50 Most Influential K-pop Artists: 16. Jo Seong-Mo

[Series Index]

16. Jo Seong-Mo [조성모]

Also romanized as:  Jo Sung-mo

Years of Activity: 1998 - present? (last single in 2010)

Discography:
To Heaven (1998)
For Your Soul (1999)
Let Me Love (2000)
No More Love (2001)
Ga-In [가인] (2003)
My First (2005)
Second Half (2009)

Representative Song:  To Heaven from To Heaven

To Heaven
To Heaven

괜찮은거니 어떻게 지내는거야
Are you ok? How are you doing?
나 없다고 또 울고 그러진 않니
You are not crying again because I'm not there, are you?
매일 꿈속에 찾아와 재잘대던 너
You were so chatty when you visit my dreams every night
요즘은 왜 보이질 않는거니
Why can't I see you nowadays?
혹시 무슨 일이라도 생겼니
Did something happen?
내게 올 수 없을 만큼 더 멀리갔니
Did you go even farther away, so far you can't come to me?
니가 없이도 나 잘 지내 보여
I look like I am doing fine without you so
괜히 너 심술나서 장난 친거지
You are upset and playing a joke with me
비라도 내리면 구름 뒤에 숨어서 니가 울고 있는 건 아닌지
When it rains, maybe you are crying, hiding behind the clouds
걱정만 하는 내게 제발 이러지마
That's my worry, so please don't do this to me
볼 수 없다고 쉽게 널 잊을 수 있는 내가 아닌걸 잘 알잖아
 You know I can't forget you that easily, just because I can't see you


혹시 니가 없어 힘이 들까봐
If you think I am suffering without you
니가 아닌 다른 사랑 만날 수 있게 너의 자릴 비워둔 것이라면
If you left your space empty so I can meet another love
그 자린 절망 밖에 채울 수 없어
That space can only be filled with despair
미안해 하지마 멀리 떠나갔어도
 Don't be sorry, even if you are far away
예전처럼 니 모습 그대로 내 안에 가득한데
You are filling me up looking just like the way you did
그리 오래 걸리진 않을거야
It will not take that long
이별이 없는 그곳에 우리 다시 만날 그날이
The day when we will meet where there is no more parting
그때까지 조금만 날 기다려 줘
Until then, wait for me just a little bit

In 15 words or less:  The logical conclusion of the "ballad" movement.

Maybe he should be ranked higher because...   He is the only singer in K-pop history who has two albums that sold more than 2 million copies.

Maybe he should be ranked lower because...  Somehow, he is simply not remembered that much.

Why is this artist important?
Many critics term the 1990s as the golden age of K-pop. Although such characterization is hardly indisputable -- how many international sensations did 1990s K-pop create, compared to the 2000s K-pop? -- it does have certain legitimate bases. One such basis for the claim is that the wide variety of available genres in K-pop. The "industrial" K-pop machine that would choke out the music scene did not yet arrive in the 1990s. The strong tradition of rock music from the 1980s K-pop continued into the 1990s, while the new waves of hip hop, R&B, reggae and techno were taking root in Korea.

From this perspective, the genre that ruled the 1990s may be considered the greatest K-pop genre, the crown jewel of the golden age. And there is no question what that genre is: "ballad", a term denoting easy listening, adult contemporary music with light beats and saccharine lyrics. In the first half of 1990s, it was Shin Seung-hoon who owned the genre. In the second half, it was Jo Seong-mo. Owing to the fact that his career peaked before online file sharing became prevalent, Jo Seong-mo holds the distinction of being the only K-pop singer who sold more than 2 million copies of two different albums, a feat that not even the more influential luminaries of K-pop could match.

Jo also set another trend: a proliferation of music videos as a mini-movie. The music video for To Heaven starred Lee Byeong-heon, an A-list Korean actor, and cost several hundreds of thousands of dollars to make -- both an unprecedented step for a K-pop music video. To Heaven would lead an era of "epic" K-pop music videos, some stretching to as long as 20 minutes.

Interesting trivia:  Jo's songs, including To Heaven, are often about dead lovers. In an interview, Jo said those songs were inspired by his older brother, who died early in a car accident.

Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.

Why are Asian Americans Liberal? (Are They Even?)

Dear Korean,

According to polling data, Asian Americans tend to be more liberal on average than other minority groups. In fact they are the second most Democratic ethnic group in America according to this poll. The Gallup poll linked fails to give me any convincing reasons as to why Asian-Americans are liberal. In fact, Asians seem to fit the mold of a more conservative voter: they are wealthy, they tend to raise talented children with a strict upbringing, first generation immigrants tend to be more socially conservative, and most of them don't really care for an active, high taxing government. So why are Asian-Americans more likely to be liberal Democrats?

Right Wing Nut Job

'tis a season for politics in both U.S. and Korea, as both countries are gearing up for the presidential election at the end of this year. So let's talk some politics -- first, on the U.S. end.

Before we begin, full disclosure: the Korean is a Democrat, because he thinks the taxes are too low and the federal government is too small. (Seriously.) Take the following for what it's worth, which may not be a lot.

Right Wing Nut Job is exactly right that, in general, Asian Americans seem to have many, if not most, of the traditional characteristics of conservative-leaning Americans. Asian Americans have the highest household income among all races in America. They tend to value family relationship. Many Asian Americans are staunchly Christian (yours truly included,) and therefore tend to be on the more traditional side of many hot button cultural issues in American politics, such as same sex marriage. Finally, many Asian Americans are small business owners, who generally favor lower taxes and less regulations. So what's with the Gallup poll that shows Asian Americans being liberal?

There are two possibilities -- the Gallup Poll could be flawed, or there are real reasons why Asian Americans tend to be more liberal. The Korean thinks both scenarios are plausible. Let's address each in turn.

The Gallup Poll could be flawed, because surveying of Asian Americans is tricky for a number of reasons. Compared to, say, African Americans, Asian Americans are a very diverse group with very diverse historical experience. Asia is a big continent, covering all the way from the edge of Eastern Europe to the Pacific Ocean. The circumstances by which various Asian American groups arrive at America are markedly different as well. Indians who immigrate to the U.S. tend to be in the middle-class with white collar professions that requires advanced degrees. Cambodians and Laotians, in contrast, arrive at American shores as poorer working class.

