Punk rock continued

I have a few additional thoughts on the current state and future of Korean punk rock. I will refer to a few things from Epstein’s article and a few things that I forgot to mention during my presentation.

By all accounts that I have read, the punk scene in Korea has never stopped growing since its induction in the early 90’s. This is positive, encouraging news; while not everyone may be a fan of punk rock (and I suspect many may still be quite the opposite), a diverse music scene is an innovative and productive one. The sound will naturally evolve to fit the times and the discontent of the young, and growing fan bases will draw people from increasingly diverse backgrounds.

This makes the future of Korean punk delightfully uncertain. The two topics I want to discuss in a bit more detail are the gradual assimilation of punk into mainstream and the place of Korean punk in the global alternative scene.

The assimilation has many ramifications for the scene and society as a whole. For example, some of the classical punk fashions like dyed hair, unconventional piercings, screen printed t-shirts, etc. are losing their status as the trappings of punk lifestyle and increasingly appear among the laity. This is neither a good nor bad thing, simply an illustration of the fact that what can be called mainstream or underground is a moving target. However, punk music thrives by the fact that it defines itself as opposite the mainstream, so when bands like Crying Nut sell 60,000 records, a paradox of popularity is created. In the article Sandy posted last week, “Scratch Paper Thoughts on Korean Punk Rock,” this line appears:

“Of course, Korean punk rock is no exception to marketing, mainstream pop culture and/or “selling out” (whatever the f-ck that really means).”

The first half of the sentence is undeniable. I disagree with the last part of this, as selling out is a very real thing: it refers to the fact that as the growing popularity of the music attracts new fans, it often estranges old fans in the process. Success and popularity don’t necessarily distance musicians from their punk roots, but this is almost always the case. The Crying Nut example shows that the line between mainstream and underground can become blurry, which is problematic since the punk ideal can only thrive when among the discontent minority. If Korean punk follows a similar path as Western countries, a new punk will emerge from the rubble of what once stood for alternative.

The future of Korean punk, as I perceive it, is thus at a crossroads. It has clearly established itself well, as Korean youths have shown themselves to have abundant amounts of the requisite restlessness and individuality to carve out a niche for a punk scene. What will the music sound like in the future, and who will listen to it? To expand on 2 interesting quotes from Epstein:

“[The punk rock artists] have chosen to view their music first and foremost as a Korean version of the punk genre.”
“Korean youth proclaim that they maintain cultural identity while eagerly incorporating such foreign technology…”

It seems likely that in the future, Korean punk will become increasingly Korea-centric. I will cite historical precedent to support this prediction: Celtic punk, Viking metal, Folk metal, Oi punk, etc. In each case, what we see is a more general musical genre strongly absorbing and utilizing very local elements. The Irish punks sing about Irish issues such as the worker’s struggle; Viking metal constantly invokes the Norse gods and themes of warfare (and of course comes from Scandinavian countries). There is plenty of room for Koreans to carve their own, unique genre from the larger punk scene, and that is indeed what appears to be occurring. Korean punk will draw from common experience without becoming commonplace, and it will rock.

Arirang, etc

To preserve or not to preserve? That is usually the question that many nationalities face when it is related to the nation’s history and culture. With this modern age setting in and everything is globalizing (which is essentially homogenizing) our everyday lives. We can lose our traditional identity if we do not work on preserving the arts and crafts of the olden days. In Keith Howard’s article, the Korean government’s attempts to preserve tradition “focused on securing the conservation of the oldest, most authentic form of any given art or craft…[and promoting them] as icons of national identity.” Another point that Howard pointed out was that “the more [the government] appoint[s], the less of [Korean’s] cultural heritance [they] will lose. But the more local folk songs are performed in the national arena the more they lose their local identity.” This is quite a balance that the Koreans have to strike. Because the Koreans’ folk songs vary from region to region, the government had a tough time on deciding how much of these regional folk songs they want to preserve since there were many to choose from.

Even with all of the stipends that the government pays to these appointed “holders” to pass their songs and arts down, the younger generation is simply not interested. One thing that I found interesting were the people who decides to break away from tradition and adds a little twist to the songs. Paek Ch'angu added modern instruments (guitars, keyboards, and bass) to pansori, which does not seem to be a typical mix. Other fusion artists, such as the SamilNori team even performed traditional music in jazz, pop, and even in rap form. I do believe that in order to appeal to the current generation and to make it more popular, first tie the folk songs to a contemporary medium that will create a segway into the younger generation's interests. Once it has created a fan base, they will want to trace to the original and will become to like the original once more. I am surprised through the dramas and movies that I have seen, the Korean traditional culture appears to be very embedded into the everyday lives. Perhaps preserving the songs has a bit of a way to go, however, the clothes and food do not seem to be fading away.

Here is one version of the Arirang sung by Jang Sa Ik.

