The other 19%, however, apparently use the casting couch:
A recent survey of entertainers found that one out of five actresses was forced to provide sexual entertainment to influential figures or witnessed their colleagues forced to do so.
This indicates the late actress Jang Ja-yeon, who committed suicide in March because of her coerced involvement in “casting couch” favors ㅡ a situation in which actresses are forced or expected to have sex with influential figures in order to get work in films or on TV ㅡ was not an isolated victim in the entertainment industry.
Of course, only 183 of the nearly 2,000 entertainers who were asked to take part in the survey responded.
One wonders what the numbers would look like in Hollywood, though.
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“A recent survey of entertainers found that one out of five actresses was forced to provide sexual entertainment to influential figures or witnessed their colleagues forced to do so.”
Actually, 1 out of 5 of the ones who accepted to participate in the survey claim it happened. The real number can be higher (or lower).
This is the kind of poll question that I’m very confident every young Korean actress will answer with the utmost honesty:
“Did you open your legs on the casting couch to get this far in your entertainment career?”
“One wonders what the numbers would look like in Hollywood, though.”
http://www.starpulse.com/news/.....directors_.
The above link doesn’t work.
http://www.google.com/#hl=en&a.....2LdvTVQwLA
Saying that “19% use the casting couch” as a means of advancement is a little insensitive and downplays the ugliness inherent in this quid pro quo exchange…might I suggest that “19% have no choice but to submit to what is essentially rape” is a better choice of wording?
(a.k.a. Extra! Korea)
In my blog post on the same topic, the Hankyoreh used the word “urged” while the Korea Times, the same paper that Mr. Koehler cited, used the word “forced.”
I think it’s misleading, perhaps even a little irresponsible, for Mr. Koehler to use the term “casting couch,” which suggest something wholly voluntary.
(a.k.a. Extra! Korea)
I forgot to add this quote to my previous post:
“Providing personal entertainment for somebody” may refer to being forced to served alcoholic drinks, which is something that Jang Ja-yeon mentioned in her famous “list”/suicide note.
(a.k.a. Extra! Korea)
(Forgot to add this to my previous posts, too. Argh! Sorry.)
If you read both of the articles that I cited, it suggests that:
a. The number of actresses that make it on sheer talent alone may be far fewer than the 81% that Mr. Koehler states. And
b. The survey may not refer only to actresses, but also to other kinds of female entertainers (e.g. singers) or perhaps even to entertainers of both sexes. In addition to sexual coercion, the survey also mentions monetary bribery.
Sorry… can’t buy the “essentially rape” part. And what does 강요 in this case mean, anyway?
This ’survey’ suffers from extreme non-response bais and self-selection bias and doesn’t belong in a reputable newspaper, let alone as headline. While sexual coersion undoubtedly exists in the entertainment industry, these numbers are meaningless. Yes the figure could be as high (or higher than) 19%, but it could also be as low as 1.7%.
A mere 9.15% response rate indicates a heavy self-selection bias. These are the actresses that had something to say about the issue. In light of this low respose rate, 19% actually seems rather low.
Also, I’d have to agree with Mr. Koehler about the ‘essentially rape’ charge. The question I found from Yonhap asked about “성 상납 요구” which should be translated as ‘demands for sexual quid pro quo.’ While ‘요구 (demand)’ is power-indicative, a ‘demand’ for sex does not constitute rape per se. In other publications, I noticed the term ‘성 상남 강요’ brandied about, but even then it would be ‘forcible demand for quid pro quo sex.’ Linguistically speaking 강요≠강제 Forcible demand≠forced action. I would submit that in these publications, the subtle trip from 요구(demand) to 강요(forcible demand) isn’t benign or ethical as it could actually infer rape, where the survey didn’t intend.
No census about the men? My wife pointed out an actor on TV the other day who is rumored to have earned his first roles on the casting couch.
Well, I heard the same rumors about the woman who won the Cannes Film Festival award for 미령 or however it’s spelled. I don’t know the English name.
I’m still waiting for the survey of Korean male entertainers who have had to sleep with the horny and neglected frumpy wives of the rich and powerful to get their shot at the big time.
DLB
I have it from an insider that a sizable percentage of Korean male entertainers are gay. In many cases it’s abundantly obvious to those who have “gaydar.” Unfortunately, few Koreans do.
(a.k.a. Extra! Korea)
My Korean-English dictionary says: enforcement; exactation; extortion; compulsion; –> (verb) exact; demand; force; compel. Add to that the words “urged” and “forced” used by the Hankyoreh and Korea Times, respectively. #10/Brand Confucian put forth “demand” and “forcible demand” as appropriate translations.
Any way you slice it, it’s obvious that we describing something with much more coercion than “the casting couch,” a term which conjures up an image of voluntarily acceptance of an exchange of sex-for-roles. While I accept that the language does not suggest anything like rape, it is nevertheless noteworthy that Jang Ja-yeon’s former manager has admitted to beating her up.