Language barrier is also a significant factor when it comes to surveying Asian Americans. Compared to other ethnicities, Asian Americans are disproportionately comprised of first generation immigrants who are often not completely comfortable speaking English. When an English-speaking pollster calls, most such Asian Americans would simply hang up the phone.

But there are also real reasons why Asian Americans tend to be more liberal. The Korean cannot say for certain whether Asian Americans, overall, are more liberal. But he can say with relative confidence that Asian Americans who vote -- the subgroup of Asian Americans whose political opinion truly matters -- tend to lean strongly toward the left. And when we look at the demographic characteristics of this particular subgroup, it makes perfect sense that they tend to be more Democratic.

Asian Americans who are likely to vote tend to be young, because the older generation of Asian Americans tend to be disconnected from mainstream America because of language and cultural issues. Asian Americans also tend to live in large cities, where the jobs are. They are generally highly educated, frequently with post-graduate degrees. All of these characteristics tend to indicate a lean toward the Democratic Party.

One additional factor that particularly affects Asian American voters: they are immigrants and racial minorities. And -- whether these perceptions are fair or not -- there is no question as to which party is winning the hearts and minds of immigrants. (Hint: it's not the party that opposes a sensible immigration reform laws like the DREAM Act.)

Next up, an overview of the upcoming presidential election of Korea.

Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.

AAK! Music: Gangnam Style by PSY

Now that the Korean got the obligatory Gangnam Style post over with, let's milk it for what it's worth. Here it is -- your definitive guide for PSY and Gangnam Style.

PSY [싸이]

Years of Activity:  2000-2012

Discography
Psy from the Psycho World? (2000)
Ssa2 [싸2] (2002) (pronounced "Psy")
3mai [3마이] (2002) (pronounced "sammai")
Ssazip [싸집] (2006)
PSYFIVE (2010)
PSY6gap: Part I [싸이 6甲: Part 1] (2012)

Representative Song:  Gangnam Style [강남 스타일], from PSY6gap.

강남 스타일
Gangnam Style


오빤 강남스타일
Oppa is Gangnam Style
강남스타일
Gangnam Style

낮에는 따사로운 인간적인 여자
A woman who is warm and humane during the day
커피 한잔의 여유를 아는 품격 있는 여자
A dignified woman who knows the leisure of a cup of coffee
밤이 오면 심장이 뜨거워지는 여자
A woman whose heart fires up at night
그런 반전 있는 여자
A woman with a plot twist like that

나는 사나이
I'm a man
낮에는 너만큼 따사로운 그런 사나이
A man who's as warm as you during the day
커피 식기도 전에 원샷 때리는 사나이
A man who takes a shot before the coffee gets cold
밤이 오면 심장이 터져버리는 사나이
A man whose heart bursts at night
그런 사나이
That kind of man

아름다워 사랑스러워 그래 너 hey 그래 바로 너 hey
Beautiful, lovely, yes you, hey, right you, hey
아름다워 사랑스러워 그래 너 hey 그래 바로 너 hey
Beautiful, lovely, yes you, hey, right you, hey
지금부터 갈 데까지 가볼까
How about we go all the way now


오빤 강남스타일, 강남스타일
Oppa is Gangnam Style, Gangnam Style
오빤 강남스타일, 강남스타일
Oppa is Gangnam Style, Gangnam Style
오빤 강남스타일
Oppa is Gangnam Style

Eyyy- Sexy Lady
Eyyy- Sexy Lady
오빤 강남스타일
Oppa is Gangnam Style
Eyyy- Sexy Lady
Eyyy- Sexy Lady

정숙해 보이지만 놀 땐 노는 여자
Woman who looks demure but plays when she plays
이때다 싶으면 묶었던 머리 푸는 여자
Woman who lets her hair down at the first chance she gets
가렸지만 웬만한 노출보다 야한 여자
Woman who is covered up but sexier than any exposure
그런 감각적인 여자
A woman who is sensual like that

나는 사나이
I am a man
점잖아 보이지만 놀 땐 노는 사나이
A man who looks gentle but plays when he plays
때가 되면 완전 미쳐버리는 사나이
A man who goes completely crazy at the right time
근육보다 사상이 울퉁불퉁한 사나이
A man whose ideology is bumpier than his muscles
그런 사나이
That kind of man

오빤 강남스타일, 강남스타일
Oppa is Gangnam Style, Gangnam Style
오빤 강남스타일, 강남스타일
Oppa is Gangnam Style, Gangnam Style
오빤 강남스타일
Oppa is Gangnam Style
Eyyy- Sexy Lady
Eyyy- Sexy Lady
오빤 강남스타일
Oppa is Gangnam Style
Eyyy- Sexy Lady
Eyyy- Sexy Lady

뛰는 놈 그 위에 나는 놈 baby baby 나는 뭘 좀 아는 놈
Running guy, over him a flying guy, baby baby I'm a guy who knows a thing or two
뛰는 놈 그 위에 나는 놈 baby baby 나는 뭘 좀 아는 놈
Running guy, over him a flying guy, baby baby I'm a guy who knows a thing or two
You know what I’m saying
You know what I’m saying
오빤 강남스타일
Oppa is Gangnam Style

Eyyy- Sexy Lady
Eyyy- Sexy Lady
오빤 강남스타일
Oppa is Gangnam Style

In 15 words or less:  flag bearer of the new generation of Korean pop musicians.

So, the Korean, If You Knew This Would Happen, Where Would PSY Fit in the "50 Most Influential" List?  Somewhere between 30 and 35.

Why?  DBSK is ranked 34 purely on the back of their international popularity while having zero musical merit. Safe to say PSY would go a little higher than that. His musical influence is notable but limited, so can't go higher than 30.

Why is PSY important?

