Last week, I was contacted by a young man from GMA Network asking me questions about Korea and specifically, about “pinoys” living in Korea. I haven’t been watching Filipino TV the past few months so I’m not updated about the new shows on ABS-CBN and GMA 7, the Philippines’ largest broadcasting networks. Actually, there is no Filipino TV in Korea… meaning no TFC nor Pinoy TV!!! Why not? There are about 50,000 documented pinoys in Korea and I’m sure most of them have been missing the shows and actors in the Philippines. Two years ago, somebody who works for an ABS-CBN subsidiary told me that the we’re going to offer their Filipino channel in Korea… but I guess his information was wrong. Pinoys in Cambodia and Papua New Guinea are luckier since they have access to The Filipino Channel. Our only option is to subscribe to ABS-CBN Now! I did that before but the quality of their videos is unsatisfactory, though worth the $5 that you have to pay per month. One might say that korean dramas are the rave and we’re lucky to be living in Korea, being able to access those shows… BUT they don’t have Jean Garcia (I miss Madam Claudia Buenavista)… Bea Alonzo and John Lloyd Cruz (hehehe!)… Regine Velasquez… Star in a Million… The Buzz… The Probe Team on their television channels!!!
Anyway, the guy who called me works as a researcher for the program “Pinoy Abroad“, a show about Filipinos living abroad, hosted by Rhea Santos and Ivan Mayrina (he was a schoolmate in Angeles City, and was my niece’s classmate). He said that their staff will go to Korea in mid-October and that they want to feature the lives of Filipinos here. I have been staying here for two years and I don’t really know a lot so I referred him to Fr. Glenn of the Hyewhadong Church and Jan, who’s been living here for ten years and speaks Korean fluently (she’s so good… she should be a translator). I think I shared with him my experiences before coming to Korea, like getting a visa, attending a CFO seminar (more on this in future posts) and my first impressions of the country.
I’m really excited about this show and I hope to be able to see it. Other shows in the Philippines have been here like “Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho” (they interviewed Bi and Song Hye Gyo), “Reporters’ Notebook,” and “Extra Challenge” (where Cesar Montano, Sunshine Cruz, Carmina Villaroel and Zoren Legazpi were challenged on the snowy slopes of Korea) but I think “Pinoy Abroad” is going to be different…
{ 17 comments… read them below or add one }
that would be interesting…i do know some friends who lives there in Korea…been wanting to visit them but just couldn’t find the right time…
anyway, nice site! cheers:-)
hiya! saw your blog… very interesting!
i still remember fr glenn jaron when i was in korea in 2000, its been a long time now since i first met in hwewadong and tongduchon, very kind and matulungin sa mga ofw na victim of abuses and prostitution, keep up the good samaritan job and long live fr glenn.
^^ true… bait nga ni fr. glenn… napaka-supporting sa mga tao mataas man o mababa ang kinalalagyan… hindi gaya ng iba na dapat tumutulong sa mga nangangailangan pero puro pagpapa-gwapo lang ang alam
hi!i just want to ask if my mga cases ba na missing filipino dyan sa korea? kasi i’m looking for a case na ganun po! sana po matulungan nyo po ako! i’m doing a story for a new show here in the Philippines that geared towards missing persons and reuniting them with their families. thanks po!
The team was able to come to Korea, thanks to Asiana Airlines who provided them with free plane tickets in exchange for a free commercial ad. They have been looking for plane tickets sponsor before that as they couldn’t afford the cost of flying. They came to Seoul and checked-in in a cheap motel as they barely afforded the accommodation. I heard they interviewed some Filipinos though some of the prospective interviewees backed out for whatever reasons. They are back in the Philippines and I heard they couldn’t even afford to give some appearance fee or any courtesy to those whom they interviewed– a far cry from Korean broadcasting standard which gives some form of courtesy to people who contributed something to their program. Anyway, it’s understandable as the Philippines is very poor and mass media there aren’t earning. Anyway, I think Pinoy Abroad is a new program and it’s not yet well-known. Besides, it’s shown at dawn when almost every Filipino is already fallen unto their deep slumber!
hi,i’ve ben here for almost 10yrs.maraming dinaanan na problema,palipat lipat ng trabaho dahil sa ugali ng koreano minsan di mo maintindihan,,,,,,dati akong trainee 2yrs,tapos nagtnt,then naghanap ng mapapangasawa na koreano para sa visa ko sana patuloy akong makabalik dito sa korea magtrabaho,anim na taon akong biyuda sa asawa ko sa pinas at may 4 akong anak ng nagsisipag-aral,mahirap ang nag-iisang tumataguyod ng mag-isa,so awa ng diyos nakapag-aswa ako ng korean,pero di ako masaya,palaging nag-aaway,walang choice kundi tumahimik nalang.Gusto ko man bumalik sa pinas,di ko kaya,ano ang magiging buhay ko doon,walang trabaho,wala akong maipakain sa mga anak ko,mahirap ang buhay,,,,di ko alam kung saan lalapit para makapagtrabho,anyway saka ko na ituloy kwento,,thanks
Hi, I have business here in the Philippines. If you want to know more about it, please send me an email. Baka eto na ang way para makasama mo ang pamilya mo.
