On June 1 I posted on How to Stream. So today is a follow-up.According to Google AI:
Traditional TV broadcasts scheduled programming over airwaves or cables, while streaming delivers on-demand media over the internet, letting you watch what you want, when you want.
What are the top streaming services?
Of course, most of you would need to pay a monthly service to access these channels.
| Streaming Service [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7] | Ad-Supported Plan | Ad-Free / Premium Plan | Notable Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|
| Netflix | $8.99 | $19.99 (Standard) / $26.99 (4K Premium) | Prices updated in late March 2026. |
| Hulu | $9.99 | $18.99 | Next-day network TV episodes. |
| Disney+ | $9.99 | $16.99 | Offers annual discounts for ad-free. |
| HBO Max | $10.99 | $18.49 (Standard) / $22.99 (Ultimate) | Premium Warner Bros. and HBO content. |
| Amazon Prime Video | $8.99 (Standalone) | Included with $14.99/mo full Prime | Ad-free toggle costs an extra $3/mo. |
| Paramount+ | $8.99 (Essential) | $13.99 (with Showtime) | Essential plan includes live NFL on CBS. |
| Peacock | $7.99 (Select) / $10.99 (Premium) | $16.99 (Premium Plus) | Live Premier League and NBC sports. |
| Apple TV+ | N/A (Always Ad-Free) | $12.99 | Includes 4K playback at no extra charge. |
I have long subscribed to Neflix and Amazon Prime. However, a few months ago my senior's community building picked up the cost of Hulu, Disney+, HBO Max, Paramount+ and Peacock.
- Even before that happened, I had too much to watch, even with only Netflix and Prime.
- Now, way, way, too much.
- But now that baseball season is over, and I don't have any fantasy sports teams, my close interest has diminished, leaving University of Hawaii games, news and streaming.
- There is that ESPN baseball postseason bracket competition, but am only in about 18,000 place. However, with a 93.2% score.
- So streaming has become more necessary.
- Do I go back to Korean productions?
- Rotten Tomatoes: 97/93.
- Starring Lee Byung-Hun and Son Ye-jin. Directed by Park Chan-Wook.
- Lee did well in the megahit series, Squid Game. There supposedly is an American version brewing with Cate Blanchett, and Lee might also be in it.
- Son was the female star of the other huge 2020 drama success, Crash Landing on You. The male lead was Hyun Bin, they got married in 2022, and son was born later that year. Thus Son was a mother at the age of 40.
- Won't say much about NOC, except that the ending is unexpected. Has something to do with the morality of corporate ethics. That is, if companies can succeed through ruthless practices, why can't also employees?
- Watch this video, which better understood this movie than me.
As an aside about Korea, from Google AI:
South Korea faces an ongoing mental health crisis largely driven by the extreme pressure to succeed academically. The hyper-competitive race for college entrance—culminating in the notoriously difficult 8-hour Suneung exam —places immense psychological strain on both students and their families. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
For example:
- Too many South Korean mothers participate in marathon prayer sessions in a temple or church, beginning as early as 3:30AM, that last for 1.5 to 1.9 hours, DAILY, over a period of 100 days. Their children know this is happening, so are thus pressured to study harder. The day before that exam, the prayer period could run for 9 hours.
- Some of these rituals involve bowing and other physical exercises, while repeating their children's names, and asking for divine focus and wisdom.
- From Google AI:
Youth and teen suicide rates have climbed significantly. The teenage suicide rate reached 7.9 per 100,000 individuals, with approximately 32.9% of teens citing school performance and entrance exam pressure as the primary reason for their suicidal thoughts. [1, 2]
South Korea, including major cities like Seoul, brings the country to a near-standstill during the national college entrance exam, known as the Suneung (or CSAT), to manage traffic and minimize noise. These extraordinary measures ensure test-takers can arrive safely and focus during the highly competitive exam. [1, 2, 3]
- The South Korean national college entrance exam, known as the Suneung or CSAT (College Scholastic Ability Test), is an intense 8- to 13-hour academic.
The traffic and noise modifications during the annual exam include the following measures:
- Delayed Commutes: Public offices, banks, and major businesses are requested to delay their opening times by at least an hour (usually until 10:00 AM) to keep the roads clear during student rush hour. [1, 2]
- No-Vehicle Zones: All private vehicles are strictly prohibited from driving within a 200-meter radius of all test centers. [1, 2]
- Police & Volunteer Escorts: Students running late to their testing sites can flag down police vehicles. Squad cars and volunteer motorcyclists will use sirens and emergency lanes to rush students to the exam on time. [1, 2, 3]
- Public Transport Adjustments: The frequency of subway trains and buses is often increased during the early morning hours to speed up student transit . Furthermore, bus and train drivers near testing zones are required to drive slowly and avoid using their horns . [1, 2, 3]
- Flight Grounding: In a dramatic measure to ensure absolute silence during the English listening comprehension section, the South Korean government halts or reroutes all aircraft nationwide for over 30 minutes. [1, 2, 3]
The South Korean government officially made the decision to prioritize the entertainment and cultural industry as a top global export and economic pillar between 1994 and 1998. This transformative shift occurred in two critical phases: [1, 2]
- The 1994 "Jurassic Park" Wake-Up Call: In 1994, the Presidential Advisory Board for Science and Technology submitted a seminal report to President Kim Young-sam. It noted that the Hollywood blockbuster Jurassic Park generated more revenue than the global sales of 1.5 million Hyundai cars. Stunned by this, the administration established the Cultural Industry Bureau to begin treating media as a major national strategic sector. [1, 2, 3]
- The 1997–1998 IMF Financial Crisis Pivot: The true, aggressive execution of this strategy began under President Kim Dae-jung in 1998. Devastated by the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis and looking to diversify away from traditional manufacturing conglomerates (chaebols), the government declared music, television, and film as national growth engines. [1, 2, 3]
In 1998, the government established a dedicated Ministry of Culture and Tourism and rolled out the Hallyu Industry Support Development Plan. This laid the groundwork for what the world now experiences as Hallyu (the Korean Wave), turbo-charging global exports of K-pop, K-dramas, and cinema through massive subsidies, state-backed venture funds, and cultural diplomacy. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
- The exact laws and specialized agencies (like KOCCA) created to fund entertainment.
- How the strategy evolved to support modern megastars like BTS or global hits like Squid Game.
Check it out yourself by going to Google AI. I'll close by asking Google AI WHAT IS THE #1 YOU TUBE SONG EVER?
The most-viewed video on YouTube of all time is "Baby Shark Dance" by Pinkfong, with over 17 billion views. If you've never heard this song before, you just must. CLICK HERE!
Note that #9 is Gangnam Style by Psy....also from South Korea. In 2012, this was the first You Tube song to get a billion hits.
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