At this point, it is probably safe to say PSY will never be separated from Gangnam Style and his infamous horse dance. Of course, given the amazing height of success that PSY achieved with the song and dance, it is also probably safe to say that PSY wouldn't rather have it any other way. But at this point, there is a fair chance that he will be a victim of his own success, relegated to a one-dimensional character -- like a sitcom star whose show was too successful for too long. That would be a pity, because even before the worldwide Gangnam Style craze, PSY occupied an interesting space in Korean pop music history.

PSY -- born Park Jae-sang -- debuted in 2000, which was a major inflection point in Korean pop music history. Prior to late 1990s, popular musicians of Korea could be divided largely into two categories:  the entertainers and the artists. The entertainers were no better than singing clowns, driven to put on a good show to earn the public's adulation and another day's living. The artists were concerned with the quality and message of their music, endeavoring to create something new and meaningful. The two groups of people did not have much in common, and overlapped only infrequently. (When they did overlap, they are remembered as legends of Korean pop music. Shin Joong-hyeon was both an opening act at a USO show and pioneering rock musician. Seo Taiji was both a leader of a boy band and introducer of hiphop to Korea.)

But one thing did tie the groups together -- they were both serious people. The threat of poverty and hunger endowed the entertainers with a hardened edge, even if that edge would only be visible off the stage. It was the typical gravity of purpose that drove the artists into seriousness. Much of this was a function of the times they lived in Korea. There is nothing terribly fun about poverty, sweatshops, dictator rule and constant Red Scare -- the conditions that plagued Korea until late 1980s. It was not just Korean artists who were serious; all of Korea was serious.

It is too much to call these artists joyless  -- surely, they must have felt deep-seated satisfaction derived from their life's work. But still, they were serious; more often than not, they didn't seem to be having fun. As Korea became wealthier and freer, that began to change. And PSY was one of the first Korean pop musician to lead the charge.

Korea's emergence as a wealthier, freer country in the 1990s had a massive implication to its pop culture. Simply put, Korean people had money to spend, and they could spend their money on whatever they wanted. Korean pop music's first response to this new reality was rooted in the industrial-era mentality: "let's earn more money by putting out the best cultural product possible." Thus, late 1990s is when the idol group business model was developed. A production company would invest significant capital into beautiful and talented people, grooming them into money-making machines. As we all know, this business model ended up becoming wildly successful within a decade or so. But although the glitter and glamour of Girls' Generation and Big Bang are new and sophisticated, their raison d'etre is an old one. They exist to entertain others, and earn a living by doing so.

But there was a more subtle and under-appreciated development in Korean pop music, in response to the new reality. Being wealthier and freer developed new aesthetics among Korean pop musicians. Because they were no longer desperate to earn a living, this new breed of musicians could simply do what they wanted to do. Of course, they wanted to be rich and famous -- who doesn't? But this new breed of musicians were no longer threatened by abject poverty and hunger, nor were they burdened by a massive historical task that they must address, unlike their predecessors were. Faced with this unprecedented freedom, this new breed of Korean pop musicians decided to do something unprecedented in Korean pop culture history -- they decided to have fun. By doing so, they forged a truly new path in Korean pop culture. The artists will no longer exist for someone else, or something else; they will only exist for themselves, and for their own idiosyncrasy.

PSY's biography is an epitome of such new K-pop musicians. He was born into an upper-middle class family, in -- where else? -- Gangnam, in Seoul. His childhood was quite comfortable. His parents could afford to send him to U.S. to study, first at Boston University, then at Berklee College of Music. He could even manage to get himself illegally assigned to a soft position for his mandatory military service, a privilege generally reserved for the wealthy. (He was caught and had to re-serve his mandatory service, and nearly destroyed his career in the process.) No existential angst burdened him -- even if he failed as a musician, he probably could have made a decent, middle class living doing something else. He did not go through the extremely regimented production company as a youngster. He simply decided to become a musician because he liked music, and he liked putting on a show.

PSY debuted in 2000 with his first album, Psy from the Psycho World?. PSY's music -- electro-pop mixed in with rap -- was itself new and interesting for Korean pop music of early 2000s. But far newer, and far more interesting, was PSY's message. As a pop musician, PSY's central message has always been the same:  "I'm going to have fun, do whatever I want to do, and nobody is going to stop me." Laughing is fun; so is swearing, drinking, sex and partying. Accordingly, PSY constantly engaged in self-satire, crude language, blunt sensationalism and other fun things, both inside and outside of his music. PSY was arrested for smoking marijuana in 2001, a crime that is rare and carries a significantly more serious penalty in Korea. In his massive outdoor concert in Seoul a few days ago, PSY took off his shirt and downed a whole bottle of soju on stage in front of estimated 80,000 people, likely breaking several Seoul city ordinances in the process. PSY's Gangnam Style is simply another manifestation of the same things that PSY has always been doing. He does a ridiculous dance wearing a ridiculous suit. He is surrounded by hot girls and (ahem) appreciates a well-positioned booty. And he manages to work in a subtle satire of his own neighborhood.

PSY's outlandish success -- in which he found international fame without even really trying -- opened up a new era for Korean pop music in the international stage, and not just because PSY is a pudgy, funny man in his mid 30s as opposed to a set of gorgeous and leggy women. The most important difference between PSY and a typical idol group of K-pop is not their looks; it is the reason for their music. Ultimately, idol groups engage in music to entertain others; ultimately, PSY engages in music to entertain himself.

So far, the world has only seen the former type from Korean pop music, but not the latter. This hardly means that the latter group does not exist; unlike what many non-Koreans mistakenly suppose, K-pop is not limited to pretty manufactured puppets. Korea enjoys a vibrant scene of rock, hiphop, new age and indie music, played by musicians who engage in music for the sake of music. Now that PSY captured the world's attention, sooner or later, the world will catch onto the "other" K-pop as well. And when the "other" K-pop stars go international, they will have PSY to thank.

Got a question or comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.

Ask a Korean! Wiki: What to do with Anti-Japan Sentiments in ESL Classes?