Repackaging Folk Songs for Contemporary Consumption

Keith Howard's "Korean Folk Songs for a Contemporary World" discusses a contemporary singer named Yong Woo Kim who studies and performs traditional Korean folk songs with the aim of popularizing them with today's youth. In his quest to reach younger audiences, however, Kim has found that he needs to modify the songs to make them more familiar to the audience, and thus more appealing. I contend that one way this can be interpreted is through a Marxist lense which, as explained by Theodor Adorno of the Frankfurt School, creates a mass culture in which music is standardized and promotes passive listening.

In order to attract a younger audience, Kim has found it necessary to change the folk songs he performs in some very significant ways. For example, the women's song and dance genre, kanggangsullae, which is generally performed exclusively by women, is sung on Kim's album by Kim with a chorus of men, with not one female voice present on the track. Also, many songs are performed a capella, replacing what traditionally would have been drum accompaniment, and similar artists have added synthesizers or electric guitars to songs, or changed them to have more of a jazz feel. Kim explains that in addition he must change his style of singing in every song to be different than the way the song is traditionally sung, since as he explains, "People say that mine is a familiar way of singing . My voice is easy to listen to, easy to appreciate. To make music easier to listen to is essential work for all contemporary musicians, and so my ability to do this is a merit. I focus on my listeners, not on what professional musicians think I should do."

I believe that one of the reasons Kim and other artists feel this pressure to alter the distinctive styles of traditional music is to meet the expectations of consumers of mass culture. In order to pass these songs on in some form, contemporary artists must reach today's consumers who are accustomed to listening to a certain style of music. Marxist philosophy can explain some of these expectations. Theodor Adorno of the Frankfurt School explains in his 2006 essay "On Popular Music" that popular music has been standardized and promotes passive listening. By standardized, he means that the music is "mechanical" and "a given detail can be shifted from one song to another without any real effect on the structure as a whole." (This is particularly relevant to our recent discussions of Korean ballads). Since the music is, in effect, "pre-digested", consumers are able to listen to it passively. The repetitive music confirms the world, instead of questioning or enlightening it. According to Marxist theory, this is because work in a capitalist society is dull, boring and straining, and workers are therefore too exhausted in their leisure to search for and consume "real" or "authentic" culture, and instead turn to popular culture to satifisy their craving for culture without requiring them to expend any more effort.

This relates to Korean folk music in that the Korean people are the workers who crave cultural stimulation, but require it in a form which is easy for them to consume. When a typical young adult in Korea comes home from a long day of work, she or he doesn't want to relax to a traditional pansoori which, after listening to endless smooth, fluffy ballads, might sound grating and harsh. Instead, she or he would prefer to hear the story of the pansoori told in a manner which she or he is more accustomed to, namely something more ballad-like. And so artists like Kim, in order to capture younger audiences and pass on a piece of Korean heritage, must modify the folk song to make it more familiar, and thus more appealing, to younger audiences.

I can see many people denouncing this modification of traditional songs, however, I feel that it is probably necessary in order to keep these songs alive in modern culture. Just like the story of Admiral Yi Sunsin, the relevant parts of the legend - his accomplishments and courage and nationalism - must be brought to attention, while the less relevant (his style of clothing, for example) will likely be relegated to the history books. The traditional versions of these folk songs should certainly not be lost, but I believe it is unreasonable for anyone to expect the people of today, who with an ever-growing middle class are more used to comfort and pleasure than any past society, to make an exception to their musical tastes in order to consume folk songs performed in their traditional form. Instead, I believe the most relevant parts of the songs should be maintained, and the less important aspects should be modified so that modern audiences can better enjoy it. Only by doing so can traditional Korea expect to capture the hearts of today's youth and pass relics of the past on to future generations.

"Arirang" for Today's Koreans

The thing that struck me the most while listening to Yang Hui-un's "Morning Dew" was how very much it sounded like an American folk song. Keith Howard describes how the norae undong ("song movement") that resulted from the 1970s' student democratic demonstrations drew inspiration from the musicality of people such as Bob Dylan. This fits very neatly into the ideas that Howard presents in "Korean Folk Songs for a Contemporary World." In this piece he shows how contemporary Korean singers and musicians who use the Korean folk tradition as a source see how change and fusion allow contemporary audiences to enjoy and "understand" folk songs. The "traditional"-ness of folk songs can be a turn-off for Korean urban youth, but by adding synthesizers or the equivalent of epic drum solos or making them dance-y allows folk songs to be relevant to modern listeners. At the same time, the meaning that singers and/or audiences put behind songs such as "Arirang" have also changed. While the original lyrics showcase a woman weeping for her absent lover, "Arirang" now has a nationalistic undercurrent and allows Koreans to show pride in their identity. Although contemporary presentations of folk songs are radically different from what the Korean government is preserving as Intangible Cultural Assets, they still represent a powerful and long-lasting folk tradition in which the Korean people make music that tell their stories.

