News Mash-up: Movies and TV

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Category: Lifestyle/Entertainment

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Unlocking Word Meanings

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

  1. cash-strapped / ˈkæʃ stræpt / (adj.) – not having enough money
    Example:

    The company is so cash-strapped that it doesn’t have the budget to hire new employees.


  2. sensation / sɛnˈseɪ ʃən / (n.) – something or someone that causes a lot of excitement and interest
    Example:

    The teenager became an internet sensation after her YouTube video gained over a million views.


  3. fatally / ˈfeɪt l i / (adv.) – in a way that causes death
    Example:

    The stage actor was fatally injured after falling down the stairs.


  4. fire / faɪər / (v.) – to cause a weapon, such as a gun, to shoot
    Example:

    The police fired their guns when the suspect began shooting.


  5. live / laɪv / (adj.) – carrying stored energy and capable of exploding or being shot
    Example:

    Classes were immediately canceled after an unknown caller said that there was a live bomb on the school grounds.


Article

Read the text below.

S Korea’s Squid Game is Netflix’s biggest original show debut, with 111M viewers


Hit South Korean show Squid Game has officially become Netflix’s biggest original series launch, the streaming service said on Twitter on Oct. 12.


The nine-part thriller, in which cash-strapped contestants play childhood games with deadly consequences in a bid to win 45.6 billion won (¥4.33 billion), has become a worldwide sensation, reaching “111 million fans” since its launch on Sept. 17.


Netflix co-CEO and Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos told a tech conference in California in September that the streaming service was surprised by how popular Squid Game has become. “We did not see that coming, in terms of its global popularity,” he said. (Reuters)


Alec Baldwin fires prop gun, killing 1 on set


Hollywood star Alec Baldwin, 63, fatally shot a cinematographer and wounded a director when he fired a prop gun on a New Mexico movie set, police said Oct. 21. Halyna Hutchins, 42, was transported by helicopter after the shooting on Oct. 21 to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead.


Baldwin said on Oct. 22 he was “fully cooperating with the police investigation.” According to police documents, the actor had been handed a gun by a crew member who yelled “cold gun.” On movie sets, the term is used for guns that don’t have live bullets. (Reuters)


These articles were provided by The Japan Times Alpha.


Viewpoint Discussion

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.

Discussion A

  • Netflix co-CEO and Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos shared that the popularity of Squid Game was unexpected. What are some of the most popular TV shows in your country? Why do you think they’re so popular? Discuss.
  • In Squid Game, cash-strapped contestants play childhood games with deadly consequences in a bid to win ¥4.33 billion. If you were given the opportunity to participate in a similar game, would you try it? Why or why not? Discuss.

Discussion B

  • Hollywood star Alec Baldwin fatally shot a cinematographer and wounded a director when he fired a prop gun. How do you think this incident will affect his popularity as an actor? Why? Discuss?
  • According to police documents, the actor had been handed a gun by a crew member who yelled “cold gun” and yet the accident happened. Do you think movies should continue using props like this? Why or why not? What would you recommend instead (ex. special effects, strictly fake bullets)? Discuss.