Story Scientist

Renowned choreographer George Balanchine once said, “God creates. I do not create. I assemble, and I steal everywhere to do it-from what I see, from what the dancers can do, from what others do…”. So to plagiarize George Balanchine, here’s a confession: I steal many of my poems from TV shows. Now, I don’t literally steal from television media. Here’s what I actually mean:

With 10th board examinations finally behind us, there has never been a better time to rediscover our writing edge and relapse into that writer’s high. But doing that isn’t easy when all the body craves after months of mugging up textbooks is bed-rotting and netflix. And while I’m a sucker for discipline, no one can force their way out of a writing rut without compromising on the quality of their work. But I’v found a solution to resuscitate both my writing habit and my writing spark, all while fulfilling my TV cravings after spending five months in a study-hole. And that is: making TV my writing inspo

Yes, I know. When you tell people that you spent your weekend watching TV, ‘creative inspo’ isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. Books, on the other hand, are lauded as fuel for a writer’s literary edge. The truth is, quality TV, just like quality books, offer the core creative juice needed for writing: a good story. Think about those shows that aren’t your brainless ‘guilty pleasure’. The ones that made you actually cry, dream about romance, and wish you had background music in your life’s epic moments too. Shows and movies have the power to invigorate your heart to just the right temperature for poetry and novels. That’s why, when in a rut, writing about the one lazy habit that we all fall back into is a fullproof method to prevent procrastination

So the exercise is simple: turn your favorite shows into your favorite poems and stories. Picking characters to write poems about, not only ensures that the idea behind the poem is fully developed, layered, and clear in your head, but also makes the poem that much more personal. In that way, watching TV is basically a shortcut to getting inspired. In honor of that sentiment, here are my current TV obsessions turned into poems. Beware, for there are spoilers incomming.

1. The Art of Sarah–Netflix

This show follows the murder investigation of Sarah Kim, CEO of an exclusive luxury brand “Boudoir”. As the detectives on the case dig deep into Sarah Kim’s mysterious life, and disturbing truths about the victim come to light, it becomes painfully clear that the so-called ‘old-money brand’ Boudoir and the woman behind it may have accomplished the biggest fashion scam in korean high-society.

Starting on a dark note, I know. But this show’s most intriguing element is none other than the protagonist, Sarah Kim, herself. Her elaborate scheme of launching a fake luxury bag business and climbing her way to the top of the korean fashion game was not just thrilling, it was downright inspiring. Here’s what came out of it:

Con Artist

Gleaming black crown glass,

hanging down the side of your frame,

slender and curvy against a white film

of skyscrapers, fireworks and fame.

Covered from head to toe

in ladybug-coloured, layered coats,

piling with wealth, hiding the dirt

underneath all those larger-than life clothes.

2. Itaewon Class-Netflix

My personal favorite kdrama of all time, ‘Itaewon Class’ is about Park Saeroyi, an ex-convict running a pub in the bustling streets of Itaewon with his band of misfit employees, all in pursuit of his one goal: to become the CEO of the largest food corporation in Korea and take revenge on the conglomerate that killed his father when he was in high school.

This one is an out-and-out coming-of-age story that teaches you to dust yourself off when life knocks you down. It’s that show you watch when your dreams feel hopeless or trying feels irrelevant. And that, right there, is the show’s biggest strength: the theme. The protagonist’s relentless pursuit of his impossible ambitions in the face of every obstacle is hard not to be drawn to. His habit of standing on the terrace of his tiny pub and watching the skyline of seoul screams from the rooftops: “One day, all of this will be mine.” Watching this man in action inspired countless more like me. Here’s what I came up with, in honor of Park Saeoryi:

Break

Bubble in time and space,

reflecting the thousands of windows.

A star waiting to be sponsored.

A city waiting to be conquered.

I’ll step out onto the balcony

to clench fists for a few brief seconds.

Straightening shoulders and lifting my chin,

to brace myself and go back in.

3. Arrow-Prime Video

For the final show of the day, presenting the DC arrowverse rendition of the Green Arrow, who, despite my devotion to Marvel, is my favorite superhero of all time. The grueling, thrilling, and passionate redemption arc of Oliver Queen–the billionaire vigilante protecting his city from its criminal elite with his band of loyal allies–is the most heart-wrenching slow-burn I’ve ever seen on television. And at its center is the most layered, thoughtful, gray and human protagonist in the DC arrowverse: Oliver Queen. His story of overcoming his sinful past, rectifying his late father’s wrongs, and fighting his inner demons is perfectly encapsulated in Quentin Lance’s speech at his funeral in the final season: “Oliver stands as a reminder to all of us, that anyone can change.” So, for the final tribute of this blog post, here’s my piece on Oliver and his demons:

About Oliver

He seethes because his lifeless eyes

are not enough to scare,

and his nonchalance convinces none

that he does not care.

He pounds his head, for his cold pretence,

is too much for him to bear.

“If you want to shield me,” his heart whispers,

“then why am I starting to tear?”