Oh la la!
May 5, 2006 | 12:00am
Living abroad, especially at the height of winter’s chill, I’d be glued in front of my television set with a buffet of sweet and savory snacks (I was never one to deny my taste buds; life’s way too short!). I had nearly 500 channels (including six versions of HBO) from a cable provider which, with one simple click of a button, would showcase the TV show or movie being aired, listing the duration of the program along with a synopsis and cast of characters. It was possible to order movies and older programs on demand, accessing more than what Makati Cinema Square can offer (minus the horrible subtitles and "for viewing purposes only" taglines). The cable box acted as a DVD as well, allowing you to pause and rewind the show you ordered for 24 hours. I was spoiled rotten. I’d spend endless hours on the phone while watching and discussing plots, outfits and how hot the male actors were. For lack of decent programming and balmy weather permitting more of the great outdoors, when I moved to Manila nearly two years ago, I put the couch potato in me to sleep. R.I.P.
The odd time that I do switch on the tube, I have a hard time finding something decent to watch. I must admit that there have been some recent likable additions to the Philippine lineup but oftentimes, I end up missing my fancy remote control from Time Warner Cable and can’t get into the groove of my extremely lean version. That was until I came across a local show, Rated Oh!, which was a delightful surprise. I normally find local shows totally baduy as they tend to try too hard and everyone’s constantly in near tears but this one made me stop furiously changing the channel button. Korean-born, Manila-raised 26-year-old Sam Oh looks so relaxed and natural in front of the camera while covering events and featuring establishments in an upbeat manner that doesn’t seem contrived. Well into her fourth season, she seems to be doing a damn good job as she moves comfortably from one segment to another. With no formal training in television (in fact, prior to her show she was a Korean interpreter), this proved to be a major feat as Sam auditioned and nabbed the solo part from a pool of applicants.
Rated Oh! reviews the week’s shows on the ETC channel (which is ideal if you miss an episode) and gives you the lowdown. There’s also a restaurant review portion which keeps my hunger in check. Events and parties are featured from all over the country and, at times, Sam gets to travel internationally. She got to cover 50 Cent’s concert in Taipei. Coco Lee and Russell Watson are among the list of celebrities she has met and her list is only getting longer. You go, girlfriend!
Self-styled, Sam shops for what she wears on air, usually favoring affordable items from Goldcrest or Citywalk. She normally prefers interesting pieces with character that exude personality. When it comes to beauty rituals, she can’t live without pedicures and massages and has Lancome to lean on for makeup. When off the air, it’s super casual and chill as she doesn’t go out as much at night anymore since she has to wake up early for her show. That would be mixing work and pleasure. Plus, she’s over the club scene. Been there, done that.
Recognition makes the show worthwhile for Sam. There’s nothing else that validates it more than when she receives complimentary text messages or is acknowledged when out and about. In today’s society, where everyone, including the youth, is obsessed with looks, Sam goes against industry standards as she herself proclaims that she is not drop-dead gorgeous. (She thinks she has short legs and is insecure about her cheeks.) She holds her job because she’s good at what she does. That alone should be enough for people to be inspired to achieve what she has.
Personally, I like Sam’s ability to switch on her unaccented English instead of the usual sing-song accent that drowns in my ears. Fluent in English, Korean and Tagalog, it’s easy to mistake her for an American as her English is neutral. After having moved to Manila with her family from Seoul 20 years ago, Sam spoke Korean at home and spoke English and Tagalog in school. There’s no denying there has been a massive influx of Korean transplants and Sam is happy that she can help Filipinos connect to the Koreans that have been arriving by watching her on TV. Not to mention the fact that there are Korean telenovelas to add to our abundance of soap operas to help us relate. Sandara Park is another Korean who’s got plenty of face value and helps to bridge the gap between Filipinos and Koreans. Oftentimes, Sam gets mistaken for Sandara. That’s a no-no. So go for a Korean barbecue, sit your butt down and catch Rated Oh! airing Sunday evenings at 7 p.m. on ETC.
Comments? E-mail me at jcantonio@gmail.com.
The odd time that I do switch on the tube, I have a hard time finding something decent to watch. I must admit that there have been some recent likable additions to the Philippine lineup but oftentimes, I end up missing my fancy remote control from Time Warner Cable and can’t get into the groove of my extremely lean version. That was until I came across a local show, Rated Oh!, which was a delightful surprise. I normally find local shows totally baduy as they tend to try too hard and everyone’s constantly in near tears but this one made me stop furiously changing the channel button. Korean-born, Manila-raised 26-year-old Sam Oh looks so relaxed and natural in front of the camera while covering events and featuring establishments in an upbeat manner that doesn’t seem contrived. Well into her fourth season, she seems to be doing a damn good job as she moves comfortably from one segment to another. With no formal training in television (in fact, prior to her show she was a Korean interpreter), this proved to be a major feat as Sam auditioned and nabbed the solo part from a pool of applicants.
Rated Oh! reviews the week’s shows on the ETC channel (which is ideal if you miss an episode) and gives you the lowdown. There’s also a restaurant review portion which keeps my hunger in check. Events and parties are featured from all over the country and, at times, Sam gets to travel internationally. She got to cover 50 Cent’s concert in Taipei. Coco Lee and Russell Watson are among the list of celebrities she has met and her list is only getting longer. You go, girlfriend!
Self-styled, Sam shops for what she wears on air, usually favoring affordable items from Goldcrest or Citywalk. She normally prefers interesting pieces with character that exude personality. When it comes to beauty rituals, she can’t live without pedicures and massages and has Lancome to lean on for makeup. When off the air, it’s super casual and chill as she doesn’t go out as much at night anymore since she has to wake up early for her show. That would be mixing work and pleasure. Plus, she’s over the club scene. Been there, done that.
Recognition makes the show worthwhile for Sam. There’s nothing else that validates it more than when she receives complimentary text messages or is acknowledged when out and about. In today’s society, where everyone, including the youth, is obsessed with looks, Sam goes against industry standards as she herself proclaims that she is not drop-dead gorgeous. (She thinks she has short legs and is insecure about her cheeks.) She holds her job because she’s good at what she does. That alone should be enough for people to be inspired to achieve what she has.
Personally, I like Sam’s ability to switch on her unaccented English instead of the usual sing-song accent that drowns in my ears. Fluent in English, Korean and Tagalog, it’s easy to mistake her for an American as her English is neutral. After having moved to Manila with her family from Seoul 20 years ago, Sam spoke Korean at home and spoke English and Tagalog in school. There’s no denying there has been a massive influx of Korean transplants and Sam is happy that she can help Filipinos connect to the Koreans that have been arriving by watching her on TV. Not to mention the fact that there are Korean telenovelas to add to our abundance of soap operas to help us relate. Sandara Park is another Korean who’s got plenty of face value and helps to bridge the gap between Filipinos and Koreans. Oftentimes, Sam gets mistaken for Sandara. That’s a no-no. So go for a Korean barbecue, sit your butt down and catch Rated Oh! airing Sunday evenings at 7 p.m. on ETC.
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