Here are various videos to show how contemporary Koreans are using "Arirang" to showcase their Korean identity:

A guitar version
Korean fans at a World cup match
At a Korean concert for the 2006 World Cup (Isn't it great that national pride is best on display at sporting events?)
Something else related to the World Cup
A performance by a Chinese singer (So, "Arirang" doesn't have to have a nationalistic meaning since people of other nationalities can perform it too.)

Finally, just for fun, a fusion of Korean traditional instruments, Korean modern breakdancing and beatboxing, and Pachelbel's "Canon in D."

I bet you get these songs stuck in your head. I had Seo Taiji and the Boys' "I Know" stuck in my head all week.

Cultural Compromise

I mentioned last week that it was difficult to think of Korean punk music as a completely individualistic and resistant movement from below because the 'punk' image is marketed and commodified in TV, magazines and other media. Storey's chapter on Marxism has helped me untangle the issue and realize that there does not necessarily have to be a singular path these cultural phenomena follow. I would aggree that there is what Gramsci calls 'a compromise equilibrium' in which both mass society and the capitalist class engage in a give and take relationship. In looking at Korean folk music, we notice a similar situation.

It seems Korean folk music has succumbed and finds itself in the realm of the popular similar to how Rastafari reggae began as oppisitional culture but now creates profits for Island Records. We see this in the example of Yong Woo Kim amd how he has systematically altered traditioanl Korean songs like "Ch'onando samgori" in order to appeal to a mass youth audience. Folk Music is different than punk in that it has roots in history but the compromising process is still similar. There certainly seems to be a large overhaul though of folk music. Not only does production change but the reason for production changes. Consumption changes as well as the reason for consumption. So the relationship or compromise between what is percived as high art or traditional culture and modern cultural industries is constantly evolving.

Take for instance even the many different cultural shows performed on Penn's campus. Most of them showcase some form of traditional dance or music but they are marketed at least on Locust Walk as forms of entertainment. No one will go up to a person and ask if they want to hear a traditional Korean song about Japanese resentment. So even though traditional or folk music is quite widespread, this may only suggest that the comprimising relationship is allowing such a thing to happen and that theories regarding increased nationalistic sense may requre careful thought.

Folk Song Still Today

Keith Howard’s, “Korean Folk Songs for the Contemporary World” poses interesting points about tradition passing down and most importantly as I see it connects to nationalism. Folk songs traditionally are thought of as being passed down by oral traditions and things of the past, not always connected to the future. However, I think that with specificity to the country of Korea, one that is still reshaping its structure of democracy and the nationalistic pride of the people, I can see why such a folk song as “Arirang” is still in check today with its many versions.
To begin, one passage is on page 151. Howard, talking about the song “Arirang”, says “The song tells with sorrow about the passing of time, about… the sad situation of the people, deprived of their homeland by the Japanese imperialists and expresses, although not clearly, protest against the Japanese imperialists’ occupation of Korea, in which the Japanese are referred to as the root of all misfortunes…”. He begins by noting the Han with the sorrow of the people, painting the picture of a changing people recovering and restructuring from the past. If we look at what Howard’s argument develops into he states that folk songs are of the people.
This is interesting because it is in remembering that it is by the people that it still appeals to the people, remembering the ancestors as they hold on to what they can of the past. The Korean people have gone through a lot, constantly questioning their nationalistic characteristics, in such a short period of time compared to other nations. So this is why I think folk songs would survive in such a state in a nation unlike America where we do not really appreciate folk songs unless we are talking about those Golden Oldies! Lastly, I think that folk songs especially resonate still today because of the continuing political conflicts that are revisited with Japan’s war time political activities of recent times and lost retributions, that stem from the same sort of aggression and Han.

Post-Marxism and Howard's Korean Folk Songs for a Contemporary World

Yay! My first theoretical post!!!

Post-Marxism draws 2 conclusions about way of thinking about culture:
1)World exists outside culture but only in culture can the world be made to mean
2) The making of culture is always a potential site of struggle and/or negotiation

These can be related to Howard's article as follows:

1)World exists outside culture but only in culture can the world be made to mean
Howard: Korean folk songs have existed, but are made meaningful in context of culture...
For example, Arirang is an icon of national identity in Korea, especially the Korean struggle against Chinese and Japanese oppression, and stands for Korea in international collections, yet one version song itself is about a woman waiting on the banks of a river for her love....(there were later versions that sing about the oppression by Japanese)...there seems to be nothing nationalistic about the lyrics.

Another example is the project by the Korean government to "recommend representative genres for conservation as intangible cultural assets and to appoint individuals as holders". Here Korean folk songs/arts/genres are interpreted to be icons of national identity and were promoted through urban stages and state-controlled media.

