tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36405856.post5237961855317144174..comments2024-03-26T03:31:06.199-04:00Comments on Ask a Korean!: The Obligatory Gangnam Style PostT.K. (Ask a Korean!)http://www.blogger.com/profile/07663422474464557214noreply@blogger.comBlogger40125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36405856.post-16160325393992848672013-01-13T17:58:40.372-05:002013-01-13T17:58:40.372-05:00Personally I think the Gangnam Style video is clas...Personally I think the Gangnam Style video is classist. As you say, the artist "appears in decidedly un-Gangnam areas". It doesn't portray him as someone from Gangnam, it portrays him as a poseur, someone who would like to be "Gangnam Style" but can't afford it. It's making fun of the middle-class people who try to emulate the rich people! And it's even worse, because PSY himself is from a rich family, so he's mocking those that weren't as lucky as him. But of course, he can just claim that he is mocking Gangnam itself and get out of trouble that way. But since you're from Apgujeong, perhaps you don't like me saying this.Unnuahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10189679928204426637noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36405856.post-84585940268669643342012-10-22T00:14:24.222-04:002012-10-22T00:14:24.222-04:00'Gangnam Style' is a clever critique of mo...'Gangnam Style' is a clever critique of modern Korean society's addiction to credit. The horse dance, in which a man rides a horse *that isn't there*, clearly symbolizes the nouveau riche spending money that isn't there.Matthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17226758157157715512noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36405856.post-73420296803124000102012-10-21T23:43:24.950-04:002012-10-21T23:43:24.950-04:00hey guys....can someone help me find critical thin...hey guys....can someone help me find critical thinking questions about the Gangnam Style and the article here: http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2012/08/gangnam-style-dissected-the-subversive-message-within-south-koreas-music-video-sensation/261462/<br /><br />I also need to find a link of this article and its connections to psychology or sociology!<br /><br />your help will be greatly appreciated!!!!!!!!!!!!<br />thanks alot!Karidaahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16335434841042674017noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36405856.post-9779141185340326392012-10-13T16:59:39.864-04:002012-10-13T16:59:39.864-04:00http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DO1uikheOwA
So Funn...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DO1uikheOwA<br />So Funny Videooo..^^SunMin Newesthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15796820655474435396noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36405856.post-38851850408517846682012-10-13T11:43:28.757-04:002012-10-13T11:43:28.757-04:00Not to be out done, the Norks have now got in on t...Not to be out done, the Norks have now got in on the act...<br />http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cG7ZVBXQIIAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36405856.post-16193042119072419862012-10-04T14:08:12.553-04:002012-10-04T14:08:12.553-04:00I am sorry... I just cannot love Justin Bieber. Fo...I am sorry... I just cannot love Justin Bieber. For the life of me. I know why teenage girls obsess about him but... my blood starts to boil when I see his face. I better refrain from further comments. Maybe he is super talented, but I just want him to immigrate to the North Pole for good. Not that I love Kpop. Actually, I kind of dislike music (most of it, anyway) because I spent eight years out of my life playing piano just to develop deep disgust for anything that makes any noise. I am okay with Bach and Rachmaninoff on rare occasions, but some music (especially jazz and country) makes a mad woman out of me. I can tolerate Kpop because I get it - I understand why it is so easy to like. Plus those kids work SO HARD for so little money, you feel for them. I believe that Kpop brings something positive into this world (unlike so many other musicians). It was interesting to see that in Russia, where there is absolutely no Kpop any TV or radio a little tiny article on the TV website about SHINee got over 3,500 likes. Madonna got 25. Which makes me think - either all those girls were opening new accounts like crazy and just voting for their idols or... there are over 3,500 people who actually listen to Kpop in a country that does not even play Kpop (Madonna is on almost every day)! That's amazing! I personally know Kpop obsessed fans from Slovenia, France, Portugal and Tunisia. Tunisia, out of all the places!!! I think if Kpop can make it to Tunisia, it can make it anywhere. As for the movies, I used to be obsessed over Korean movies. Once I started watching Korean movies and dramas, I stopped watching everything else. Other movies just don't feel right. I highly recommend you to watch two of them: The Way Home and A Moment to Remember. Both are on