[drama 2008] Spotlight 스포트라이트

[Guest cococrust]

ep 11 c-sub

http://www.sendspace.com/file/yfu4go

[elaiine]

Spotlight Episode 11 (TSKS C-subbed)

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=VKNQK3TX

[Guest markho826]

Thanks for the links.

OTS' fashion show Part II (credit: DC)

[Guest shuky]

Thanks for the links.

OTS' fashion show Part II (credit: DC)

Thanks Markho826 for the fashion show!! You know, I will never be able to look at another person with a tie without measuring him against JJH/OTS and you know who is at fault Keep them coming, pal!!!!!

[Guest cococrust]

ep 12 c-sub

http://www.sendspace.com/file/zn75p5

[Guest markho826]

Thanks Markho826 for the fashion show!! You know, I will never be able to look at another person with a tie without measuring him against JJH/OTS and you know who is at fault Keep them coming, pal!!!!!

The 'mosquito' thanks.

credit: DC

[elaiine]

Spotlight Episode 12 (TSKS C-subbed)

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=Y585MDD3

[Guest Akombakom]

Thanks Markho826 for the fashion show!! You know, I will never be able to look at another person with a tie without measuring him against JJH/OTS and you know who is at fault Keep them coming, pal!!!!!

Yes, it's completely true!

He looks like the perfect ideal of a male, like a Barbie man or something.

[Guest shuky]

The 'mosquito' thanks.

credit: DC

Thank you Markho826 once again for your indulgence!!

Episode 11 (based on c-subs, for more translations, pls wait for english translations) SPOILER AHEAD!!!

Deep Report

Objectives:

This would be a weekend, one hour programme akin to CBS' 60 minutes which GBS top management had given a. approval for (previously, it was still at the planning stage). Bureau Chief Mr Moon wanted to use the programme to showcase indepth reporting to counter criticism that TV news often lacked depth.

Content:

a. The programme would be launched in less than a month.

b. To be fronted by a reporter as its focus would be on reporters somewhat like a reporter's notebook, the anchor cum reporter would be picked from social news desk. Mr Ahn suggested OTS as the anchor would need to be someone of certain experience and gravitas to lend weight to the programme. OTS rejected the idea as he hated presenting work. Besides, he would be busy with the day-to-day running of the desk. OTS suggested that the female anchor be picked after going through a series of tests.

c. Each programme would have three to four talking points. As such, senior reporters would be looking for stories with depth, not the normal one and a half minuter in news. (side note: This explained Kim Song Chan's desperate attempts to bribe the police team leader and Mr Hong for leads, leading eventually to the discovery of illegal mobile gas station to beat the recent price hikes. As a front, the mobile gas stations were purportedly touting adults goods.)

Why go through another round of testing when SWJ was the obvious choice since she was the only candidate from social news left standing from the anchor audition?

Mr Ahn explained that there was the question of seniority within the ranks and OTS added that when the President personally recommended and endorsed SWJ previously, it caused a lot of unhappiness in the newsroom. If the candidates were to go through the competition and the best person won, no one would question her abilities and credibilities, giving her respect and recognition for her strength. Besides, another round of competition was necessary as previously, they were looking for news anchors who relied on prepared and scripted news. The new programme would require someone who could do commentary on the stories, an all-round, true blue anchor. Yi Seok Chan (a.k.a Chae Rim's brother, sorry....not sure of the spelling) quipped that in that case, they would be looking for someone with at least ten years of experience. Mr Ahn said that was not the case as they were looking for fresh faces. CME and SWJ were ordered to participate in the selection.

After watching episode 11 with c-subs, it still didn't work for me. It came across as trying too hard to justify why the viewers were subjected to another round of competition. And here, the competition didn't work as the surprise element was no longer there and thus, failed as a hook for the viewers. Unlike a food show or Jewel in the Palace with numerous rounds of seemingly repetitive competitions, the device worked as even if the plot was flimsy, at least the food appealed to our primeval instincts. The myriad colour, the presentation, how the food was prepared and how they inadvertently looked scrumptious were gripping enough to hold our attention.