Dear Korean,

I am a Canadian living and teaching ESL at a Hagwon in Korea. With all the buzz about Dokdo lately, my Korean students have become increasingly outspoken about not liking the Japanese. I have learned about the history between the two countries, although I am obviously no expert, but these confrontations are really starting to bother me. The students seem angry when I choose not to answer them, or change the subject or when they hear that I don't hate the Japanese. They often do not say their thoughts completely outright (as in, "I hate the Japanese"), even though that has happened too, but are curious as to my stance on things. I do not tolerate racism, but I am trying to be understanding, and to teach tolerance. I'm not entirely sure how I should be handling the situation, and I don't feel comfortable asking my Korean co-workers.

Do you have any suggestions, advice, words of wisdom, or links that could send me somewhere with any of those?

Megan B.


Short answer? No. The Korean is, obviously, blends in with Korea's population rather well such that no Korean person comes to him for a validation of her views on Japan.

But surely, Megan is not the only ESL teacher in Korea who has been dealing with this issue. Readers, any pearls of wisdom?

Given that this is a topic that appears to sidetrack a lot of people, the Korean will issue this caveat: please keep your comments relevant. The issue is how to handle a situation like Megan is facing. Please stick with that.

Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.

The Obligatory Gangnam Style Post

Dear Korean,

We've all heard it and we all love it, but what exactly is Gangnam Style and what makes it so popular in your opinion?

Chris

The Korean tried. He really tried to avoid the fad. He thought this was going to blow over in a few days, and everyone will feel a bit silly afterward. But no . . .

Gangnam Style just kept coming on -- 273 million views and counting, appearances on network televisions shows, continuous climb up the charts and numerous homages to the original. (The latest one: from the Ohio University marching band.) Questions about Gangnam Style just kept coming also, even though the Korean has been slower with blog updates.

So, FINE. Let's discuss Gangnam Style. First, what exactly is "Gangnam Style"? "Gangnam" literally means "south of the river." But generally, Gangnam refers to a specific area in Seoul located south of the Han River that bisects the city. The area generally encompasses the northern half of (confusing name alert) Gangnam-gu and Seocho-gu, covering neighborhoods like Apgujeong, Sinsa and (confusing name alert, again) Gangnam. It is an area with posh malls, expensive dining and swanky clubs. People who populate those areas are rich, stylish and beautiful, carrying all the appropriate status symbols like imported cars and fancy handbags. They are often celebrities or heirs of Korea's magnates.

The Korean was raised in Apgujeong, so he is the original Gangnam man. And it has been a little bit funny to see his old home described breathlessly as some place that "has no real equivalent in the United States. The closest approximation would be Silicon Valley, Wall Street, Beverly Hills, Manhattan’s Upper East Side, and Miami Beach all rolled into one[,]" according to the Wall Street Journal (quoting this clueless blogger.) Finding the U.S. equivalent of Gangnam is quite easy: it's West Hollywood / Beverly Hills. It has celebrities, style, money, and nice homes and good schools just behind those flashing lights.

(Aside:  This "no equivalent in U.S." trope is really overused, and in this instance, the comparison is clearly hyperbolic and incorrect. Gangnam is obviously not a Silicon Valley, since there is no huge concentration of tech companies in Gangnam. Nor is it Wall Street -- that would be Gwanghwamun / City Hall area, north of the river, where all the major banks have their headquarters. Gangnam is not Upper East Side either, since Gangnam is decidedly nouveau riche. The old money of the kind that occupies the Upper East Side of New York is found in Yeonhee-dong of Seoul, north of the river. The Miami Beach comparison is too dumb to address.)

So when PSY speaks of "Gangnam Style," he means to invoke the trendy, stylish image. But of course, what PSY ends up doing in the music video is a parody of such image. He is wearing a ridiculous suit and dances a ridiculous dance. He appears in decidedly un-Gangnam areas:  children's playground, on a paddle boat, riverside park, a bus with a disco ball, etc. A couple of times, PSY does encounter what might be fairly close to a Gangnam-type occasion -- a man driving a fancy car (a cameo appearance by the legendary comedian Yoo Jae-seok,) and a beautiful woman (cameo by Hyuna from the girl group 4Minute) flirting. But those moments quickly dissolve into another round of ridiculous dancing.

(Aside:  If you immediately understood the relevance of the bus with a disco ball, you have a black belt in Korean culture. The "party" bus is usually for older Korean men and women, who would like to dance away from the public view. To release their urges to shake it, they would charter these buses with total strangers and have a mobile dancing session. By the way, those old Korean folks dance about as well as your parents. It is probably the most un-hip mobile party in the world -- which fits perfectly with Gangnam Style's aesthetics.)

Having said that, what made Gangnam Style so popular?

(More after the jump)

Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.

Open Question Post: Traveling in Korea

One type of questions that the Korean receives frequently is questions about traveling in Korea. The Korean's standard answer is -- go buy a travel book. Most travel books about Korea do a fairly good job about introducing the country and giving the basics of how to get around. And unless you are planning to stay in Korea for several months, there is very little chance that you would exhaust the sights and destinations given in a travel book. And if a travel book does not work for you, there are many, many websites and blogs that are run by people who do this stuff for a living.

But just because the Korean has been receiving so many of these questions, he figured he should have a post about traveling in Korea. The Korean will make this post an "open question post" -- that is, he will accept questions from the comments section below, and update the post with answers. He will also post good answers and recommendations from the comments.

To start off, here are some basic stuff about traveling in Korea.

Where should I stay in Seoul?
Most tourist attractions are clustered around the center of the city, but a hotel room in the central city can get pricey. If you are budget-conscious, feel free to stay toward the outer edges of the city, as Seoul is covered with excellent public transportation. But be mindful that Seoul is a very large city area-wise -- you could easily travel an hour and a half on a subway, and still remain in Seoul.

Are there any dangerous areas in Seoul or Korea?
Korea is safer than the U.S. and Europe in terms of crime, but it is hardly crime-free. In Korea, as are in everywhere else in the world, tourists are an easy target. There are certainly bad areas in Seoul or any Korean city, but if you are an ordinary tourist looking for sights, there is no reason for you to be there either. Use your ordinary precautions.

What is the best way to exchange money?
You can actually get the best rate from ATM machines that accept foreign cards. The easiest one to identify is a Citibank ATM, which is fairly common in large cities.