Yet, often times the folk songs were changes or adapted for the modern audience which relates to the second conclusion of Post-Marxism

2) The making of culture is always a potential site of struggle and/or negotiation
Example: Concurrently with the protests for democracy, university students would also visit villages and appropriate and develop folk songs to be incorporated it into mass culture. Specifically, the example of Yong Woo Kim is cited. He learned to sing folk songs from Cho Ulson (sole holder of Cheju minyo) and Cho Kongnye (holder of Namdo Tullorae). Yet his versions are very different from that of his teachers. For example compared to Cho Ulson's version of Pongjiga his version is slowed down, a synthesizer and hourglass drum is added (which didn't exist on Cheju until after the Pacific war...thus not original). The reason for these changes was that his audeince was the urban youth and he needed to made the songs relevant today by adding modern aspects. For example, another version of his folk song added in a capella which was popular in 1990s. Finally Kim and another contemporary of his Lee resonated with nationalist appeal by adding a vocal style that invokes han (resentment/grudge which is the result of oppression during six centuries under the Chinese, 35 years under the Japanese, Korean War and decades living under a military dictatorship by using aewan chong or sad voice, by favoring slow-paced songs, adding vibrato and pre and post-tone ornamentation, yet this kind of style is that of southwestern singers and may not reflect the region where the original folk song came from. This original folk songs were changed to suit the nationalistic sentiments of the modern Koreans

The negotiation is especially clear in this quote of Howard's "If the development of folk songs began as student protest Yong Woo Kim is evidence that it has been achieved by harnessing the success of the government's preservation drive...fusion necessary...state system attempted to maintain folk songs that had little place in contemporary life"

Finally the use of western influences (guitars, pianos, oboes) can be explained also as negotiation as to preserve tradition yet make it popular at the same time musicians needed to unite the two poles of nationalistic/conservative/Korean and international/progressive/Korean. Groups such as the Seugidoong used Korean folk songs as the basis yet made them relevant by using western instruments, wearing western clothes, setting the music to regular dance bets, rearranging the arrangements, etc.

Thus a negotiation was made between the government's desire to make traditional Korean music mass culture and the masses adapting the culture to suit their contemporary tastes...

Arirang Ringtone?!?!

While I was reading this week's material, I noticed that we are supposed to listen to Arirang, which is a very famous and common folk song in Korea. If you ask any child who has either grown up in Korea or grown up with a very Korean immersed background, I am sure that the child has either heard of or knows the song Arirang. Arirang might be as famous as the Korean national anthem, just as the Pledge of Allegiance is as common as the American national anthem to Americans.

One thing I remembered from a few years back was a gold-copperish colored samsung cellphone I purchased from T-Mobile. As most people know, Samsung is a Korean company that produces cellphones for many different American carriers. The most surprising thing happened after I purchased the cellphone. While scanning through the ringtones I noticed that Arirang was made into a ringtone for this particular phone. I asked many of my friends who also had cellphones made by Samgung, but had other carriers if they also had Arirang on their cellphones and most of them replied that they do not. Although it may seem common that a Korean company would produce a cellphone with a Korean ringtone, I found this very odd since American people might not even know that the song Arirang existed. I also noticed that around the time that the cellphone was produced, many other Korean products were making their way into foriegn markets (such as stationary products and food products). Clearly the addition of the cellphone ringtone was a form of globalization from Korea. By buying this cellphone and knowing what Arirang was, I enabled many of my American friends to listen to this very traditional and old Korean folksong.

Nationalism and Popular Culture

I believe that Korean popular culture is intrinsically tied to nationalism, especially for second-generation Korean-Americans (who might not have as strong a connection with their motherland), popular culture helps act as a tool to link them back to their home culture. Popular culture covers a wide variety of elements (as we’ve been studying in this course): music, drama serials, food, graphic novels, etc. While it may not always be plausible to hop on a plane and fly to Korean in an attempt to immerse oneself in Korean culture, a Korean-American may indulge in Korean popular culture to learn more about and forge a connection with his or her home culture.

I find that Penn itself provides a plateau for exploring the correlation between popular culture and nationalism. A myriad of Korean-interest student organizations exist: KSA, KAP, PennSori and LiNk. I think it’s pretty amazing how the number of Korean-affiliated clubs outnumber all other ethnic-related organizations. Furthermore, Korean popular culture acts as a gateway for non-Koreans to learn more about Korean culture. Personally, after taking this course I have become fascinated by Korean culture and have decided to take up Korean language next semester and a minor in East Asian Studies. On a more serious note, popular culture definitely spurs nationalistic vibes in the life of Korean-Americans. Take for example the Korean Culture Show that’s taking place at Hall of Flags which is a fusion of both traditional (Korean Fan Dance, singing of Korean national anthem) and contemporary (Korean acapella group, KSA movie) acts.