hi mam good day,,andito npo ako sa pinas,ano po business niyo pwede po makapag work sa inyo?tnx po..ito po number ko 09277920227…ingat po
The Philippine government should give more attention to the OFWs working in Korea.
i have partner looking for his father…but not in korea in US pls contact me at 09106972041 kasi matagal narin namin gusto makita ang father nya
hi!
wala ka rin namang mamimiss eh! hehe. pano puro tsismis lang at problema ang makita mo sa tv.
jake ms last blog post..From Passi with Love
hi kumusta mga kabayan.i’ve been here for almost 7years but wala paring pagbabago sa buhay ko kundi paghihirap at lungkot ang lagi kong nararanasan.mahirap pala ang maging asawa mo is koreano nagkamali ako,maramot sila mahirap pakisamahan,palagi silang tama kahit na mali sila,I’m working at the factory/ para matustusan ko pag aaral ng dalawa kung anak,mabilhan ko sila ng mga damit at mga gusto nilang kainin mahirap umasa sa koreano kahit asawa mo na mas mahal pa nya parents nila kaya pinapayo ko sa mga gustong makipag asawa ng koreano is wag nang ituloy isa pa gagawin kalang katulong,akala mo pag nakapag asawa ng koreano is matutulungan mo pamilya mo sa pinas pero nagkamalika ni piso nga di nila ako mabigyan kaya malaki pagsisisi ko,gusto kung hiwalayan pero ang problema ko is may dalawa akong anak paano kaya ang gagawin ko sana matulungan nyo ako mga kababayan,thanks,
Korea is my second home…naging mabiting experience sa akin ang lahat..As of now kore is still a big help to me kasi I use to have a job kahit andito na ako sa Pilipinas…To my Trainees,Goodluck to everybody.
sabi mo lang yan kasi nasilaw karin pala sa won nila ano kaya nasabi mo yan diba? talaga naman ang pinoy pag sa pera no. one diba?
Hi Nayeong pasali po. napadaan lng ulit at napansin ‘tong post mo dito.
mejo off the season n po, pero huli man daw maihahabol pa rin… Ibig lang pong sabihin hindi lahat pare-parehas and besides halos lahat nmn ng na-eencounter ko n Korean ang asawa kalimitan nag wowork din yung babae, para makatulong sa household expenses or other expenses. Baka nararamdaman ng asawa mo n pera lang nya habol mo, hehe, peace! nasa-sayo din naman kc yan, hindi naman komo foreigner na napangasawa yayaman ka na, hindi nmn kc lht ng foreigner eh mayaman, yung iba nagsisikap lang din sa buhay para kahit pano may maipon, sana po lawakan mo pa pang unawa, pagtyatyaga at pagsisikap mo. Para din sa peace of mind mo. Kesa mag reklamo why dont you think other ways para maging maayos pagsasama nyo ng asawa mo at pamilya nya. Yung iba kasi nag-aasawa lang ng foreigner para maiahon sila sa hirap, akala kasi pag foreigner napangasawa, yayaman na sila, tapos pag hindi nangyari yung inaasahan, ayun disappointed na sa buhay. Wala kahit konting love dun sa tao kundi dun lang sa maibibigay nya, sayang naman kasi, marami masasayang na pagkakataon sa buhay if ganun lang. Your loosing the chance to enjoy and to be happy. Marami nga po dapat isa-alang-alang sa pakikipagrelasyon at pag-aasawa, foreigner man o same culture. Yun lang kasama na cultural differences sa dapat tanggapin at pag-aralan pag foreigner mapapangasawa. Hope everything would be fine to you and your family, keep on praying and in time, God will give your heart’s desires. 
ann´s last [type] ..A Candle…
i think depende naman sa napangasawa mo nayeong. me asawa din me koreano pero masaya naman ako, we have 2 kids at saka reponsible naman mr ko kaya ok lang. hindi naman lahat eh ganon. both of us have work and my husband gives me all his salary kaya ako ang naghahawak ng budget, at hindi naman tinitingnan kung saan me ginagasta ang pera. pero it doesn’t mean na gastosin ko lahat ng pera nya para sa pamilya ko sa pinas cguro a fraction only of his salary…