Even if we bought the argument for the need of another round of competition, were five rounds really necessary?? The reason for saying this is, when you have so many rounds/tasks, the stories suffer as they could only gloss over them. This is a pity as they have the potential to pull at the heart strings when given a more indepth treatment (irony not intended) A case in point is the story on the plight of foreign brides in Korea. I know the argument for the five rounds of competition was to test their all-round capabilities, but didn't they go through journalism school and between them, had clocked about 8 years of experience? And in explaining why CME's story was better than SWJ's or why SWJ's story had an edge over CME's, OTS and the editors came across as too didactic, as though they were teaching the viewers more so than the reporters as CME and SWJ were not entirely wet behind their ears.

Still to come....hahaha...don't worry, not more of my ranting. The nature of the four tasks and why CME and SWJ's were better in some of the stories.

[Guest markho826]

why the viewers were subjected to another round of competition---------------

Perhaps that's why there were quite a number of views criticising episode 11.

And the rating......

Everything went much better in episode 12, I think.

The ending of episode 12 was rather good.

I look forward to watching episode 13.

I want to see how OTS react when he sees SWJ back to GBS.

Obviously, SWJ will be the co-anchor of OTS in the new program. ^^

Again, tomorrow, JJH will spend his birthday filming Spotlight...

[Guest shuky]

why the viewers were subjected to another round of competition---------------

Perhaps that's why there were quite a number of views criticising episode 11.

And the rating......

Everything went much better in episode 12, I think.

The ending of episode 12 was rather good.

I look forward to watching episode 13.

I want to see how OTS react when he sees SWJ back to GBS.

Obviously, SWJ will be the co-anchor of OTS in the new program. ^^

Again, tomorrow, JJH will spend his birthday filming Spotlight...

Hahaha...yes..I agree with you. I enjoyed episode 12 much much more. Really?? Tomorrow's his birthday??? That would make him 36??? Hey, super mega fan, are you going to buy him a first class ticket to ....the moon???

****

Here's the rest of episode 11, as promised: (SPOILER AHEAD)

The first task: Abusing adoption to gain priority in the allotment of subsidised housing

To gain priority in the queue for subsidised (?) housing, some couples had turned to adopting children, which SWJ and CME had to interview for their first challenge. The edited news item would be used for the evening's nine o'clock news.

CME won because OTS was out to look for how they handled the interview. In SWJ's case, her report was filled with what viewers were expected to hear and as a result, it came across as insincere and distant. CME's report had the upper hand as she ended it with the interview of the child. The interview had more impact as in it, the child didn't know that she was being made used of by adults. She spoke from her heart and said how happy she was with her new found family. OTS felt that one sentence from her was far superior to ten sentences of script. As such, CME's report was chosen for the evening news.

The second task: Vietnamese Brides-The Korean Dream dashed

SWJ and CME were given materials to work on the plight of foreign brides, with the proviso that both of them must appear in the footage. OTS said he would explain the rationale later.

In SWJ's story, we saw a visibly shaken and sympathetic SWJ identifying with the sufferings of the Vietnamese bride. She came to Korea three years ago and thought she could find happiness and realise the Korean Dream. Her dream soon turned into a nightmare with an abusive husband who left her a month ago. CME's report was more or less the same except that in the visuals, she showed more professionalism with her detachment and objectivity. Needless to say, CME won the second round as it was precisely this that OTS wanted to test them on. The cardinal rule- journalists must not show their emotions under all circumstances and report the events with accuracy and objectivity.

The debate about making a stand: OTS and SWJ at the rooftop (about 38:10mins)

At the rooftop, we saw a very discouraged SWJ who questioned why she couldn't show any emotions at all times. SWJ explained that she could understand the need for journalists to convey information as accurate and objective as possible to viewers. However, she had a different view and felt strongly that there was a need to make a stand on emotions and attitude. She elaborated that this would make news more alive and it was not without precedent. Overseas news had done it and while it may not be as widespread in Korea, more and more journalists were making a stand through their own ways. She concluded that the bottom line for her was that she didn't want to end up as a messenger, just like a pigeon, whose main role was to convey the message.

