Editor's note: This week's column is related to drama in the golf world, rather than Korean dramas, but you can still keep up with your favorite Korean TV shows in the synopses.

The Ladies Professional Golf Association's recent announcement — then retraction of the rule, on Friday — that international players would need to be proficient in English has confused many Koreans, both locally and in South Korea.

Sure, there are more than 120 international players on the tour — including more than 40 Korean players — but I haven't noticed any problems communicating in English in any of my experiences with the LPGA players in the Pro-Am. A Pro-Am is a one-day tournament where four amateurs are teamed with a tour professional for a golf round, usually on a Wednesday before the first day of the tournament.

There really isn't much time to converse on the course when players are focusing on their game. There may be just a few holes where the game may be backed up on par 3s, but most of the conversation that happens there is all small talk, nothing in depth or complicated. I do understand and agree that if an international player wins the tournament, kudos should be given to the sponsors and others involved, but what is wrong with having an interpreter?

I have golfed in several LPGA Pro-Ams and enjoyed the experience every time. In a 2005 Pro-Am, I was fortunate to golf with tour player Jang Jeong, a past Weetabix Women's British Open Champion. Jang has been on tour since 2000, and her English is proficient enough that she could joke with our team members and carry on a conversation. On the longest-drive hole, I remarked to Jang that I would win the longest drive. She looked at me for a second then remarked, "I don't think so" with a smile. She was right about my tee shot, but I noted that she had a good sense of humor and obviously had many Pro-Am experiences.

A year later, I had the honor of being teamed with a Japanese professional, Ai Miyazato, in her debut LPGA tournament and Pro-Am. There was Japanese media frenzy all around her, and cameras clicked at every swing Ai took. My team exchanged pleasantries with Ai on the first tee, and then we golfed. I could tell her English was limited, but she made every effort to speak to the members on my team and carried on basic conversation. At the end of the round, a Japanese-media reporter asked me a few questions about her golf game, her prospects on the tour and her English proficiency. I met her again in another tournament, and her English had improved from the year before.

One of my most memorable Pro-Am experiences was golfing with Hall of Fame professional Seri Pak. Seri was the Korean LPGA star who triggered a wave of Korean female golfers on the LPGA tour. I remember during her earlier years on the tour, Seri had a difficult time with TV interviews after winning tournaments, but when I golfed with her recently, her English was polished, her A-game was on and she was very pleasant to everyone on the Pro-Am team. She would talk and joke with the amateurs while outdriving all of our tee shots, but what else would you expect from a Hall of Famer?

THIS WEEK'S K-DRAMA SYNOPSES

'HAPPINESS'

EPISODES 33 AND 34

Tonight at 6:45: Jun-su finds Eda and Kang-suk in their hideaway. Chairman Park tells Ji-sook to give up Sa-rang. Sang-wook starts divorce proceedings, and gets subpoenaed from the prosecutor's office regarding a stock scam. Tonight at 7:45: Sang-wook gets scrutinized by the prosecutor's office. Jun-su orchestrates a surprise meeting for Seo-yun and Eda. Jun-young tells Mrs. Ahn that his dead mom is the only woman for his dad.

'BEST CHEF'

EPISODES 9 AND 10

Tomorrow at 7:45 p.m.: Sung-chan is successful in reconciling swordsman Kang and his daughter, So-young, using the butcher knife as a trump card. So-young quits at the bank due to the repeated threats imposed by people from Woonam. Swordsman Kang and Sung-chan bear a grudge against cheap tactics from Woonam and decide to enter the beef competition for chairman Suh. Tuesday at 7:45 p.m.: Sung-chan and the gang searches the countryside for the best cow. Woonam resorts to a cheap tactic of buying out all of the best cows in Korea. Min-woo steals the cow that Sung-chan picked. Sung-chan somehow encounters a cow that was raised well by a country kid with a heart ailment.

'WORKING MOM'

EPISODES 1 AND 2

Wednesday at 7:45 p.m.: Ga-young is a sadistic supervisor who derives pleasure from torturing her subordinates. Jae-sung is one of her subordinates who simultaneously fears and desires her. Then the excitement of the Korean team's success in the 2002 World Cup brings the unlikely pair together, resulting in an unplanned "World Cup baby" and a subsequent wedding. Thursday at 7:45 p.m.: Ga-young is now a married housewife with two children, feeling trapped and regretting the decision to marry her husband Jae-sung. He also feels trapped and starts to flirt with the idea of having an affair with his coworker Eun-ji.

'DAYS OF INNOCENCE'

EPISODES 13 AND 14

Friday at 7:45 p.m.: Tae-seok and his father are shocked by Chairman Yoo's passing. Tae-seok goes to the funeral with his father, but when Dong-hwa sees him, he punches him out in front of crowd. Tae-seok's father meets with Ji-yoon and and asks her to give up on Tae-seok. Saturday at 7:45 p.m.: Agitated after seeing Ji-yoon with Tae-seok, Dong-hwa gets into a car accident. Although he escapes serious injury, he suddenly can't seem to speak. Ji-yoon decides to stay by Dong-hwa's side, and her promise to stay by his side seems to have a positive effect on Dong-hwa's condition.

Jeff Chung is general manager of KBFD TV, which televises Korean dramas with English subtitles in Hawai'i. Reach him for comment at 521-8066 or jeffchung@kbfd.com.