On an unrelated note, I was doing research for my final paper and I’ve included an excerpt from an interesting article I’ve found:

\IDENTITIES AS ACCOMPLISHED BETWEEN PARTICIPANTS

One important aspect of the discourse of agency is its focus on identities
as being negotiated between participants. While many models of identity
seem to propose a dichotomy between identities which are either self-ascribed
or other-imposed, the discourse of agency notes that identities
are composed of both conscious attempts at self-ascription, as discussed
above, and other-recognition:

TWO WAYS OF ARTICULATING HETEROGENEITY

___________

Mike We call people fobby
“You’re acting fobby” and stuff
Just like the way they act and like
( . . . )
Honestly you can probably tell just by looking at the
person
Whether they’re more Americanized
Or more Koreanized51

—————

Evelyn: We joke cause one of my roommates is Korean
And she was born here you know
She’s complete but
she is into the whole Korean you know s-
Only listens to Korean music
Only watches Korean dramas
Only
And so we joke you know “You’re a fob”
“You’re a fob” 52
By highlighting the importance of the observer, who looks at someone
and recognizes her/him as a certain kind of social type and/or explicitly
brands someone else with an identity label, the discourse of agency foregrounds
the interactive nature of the achievement of identity, requiring
both an enactment of the signs of identity by one person and a recognition
of that identity by another.53 The discourse of agency thus focuses on
the externally visible and externally recognizable significations of identity.

My topic explores what it means to be a second-generation Korean-American living in the United States, (tying in Korean Diaspora, the Hallyu and how popular culture acts like a tool to link Korean-Americans back to their home culture and with each other). The second part of my paper touches upon the conflicts resulting from the differences between Korean-Koreans and Korean-Americans. I plan to conduct my research and establish my conclusions through a combination of personal interviews and scholarly articles.

Any comments/suggestions?

folk songs and pop culture

In Keith Howard’s Korean Folk Songs for a Contemporary World, he talks about how folk music has transformed itself into becoming pop music. Folk music such as Arirang became the epitome of Korean identity. It seems to have started with one but regional adaptations of Arirang emerged in the 20th century.

Howard begins his essay with an excerpt from T’ongil arirang sung by Yong Woo Kim. In essence, Howard lays out the trajectory of a simple folk song transplanting itself into a more mainstream culture, such as popular culture. This song, initially transmitted from generation to generation by oral tradition, has now become an integral part of technology dependent media culture. The song has taken more roles such as having a historical pertinence embedded in the song.

Using a folk song to rally nationalism is not to anyone’s surprise. Folk songs embody the notion of indigenousness. You can’t get more “authentic” and “nationalistic” than folk songs. The notions of shared value, collectivism, and homogeneity come to my mind when I think of nationalism. You are bounded by the love of your country, and everyone shares the same feelings. Popular culture has similar connotations, too. The word popular embodies the meaning of universality; the word popular suggests it to be a kind of culture that a lot of people engage in. Therefore, the fusion of a folk song, an instrument of nationalism, and popular culture create a whole new entity. It’s almost as if it’s the ultimate creation of cultural dissemination. It has the inherent aspect of one’s culture and it also can circulate at a fast rate to a large audience.

Personally, I think nationalism can be expressed through popular culture. It just boils down to deciding the limit of to what extent can you tolerate the use of popular culture to promote nationalism. I found a music video of G.C. Hammer singing “Club Arirang.” I don’t know if their intentions were to promote something “Korean.” This fusion interested me because I think the same phenomenon is also taking place in the U.S. Some of the artists (I can’t think of it on top of my head), use classical music and manipulate it to their style of music. Anyways, it’s just a thought.

Club Arirang by G.C. Hammer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHlqzyHQYXc

then there’s this guy….
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExcY0_woBpA

Why Jun Ji-Hyun? WHY!?!?

Hello Class. Unfortunately, I have bad news. The pretty actress Jun Ji-Hyun recently announced that she is engaged to an undisclosed man. HA! Just kidding! But seriously, Jun Ji-Hyun has disappointed me by announcing that her on-screen name for English productions will be Gianna Jun. Yeah, the name is exotic, but so is her regular Korean name. It hurts me to hear that such a prominent actress like Jun Ji-Hyun would sell out like this and basically renounce her Korean roots by “Americanizing” what everyone in West will know her by. I guess one could argue that the new name as a form of glocalization to the English audience; however, there are famous stars that retained their Korean names: Kim Yun-jin from “Lost”, Sung Kim from The Fast and the Furious 3: Tokyo Drift. Plus, think of all the Chinese stars that kept their Chinese names like Ziyi Zhang. If you’re going to change your name into something exotic and non-Korean, why keep the last name? By changing her name to some Italian-almost African name, Ji-Hyun is basically denouncing her Korean identity. Where is the Korean pride? Gahhh, somebody please tell me Gianna Jun is a whack name. Whack yo!