In response, OTS said that to be accurate and objective didn't mean that journalists cannot make a stand. I was anticipating his elaboration as a logical continuation but the script abruptly stopped there!! OTS went on to remind SWJ that she had lost two out of five rounds and the remaining three rounds were crucial. SWJ confessed that she wasn't confident of winning as she was lacking in so many ways as a journalist, what more, an anchor. OTS went on to encourage her with the analogy of riding a bicycle. When a beginner first started to learn how to cycle, the difficulty was finding the balance. Few people realised that to find the balance, one must move forward first. Only when you had fallen a few times that you would realise the truth. His parting words to SWJ: "A lot of things are like this. Moving forward is more important."

I belong to the old school that news should be reported objectively and it is for the viewers to judge and make a stand. Otherwise, most, if not all stories on international conflicts or war would turn into bleeding hearts and you would not get a clear picture of what really happened. Views and commentaries can come later and most importantly, separate from the story.

It is true that more news organisations are making a stand on issues - certain British newspapers are pro-Labour or Conservative, some TV stations in the States are unabashedly pro-America etc. This is the result of editorial judgement/positioning, spawned in no small part by the political beliefs of their owners or traditions. My point is, if a stand were to be made, it should come right from the top so that there was a clear and consistent stand and readers or viewers would know where to look for what type of news.

Be back soon....

[Guest markho826]

Hahaha...yes..I agree with you. I enjoyed episode 12 much much more. Really?? Tomorrow's his birthday??? That would make him 36??? Hey, super mega fan, are you going to buy him a first class ticket to ....the moon???

I think I should buy three tickets, for him, his wife and his son.

Yes, tomorrow's his birthday and he'll be 37.

Hope that the production team will buy him a birthday cake and they can have a little fun during the tight filming schedule...

[Guest shuky]

I think I should buy three tickets, for him, his wife and his son.

Yes, tomorrow's his birthday and he'll be 37.

Hope that the production team will buy him a birthday cake and they can have a little fun during the tight filming schedule...

I'm sure they would....and do remember to show us pictures of their celebrations!!!

*****

The third task: A test of news sense

SWJ and CME were given stacks of newspapers to pick out which stories were important. By 5pm, they should have a good grasp of the news stories and recommend a line-up for the evening news. Both protested that the time given was too short. But OTS hinted that instead of reading each article in detail, they should scan the headings and make the call based on their instincts.

Why SWJ won

Although CME did well (she finished her task well ahead of SWJ, had good grasp of the news point, chose stories with impact and were current), the topics chosen by her were considered to be too sensational by OTS (Mr Moon, the bureau chief, felt that CME's selection was better for ratings but left the decision to OTS) . OTS elaborated that stories must come across as real and believable. Otherwise, the programme would end up like some tacky entertainment programme with sensational and colloquial headlines. This would without a doubt, lower the credibility of the programme. OTS reminded CME to look for news that people could believe in.

On the other hand, SWJ did well enough in choosing the news for the line-up and the suggested structures for the stories were not bad. Although she managed to complete the task at the nick of time, her lack of speed would in practice, hold back the entire production team. Still, OTS gave the third round to SWJ.

The fourth task: The impact of recent oil price hikes on transportation

Owing to the recent oil price hikes, coupled with the fluctuations in foreign exchange rates, Koreans had to pay something like 80% more for petrol compared to a year ago. The fourth task was for SWJ and CME to explore the impact of skyhigh oil prices on transportation, with particular attention on doing the stand-upper (piece-to-camera).

Why SWJ won

While CME was all dolled up with the help of a professional make-up artist (!) before doing the perfect stand-upper, SWJ was all sweaty and dressed for a work out. Credit should be given to her creativity in choosing to bike from Yong San to Yeouido and to compare it with the time taken should she drive the same distance. The verdict? A difference of mere 5 mins and cycling was a good option, considering the exercise you would get besides helping to save money. Mr Moon, Mr Ahn and OTS voted for SWJ for her ingenuity but Mr Jung, the political editor was all for CME (In fact, he was a die hard CME supporter throughout the episode). He even expressed interest in recruiting CME for his desk, which encouraged Mr Ahn to add "Do you love her?"

