A Mystery Unravelled

There's something about October that makes me want to fling money away like an angry monkey and his, well, you know. In one month alone I have purchased a car, a Playstation 3, and plenty of new software. All that aside, my most prized purchase has to be my new TV. 34 inches of high definition 1080i LCD glory. Though the pictures hardly do it justice, go ahead a take a gander. I've placed a standard DVD case in the picture to give some size perspective.



The real issue here, however, is not how great the device itself is but rather how much is cost: a mere $650 at the used electronics shop. I use the term "used" loosely, because as anyone who has lived in Japan a "used" item would pass for fresh off the factory line in America. A quick trip to Amazon.com shows that this guy's little brother, a 32 inch 720p LCD still goes for $800, or $670 slightly used. Though the riddle of why this particular unit was so cheap bothered me for several days, I had just about given in to the idea that it was just pure luck when the answer presented itself.

While talking to a coworker I mentioned in passing how great a deal I thought I had gotten, at which point she inquired as to the brand of the TV. "Samsung," I replied. "Sam-san? Your friend makes TVs?" Long story short, apparently Samsung doesn't carry the brand recognition here that it does in America. After asking around, I eventually figured it out. Remember earlier when I was describing the TV? Well, I left out one important adjective. What I should have said was: 34 inches of Korean high definition 1080i LCD glory. Yes, that's right. Who knew that the ethnicity of a TV set mattered? I mean, come on Japan, judging people by the color of their skin is one thing, but a TV? Are her images not just as crisp and vivid? If you prick her, does she not leak some form of liquid crystals? I was reminded of the time when my host-father told me that the reason no one eats at the Lotteria burger chain was "Because it's owned by Koreans." But really, who am I to complain? If Japanese industrial jingoism leads to me getting a dirt cheap, cutting edge TV for half the price of a Sony, what's wrong with that?



In my mind and in my car, we can't rewind we've gone too far.