Use the questions below to help you.

and Present.



---- Discussion Questions ---------


1. Who is the funniest person you know? Why is he/she funny?

2. Who is the funniest comedian on TV or in the movies?

3. Do you consider yourself funny? Are you good at telling jokes?
How often do you make jokes?

4. Do you know any good jokes? Do you know any bad jokes? Tell us.

5. Tell us a funny story...

6. What is the funniest movie you have seen?

7. What is the funniest program on TV?

8. What is the funniest animal? Why?

9. What do you think of American comedy? Is it better than Korean?
How is it different?

10. Do you find other peoples misfortunes funny? People falling over, bad luck etc?

[Dean]

오늘 모임 없나요? 왜 아직 토픽이 안올라와있죠 그냥 제가 올렸심다 아무거나...

[Clair]

앗...바로 밑에 가은이가 이번주 타픽 올려 놓았는데...;;;(삐질..)

[Clair]

괜안아~ 그럼 우리 이거이 담주 타픽으로 쓰자~ㅎㅎ 앗~싸+_+

[Clark]

이거 해봤는데 생각보다 준비 안해오면 말할거리 많이 없어요. 다들 재밌는 얘기나 위에 에세이 숙제 해오시길~! ^^

[바비밀크]

재미 있겠는데..