Adventure by Accident (MBC)

Yun Huiseong: With the days of pandemic vigilance behind us, watching other people travel no longer brings us as much joy as it used to. The “flex” touring that makes us feel deprived in comparison, or almost competing to find the best deals - either way, pushing for more gripping content can be fatiguing for the viewers. However, Adventure by Accident, which just began its third trip since its first season launched in winter 2022 keeps its simple concept of a “hyper-realistic trip” while maintaining its popularity and generating continued interest. The location can’t be the secret to its success - the camera often misses out on capturing the view. It’s not the abundant information that draws in the viewers either - the host Jang Doyeon who watches the VCR has to constantly fill in on missing plots or information. Then that leaves us with KIAN84, the man who goes on “adventures by accident,” and the star of the show. 

KIAN84 who says “I might as well live since I’m born anyways” always stays consistent. He has adhered to his ways and tastes to the point of being stubborn while cultivating a variety show persona maintaining the balance between being eccentric and rude. Instead of experiencing the most beautiful and famous aspects of the destinations like most tourists, he superimposes his personal miniature world to wherever he happens to be and becomes overcome with small impulses. What KIAN84 wants to do after arriving at a place that took him days to get to are usually mundane things like swimming, dancing, and making friends. However, he also tends not to think too much when it comes to experiencing the unfamiliar, which allows KIAN84 to take anybody’s guard down relatively easily. He offers a young Madagascan man fresh raw fish dipped in chojang, and thoroughly enjoys the local cuisine with his bare hands. He is never calculative or showing off when he takes a drink from the river unfiltered, or falls asleep in a shabby room. He is strange everywhere, and thus he can remain constant everywhere. He is equally bizarre to everyone. In the end, what the viewers are watching isn’t the vast world that KIAN84 sees, but the bond that is formed among the rest of the world as they get to discover this unique human being. This age being one that is no longer fascinated by travel was never the show’s premise to begin with. As long as KIAN84 remains as he has always been, this adventure will always be special in its unique way for the time being.

Justice for Animals by Martha C. Nussbaum

Kim Gyeoul (Writer): It depends from person to person, but the main reasons for going vegan seem to be for health, climate crisis, and animal rights. As for myself, I am vegan for the latter two causes. Whenever I share these ideas with other people, climate crisis seems to be fairly well accepted, but the other cause is met with reservations. I don’t necessarily deny it when people say, “But (other than the climate crisis) it’s only natural for animals to eat other animals. It’s no different for us humans.” I am well aware that the human species has been omnivores for a long time. However, I have no choice but to seriously think about animal rights considering issues like unnatural factory farming, the fact that more than 90% of all mammals living on Earth are livestock raised by people, and that there are countless species of animals that have lost their lives and habitats. Is it really okay to make sentient beings suffer like this? Could we be overstepping the line when it comes to the “force of nature” that we’ve had faith in like the lighthouse? Martha C. Nussbaum, who is one of the most brilliant thinkers of today, has written a book based on philosophy for those who have been pondering over animal rights. Her argument that animals deserve to be given the opportunity to thrive and reach their full potential much like marginalized and suffering people is well supported with concrete logic. This book can serve as a starting point for anyone seeking to find justice for animals.

Take That - This Life  

Randy Suh (Music Writer): British boy band Take That has returned with a new studio album after a long break. They are still a three-member group as they have been since 2010. Out of the five members who debuted in 1989, four members are still going strong except for Jason Orange who retired from the entertainment industry. Now in their 50s and late 40s, Take That can partner with other producers to come up with the trendiest pop music, and create an album that is made up of different genres including pop rock. This is because they have become a group that is well-loved no matter the genre they get into, as they have a history of being one of the most popular groups in Europe in the 90s. The members including Gary Barlow wrote and produced the music for their new album This Life which is full of wholesome pop energy. Take That is one of the rare 90’s star groups that is still active today. This is probably because of the pop scene in the U.K. that is different from that of the U.S. The U.S. industry tends to single out one member from the group, and make them a superstar, whereas all the members staying loyal to their group is highly valued in the U.K. Take That’s fresh and beautiful songs are truly a joy to listen to. Pop will always have a place for songs like these.