YOU ARE WHAT YOU WATCH

       Not unlike well-meaning mums and dads in Thailand, Vietnamese parents in the past often have their children strange or even ugly names to ward off bad luck. That's rarely the case now.
       In Vietnam, though, one of the big trends to name a child after someone famous, and these aren't just nicknames.
       Korean actors - even if they know how popular their TV shows and movies are in Vietnam - might never have imagined that their fans ther are recycling their names or those of characters they've played.
       It's become the custom in the mountain villages of Quang Nam province's Tay Giang district.
       Po Loong Huan was among the first big fans of Korean soaps when they first appeared on Vietnamese television more than 10 years ago. He loved "First Love" in particular, featuring brother San U (played by Sung Chan Woo) and San Oc (Sung Chan Hyuk) and teacher Lee.
       So when Huan's first daughter was born, e surprised the local administrative officials by registering her name as Po Loong San U.
       His second son was named Po Loong San Oc.
       Huan's choice was both an expression of his love for the TV characters and a desire to give his kids unique names.
       The custom caught on. Pregnant Zo Ram Thi Hong was captivated by the 2006 Korean film "Cinderella", particularly the female lead Xo Ra, and decided that was a lovely name for her daughter.
       Her neighbour Agieng Hiep chose the name Su In from the same movie for his first daughter.
       These days you'll find many local couples plucking names from the latest hit Korean shows and films.
       The commune of A Tieng in Tay Giang has lots of families following the practice. Villages like Aching, Zo Ruot and A Hu have many "little Korean actors and actresses".
       What about Bling Rain? "I find the name beautiful," says Little Bling's father, "and plenty of people are doing the same thing."
       Beauty is in the ear of the beholder, and district authorities are encouraging people to stick to traditional names - but it's proving to be an uphill battle.
       "Vietnamese law doesn't ban any children's names, so we can only encourage traditional names as a matter respect and to preserve our national character," says dicstrict chief Bhriu Liec.
       Some parents did accede to the official prodding, but as long as television remains the primary form of entertainment in the mountains and it's full of Korean imports, that influence is unlikely to wane.