What happens if I get lost? Do Koreans speak English?
Most Koreans speak decent enough English to give directions. When in doubt, ask professional-looking people or students, who are more likely to speak English.

Where is the Korean's favorite place in Seoul?

Bukchon. It looks like this.

(source)

More questions will be answered as they come in, after the jump.

Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.

The Mosquito Truck

Dear Korean,

What chemicals are used in the mosquito fogging trucks and are they harmful to people? If so, why are they so accepted by Korean society?

James M.

If you don't know what James M. is talking about, this is the mosquito fogging truck that can be seen in Korea from time to time:

The fog is mostly made up of kerosene, mixed in with a small amount of pesticide. (The ratio is around 300:1 kerosene to pesticide.) The petroleum-based "carrier" is heated into a fog, which carries the pesticide particles that would eventually kill mosquitoes.

Why do this? This is a great example of how little distance there is between the poorer-than-sub-Saharan-Africa Korea of the 1960s and the modern-wealthy-and-technologically-advanced Korea of the 2010s. In the bad old days of Korea, mosquitoes were one of the greatest threats to public health. As recently as 1982, Japanese Encephalitis -- only one of the many diseases carried by mosquitoes -- infected nearly 1200 people every year, killing more than 50 of them. And the most efficient way to kill the mosquitoes was the fog truck, spraying pesticide in a large area. (This practice actually was instituted by the U.S. military, as they occupied South Korea at the end of World War II.) Although mosquito-borne diseases are less of a threat today, anyone who spent a summer in Korea can tell you that the incessant mosquito attacks are quite a nuisance.

Obviously, the fog is harmful to people -- pesticide is meant to kill living things. But the amount of pesticide involved is actually very small. For an hour's worth of spraying, less than 30 ml of pesticide (= 1.5 tablespoon) is used. The bigger problem of the fog, in fact, is the kerosene, which is carcinogenic and causes air pollution. Because of the health and environmental concerns, many of Korea's municipalities have banned the use of the fog truck, opting instead for water- or vegetable oil-based sprays.

But then again, the poor country habits die hard. Kerosene-based pesticide fogging is cheaper, and it is a nice demonstration that the local government is doing something -- it just seems so effective. So a lot of smaller cities continue to use the truck, and it is not uncommon for a group of residents in a city to hire a pest control company to fog the neighborhood.

(N.B. One of the Korean's fondest memories of his childhood is Korea was to run after the fogging trucks. When you were a kid growing up in Korea, it was a thing to do -- the "fart truck" came through the neighborhood, you chase it while screaming at the top of your lung. It was a lot of fun. Generations of Koreans grew up chasing the fog truck, and we all turned out fine.)

Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.

Live Chat! 9/3/2012

Live Chat in 1:15 hours

It's been a while since we chatted live. Let's talk! Live chat will be active at 9:30 p.m. EDT.

Gonna be on a break

Dear readers, it is that time of the year when the Korean must remind everyone that he has a day job, which can get incredibly busy. After about a month of trying to keep up, the Korean is throwing in the towel -- he will have to take a blogging break. He might answer some questions, but most questions will have to wait longer than usual.

See you guys when the Korean gets back. :)

-EDIT- If you simply have to be in constant contact with the Korean's thoughts at all times, check out his Facebook and Twitter.

Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.

50 Most Influential K-Pop Artists: 17. Kim Gwang-Seok

[Series Index]

17. Kim Gwang-Seok [김광석]

Years of Activity: 1988-1996

Discography:
Solo Albums
Kim Gwang-Seok 1 [김광석 1] (1989)
Kim Gwang-Seok 2nd [김광석 2nd] (1991)
Kim Gwang-Seok Third Collection of Songs [김광석 3번째 노래모음] (1992)
Singing Again 1 [다시 부르기 1] (1993)
Kim Gwang-Seok Fourth [김광석 네번째] (1994)
Singing Again 2 [다시 부르기 2] (1995)

As a member of People Who Seek Music [노래를 찾는 사람들]
People Who Seek Music 2 [노래를 찾는 사람들 2] (1989)
Song of the People [겨레의 노래] (1990)
Song that Opens the Morning [아침을 여는 노래] (1991)
People Who Seek Music 3 [노래를 찾는 사람들 3집] (1991)
The One Who Opens the Morning of Peace [평화의 아침을 여는 이] (1992)
People Who Seek Music 4 [노래를 찾는 사람들 4집] (1994)

Note - Kim Gwang-Seok was also a regular member of Dongmulwon [동물원], participating in the group's first through fifth albums.

Representative Song:  Around Thirty [서른 즈음에] from Kim Gwang-Seok Fourth

서른 즈음에

Around Thirty

또 하루 멀어져간다

Another day drifts away

내뿜은 담배연기처럼

Like exhaled smoke

작기만한 내 기억속에

In my memories so small

무얼 채워 살고 있는지

What do I fill and live on

점점 더 멀어져간다

Drifts farther and farther away

머물러있는 청춘인줄 알았는데

Thought it was staying youth

비어가는 내 가슴속엔

In my emptying heart

더 아무것도 찾을 수 없네

Nothing more can be found

계절은 다시 돌아오지만

Seasons again return

떠나간 내 사랑은 어디에

But where my love that left

내가 떠나보낸 것도 아닌데

I did not let it leave either

내가 떠나온 것도 아닌데

I did not leave it either

조금씩 잊혀져 간다

Forgotten little by little

머물러 있는 사랑인줄 알았는데

Thought it was staying love

또하루 멀어져간다

Another day drifts away

매일 이별하며 살고 있구나

Living on saying good bye every day

매일 이별하며 살고 있구나

Living on saying good bye every day

In 15 words or less:  The curator of a generation.

Maybe he should be ranked higher because...   Few Korean singers have more iconic songs than Kim Gwang-Seok.

Maybe he should be ranked lower because...  Unfortunately, died too early.

Why is this artist important?
Can an artist define an era with songs that were not his? Kim Gwang-Seok is certainly a talented singer/songwriter. But without his contribution as a curator, we may remember Korea's pop music history in a different light.