SWJ's lack of confidence

Another constant refrain from this episode was SWJ's sudden lack of confidence. The SWJ we see here is a pale shadow of the gungho newbie in earlier episodes (she told OTS outside the editing suite that she didn't want to compete and would gladly let CME win; she told him just as much on the rooftop; she confided in her father about her lack of confidence) Again, I get the feeling that the scriptwriters are trying too hard to justify this jarring inconsistency, especially in the prep talk scene in her bedroom.

SWJ and dad at about 30:30mins

Dad: How do you feel this time around? Do you feel just as ambitious?

SWJ: It's no use being ambitious if you don't have the capabilities.

Dad: Just because you were not chosen as news anchor, you've lost all confidence (side note: But, she chose to walk out of the interview and gave up the chance so as to become a respected journalist) If you want the job, you should pull up your socks and you'll be fine. Why feel so dejected? Where is the daughter I know? (yup...and the SWJ we know?)

SWJ: Strangely, the more I do, the more I don't have the confidence. The more I know, the more I feel lost.

Dad: In times like this, you should enjoy yourself, stand on the sidelines and observe.

SWJ: That's difficult.

Dad: Do you know what you've lost? Courage. You've been through so much that you've lost your courage. Find that back and enjoy the process.

The last task: Finding lawyer Cho Sang Min (not sure of the spelling, as usual )

The tie breaker was provided by Bureau Chief Mr Moon to locate top lawyer Cho Sang Min who had gone into hiding and remained uncontactable. Apparently, he was some whistle blower who discovered huge sums of money in his account which cannot be accountable for. The details were revealed in episode 12 as 11 ended with Mr Moon showing them a photograph of lawyer Cho.

Episode 12 will come later....

[Guest markho826]

I think...it's the most crazy and tightest filming schedule I've ever seen...

Someone said on DC that, the full script for Episode 13 is ready at 3 AM today, 2008-06-23.

Episode 13 is to be aired on 2008-06-25 and the full script is out on 2008-06-23......

Gooooooooooooooooood

[Guest kanshu]

Episode 12 will come later....

Thank you for that great and detailed coverage!

Abut WJ... I can somewhat understand her, from a professional point of view. I mean, there are times when you think you do great and have all the power in the world, but then something happens and it slowly wears you down. Perhaps it's the aftereffects of being betrayed not just by her brother, but also by Mr. Pinky, to see the effects of her actions on the people she cares about and on those she tries to "help to justice". Somewhere, that must've stuck. Now she's pushed into another head-on contest with CM for something that's a seemingly unreachable goal, something that usually only people who have ten more years of experience on their record would be entrusted, and she knows she can't deliver those things. She doesn't have that experience, she still makes the occasional beginner's mistake. But instead of accepting that and focus on her advantages and skills, the mistakes she sees herelf making are blown out of proportion. Instead of learning from the advice OTS gives and move on, she experiences every "That's why you didn't win" as another comfirmation that she still is nothing but a rookie and unfit for the high-profile job that is expected from her. Kind of like being beaten before you even start.

To me, that episode seems to be rather crucial. It's the turning point - either WJ gets her act together and overcomes her doubts about herself, finding the strength to get through a crisis... or she'll never get up from this again, and that is the end of her as a reporter.

For example, if WJ would ever end up in the kind of situation OTS had to deal with, getting his father behind bars, suffering the disdain from society around him for his betrayal (if those jibes by the newspaper reporters are any indicator - as strongly as he reacted to them, after so many years, it must've opened old wounds), getting at loggerheads with a superior and being shipped off to a scenic spot where one can't do much damage... Would WJ, the way she was even before the contest, be able to stand "her man" through such types of ordeals? Is she strong enough?

So, while the contest might be bad from the viewer's point of view, as it really seems repetitive, from the point of character developement, I can see why the writers would use this plot device...

[Guest shuky]

Thank you for that great and detailed coverage!

To me, that episode seems to be rather crucial. It's the turning point - either WJ gets her act together and overcomes her doubts about herself, finding the strength to get through a crisis... or she'll never get up from this again, and that is the end of her as a reporter.

