Many South Koreans find it difficult to get visas to enter the United States, so there's been a lot of street buzz in Honolulu over a Korean Visa Waiver Program anticipated to go into effect in the near future.

Unlike Japanese tourists, who can enter the U.S. without a visa, South Koreans are required to visit the U.S. Embassy in Seoul to obtain permission before they travel here.

Even Korean celebrities have had trouble getting visas, causing changes to planning and production schedules and even forcing promoters to find alternatives for stars who couldn't make appearances.

In the past, visa difficulties have deterred some Korean production companies from filming dramas in Hawai'i. Instead they have opted to film their "Hawai'i" scenes in Southeast Asia.

A waiver program would open more opportunities for Korean dramas and movies in the Islands, along with documentaries and variety shows.

Although there's no implementation date yet, the local Korean community — and the local community as a whole — is in a frenzy to prepare for the next wave of tourists to the U.S. Hawai'i stands to benefit from the waiver as it is considered a desirable vacation destination among South Koreans.

Koreans here have many relatives and friends in South Korea who visit annually and are keen on what has been developing in recent years. South Koreans have been making commercial and residential real estate investments in Hawai'i, buying condominiums and sending their children to summer school here.

The demands for property and services — and Korean culture — may grow even more once the waiver program goes into effect.

Just before the International Monetary Fund crisis in 1997, the Korean visitor count to Hawai'i was just approaching the 200,000 mark. In recent years, however, numbers of visits dropped to under 40,000. Many local Koreans are expecting that tourism will pick up again after the waiver goes into effect, growing to 400,000 or 500,000 visitors annually a few years into the program.

The local market has been preparing for an increase in Korean visitors and investors. For example, Central Pacific Bank recently launched a Korean Web site to service the Korean market and prepared a Korean team to assist.

Meanwhile, the tourism industry is trying to quickly prepare for the Korean wave of visitors to Hawai'i. Vendors are preparing Korean language menus, Korean language options at tour sites, frantically seeking bilingual staff and also developing Korean language versions of their Web sites.

THIS WEEK'S K-DRAMA SYNOPSES

'HAPPINESS'

Episodes 5 and 6

Tonight at 7: Jun-su comes home to find Seo-yun visiting with his family. His whole family falls in love with her. He drags her out of the house and tells her it's over between them. Seo-yun tricks Jun-su and brings him to her house and introduces him to her family as the man she loves. Jun-su gets less than a lukewarm reception from her family.

Tonight at 8: Kang-suk takes Eda to a hole-in-a-wall restaurant. When Eda keeps asking him questions, he tells her that he started boxing because he needed a place to sleep.

'KING & I'

Episodes 53 and 54

Tomorrow at 7:45 p.m.: Chi-gyeom announces his retirement after the crown prince's appointment, but Chuh-sun tries to stop him. Hong-bi tries to poison the crown prince's food per Han-su's orders. Court Lady Oh finds out Chuh-sun is his son.

Tuesday at 7:45 p.m.: Years later, the queen mother chastises the crown prince for seeking only pleasure, and tells the queen the prince needs virtue. The king coughs up blood and takes to bed. The king apologizes to the crown prince about the deposed queen.

'ON AIR'

Episodes 3 and 4

Wednesday at 7:45 p.m.: Kyong-min fails to convince Young-eun and returns alone. Kyong-min is forced to resign, but he resists and vows to produce "Ticket to the Moon." Young-eun hears of the news and comes back to settle the score with Kyong-min.

Thursday at 7:45 p.m.: Kyong-min critiques Young-eun's past dramas, and riles her up. Seung-ah gets upset with Ki-joon and cuts all contact. Ki-joon wants to make up, but Seung-ah refuses. Seung-ah tells Ki-joon to set up an appointment with Kyong-min.

'SCARY GIRL'

Episodes 61, 62 and 63, 64

Friday at 7:45 p.m.: Young-rim tells Seung-mi she had a drink with Jung-jin. Seung-mi answers Young-rim's phone while she's in the shower, and tells the caller Young-rim had a drink with Jung-jin and is drunk. Chairman Baek, who was at the other end, verifies it with Jung-jin.

Saturday at 7:45 p.m.: Mr. Kim finds Chairman Baek passed out and takes him to the hospital. Kyung-pyo finds out Jung-jin was the last to visit the chairman and tells Eun-ae to find out what Jung-jin had told him. Joon-chul tries to stop Young-rim from visiting the chairman at the hospital.