	Jun Goes to Hollywood
	By Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter Korean actress Jun Ji-hyun advances to Hollywood. Korea, say goodbye for now to Jun Ji-hyun. Hollywood, say hello to Gianna Jun. Jun, one of the top Hallyu stars, is undergoing a name change as she makes her debut in Hollywood. Her management agency SidusHQ recently announced Jun has been cast in the role of a vampire hunter named Saya in the film ``Blood: The Last Vampire.’’ The film is a remake of a Japanese anime film by Oshii Mamoru. For her first Hollywood role, Jun has decided to change her name to Gianna Jun. This move has drawn mixed reactions from her fans. Her agency said Jun will use the Italian-sounding name Gianna for her roles in the United States and other English-speaking countries. Jun will still use her Korean name in Asia, where she is already well known. . Jun’s name change is in contrast to actress Kim Yun-jin, who retained her name when she moved to Hollywood. Kim stars in the hit TV series ``Lost.’’ Although ``Blood: The Last Vampire’’ is still in production and will be released in 2008, Jun’s involvement in the film has attracted a lot of attention. The action-packed film will be shot entirely in English. Jun has reportedly been studying hard to learn English for the past few months. The film will also star Allison Miller, who has appeared in guest roles in ``Desperate Housewives,’’ ``CSI’’ and ``Cold Case.’’ Jun’s move to Hollywood has drawn comparisons to Chinese actress Ziyi Zhang, who attracted Hollywood’s attention with her role in the successful film ``Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.’’ Zhang is known for her marital arts roles in films like ``Hero’’ and ``House of Flying Daggers,’’ but has moved on to roles in English films such as ``Memoirs of a Geisha.’’ She is now considered one of the most well known Asian stars in Hollywood. Jun started her career as a model and debuted as an actress in ``White Valentine’’ in 1999. However, it was her role in ``My Sassy Girl’’ (2001) that undoubtedly made Jun a star. Since then she has not had a hit film. Her films ``The Uninvited’’ (2003), ``Windstruck’’ (2004) and ``Daisy’’ (2006) performed dismally at the Korean box office. Despite this, Jun is still considered one of the top stars when it comes to advertising. She continues to appear in dozens of commercials for cosmetics, beverages and cell phones. Jun may be hoping to leave behind her losing streak at the Korean box office when she goes to Hollywood. Hollywood is already familiar with Jun’s works, such as ``Il Mare,’’ which was remade as ``Lake House’’ starring Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock. The Hollywood remake of ``My Sassy Girl’’ is currently in production. Elisha Cuthbert, who is known for her role as Kimberly Bauer in the TV series ``24,’’ will play Jun’s role. Also starring in the movie is Jesse Bradford, who starred in ``Flags of Our Fathers’’ and ``Bring it On.’’ The film is scheduled to be released later this year. cathy@koreatimes.co.kr 03-20-2007 20:00

Korean Punk Rock

-It’s not very hard to find Western influences in Asia. But, Korean punk rock? Come on now. At first, it was so strange to me to find such an extreme Western idea in a solid Eastern environment. Two worlds colliding.

This article contributed a lot to my research, and shed some light on the obscurity of the Korean punk rock genre. I don't want to give away too much because I'm presenting on this topic tomorrow. But here's a discussion for the class to think about:

1.What are your thoughts/impressions about the genre of Korean punk rock?

2.Do you think this is a successful genre/would be well-received internationally?

Scratch Paper Thoughts on Korean Punk Rock

By Gena Yoon (SkunkLabel.com)

Though Korean punk rock rose as late as the nineties, it is surely a sign of the times.

"Oi Oi Oi! Oi Oi Oi!" The singer grabs the mike pounding his fist in the air, as the audience follows suit chanting to the chaotic music. The bass player’s five-foot high mohawk shakes to the noise of the drummer kicking in his crappy drums with his steel toed shoes.

No, I’m not at a Rancid show or watching a Clash cover band. Local pub with some sh-tty punk rock band? Nope, I’m in Seoul. I’m in some god-awful basement the size of my closet, moshing to music blasting through a static-ridden sound system.

It’s not very hard to find Western influences in Asia. I can walk into any household in Korea and easily find forks and spoons replacing chopsticks, bed replacing pallets on the floor, and even rare instances bread replacing rice.

But, Korean punk rock? Come on now. At first, it was so strange to me to find such an extreme Western idea in a solid Eastern environment. Two worlds colliding. Sort of like the Flinstones meet the Jetsons.

Granted, Japanese punk rock has been around for quite a while. Japan is known for their potpourri of extreme subcultures and Japanese punk rock (as well as anything else Japanese, it seems) has been a novelty in America for quite a while. Japanese punk has even found its way into successful punk rock labels, such as Fat Wreckords.

Let’s digress for a bit. One of my favorite shows is Star Trek: The Next Generation. Besides the fact Data is hot (yeah, I said, it…HOT!), I love how the show makes social commentaries by conceptually setting contemporary social issues into imaginary scenarios. For example, there’s an episode about an alien race with one gender. As it turns out, one of the alien citizens had a tendency towards the female gender. Her people ostracized her as unnatural and perverted, immediately outcasted her. Obviously, the episode was addressing the issue of homosexuality. However, isolating of this alternative lifestyle, stripping it naked and dressing it up into a totally different outfit, the issue can be perceived with a more clear-cut and unbiased eye.

