What I love about living in China is the free unlimited access to ALL TV Programs, you just have to disconnect your VPN and use the Chinese Internet Connection to watch!
I have started watching from Youku.com or Sohu.com (they're competitors) when I was still living in the dormitory, from 喜羊羊 XiYangYang to 婚姻保卫战 HunYinBaoWeiZhan. I'd watch everyday while eating my tofu for lunch! They were actually the ones that made me a Chinovela DVD Addict. I realized that I need to buy the DVD copies of whatever I want to watch, before I go home for good. I can't access their videos in Manila, so I really need to stock up before I finish all of them! I don't recommend buying Chinovelas in Hong Kong as they have been tampered with Cantonese Dubbing and subtitles are based on their Cantonese localization. Besides, I'm a half baked Beijinger. I vote for buying domestic products. l!OL
Anyway, this is what I have been watching for the past few weeks.
The show is called 非诚无扰 FeiChengWuRao, a "dating game". I'm honestly not sure what it's called. It's a show where there are 24 single female contestants looking for a boyfriend... and producers will invite single male contestants to introduce themselves and have these 24 ladies judge him. These 24 ladies can refuse him early on or while the male contestant's VTR is on play. The male contestant only has the right to choose which among the ladies he likes if and only if there are female contestants who are willing to be with him.
It's really hard to explain it, but the concept is somehow like that! Anyway it's kind of interesting to watch this show because... these 24 female contestants are said to be materialistic. I think they're just normal yuppies, but lots of people around me are describing them as materialistic. In any case, it's interesting because they are so frank! Who would have thought that the 21st century Chinese can openly ask male contestants questions like: "Since you like XinJiang Food, would you like to come home with me so I can cook for you?" or "I can't cook, can you cook for us -if ever?"
It's hardly believable.
Note: the foreigner in the photo speaks Chinese. Perhaps as... proficient as I am. The show actually has a couple of foreign contestants, mind you.
The other show I'm currently watching is a Chinovela. It's called 裸婚时代 LuoHunShiDai. It's about this two young adults who fell in love during high school despite being discouraged by their parents. After 8 years of "illegally" being together, the girl gets pregnant. Can't really write about the whole Chinovela now as I am still at episode 10 (out of 30). I promise to write about it once I finish it!
They've just finished airing it on TV. I couldn't be bothered waiting for it every night, so I just watch from Youku. It was actually a hit... because of it's realistic story line... and because of the main actor, 文章 WenZhang. He's XiaoBei in the Chinovela 蜗居 Woju. He's hot, and his acting skills just keep on getting better! My tutor told me that she saw an interview of him being played in the subway. I couldn't imagine him talk as himself, so I had to search his interview on Youku! Oh gosh, I can't even look at the talk show host (the Oprah of China). She's too thin, that I'd rather be fat! Anyway, I only found out that he's already married and has a kid from the interview. And guess what, he's married to this actress I liked BEFORE. She made me cry while watching an episode of her Chinovela last year! I can't believe they're together! WenZhang looks so young, too young for her even! (Is it just me, or am I just jealous?! L!OL)
