One-way ticket to disaster?

I was lounging at my couch, watching the Voltes V Movie in GMA (I know there’s better programming out there but I was feeling nostalgic for a while and getting a kick out of the deep Filipino words that the dubbers were using) and I got the chance to finally see the teaser for Hana Kimi (which was a great Japanese drama, and weirdly enough I wasn’t feeling proprietary and was glad that the drama will be shared to the rest of the country)… so there I was, minding my own business on Black Saturday…

then out came this teaser on how GMA was successful in producing a Tagalized (Pinoy-ed?) version of a Mexican drama (ahem, if you’ve been living under a rock, it’s MariMar), and how it’s going to undergo another feat…

then I heard the all-too familiar beat of the catchy song by Clazziquai and I had this “wtf?!?” expression on my face afterward when I digested the message…GMA is doing an adaptation of My Name is Kim Sam Soon?!?! (another wtf?!? might be in order)…

okay, though the drama admittedly got huge ratings in Korea and I deduced for GMA itself, I’m skeptical about this undertaking, but I guess would not fault GMA for re-doing a tried and tested formula. But shit, I might sound like a purist drama addict, but can’t the butchering of Asian dramas stop at poor dubbing? Why do an adaptation? Can’t the writers think of material that could be patterned after Asian drama plots but not actually adapting them?

If there’s one thing that the teaser was effective in is it definitely piqued my curiosity, and I spent the past few hours trying to think who the cast will be (coz I think finding a Kapuso actress to fit Kim Sun Ah would take most out of their time). I can’t think of a fitting Sam Soon right now, much less do Hyun Bin, but what the hell. I was thinking that Heart Evangelista looks like and could pull off doing Ryeo Won’s character, but fat chance of THAT happening, hehe. And the biggest question of all, WHO WOULD PLAY DANIEL HENNEY?!?! Seriously?!?! (I was thinking Marc Nelson might do the job well, don’t know much of his acting ability but Daniel Henney himself wasn’t much of an actor when he did KSS)

oh well, as of now, I’m still willing to keep an open mind and watch the drama even if just for the chance to further criticize it. KSS is not in my top Korean drama list, but I’ve raved about it before and after that. I just have to look at the bright side…at least they didn’t pick Full House (although could GMA afford it? Hehe), or better yet, do a Meteor Garden remake.

I don’t know if GMA is joining the bandwagon of adapting other country’s dramas, which is what Taiwan, Japan, and Korea are doing… and I honestly don’t think we can compete equally. I was re-watching Dal Ja’s Spring ironically the other day and was wondering why Filipino dramas are not trying the modern drama formula, and less of the fantasy or the tearjerkers that’s been there. Maybe it’s not our niche? Either way, I’m happy with watching my dramas online.

Anyway, I wish good luck to GMA in this, as I’m more of a Kapuso than a Kapamilya as of now. And the network is enlisting good Asian dramas so far (although I have no idea why they would include Witch Yoo Hee to that roster (saw the teaser also that day), I just hope they air it in the afternoon, hehehe). I even fantasized on being a researcher for GMA program development in this aspect. C’mon GMA, you get an Asian drama aficionado and economist rolled into one, what more can you ask for? Hehehe