Punk rock, stripped naked and dressed into a hanbok (Korean traditional-style dress), has sharpened its character into more clear cut lines. In mainstream pop culture (American, Korean, or Japanese), punk rock has easily become a type of fashion, rather than a lifestyle or life philosophy. I absolutely adore punk rock. However, let’s face it, you don’t have to be a virtuoso to learn to play it. There’s obviously a driving force behind the music that allows punk rock to thrive in countries all over the world—something beyond fashion and beyond popularity.

Let’s take the case of Korea. The last couple decades have been a whirlwind for good ol’ ROK: nuclear IMF debt crisis, accelerated economic prosperity, the internet phenomenon, presidential impeachment, and much more. Despite Korea’s instability, in my opinion, these have to be exhilarating times for Korean citizens. Think about it: They’re living history, they’re witnessing change, they’re living it all. It’s a time where anything seems possible, a place where the most insignificant gestures become great movements.

So then, like mold in a dark, damp room, punk rock grew in Korea during the 1990s. In a country recovering from a major civil war, decades of colonization, dependency on major powers, conforming Confucianism, Korea is finally taking its stand. The very existence of punk rock is proof that this is true. Of course, Korean punk rock is no exception to marketing,
mainstream pop culture and/or “selling out” (whatever the f-ck that really means). But, you can’t miss the few and bold who keep the music alive. Rebellion! Freedom! Independence! Passion!

If you want a proper introduction to Korean punk, check out We Are the Punx in Korea compilation album at: www.koreanpunk.tk which includes bands RUX, 18 Cruk, Captain Bois and many more!

“From August 2002, this compilation album was made by the bands in Korea. The purpose of this compilation is to rebuild our club…and further to expand our Korean punk scene. We want to let more people from the world to know more about the Korean local scene, produce good bands and passionate minded punks.

We do not want this album to be criticized by the quality of music or any other sphere. We just hope that at least some people can listen to this album and enjoy.”

Date Posted: 6/11/2004

Drunken Tiger

Here is an interesting article I found while doing some research for my presentation on Drunken Tiger tomorrow. It seems that at one point, Drunken Tiger was also trying to prepare themselves to make a wave through America (many, many years age), but was never able to fully cross the borders. Drunken Tiger is thought of as one of the most hybrid groups in Korea, partially due to their huge Korean-American fan base and ss one of my favorite of all time groups, I would have loved to see what they could've accomplished in America.


Tigers roar, who's listening?