By the way, new rules to protect young entertainers have just been announced.
@ #11/SomeguyinKorea
Please reread my comments at #8.
@ #12/t_song
Jeon Ji-hyun (who stars in Blood: The Last Vampire) is rumored to have been a frequent passenger of the casting couch. (My use of the term “casting couch” denoting that, according to those rumors, she was a willing participant. Not every young actress is Jang Ja-yeon.)
That’s the problem with the Korean-English dictionary, it isn’t so accurate.
Please excuse me while I split a couple of hairs…
After discussing the two terms ad nauseam with my SNU Korean language instructor, I came to the conclusion that 강요 = forcible demand, as in, the person demanding is doing so strongly. If 강요 meant, ‘enforcement’ as some Korean-English dictionaries claim (at least two I consulted), then the term 성 상납 강요 would be ‘forced quid pro quo sex,’ which is stupid, as any forced sex is not tantamount to rape, but is rape. And indeed that was how I first saw the phrase – as poorly written.
But my Korean language instructor at SNU told me that 강요 isn’t enforcement so much as ‘forcible demand.’ She explained it as강(强)력한 요(要)구. 강(强) is strong and 요(要)is demand. In that case, the term성 상납 강요 would mean ‘forcible demand for quid pro quo sex’ not ‘forced quid pro quo sex.’ The difference is subtle but obviously important. And my instructor assured me that the term was not meant to imply rape. I asked 3 other Koreans and they gave me the same reaction 강요≠강제. And the sex, while demanded, was at least physically voluntary.
Oh, and as I mentioned before, the original term from the survey was 요구, and I think that the gratuitous use of 강요 is ethically questionable. Again, it may seem like hair splitting…but I like to be a stickler on language use, particularly when it comes to felonies
Korean entertainment industry is run by mob.
Someday Korean D.A.s should look into this. However, ever since military rule ended, mobs have come out of woodworks to claim all entertainment industry; prostitution, gambling, theaters, singers and actors.
Very similar to the U.S.
(a.k.a. Extra! Korea)
@ #17/brand confucian
I didn’t notice your mention of the term 요구 in your previous post. Sorry for my inattentiveness.
My imperfect Korean-English dictionary suggests that 요구 is less forceful than 강요 but not still not voluntary. As you said, it’s like “demanded” vs. “forced.” I agree with you.
And I don’t mind your linguistic hair-splitting at all, since you’re trying to find the truth, as opposed to covering it up.
A: Mr. Clinton, were you in the White House at that time?
B: What do you mean by “in”? By “in” do you mean, “Were you in the walls?” If you put it that way, then no, I was not “in” the White House at the time.
@#19/Artful Dodger
Again, I read it as not “demanded” vs. “Forced,” – which would indicate rape, but “demanded” vs. “forcibly demanded.” But I won’t harp on this string any longer. The Clinton bit is funny. Nice conversing with you
OK, when I asked, “What the hell does 강요 mean in this case,” I didn’t mean to spark a linguistic discussion.
I get 강요ed to do things all the time. Well, I think it’s 강요 — the requestee probably thinks its a reasonable request. And I 강요 my junior writers from time to time — well, they think its 강요, anyway. What we’re talking about here is management company director X telling actress Y that if she wants to continue getting good parts, she better attend party Z and sleep with Mr. U. Or director A expecting actress B to put out if she wants a role.
강요 seems to be “forced into.” In English that makes sense.
@brand
Your extremely descriptive breakdown of 강요 makes me proud to be a former SNU language student. You obviously are a million times better than myself. What level are you studying? I bet we had some of the same teachers. SNU is by far the hardest language school in Korea (that’s the excuse I use when i try to explain why i got the poor marks i did…haha)
There is a cultural difference here. For Koreans, being forced is a continuum, from being actually forced to do something by the threat of violence, to actually doing something for their own benefit – being ‘forced’ by circumstances. Anyway, you tend to hear stuff like “왜 강요해요?” from Koreans all the time when you make them some sort of conditional offer dependent on them taking some sort of action. “강요 아니라 조건이죠”. Anyway, the key here is that the idea of force is a continuum, ranging from true violent force, simple coercion or persuasion, to taking actions that one might not want to, but does for one’s own benefit.
Mizar @14,
The entertainer I was referring to is rumored to have slept his way to the top with men.
The difference between A and B list entertainers who’ve used sex to advance their careers? A ’sponsorship’ deal with a very wealthy and influential partner.
Baduk @18,
“Korean entertainment industry is run by mob. ”
Just like anywhere else, some of the venues where entertainers perform are owned by the mob, which is why it’s not rare for entertainers to perform at the weddings of high-ranking mobsters. It makes good business sense for the entertainers to do so.
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