Maids changes its name to…
by javabeans
Romance Town? Are you kidding me? But that’s so… lame.
Last week, the drama formerly known as Maids encountered some opposition regarding its name, as it uses a word for “maids” [식모] that has in recent years been abandoned for more favorable, politically correct terminology. The production was aware of the possibility that the title might rub some people the wrong way, and got to work thinking up replacements.
The complaint came from a national organization of domestic workers, who posted messages of protest to KBS and began petitioning for the name change. They argued that they’ve spent long years working to raise awareness and alter the terms used to describe their profession, and feel that the drama’s usage of the word would undermine their efforts in one fell swoop.
The production bandied around approximately 20 potential replacement titles (including some awkward selections like Elegant World and The Ladies’ Tea Time). Their final decision came down to Romance Town and Suspicious 1st Street… to which I say, they picked wrong. The other one is FAR more interesting. (“Suspicious” is a word that has been used in all the press materials to describe the housemaids working in the chaebol homes. It doesn’t mean, necessarily, that the maids are criminals or dishonest types, but that they’re offbeat, unusual.)
Romance Town, on the other hand, sounds like a kitchsy amusement park gone bad, or the cheesy cousin to Funky Town, or maybe an ironic strip club. But does it sound like a cute trendy drama about plucky domestic help and the snooty chaebol men they work for? Not even a little.
The drama stars Sung Yuri (Swallow the Sun) and Min Hyo-rin (Triple) as maids, and Jung Kyeo-woon (Dr. Champ) and Kim Min-joon (Friend, Our Legend) as their chaebol employers, respectively. It premieres on May 11.
Via Asiae
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Tags: Jung Kyeo-woon, Kim Min-joon, Sung Yuri
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1 angelyurihuynh
April 4, 2011 at 5:11 AM
go sung yuri. can't wait drama
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2 autumnscribbles
April 4, 2011 at 5:21 AM
LOL. it is rather lame, but it is less awkward sounding than the other options, and i do prefer it over Suspicious 1st Street. the latter kinda gives off this Desperate Housewives vibe, and i don't think that's what they are going for here... or maybe they are.
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3 ar_arguably romantic
April 4, 2011 at 5:22 AM
*cringe* somehow it made me recall this horrible rom com I watched last year, New to Town. I'd pick Elegant World and The Ladies’ Tea Time over Romance Town.
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4 ajewell
April 4, 2011 at 5:35 AM
All the names sound equally atrocious. But really, wow. Who would've thought naming a drama could be so difficult...
Oh wait, it's not.
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5 red
April 4, 2011 at 5:37 AM
there have been plenty of lame sounding titles for dramas ive ended up loving so this isnt really gonna change my anticipation for this drama
but suspicious 1st street is clearly the better option
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6 Fasiris Fay
April 4, 2011 at 5:38 AM
lol...that is so lame. suspicious 1st street wasn't that much greater, but it would have been better
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7 mskololia
April 4, 2011 at 5:46 AM
Do they want this drama to fail or sth?
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8 Kajol
April 4, 2011 at 5:54 AM
The Woman Who Still Wants to SERVE!
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Biscuit
April 4, 2011 at 6:37 AM
Using the word "serve" (particularly putting it in all caps) comes off very..... negative and wrong :/
Especially for those out there who are maids.
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jomo143
April 4, 2011 at 8:00 AM
Depends. I applied to a job as a waitress at a snobby club.
When I talked about waiting tables in the past, the lady said, "We are not wait staff, we are SERVERS."
Nowadays that makes me think of computer networks.
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Biscuit
April 7, 2011 at 1:43 PM
But I think that sentence doesn't apply to being a waitress. It we were talking about waitresses and servers, yeah, it'd make sense and be more humurous. Waitress = servers.
Yet the topic is about maids, and it kinda of puts down maids and their work. I don't think most woman wants to "serve" others like if they were slaves or anything.
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Simmy
April 4, 2011 at 1:14 PM
it was a joke though. in all caps for emphasis. and it was funny.
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Biscuit
April 7, 2011 at 1:39 PM
Sorry if I took it as being overly offensive. But my mom was a maid for a period of time.... so....
