Photo thanks to ESPN

Great idea… wrong continent.

HBO announced Tuesday a partnership with S.K. Telecom that would make previously aired episodes of popular HBO programs downloadable. With such features as unlimited viewing, quick return chapter selection, viewers able to hand pick episodes, and above all, a $2 a month flat subscription fee, the deal looks like a steal for consumers.

Except one minor detail- the subtitles; the shows are going to have them. Seeing as Koreans speak Korean, that makes sense in theory but… in reality I have problems being able to make out subtitles on a full size television half the time. Are we really supposed to believe that the words are somehow going to be more legible on a 3 inch screen?

While this deal doesn't effect the North American market as of yet, Cingular has already started offering limited HBO content and through their HBO MobileSM and HBO Family MobileSM programs, and it only seems a matter of time until a fuller roster is offered. In addition to made for mobile episodes of Entourage, an industry first, Cingular has also been offering full length episodes of the first season of Entourage, and various other full episodes of Sex in the City and Curb Your Enthusiasm.