The counterculture movement touched Korea during the 1970s and 1980s, and just as well -- as Korea had mass murdering dictators as its leaders. The new generation of youth, more educated and freed from the crushing poverty, sought freedom through art and beauty. They eschewed the rigid two-beats of their parents' generation, and instead composed and played their own tunes on the guitars they carried. Those tunes would be sung, at times joyfully and at times solemnly, as the young generation led the waves and waves of street protests that eventually brought down the dictators.

People Who Seek Music was at the peak of that movement. The group initially began as a combination of college singing groups from the prestigious Seoul National University and Ewha Woman's University. (The legendary Kim Min-Gi, alumnus of SNU, assisted the formation of the group.) It sought to participate in social movement through songs. Their songs were initially distributed as illegal cassette tapes, copied and passed around among democratization activists who sang the songs as their anthems.

Kim began his musical career as a front man for People Who Seek Music from their second album. His clear voice and guitar-playing were as Bob Dylan-like as anyone in Korea outside of Kim Min-Gi. That alone is an impeccable pedigree, worth a mention in the annals of Korean pop music history. But it is his role as a curator that turned Kim from a passing thought to an icon. In his two Singing Again albums, Kim Gwang-Seok collected the best songs of the guitar-resistance era and made them his own. Few Koreans now remember that Kim Gwang-Seok was not the original singer or composer for such iconic songs as Letter of a Private [이등병의 편지] or Though I Had Loved [사랑했지만]. Just like the television show Mad Men will shape the way Americans of today remember America of the 1960s, Kim's two album shaped the way Koreans remember their pop music from the 1970s and 80s.

Tragically, Kim committed suicide in 1996, perhaps portending the onslaught of celebrity suicides in Korea in the next decade. With the deaths of Kim Gwang-Seok and Kim Hyeon-Sik, the era that Kim Gwang-Seok curated and brought back to life met its close.

Interesting trivia:  Kim Gwang-Seok was a Buddhist, although not devoutly so. After his passing, his body was cremated. Nine sarira, the cremation pearls that are supposed to be discovered only from the remains of the highest spiritual masters, were discovered from his remains.

Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.

Ask a Korean! News: New York Times Endorses Fan Death

This is fun:

In a new study, a team of researchers based primarily in Britain sought to review evidence on the effectiveness of electric fans during heat waves that have occurred all over the world. . . . The authors of the new report pointed out that when temperatures climb past 95 degrees, having a fan pointed at you can actually contribute to heat gain, not reduce it.

At those temperatures, being directly in the path of hot air blown from a fan can raise the risk of dehydration and heat exhaustion.

Really? In a Heat Wave, an Electric Fan Can Cool You Off [New York Times] (emphasis added)

This is exactly how the Korean explained Fan Death in this post: the mechanism of Fan Death is dehydration and heat exhaustion. This is consistent with Korean people's general belief regarding Fan Death -- that is, heat, enclosed room and fan pointed directly on the body comes with the risk of death.

Have fun with this, people of Reddit. Thanks for the constant traffic to the Fan Death post, and all the nice things you said about the Korean's intellect. By the way, if you seriously think that Fan Death is rumor spread by Korean government in the 1970s in order to reduce electricity consumption (when the far easier option for the dictatorship would have been to simply ration electricity,) you are a greater moron than you ever suppose the Korean to be.

Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.

Pyeong, and Old Habits Dying Hard

Dear Korean,

When Koreans talk about the size of their condos they talk in something called pyung, like fifty pyung or one hundred pyung. So far nobody has been able to explain to me what that is. Could you tell me what one pyung is in square footage?

Conde

Pyeong [평] is a unit of measurement that has been in use in Korea, until very recently. It is the traditional measurement unit that managed to survive in Korea the longest.

First, let's cut to the chase -- how large is a single pyeong? Here is the conversion of pyeong into square meters and square feet:

1 pyeong = 3.3058 square meters = 35.5833 square feet

Korea shared its traditional measuring system with other East Asian countries. One pyeong is a square whose side is six cheok [척]. One cheok about as long as a foot -- hence, one pyeong is fairly close to 36 square feet. A typical small apartment/condo in Seoul is around 27 pyeong, which translates to approximately 960 square feet, or 89.25 square meters.

Korea has left behind most of its traditional measurements in favor of the metric system, like most sane countries around the world. *Coughamericacough* Most traditional units of measurements can now only be found in traditional literature. But pyeong has been a gigantic exception: it has been commonly in use until July 2007, when Korean government decided that it was high time to adopt the metric system in all aspects of life. Other traditional measurement units that were discarded include don, i.e. 3.75 grams, which was the unit to measure the weight of gold. (Traditional units were not the only ones that were hit by the new regulations.  For example, electronics manufacturers were also banned from advertising their 40-inch television also.)

What ensued, lasting to this day, was high comedy:  instead of fitting to the round numbers in the metric system, Korean people simply began to opt for the decidedly non-round numbers that formed a round number in the old metrics system. For example, rather than building a condo that is 90 square meters, builders would build and advertise a 89.25 square meters-sized condo -- and everyone understood the number stood for 27 pyeong. 

Even better is what some A/C unit manufacturers did. Previously, A/C units in Korea were sold with a pyeong number associated with it also. That is, for example, a 18-pyeong A/C unit is enough to cool a space that is 18 pyeongs. Once the use of pyeong was banned, air conditioner manufacturers simply began to sell "18 Type" air conditioners -- a thinly veiled reference that the unit is enough to cool an 18-pyeong space.

Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.

"Red Sun!"

Dear Korean,

My wife is a fan of Korean dramas, and I have also a seen a few series. The other day, a colleague of mine who is even more of a K-drama fan mentioned that he's noticed references to "red sun" in several different series over the past few years, and it has piqued his curiosity. In each instance, a character apparently said the words "red sun" and made some sort of a gesture with his or her arms. My friend asked whether I and/or my wife are familiar with the significance of this reference, but I regret that neither of us can recall ever having seen it.

Are you able to offer any insight into the cultural (popular or otherwise) significance of the phrase "red sun" and the accompanying gesture?

