“What do you think they’ll have people do to win?”
“Probably answer questions about the show and actors. If it’s anything like the Korean variety shows, it’s going to be a wild ride.”
“Why?” I swallow hard, knowing I’m already committed to trying out. After the year she has had, she deserves this.
“Because the games are wild. Here, let me show you.”
My eyes must be the size of dinner plates after watching the variety shows. The contests feel like something off Fear Factor or the old show MXC.
“Wow. That’s intense.” Images of giant fake boulders mowing people down flash in my mind.
“I know.”
I study her face. “I guess we should get started.”
“With what?” She furrows her brows.
“Filling my head with K-Drama information, so I can place in the contest.”
“What?” Her dark brown eyes gleam with hope.
“You want to meet Yoon Kim, right?”
“Yes.” She rises onto her knees. “Hartley, if you can pull this off, you’ll be a legend. Seriously, all I want for Christmas is Yoon. There’s no other gifts that can measure up.”
“I won’t promise you I can get him, but I’ll try my best.” She tackles me in a hug, and I hold her close, praying to the powers above for a guide to helping her start to heal. If this is the path, I’ll happily forge forward.
“We have to give you a crash course. Think of it as K-Dramas for beginners.” Jerking back, she casts the video from her computer to the television. “Sit back, relax, and be ready to soak everything up like a sponge.”
“Yes, ma’am.” I salute. I watch as a website appears on the screen. “To fully understand and appreciate K-Drama, there are a few things you need to know about the culture. Like their social structure and some of the phrases you’ll hear frequently.”
“What do you mean by social structure?”
“They show their elders respect and rarely call them by their first name. So, whoever is born first is referred to by the name oopa, which means older brother for a female, or unnie, which is older sister for a woman. For a male, noona means older sister, and hyung means older brother. It’s a sign of respect.”
“That’s a lot to keep straight.”
“Oh, yes.” She nods happily. “Which makes for some humorous situations in the shows.”
“What if you’re the same age? Do you have to ask them when their birthday is?”
“No, it only matters if the age difference is one year or more.”
“So, if they’re you’re the same age, you can call them by their first name?”
She frowns. “It takes a level of familiarity before you can use each other’s first name. If this was a new to you person, I would suggest an honorific that matches. Like agasshi for a young or unmarried woman. It’s like saying miss.”
“How long do I have for this?” I ask teasingly.
She makes a peace sign. “Two days.”
“I think I’m going to brew coffee.”
She laughs. “This is going to be so much fun. You’ll see why I’m totally hooked on K-Drama now. Am I going with you to the audition?”
“You’d bet
ter.”