So, while the contest might be bad from the viewer's point of view, as it really seems repetitive, from the point of character developement, I can see why the writers would use this plot device...

Markho826, the schedule IS crazy!!!! Hope they continue to maintain some consistency.

Kanshu, I see your point as well...the scriptwriters need to make our heroine go through trials and tribulations before she can emerge stronger and be a top-notch journalist. While the intent is there, the execution somewhat fell short. I could even buy the argument that she has lost her blind courage (leaping into the unknown without thinking about the consequences, re: JJG and YW Construction) leading to her lost of confidence because it was the same courage that almost caused the collapse of the station. Indeed, the more you know, the less confident you become (just like love I guess...the older you are, the more cynical you become..hohohoho ).

But to constantly harp on it only highlights the sharp contrast from the SWJ we know, especially if you were to view it together with episode 10 and 12. At the end of episode 10, and after the famous quote from Martin Luther King, you would assume that she's back, and perhaps with a vengeance since she was all ready to take on the mammoth task of covering the mass demonstrations. In episode 11, that confidence is gone and you see it coming back at the end of episode 12 when she turned all tough again in her negotiations with the men-in-black from the National Security Agency. One may argue that she found her inner strength under duress but the bigger reason was that she wanted to make it to the final round of recording.

Having said all that, I think by episode 12, it's quite clear that OTS treats SWJ more than a colleague. While he dished out verbal encouragement to CME (on skin care no less!), it was SWJ who received the bag of mozzie coils, repellent and anti-itch gel, his token of love! hohoo . Also, if you were to trace his behaviour through the episodes, he was less shouty, even sarcastic, but more tender and warm in his expressions (it's in the eyes!). Even Mr Moon noticed the change in behaviour (not the usual cool, decisive and rational self) as his sense of judgement seemed somewhat clouded in episode 10 when he argued for Mr Moon to give the green light to use Mr Pinky's on-camera confession. In episode 12, he was so worried for SWJ's safety that he yanked off his tie in frustration, definitely not something we see often.

Is he aware of his feelings? My guess is that he does but would not want to do anything about it. In episode 9 I think, SWJ was all smiles when she made arrangement to meet Mr Pinky for lunch and you could see a visibly unhappy OTS (jealous perhaps) in the sudden change in tone and facial expression when he talked to SWJ.

Herein lies the beauty of understated expression of love which Chief Shirley swears by. It's precisely because love is hinted at that viewers keep guessing if it's there, and if so, what happens. To make it more obvious would risk making this occupational series a love story set in a newsroom (to paraphrase Shirley), which is not the original intention. The premise is to explore the lives, struggles and dilemmas of journalists and the romance is secondary. Correct, Shirley?

[Guest kanshu]

But to constantly harp on it only highlights the sharp contrast from the SWJ we know, especially if you were to view it together with episode 10 and 12. At the end of episode 10, and after the famous quote from Martin Luther King, you would assume that she's back, and perhaps with a vengeance since she was all ready to take on the mammoth task of covering the mass demonstrations. In episode 11, that confidence is gone and you see it coming back at the end of episode 12 when she turned all tough again in her negotiations with the men-in-black from the National Security Agency. One may argue that she found her inner strength under duress but the bigger reason was that she wanted to make it to the final round of recording.

Well, I'm going to need subtitles to really understand the episode... all I can go by at the moment are voices and body language. I knew that it made a huge difference with earlier episodes to actually know the dialogue rather than having a summary.

Confidence is a tricky thing, and my feeling so far was that WJ has been pushed down so much by CM that she feels inferior. Kind of like a Pavlosk dog reaction. She has yet to win - and I mean, create a solid win, and earned win rather than something based on a popularity hype, against CM. So far, I haven't seen anything like that by WJ. Whenever she went into things enthusiastically, it ended in a disaster - either personal or jobwise - and even if things were smoothed over at the end (because everyone else made an effort!), WJ still has to show that she can handle a big topic, a top headline, without a fail.

