西洋오랑캐

I don’t understand alot of Korean television. I mean, I understand the words coming out of the actors and actress’ mouths, but I don’t get the appeal of some of it. I don’t really understand how people jumping up and down screaming the same catchphrase week after week can be seen as funny to anyone other than some kindergarten students, yet that is exactly what most comedy programs here consist of. And then there are the dramas. While there are a couple shining stars in the realm of Korean drama, there’s also a lot of crap…and I mean a lot of crap.

So with that being said I don’t really watch much television. There are a couple game shows I’ll check out if only to see celebrities making asses of themselves for no reason, and there have been some mini-series and short lived sitcoms I have enjoyed, but recently I came across a program that I know has existed at least as long as I’ve been here, but never really watched until recently. That show is SBS’s outstanding show about animals entitled TV 동물농장 (TV Animal Farm).

By watching this show I realized a universal truth about humanity. While humor and what is funny will differ from culture to culture, all people find animals doing stupid things to be funny, aside from jerks in PETA who would probably have a sense of outrage at the things protrayed in this show. While a lot of American shows about wildlife are funny because of the hosts (Crocodile Hunter I’m talking to you buddy), TV 동물농장 has the animals on center stange to showcase their insanity.

The other thing I like about this particular show is that it’s not all wild and crazy animals. I mean some weeks there will be stories about zebras or elephants running roughshod on African mango farmers crops, but other times it will be about a dog that has some odd talent, or some woman’s pet cats. And then there was the story that really served as the impoteus for this post: the story of 스모모 (Sumomo).

Sumomo is a monkey that comes to us via the land of Hello Kitty and nasal abuse pornography, Japan. For reasons not fully explained the keepers of Sumomo have trained him to go shopping while accompanied by a pitbull. A pitbull which serves double duty as pack mule, and occassionally monkey stead. I don’t care what country you live in, a monkey buying cigarettes out of a vending machine is funny stuff.

You don’t believe me? Included below are two short clips of Sumomo in action. Additionally if any people living in Japan have any information on Sumomo (mainly how to write correctly write his name in Japanese) please feel free to drop some comments.

This clip explains Sumomo’s mission: to walk 5 kilometers to a supermarket and buy two bananas. He is distracted by an arcade before begining his trek.

This clip features Sumomo heading for the supermarket. He stops at a vending machine for a cold beverage, but accidently gets a pack of cigarettes. Finally he arrives at the shop and successfully completes his mission.