Asian rappers have more than "8 Miles" to go to be successful in the United States and in Korea.
Drunken Tiger, Korea's best selling and most respected Korean-American rap group, would be an automatic candidate for a lifestyle of "bling-blings" (diamonds), Lexus SUVs and a crib in the Hamptons, much like such successful African-American rappers as P. Diddy and Nelly. But the members of Drunken Tiger - DJ Shine, Tiger JK and DJ Jhig - will have to wait, realistically several years, for hip-hop fans to accept a serious Korean rapper.
Hip-hop's ugly side, consisting of racism, stereotypes and prejudice, stands in their way of being played on radio stations across the United States. No other excuse explains it, given the band's credibility with East Coast legend Wu-Tang-Clan, who asked Drunken Tiger perform with them this summer.
Their album sales are among the highest in Korea. All four LPs sold close to one million; a big number considering the lucrative Korean trend of downloading MP3s. On their quest, heads are supporting them from fan clubs in Korea, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States.
"I, myself, am Filipino-American, but pay so much respect to Drunken Tiger for their skill and what they're doing for Korean hip-hop and for Asian rappers as well," said Elsa, who runs a fan Web site. She's eager to help because Asians and other minorities still need a voice in the hip-hop industry.
"Artists from Korea have a harder time making it because they aren't fluent in English," said Kim Sang-kyoo, director of Master Plan records. But as Korean-Americans from Los Angeles and New York, Drunken Tiger can have the best of both Pacific coasts. That's their game right now on a smaller scale.
Speaking from a rooftop near Apgujeong-dong, Drunken Tiger said they're hungry for a chance at big contracts in the States, but how real this dream was "hard to say."
"A lot of things have to happen first," said DJ Jhig.
They already fought an uphill battle against Korean conservatives and liberals alike who viewed hip-hop as another foreign influence corrupting their youth culture. Nevertheless, Drunken Tiger's first album dropped in 1998 with lyrics pointing out the hypocrisy and utter wrongs of the society. Soon, a following took root.
They still get labeled as gangsters and drug dealers because of the image rappers like Dr. Dre and Tupac spread. "It holds us back," said Tiger JK, blowing off a lot of steam about the Korean music industry, who would rather see the trio wear make-up and dance like boy-bands.
"They want to treat us like puppets in a theater," said DJ Shine. "Artists here are so exploited. They sell them out like candy."
Making an unprecedented move, Drunken Tiger turns down offers, and the money, to appear on TV programs and compilation CDs that don't fit their image. Their biggest fear is being lumped in with Baby V.O.X., the Bubble Sisters, and other pop machines that Korean-Americans avoid like SARS. "Its embarrassing when they send these clowns down to the MTV Asia Awards to represent Korea who got no skills," Tiger JK said.
They came to Korea hoping to escape the racial umbrella that still arrests Asian artists in America. Tiger JK recalled in a previous interview about getting booed off stage and hearing racial slurs from the crowd. "I know I lost (emcee) battles due to the color of my skin," he said.
"As Asians, we are still seen as people who can only do martial arts, or study all the time. The stereotypes must be broken," said Eddie Lee of Columbus, Ohio who writes reviews of Korean hip-hop artists.
Most Asian rappers who emerged during the 1990s were limited to performances on college campuses and shows inside New York and Los Angeles record stores located in Asian neighborhoods. No Asian rapper has yet made it to the "big time" to share the spotlight with Jay-Z, DMX or Ja Rule. Only recently, Eminem was able to pave a road for white rappers to be accepted within a traditionally exclusive African-American art. Latinos are also having some success.
But industry watchers say a movement may awaken within two to three years.
"If there was going to be a time when the American public could accept and embrace an Asian American hip-hop star, it would be now," said Hyun Kim, an editor at Vibe, one of the rap world's biggest magazines. They're currently profiling Chinese rapper Jin, who is releasing an album this summer with the Ruff Ryders.
This has also been a good year for Asians with Yao Ming dominating sports headlines, Amerie (half black, half Korean artist) breaking into the R&B charts and Asian-American actors from the recent movie "Better Luck tomorrow" showing signs of clinching bigger roles.
Over a decade ago, Asians rarely listened to rap, says Drunken Tiger, but now it's the norm. Backpackers in Laos can find local DJs who can define rap terms such as "gat" and "player-hater." The "underground" scene, defined as a sub-culture of hip-hop with performances in small venues with artists not signed with major labels, has now given over to multiracial membership. Los Angeles can host entire shows exclusive to Asian rappers.
Furthermore, DJs of Asian decent have already arrived to backup some of the biggest stars in hip-hop. "They have been a part of the culture for a long time from behind the scenes... but now there is a push for Asian-American's to be in the forefront, to make their presence felt visually as artists," Kim said.
But Drunken Tiger says they don't feel that push here, as Korean clubs rave out to techno, and the rest play only American rap. Even Drunken Tiger was clueless on where they can go to hear their own music here. "When Koreans go to clubs, they don't want to listen to Korean hip-hop. They think it's the same as pop music, like boy-bands," said the manager of Club Saab in Hongdae.
Japan plays a sizable amount of their own rappers, as well as France. DJ Shine said America will not be interested in a rap group from Korea until they get lots of support from their homeland fans. "Look at Chow Yun-Fat and Jackie Chan. They made it big because they got props from their own country," he said.
"For a perfect example of a minority breaking into the mainstream hip-hop scene, it would have to be Eminem," Lee said. The Detroit rapper grew out of the underground scene where his biography shows he had to work twice as hard to get noticed. He's outlasted such white gimmicks like Vanilla Ice who Lee says had "charisma but no skill."
"It also helped that he was backed by one of hip-hop's biggest figures, Dr. Dre," he said. Drunken Tiger is still waiting for that sponsorship. What they have to offer is a rap flavor that's reminiscent of the genre's early 1990s days, before hip-hop was gangster and all 'bout the "Benjimins." "It's more about the art of the music, the craft," DJ Shine said. Even black groups like the Roots and Common promoting this aesthetic angle of hip-hop continue to wait out the flashier acts on stage.
This style, largely belonging to underground artists, outweighs the other forms on the international scene. Drunken Tiger says it's an arena that's color blind to backgrounds and stereotypes. "It doesn't matter what race you are, as long as you have talent and ambition."
The irony here is that hip-hop first grew as a platform speaking of the ills of racism, but now its own exclusiveness has become the victimizer. "We had no mission to be pioneers... it was sort of handed to us when we got here," DJ Shine said. "But hopefully we can open some doors for future Asian artists."

Han Sound

This is an interesting article I came upon that discusses the sound of "han". We were talking about this the week before spring break while we were on the subject of the Chun H'yang and the pan soori that was used in the film. I know we are already past the subject of traditional Korean music, but I thought this article was interesting nonetheless. The article is very long so I will just post the link to it : http://www.jstor.org/view/07401558/sp040001/04x0005e/0?citationAction=remove&frame=noframe&charset=u&userID=a57b8f2a@upenn.edu/01cc99332100501b8f737&dpi=3&config=jstor&citationPath=07401558-sp040001-04x0005e&PAGE=0