Jeff

The origin of this phrase can be traced back to a single person:  "professor" Kim Yeong-Guk.

Since early 2000s, Kim touted his ability of inducing hypnosis, which according to him helps people retrace their former karmic lives, quit smoking, lose weight, concentrate better, cure depression, etc. The video above is Kim making his pitch on YouTube.

Because of his TV appearances and celebrities who were willing to play along, Kim has been a C-level celebrity in Korea. In particular, his catchphrase has "red sun", which he yells (or firmly states) at the moment his "patient" is supposed to fall under hypnosis, accompanied with a mysterious hand gesture. If you have not caught onto this yet, the phrase does not really mean anything.

Most Koreans rightly recognized this as hokey BS, but the catchphrase gained some traction in Korean pop culture and Internet memes. In a situation involving some form of hypnosis, this phrase sometimes makes an appearance.

Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.

Culturalism: Fukushima Edition

The Korean has long been an advocate against culturalism -- the instinctive response to blame culture to explain any and all behavior. In today's Financial Times, an excellent op-ed by Prof. Gerald Curtis shows the falsehood of culturalism in the context of Japan's Fukushima nuclear power plant disaster:

[T]he commission concludes, “this was a disaster ‘Made in Japan.’ Its fundamental causes are to be found in the ingrained conventions of Japanese culture: our reflexive obedience; our reluctance to question authority; our devotion to ‘sticking with the programme’; our groupism; and our insularity. Had other Japanese been in the shoes of those who bear responsibility for this accident, the result may well have been the same.”

I beg to differ. Had [Prime Minister] Kan not stormed into Tepco headquarters and tried to exercise some authority over the company’s executives, the situation might have been far worse. . . . People matter: one of the heroes in the Fukushima story was Tepco’s Masao Yoshida, the plant manager who disobeyed orders not to use saltwater to cool the reactors.

. . .

Those inside the Japanese nuclear village do share a particular culture but it is hardly uniquely Japanese. What jumps out from this report are the parallels between the manmade causes of and responses to Fukushima and the “culture” that led to the financial meltdown in the US after the Lehman Brothers collapse and that continues to resist meaningful reform and the pinning of responsibility for this manmade disaster on specific individuals.

The Fukushima Commission report “found an organisation-driven mind-set that prioritised benefits to the organisation at the expense of the public.” Well, if that is Japanese culture, then we are all Japanese.

Stop blaming Fukushima on Japan’s culture [Financial Times]

Here is one additional wrinkle about culturalism with respect to the Fukushima disaster:  beware of self-stereotypes. It is notable that in this particular example of culturalism, it was the Japanese government's official report that engaged in a culturalist self-critique. But that does not make the culturalist explanation any truer. If nothing else, we should be even more skeptical of the self-caricaturing of one's own culture, if only because of our tendency to place too much confidence on such caricatures.

Regardless of the report's ultimate conclusion about Japan's culture, the content of the report states the opposite. Masao Yoshida, the heroic plant manager who defied the management's orders, was hardly the caricature of Japanese culture that the Fukushima Commission Report painted. In fact, the existence of the report itself goes against the culturalist explanation, as Prof. Curtis put it: "If obedience to authority is such an ingrained trait in Japan, how then is it possible for a group of Japanese to write a report that not only questions but lambasts authority, anything but an example of reflexive obedience?"

Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.

50 Most Influential K-Pop Artists: 18. Kim Hyeon-Sik

We are now finished with Tier 3 - Strong Impact K-pop artists. Beginning with our number 18, these artists are considered the greatest of a given era in K-pop.


18. Kim Hyeon-Sik [김현식]

[Series Index]

Also Romanized as:  Kim Hyun-Sik

Years of Activity: 1980-1991

Discography:

New Songs by Kim Hyeon-Sik [김현식 새노래] (1980)
Kim Hyeon-Sik 2 [김현식 2] (1984)
The Third Album by Kim Hyeon-Sik and Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter:  Love Songs in the Rain [김현식과 봄 여름 가을 겨울 3집: 빗속의 연가] (1986)
Kim Hyeon-Sik Vol. 4 [김현식 Vol. 4] (1988)
Kim Hyeon-Sik 5 [김현식 5] (1990)
Kim Hyeon-Sik Vol. 6 [김현식 Vol. 6] (1991)
Self-Portrait (1996)

Representative Song:  My Love by My Side [내 사랑 내 곁에] from Kim Hyeon-Sik Vol. 6

내 사랑 내 곁에

My Love by My Side

나의 모든 사랑이 떠나가는 날이

The day when all my love departs

당신의 그 웃음 뒤에서 함께 하는데

Is with you behind your smile, but

철이 없는 욕심에 그 많은 미련에 당신이 있는 건 아닌지 

I wonder if you are in the childish desire and those many regrets

아니겠지요

No, you would not

시간은 멀어짐으로 향해 가는데

Time heads toward separateness, but

약속했던 그대만은 올 줄을 모르고

You, despite your promise, are not coming, and

애써 웃음 지으며 돌아오는 길은 왜 그리도 낯설고 멀기만 한지

Why is the way back, forcing a smile, so unfamiliar and far

저 여린 가지 사이로 혼자인 날 느낄 때

When I feel myself being alone between those frail branches

이렇게 아픈 그대 기억이 날까

Would this painful memory of you come back

내 사랑 그대 내 곁에 있어 줘

My love, you, please be by my side

이 세상 하나뿐인 오직 그대만이

Only you, the only one in the world

힘겨운 날에 너 마저 떠나면

If even you leave in these difficult days

비틀거릴 내가 안길 곳은 어디에

Where will I be held, stumbling

Translation note:  This is one of the most difficult songs the Korean has ever translated for this series.  As it stands, the translation is a total mess, because the original lyrics in Korean is poetically forced. Suggestions are always welcome.

In 15 words or less:  The voice of the 80s.

Maybe he should be ranked higher because...  Few singers defined an era like Kim Hyeon-Sik did.

Maybe he should be ranked lower because...  He did not have any impact outside of music.

Why is this artist important?