So you have those contests basically saying that WJ has a long way to come before she's at the point where CM is. Another issue would be that her rather emotional way of reporting during the bride-thing has her way too deep in the story. The line between profesional distance and person involvement gets blurred. While it's a great thing to go for a story, being too emotionally involved leads to mistakes, in any job. It's kind of like with a doctor who gets too close to the patient. In the end, the job suffers.

[Guest shuky]

Well, I'm going to need subtitles to really understand the episode... all I can go by at the moment are voices and body language. I knew that it made a huge difference with earlier episodes to actually know the dialogue rather than having a summary.

Confidence is a tricky thing, and my feeling so far was that WJ has been pushed down so much by CM that she feels inferior. Kind of like a Pavlosk dog reaction. She has yet to win - and I mean, create a solid win, and earned win rather than something based on a popularity hype, against CM. So far, I haven't seen anything like that by WJ. Whenever she went into things enthusiastically, it ended in a disaster - either personal or jobwise - and even if things were smoothed over at the end (because everyone else made an effort!), WJ still has to show that she can handle a big topic, a top headline, without a fail.

So you have those contests basically saying that WJ has a long way to come before she's at the point where CM is.

Most definitely...subs make a whole lot of difference!!! Sometimes, even with c-subs, for me, I still don't understand and I certainly don't have the last word..hahaha

You've made a valid point that she needs a solid, convincing win and my gut feel is that she will as she will be the only reporter in Korea who could secure an interview with lawyer Cho. Perhaps she will even go on to win a Journalist of the Year award for it, besides getting the anchor position. More importantly, this win is done without the help of her mentor OTS, and winning means she could finally stand on her own two feet and soar. Hey, let's watch episode 13 raw and have great fun !!!

[Guest markho826]

Preview for Episode 13

심층리포트 녹화 중이던 태석은 우진의 전화에 죄송하다며 급히 일어나 나가고, 조 변호사를 방송에 출연시키겠다는 우진의 말에 깜짝 놀란다.

조 변호사 인터뷰는 뉴스 스포트라이트에서 생방송으로 하기로 결정되고, 우진과 조 변호사는 GBS로 향한다.

태석은 분장실에 도착한 우진과 긴장된 분위기 속에 시선을 교환한다. 우진은 침착하게 조 변호사에게 질문을 던지기 시작하고, 뉴스를 보던 사건팀 기자들과 우진의 가족들은 놀라움을 금치 못한다.

It seems that....

When preparing for filming the new program, OTS received a phone call from SWJ.

OTS was much surprised at hearing that SWJ would be able to interview the lawyer.

GBS decided to have a live broadcast of the lawyer's interview.

SWJ then came to GBS with the lawyer.

When OTS met SWJ in the make-up room, the atmosphere was a bit tense...

SWJ calmed herself down and started putting questions to the lawyer.

SWJ's colleagues and family were worried...

I don't know what they were worried about...

And I have no idea why the interview was delivered on live broadcast.

[Guest kanshu]

Most definitely...subs make a whole lot of difference!!! Sometimes, even with c-subs, for me, I still don't understand and I certainly don't have the last word..hahaha

I know what you mean... Language can be such a pain in the keister. For example, I'm currently translating the WITHS2-fansubs for Three Dads one Mom from English to German... And I feel more and more obliged to actually start learning Korean, because of all the different concepts behind words and phrases, because you actually have to know what was really said to translate it properly. Which shows me again that one can't really understand another language unless one tries to understand the people and the culture.

You've made a valid point that she needs a solid, convincing win and my gut feel is that she will as she will be the only reporter in Korea who could secure an interview with lawyer Cho. Perhaps she will even go on to win a Journalist of the Year award for it, besides getting the anchor position. More importantly, this win is done without the help of her mentor OTS, and winning means she could finally stand on her own two feet and soar. Hey, let's watch episode 13 raw and have great fun !!!

Yes, she has to do something on her own, without backup, i.e. without OTS's backup. Unfortunately, the way OTS is becoming more and more irrational, because his feelings interfere with his professionalism (I wonder if he could still deliver such a calm coverage like he did before should WJ be turned into a hostage again...), that should become interesting. WJ has to let go af the aiding hands and walk on her own. Mhm... that might prove rather painful for OTS.