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9 YY
April 4, 2011 at 5:55 AM
Romantick Town sounds more exciting. Can expect lots of action scenes cos maid's got to fight the pesky ticks that have invaded the household.
Romantic Dustiny? A romance that flourishes amidst the dust.
Suspicious First Steak? That'd give it a scary edge: Can Mr Chaebol survive that first meal?
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Dara
April 4, 2011 at 6:11 AM
LMAO! Almost choked on my food. Best comment of all, Buahahaha....
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ar_arguably romantic
April 4, 2011 at 9:22 AM
LOL! I know, right! I'm eating my lunch now and almost did a spit-take!
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jomo143
April 4, 2011 at 8:02 AM
I think you have come up with Pixar's next title:
Romantick Town
Can you make one up about a greedy bunny?
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QuietLurker
April 4, 2011 at 8:05 AM
A greedy bunny turned into a maid = dust bunny
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jomo143
April 4, 2011 at 8:37 AM
WOW! That is good!
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Northern Star
April 4, 2011 at 10:11 AM
How about:
-Broomsticks & Pans
-To Serve with Love
-Heavenly Home
-At Your Service
-To love & serve is divine
-Can't live without you
-Till dust do us part.
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mihinikki
April 4, 2011 at 12:02 PM
All of those are better than "Romance Town".
My titles are: The Best in You
How to Marry a Chaebol
The Beast from the City
Diamond in the Rough
Okay, those are kinda lame, but better than Romance Town I think.
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Arhazivory
April 4, 2011 at 12:12 PM
lol - "To Serve with Love" Haha. I like that one.
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Northern Star
April 4, 2011 at 12:48 PM
In fact, I do like it too. :)
I guess too late to change the title now.
Imagine, coming up with 20 or so titles and ended up with ....
Ah well, I'll just assume that the title is a bad English translation of the Korean title.
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YY
April 4, 2011 at 7:33 PM
BROOMANCE IN THE DUST......
She lived only to dust.....
He lived amidst the dust....
It lay for centuries untouched....
A story about Dust....
A woman, a man and their uncontrollable dust
Coming to you this May
BROOMANCE IN THE DUST
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jomo143
April 5, 2011 at 5:54 AM
Little did they know, their devotion would be tested.
From out of the storm, a Swiffer-man came.
He was sleek, and swept her off her feathers.
Where he was cool, the Broom was true, which cleaner would she choose?
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vrosemarie
April 5, 2011 at 4:20 AM
Hilarious, YY!!! I don't know which is funnier!!!
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10 jomo143
April 4, 2011 at 5:56 AM
In a world
where a town means "a place where town means an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city"
and
romance means "love story: a story dealing with love,"
one maid stands alone facing dinner, dust, and laundry in a rich guy's house, so, actually, it isn't a town, really, and, yes, she prolly falls in love with him, so I guess the romance part makes sense
and this time, coming this May, it's personal.
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danna
April 4, 2011 at 7:14 AM
LMAO
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QuietLurker
April 4, 2011 at 8:02 AM
This is perfect with one of those deep movie trailer voices, love it.
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ar_arguably romantic
April 4, 2011 at 9:28 AM
LOL! =DD
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11 badmamajama
April 4, 2011 at 6:03 AM
lol romance town ? gah worse than smile you and paradise ranch put together .
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danna
April 4, 2011 at 8:03 AM
Worse than Marry me Mary and Flames of Desire (which sounds lik.e the name of a trashy romance novel imo)
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12 MzKyu
April 4, 2011 at 7:41 AM
LOL...Romance Town??....gosh who came up with that?
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13 Lucille
April 4, 2011 at 8:13 AM
"Where is my apron and cap".
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14 mary
April 4, 2011 at 8:38 AM
Make it BRO-MANCE TOWN and I'm in.
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myweithisway
April 4, 2011 at 9:07 AM
instant flashback of SKKS! Oh man do I miss the bromance that beat all others =)
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15 SuziQ
April 4, 2011 at 9:33 AM
Gee, Can't they come up with something better?Let me name it. I like UP CLOSE & PERSONAL better than Kitschy ROMANCE TOWN. Sounds retarded.
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16 come2noona
April 4, 2011 at 11:20 AM
Cue music....