Considering the massive impact that he will make, Kim Hyeon-Sik's beginning in 1980 was meek. Although a couple of songs in his first album gained some popularity, Kim did not become a household name until his second album in 1984, with the headlining song I Loved You [사랑했어요]. But reportedly, Kim himself was not particularly satisfied with this album, in which he was mostly a vocalist for songs written by someone else.

Kim's third album in 1986, in contrast, truly had his finger prints. Kim formed a band, christened Spring Summer Fall Winter [봄 여름 가을 겨울], specifically to create his third band. (The keyboardist for SSFW was Yoo Jae-Ha.) Each band member contributed his own songs into the album, giving the album the diverse colors of rock, blues and fusion jazz. But undeniably, the keystone of the album was Kim's gravelly, Louis Armstrong-like voice, which tied together the album as a single theme.  Kim's third album sold over 200,000 copies, and is considered one of the greatest in K-pop history. (SSFW eventually spun off and became its own band, still playing to this day.)

Kim, however, was not the type who could enjoy his success into the sunset. He chain-smoked and binge-drank. He also smoked marijuana, still considered a very serious crime in Korea. Kim's health declined rapidly. When he was sober and in between the trips to emergency room, he would spend the days holding concerts and the nights recording songs. Alcohol-induced liver sclerosis finally took his life in December 1990, while he was still in the middle of recording his sixth album. Kim was 42. The title song of his last album, My Love by My Side, dominated the airwaves in 1991; the album would sell more than a million copies. As it turns out, Kim's last album was also the last meaningful album of the 1980s K-pop, as in the following year, a supernova would change K-pop forever.

Interesting trivia:  Kim attended Samcheong Elementary School in Seoul, the same elementary school as another K-pop legend of the 1980s -- Jeon In-Gwon of Deulgukhwa.

Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.

No Evolution in Korea?

Dear Korean,

This is horrifying. I knew many are stupid this way in the US, but I hadn't realized that S. Korea was worse - although with the large Christian population, maybe it's not surprising. (No offense to Christians, I just have trouble with people who can't reconcile religion and science.) Is this likely to be a permanent state of affairs in S. Korea, or is there an intellectual/scientific majority who will re-instate evolution in schoolbooks?

(With apologies if The Korean doesn't believe in evolution either, but I don't think that's possible.)

Judith H.


Don't worry -- the Korean is Christian, but he believes in evolution. He cannot see how anyone can deny evolution.

At any rate, this article on Nature magazine got a lot of publicity, especially thanks to the Huffington Post article that re-transmitted the Nature magazine article. Time magazine and Los Angeles Times covered the story as well. So what happened with this? Have all Koreans lost their minds? Hey, those stupid Koreans believe in Fan Death, so why not "creation sciences"?

Here is a rule of thumb on dealing with bizarre news from Korea in English-language media:  be very, very skeptical, until you have independent verification from a reputable Korean media as well. Certainly, bizarre things happen in Korea. But if they do, it is extremely unlikely an English-language media would break the news -- English-language media simply do not have enough resources to track down bizarre stories coming out of Korea. If there is a bizarre story regarding Korea that gets a lot of play outside of Korea but not in Korean media, your bullshit radar has to be on high alert.

That is exactly what happened with this story. The Korean reads two Korean newspapers every morning, and he has not seen any coverage on this topic. Only after the Huffington Post article did Korean newspapers begin covering this issue, and only perfunctorily at that.

Let's get to the bottom line first:  is Korean science textbook going to drop the discussion about evolution? Short answer -- nope. In fact, there was never any danger that creationism would prevail in Korean science textbooks.

(More after the jump.)

Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.

Short Thought on Today's Obamacare Ruling

Today was a fun day to be a law nerd.

The Korean has said this from Day 1 of this dreadful litigation:  if Obamacare was structured as a single-payer public insurance program, complemented by private insurance companies like the majority of advanced nations, ALL this could have been avoided. There would have been no individual mandate, and no constitutionality issue since it would have been exactly like Social Security or Medicare.

Wanna see a successful single-payer system that creates very little administrative delay and a $5 doctor visit? Here is an old post about Korea's healthcare system.

Got a question or a comment about the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.

Business Lunch for Koreans?

Dear Korean,

I work at a company that will be hosting quite a few business meetings in Houston, TX. Our guests are from Korea and we will be serving lunch for them. I plan on not serving them Korean food as I know it would not be to their standard, as well as when I travel I want to experience new things. Are there foods that I should avoid, like items that would be considered an insult to serve? Are there non-Korean foods that are preferred by most? Are there certain items that should be made available like salt and pepper for most Americans?

Robert T.

First of all, do not be afraid to cater Korean food from local Korean restaurants. It is true that the quality of Korean food in the U.S. may not be as good, and that business travelers would like to try new things. But truth is, few things in America are truly new to Koreans, as most American staple dishes -- burgers, pizza, etc. -- are widely available in Korea. (They may exist in bastardized forms in Korea to fit the local tastes, but at least the concept is familiar to Koreans.) 


Serving Korean food for lunch can be a solid gesture of friendship. Especially in case of Korean businesspeople on a long business trip, it could be a welcome relief. If you are having several days of meetings with your Korean business partners, throwing in a Korean-style lunch at least once would be a great idea. 

When it comes to serving non-Korean food, here are some pointers:

- Go with hot food:  Here is an observation -- Americans like everything a little bit colder than Koreans. This applies to room temperature, drinking water, and most certainly to food. Vast majority of Korean cuisine is very warm, and a significant portion of Korean cuisine is sizzling hot. This means that for many Koreans, a meal that is not hot (or at least warm) is very unsatisfying. If you have salad, try and have hot soup accompanying it. Go for hot sandwiches rather than cold.

(More after the jump.)

Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.

Ask a Korean! News: Pew Center Study on Asian Americans

Is here. A helpful summary of findings in graphics is here. Graphics focused on Korean Americans are here.

One tidbit that caught the Korean's eyes:  82% of Asian Americans report that they are satisfied with life, higher than the national average (which was 75%.) But Tiger Parents totally raise unhappy children who commit suicide, right?

Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.