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Thread: Shaolin's K-Star

  1. #46
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    back in July

    lunghushan, that question earned you a tiny preview of my upcoming article on K-Star.
    K-Star has been running on China TV since April 2006. It has become one of the most popular TV shows for the most populated nation in the world, with an estimated 300 million viewers.
    I actually wrote the whole **** thing already, but now it looks like we'll be able to get the results, I'll rewrite it when its all over.
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
    Support our forum by getting your gear at MartialArtSmart

  2. #47
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    Thanks, Gene.

    WOW ... 300 MILLION VIEWERS??? That's like the entire U.S.!!!

  3. #48
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    any chance they are going to release the seasons of this show on dvd/vcd?

  4. #49
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    It won't be any better than final fu.
    I was on the metro earlier, deep in meditation, when a ruffian came over and started causing trouble. He started pushing me with his bag, steadily increasing the force until it became very annoying. When I turned to him, before I could ask him to stop, he immediately started hurling abuse like a scoundrel. I performed a basic chin na - carotid artery strike combination and sent him to sleep. The rest of my journey was very peaceful, and passersby hailed me as a hero - Warrior Man

  5. #50
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    I was talking about this over the weekend, the fact that China is promoting Shaolin, with an older Chinese gentleman.

    He said that the Chinese government learned from Falun Gong and these other groups (Catholic) and all that, and basically decided that they want to promote Shaolin and Buddhism as the 'most approved' religion, so to speak, without cult or external influences, where they can keep a handle on it.

    Because they learned that in a religious vacuum, the people in China will want some sort of religion, so they think it is safest to promote Shaolin and Buddhism.

    So this entire Shaolin thing is evidently much more than just a reality show.

  6. #51
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    In fact, I'd venture to say that if the winner isn't a master from Canton, Shanghai or Hong Kong-we all know it's fake and just to drum up more tourism.

  7. #52
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    Quote Originally Posted by Faruq View Post
    In fact, I'd venture to say that if the winner isn't a master from Canton, Shanghai or Hong Kong-we all know it's fake and just to drum up more tourism.
    No, evidently it is much, much more. They had the cultural revolution where they tried to wipe out culture, then they allowed more of a market economy and like 5 state ok'ed religions, but there was a large cult following.

    So they are now promoting Shaolin and Buddhism to the masses. To this show is much more than just a martial arts reality show.

  8. #53
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    Quote Originally Posted by Faruq View Post
    In fact, I'd venture to say that if the winner isn't a master from Canton, Shanghai or Hong Kong-we all know it's fake and just to drum up more tourism.
    That statement is incredibly ignorant about about the state of MA in China today, what happened during the Culural revolution and is generaly just reflective of a kind of rabid blind prejudice that really annoys me.

    Do a little homework first on what regions of China has tended to produce the most fighters and why you have this idea that the only good stuff is in Shanghai or Guangzhou/Hong Kong. Then realize that IF this is a fighting tournament, it will be under Sanda rules and then do some research on what areas tend to put out reall good Sanda fighters. I'll give you a clue, it's not down south.

  9. #54
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    omar- is this really a fighting tournament?

    all the stuff I've seen on youtube indicates it is a forms show. i haven't seen any san shou stuff...yet. you got any links to that aspect?

    thanks
    Kung Fu is good for you.

  10. #55
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    I dunno. I said "if".

    I don't know what tournament this thing is reffering to. It kind of sounds like the Wulingfeng thing which IS like American Idol but for MA. On THAT program it's amateur Sanda intersperced with little film "tests" where the fighter will actually have to act in a 3 minute wushu movie/TV bit but the core of the program is leitai fights. That program is also based in Henan and I think you may have read about it in regards to that Zhaobao Taiji guy from Xi'an who has been doing really well on it lately.

    From the link, which is CNN.com, I can't tell what local event it is. I really just meant ot comment on the mis-conception that Guangzhou is some sort of martial arts center of the universe...er...I mean China. Shanghai is pretty know for that sort of thing. Guangzhou is only know for, well, southern stuff. What would you expect? But in terms of martial arts centers in China, Guangzhou just isn't that famous. Things get out of proportion because the movie industry is/was based in Hong Kong so southern arts get disproportionate representation in the pop culture. Shangai is the second film center after Hong Kong. Both are extra special famous for organized crime so you get even more "martial arts mystery" on that angle. But if you just look at the competitive circuit and the non-film history, a different picture emerges.

  11. #56
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    well, since Wu-Shu was introduced to bring the nation together, you know, all that Communist red book, flag waving stuff, and many people were buying into Falun Gong, PLUS the popularity of the Shaolin Temple, it is the perfect plan.
    Take one part-if ya can't beat'em, join'em, mentality,
    add two parts Buddhism and Wu-Shu,
    mix in with Shaolin Temple
    stir briskly while adding national pride, flag waving
    pour immediately over serving dish of populace
    et, voila! Problem solved.

  12. #57
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    You guys got to read our next issue...

    ...modern wushu is collapsing because the Olympic bid failed. Many longtime supporters - former wushu champions - are speaking out against nandu. You 'traditionalists' who have been bashing PRC and modern wushu are way behind the times. Things are changing rapidly due to the failed Olympic bid. That failure may have been the best thing to happen to TCMA in our generation. Time to subscribe.

    As for K-STAR, there is a sparring component, but that's not the emphasis. But omarthefish nailed it - it's really more like American Idol. There's even some way to vote for your favorites via the net, I think. The show has undergone many permutations as it was developed, but now it's primary intention is to find the next martial arts film star. So sparring is a factor, but there's more emphasis on forms, choreography and especially camera presence. The competitors need to show other skills like singing, dancing and such. It's different for Chinese celebrities - remember Jackie Chan has an extensive singing career and Bruce Lee was a dance champion. You can't just be an ex-fighter like Norris or whatever Seagal and Van Damme were.
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
    Support our forum by getting your gear at MartialArtSmart

  13. #58
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    Voting in PRC

    Here's the online voting site for K-STAR. I've been rooting for Jack Tu because he's a friend of mine. He's the son of the Iron Crotch. We did an article on him in our 2005 November/December issue - Is Wushu a Dying Art? - Champion Jack Tu Speaks Out By John Brown.
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
    Support our forum by getting your gear at MartialArtSmart

  14. #59
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    Pardon my ignorance, but what is 'nandu'? That is, what generic flavor or styles are lumped into it?

  15. #60
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    Oh, I wasn't talking about Sanda, I was talking about gong fu. LOL. And I had heard that all the good people that weren't killed fled to places like Hong Kong, the U.S. and Canada. But I was being facetious. I see I didn't put my 'LOL' after my statement.


    Quote Originally Posted by omarthefish View Post
    That statement is incredibly ignorant about about the state of MA in China today, what happened during the Culural revolution and is generaly just reflective of a kind of rabid blind prejudice that really annoys me.

    Do a little homework first on what regions of China has tended to produce the most fighters and why you have this idea that the only good stuff is in Shanghai or Guangzhou/Hong Kong. Then realize that IF this is a fighting tournament, it will be under Sanda rules and then do some research on what areas tend to put out reall good Sanda fighters. I'll give you a clue, it's not down south.
    I was on the metro earlier, deep in meditation, when a ruffian came over and started causing trouble. He started pushing me with his bag, steadily increasing the force until it became very annoying. When I turned to him, before I could ask him to stop, he immediately started hurling abuse like a scoundrel. I performed a basic chin na - carotid artery strike combination and sent him to sleep. The rest of my journey was very peaceful, and passersby hailed me as a hero - Warrior Man

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