"I'm going down to Romance Town
Going down to Romance Town
I wanna lose these blues I've found
Down in Romance Town
Down in Romance Town"
Huh? What? Oh yeah, that's right. LUCKY Town. Sorry Bruce.
Damn song has been going on inside my head all morning. It made me post.
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17 Keylye
April 4, 2011 at 11:31 AM
The awful name will not stop me from at least checking this drama out, but UGH. How could they even think that is a good name? Is it also an English-only title? They didn't at least give us a Korean one that we can purposely misunderstand?
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18 Revy
April 4, 2011 at 11:47 AM
This is one of the lamest kdrama name ever.
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19 Marg
April 4, 2011 at 12:23 PM
Wow, that is such a corny title.
How about "Love & Station"?
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jomo143
April 4, 2011 at 12:32 PM
Going with that:
Wrong Station; Right Love
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20 Micheru
April 4, 2011 at 1:03 PM
how about 'The Help'? S. Korea loves naming their dramas after famous movies/books.
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21 Annie
April 4, 2011 at 1:05 PM
Best Love and Romance Town. Oh Korean drama's and their sappy titles!
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22 crazedlu
April 4, 2011 at 1:32 PM
puahahah!
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23 Chocobo
April 4, 2011 at 1:43 PM
So.... someone tell me why they didn't just, you know, change the name to the P.C. term for maids/domestic workers/cleaning services?
All it makes me think of is some crap pickup line from the 70's or something: "Hey baby... why don't you and me take a holiday trip to Romance Town." *eyebrow waggle*
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24 Linh
April 4, 2011 at 2:23 PM
Korean dramas need some serious work with English titles. It probably sounds better with Korean title but the English titles just do not sometimes make sense or look interesting at all.
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25 aX
April 4, 2011 at 2:39 PM
... but clearly not nearly as lame as Jung Kyeo-woon! Sorry, I still can't stand this actor!
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26 Lilly
April 4, 2011 at 4:39 PM
Sounds like prostitute area of a city, yes.
Maybe revenge for protest.
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27 MELLIssa
April 4, 2011 at 5:07 PM
what about MADE in HEAVEN.... sorry, still on 49D mode, muahhahaha
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28 fina
April 4, 2011 at 5:12 PM
whatever the title of the series is.............. i am only watching it because of jung gyu woon. kudos pal.
sometimes the english translation of the title is outrageous, so whatever it is, we will just watch it for some people we have been following.
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29 amc510
April 4, 2011 at 5:45 PM
Sorry. Need an update in mu vocab. Then, what is the politically correct term for maid?
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Northern Star
April 4, 2011 at 7:35 PM
Housekeeper?
Sounds posher.
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30 amc510
April 4, 2011 at 5:46 PM
Opps and in my typing skills too. I mean my vocabulary.
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31 DN
April 4, 2011 at 6:13 PM
Hahaha. Fail. Who made this decision?
I think the Housekeeping Workers Association of Korea should petition for a name change and possibly sue for this show's potentially laming-up of their work.
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Northern Star
April 4, 2011 at 7:40 PM
I hope the maids would really be working as maids and not something else in Romance Town.
What the HWAK should be worried about is not the title of the drama but on how the role is portrayed.
If it would be an honest to goodness rags to riches story then it would be good.
I would still have stuck with the title MAIDS. That's the job, why should it be glorifed, and have it sugar coated. At the end of the day, they are indeed working as maids. In fact, how could we ever go through our daily lives without them.
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32 mars
April 4, 2011 at 9:40 PM
LOL. I will still be watching even if the name is awful. Cougar Town sounded like it would be the stupidest show on TV but it was surprisingly delightful. So, perhaps Romance Town will also surprise and delight us?
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33 niKai
April 5, 2011 at 4:45 AM
cant wait to see KMJ n yuri
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34 girlatsea
April 6, 2011 at 3:20 PM
Huh.
Despite the name, I'm still watching this.
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35 Jekei
April 7, 2011 at 3:03 PM
Sung Yuri is so cute :) I liked her inbThe Snow Queen and Hong Gil Dong ! can't wait for this dramas :>
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36 S
May 5, 2011 at 12:12 AM
well whatever...at least Romance Town is between than "Maids". Maids sounds degrading for one, it looks so similar to the word "Midas" haha that I don't know what to say. :P
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