Youtube. VBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11217019471370357734noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36405856.post-19305470110588425202012-10-03T19:00:59.613-04:002012-10-03T19:00:59.613-04:00vb...I hope you are right. I would like to see mor...vb...I hope you are right. I would like to see more variety in entertainment. I would really like to have more access to foreign films and entertainment. I live in south central Virginia and it's a cultural wasteland. I can't see a foreign film until it comes out on video because we don't even have an art house movie theater close enough for me to see them on the big screen. There is almost nowhere near for me to even see an English language indie film. If Korean Pop music turns young people on then I'm fine with it. I'm not that interested in pop music but I did look up a few more Korean rappers and I'm impressed. I'm just so new to watching Asian entertainment that it's going to take a long time for me to see everything I want to see. Movies are easier for me to get excited about because I can find them with subtitles. Music is a little more difficult. I can appreciate the music and the work that goes into producing the songs but can't fully enjoy them since I can't understand the lyrics. I have noticed that Korean rappers us a lot of English phrases in their songs and sometimes people have done translations on YouTube for the videos. I only have one problem...don't be messing with "The Beebs". He's a cutie pie and a talented kid. He seems to be pretty well grounded and not so full of himself that he can't see how lucky he has been, he has a sense of humor. If he can keep a good attitude and stay away from drugs then he may be around for awhile. oldgalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14300942268456541949noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36405856.post-27909586411332865052012-10-02T12:51:16.599-04:002012-10-02T12:51:16.599-04:00Check out these Gangnam cartoons!
http://pastexpir...Check out these Gangnam cartoons!<br />http://pastexpiry.blogspot.ca/search/label/Gangnam1071freemanstreethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05974501952868600092noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36405856.post-72730891809939901162012-10-01T05:19:42.091-04:002012-10-01T05:19:42.091-04:00Great piece; one of the best on Gangnam Style and ...Great piece; one of the best on Gangnam Style and I've been reading *lots* (while trying to refrain from doing my own obligatory academic piece on GS; I've even been asked to speak about the song at a Korean National Day event....). Re your pointing to the WSJ's citation of the Open City blog: I actually liked the blogger's appearance on Al-Jazeera, but there is indeed an issue or two with the blog post. I tried to offer a correction there a couple of weeks ago, but it looks like it has slipped through the cracks, and I thought I'd post it here so it can be somewhere where others may come across it. <br /><br />In the post, the blogger comes out with a stat that has been widely circulated about Gangnam that is incorrect, to wit, that 41% of SNU students come from Gangnam. According to the map she herself includes, it's not anywhere near the case that 41% of all SNU entering students each year come from Gangnam (even if defined more broadly as Gangnam-gu, Seocho-gu and Songpa-pu); it’s 41% of all the SNU entering students from *Seoul* who come from those areas. We need to add in Gyeonggi-do, Busan, Daegu, Gyeongsang-do, etc. Not sure what that would take Gangnam down to on the national level. Obviously disproportionate, but not at all as striking as she states, and unfortunately I've now seen this figure cited in a half dozen different pieces on Gangnam Style.....Stephenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09091829387796617513noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36405856.post-31018393158891935942012-10-01T04:21:54.763-04:002012-10-01T04:21:54.763-04:00I only mentioned that the Silicon Valley reference...I only mentioned that the Silicon Valley reference for Gangnam wasn't too out of line because I've actually heard many native Koreans self-reference the Teheranno area as the 'Silicon Valley' of Seoul in an non-ironic manner. As someone who's lived and worked in both Silicon Valley and in Samseong-dong since 2001, I can understand why they'd feel that way. Although the geek-chic culture is not as blatant here in Korea, you can still feel the subtle influence of the Valley in Teheranno. Take a look around the Star Tower or ASEM Tower during a typical work week and you'll be surprised at how many workers come to work in shorts and a t-shirts as opposed to the normal salary men getup. As more of the top Korea IT companies move out, like NHN to Bundang in 2005, Daum to Jeju in 2004 although they still have a Seoul office in Gangnam, Nexon and NC to Pangyo starting this year, it's becoming less common, but hang out near Seulleung Station and you can still catch that vibe.