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Kurara Chibana to re-learn French on NHK

31 Comments

Kurara Chibana, 27,, who was 2006 Miss Universe first runner-up, will star in one of national broadcaster NHK's new language programs to start in spring, with the beauty to brush up her French skills while hosting "Terebi de furansugo."

Chibana said that she had plenty of opportunities to use English in recent years, and she would now like to improve her French. She said she had spent nine months in France during her university days but that she had forgotten most of what she learned, so she would like to start from scratch along with viewers. The program will air at midnight on Wednesdays starting March 31.

Chibana was joined on stage by model and TV host SHELLY, 25, actress Misako Konno, 49, and actor Yoon Sang Hyeon, 36, at NHK studios in Shibuya to announce in total about 20 new language programs.

Konno will host a program that introduces famous quotes in English, which will air on Monday nights at 11.10 p.m. Konno said that not being able to speak English had been the bane of her life, and that she considered the show her last chance to improve her ability.

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31 Comments
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The korean guy rocks.

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Hopefully Chibana will learn enough French to teach NHK a proper sounding title for the show. What is this "de" thing anyway? It just gets stuffed in between Japanese words in order to make the title sound French.

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it's more likely Japanese which would translate as French via television

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I find all these TV lessons meaningless because they are too easy and do not have any continuity and focus. I do not know what idiots design these lessons but the producers probably think the audience consists of idiots who cannot understand and remember simple linguistic things. Also the talentos who learn with the teachers in these programs do not motivate the audience because they cannot pronounce, remember or cope with the material, so the viewer most probably will have no motivation to study with such a pitiful example.

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PS I hope Ms Chibana is different from all the brainless talentos who participate in the language tv programs and are hired just to smile and look stupid on tv while trying to pronounce simple words in foreign language with mistakes and bad accent. The producers should hire people who are really able and motivated to learn in order to show people the process of learning a language.

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Finally NHK are putting my license fee payments to good use. Can't have enough Kurara on TV, I say.

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Yoon Sang Hyeon - this handsome, good lokking, high style fashion Korean teacher will certainly motivate me to learn Korean, but the Japanese talentos participating in the Hangul lessons will be a major turn off, I suppose based on my experience of watching NHK language programs.

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Well, now there's some good news. NHK...Monday...11pm...got it!!

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Did she graduate from that University? IF so, then she might be good with this thing.

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Finally NHK are putting my license fee payments to good use.

we'd rather be paid to view some of these programs.

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She's rubbish. Couldn't even win the beauty competiton. 9 months in France/ Bet she was fluent by the time she left...... She could try dating one of the ubiquitous French blokes that hang around "classy" clubs in tokyo....

Moderator: There is no need to insult Ms Chibana. It only reflects badly on yourself.

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Hopefully Chibana will learn enough French to teach NHK a proper sounding title for the show. What is this "de" thing anyway? It just gets stuffed in between Japanese words in order to make the title sound French.

Um, jerseyboy, that "de" is a Japanese particle which has the meaning "by way of"- think "densha de ikimashita". It's not French...

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I am looking forward to the day that Kurara will try her French on me!

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Hm… what doest it mean “ she has forgotten”, once you learned something, you can never forget it. Unless she was not motivated to learn language properly and these nine months were pass- time between French boutiques, cafés and restaurants. Agreed with LoveUSA- language lessons on TV are pretty meaningless

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Marushka: Oh yes, it is possible to forget. In school I learned first English and then french as second language. Now, more than 20 years later I still use English everyday, but french not. So while I am able to read french texts or understand french movies, I noticed that after trying to study Japanese for now more than 6 years, I have forgotten how to actively speak in french language. But not completely forgotten. It might take one week or so in France and then I should become at least fluent enough to survive in daily life.

Moderator: Back on topic please.

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She's rubbish. Couldn't even win the beauty competiton. 9 months in France/ Bet she was fluent by the time she left...... She could try dating one of the ubiquitous French blokes that hang around "classy" clubs in tokyo....

Wow someone has some issues today. Suspect it is failed sarcasm.

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Bonne chance Kurara!!!

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Here are a few French phrases to get Chibana started:

Comme ca ism (cedilla optional)

Vie de France (real French bread optional)

Konno will host a program that introduces famous quotes in English

No more Obama quotes, PLEASE!

Chibana was joined on stage by model and TV host SHELLY, 25

Aren't small letters good enough for SHELLY? Would she like an exclamation mark or a ♪ with that?

With the exception of the Chinese and Arabic programmes, I have never seen any of the programmes with a native speaker as the teacher. It's as if the Japanese viewers have to be put at ease with a Japanese teacher.

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Nine months in France is not going to help much unless you keep using it afterward especially in French when everything has masculine and feminine.

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Kurara Chibana is a total babe with brains.

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Cliffy: well, nine month in France are enough to get a good basis in order to use it in further. All depends on wiliness to learn.

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well if you know the basics of the languages being taught on tv, it can be fun. I don't know, I haven't watched much tv lately, but these programs are not meant to substitute real language classes, obviously. Some funny ppl appear on them (both J and foreign)and maybe they don't put very proficient Japanese on purpose, to not discourage beginners. For what it's worth...

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Apsara -- thanks for stating the obvious. I know what "de" is in Japanese. What I was referring to was its silly use here in Japan in many names of shops, restaurants, etc. to give it a phony French sound -- like "Salon de Nails". But, I guess you missed that.

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Je t'aime

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only italian i worth watching

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Cliffy especially in French when everything has masculine and feminine.

Only noun Cliffy !

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Kurara is beautiful but I don't believe her vital statistics on "Wikipedia" as 90cm - 60cm - 90cm!!!!

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Kurara is the perfect woman. Churasaaaan!

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I've always thought that if Kurara Chibana had a more pronounced cleavage, she would be more attractive for movies given her fame. Look where cleavage helped the Kano Sisters to international notoriety. Implants?

However, I read somewhere she would like to go into politics - a stunning body is almost a political dead end.

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You know, I am all for trashing brainless tarento`s, but Kurara Chibana is DEFINITELY not one of those! I believe (correct me if I am wrong) that she went to Sophia Daigaku - a pretty high-grade university, plays piano, and speaks 3 or 4 languages. She is (IMHO)beautiful, accomplished, and absolutely the role model I would select for my own daughter any day above the other idiots on TV here. Hell, I would select her as a role model for Japan itself in an instant.

Every time I hear her speak or read an interview with her she has intelligent, educated opinions on things she knows about, and also seems to know when to admit she is not an expert on something - sadly lacking with many "tarentos". I for one would be delighted to see more of her on TV.

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Hey Pukey,

I've known Shelly Eilers almost her entire live. Her dad (a retierd U.S. Navy Master Chief) is an old friend and golfing buddy. If a producetion company was going to pay me what they pay her, they can spell my name anyway they want.

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