<br /><br />However, I've never heard anyone use the "Silicon Valley" reference to the Gangnam region as a whole. I'd definitely agree that it'd be stretching the analogy pretty thin if you tried to apply it to more than just the Teheranno area.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05117586555415520652noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36405856.post-2073673276992308712012-10-01T04:15:09.344-04:002012-10-01T04:15:09.344-04:00This comment has been removed by the author.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05117586555415520652noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36405856.post-88049546955649873932012-09-30T17:14:47.533-04:002012-09-30T17:14:47.533-04:00"Clean, pure, kind and beautiful" niche ..."Clean, pure, kind and beautiful" niche is pretty empty. It is there for Kpop to take over. Thankfully, Christian pop is so poorly made, it is worse than Justin Bieber. It is hard to imagine that anything can be possibly worse than Justin Bieber, yet it is. <br /> <br />There is a grass root movement in America. Regular, normal teenagers watch Kpop, both boys and girls. To see some of them making reaction videos, all you have to do is to type in the name of the song and then "reaction video". Here is only one example among thousands (yes, thousands):<br />http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mp4D0oHEnjc&feature=related<br />The best is yet to come for Kpop. <br /> Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36405856.post-43082815923126687302012-09-30T07:35:07.203-04:002012-09-30T07:35:07.203-04:00In the US Bieber and boy bands don't get much ...In the US Bieber and boy bands don't get much play outside of their "tweener" base. Just like so many teen idols before him, The Beebs, will have to "grow up" in order to appeal to an older fan base. There are a couple of new boy bands now for young girls to swoon over, but American boys don't listen to these guys pretty much at all. I think it's a lot more likely that Kpop will begin to look and sound even more like American pop music than have American pop music swing the other way, back to Disney land. Americans have enough variety in their music choices that, Kpop if it did take hold would be just another niche genre. Besides, American already does have their own version of "clean, pure, kind and beautiful. There is a pretty good market here for Christian rock and pop, but it's not mainstream. It doesn't get regular radio play and the videos are produced for the Christian TV Channels. Anyone who thinks the American public is waiting for their pop stars to put their clothes back on and clean up their act knows a lot more about Korea than they do about America. oldgalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14300942268456541949noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36405856.post-51091262924494235712012-09-28T23:11:53.714-04:002012-09-28T23:11:53.714-04:00I'd be the first to celebrate if TigerJK blew ...I'd be the first to celebrate if TigerJK blew up (meaning he was known in the mainstream .. we all know he's a legend!) .. I love Drunken Tiger! I just think Tablo has the ammunition to do really big things if he puts his mind to it. I also think he's an excellent representative for SK, he's poised and very well spoken. No one in the media could ever brush Tablo off as a fad. I love Tiger, I listen to DT all the time when I'm driving :D .. but he wouldn't force the legitimacy from the US media that Tablo would. Not to mention, Tablo has a MFA from Stanford and won an award from his collection of short stories.J. A. Bennetthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12954221694368448882noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36405856.post-80861847651932725222012-09-28T13:25:12.322-04:002012-09-28T13:25:12.322-04:00How funny... I remember when it was forbidden on t...How funny... I remember when it was forbidden on this blog even to mention Kpop. I also remember commenting that Kpop is going to be popular a long time ago... Kpop is spreading and it is bound to spread even further. My prediction is that is going to take its spot in American culture permanently at some point, probably within the next five years. American pop is not going to go away, don't get me wrong, but Kpop is going to be there, mark my words.<br /><br />The power of Kpop is rooted in human biology, rather brain-compatibility. First of all, American producers are out of ideas. They think sex sells. You cannot watch a video without a naked body part, sometimes even too many naked parts. Watching videos on MTV is almost like watching porn - some videos with dry humping in bras and underwear surpass the mastery of a professional poll dancer. Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Pink, Rihanna - my gosh, you would think they were raised in brothels (and clothed there as well).<br /><br />It is true, sex sells. But there is something that sells more than sex. And Kpop producers were able to get a grip on that. When you watch Super Junior, 2NE1, SHINee, you know there is passion. And that passion is so strong, it is captivating and addicting. Those teenage followers will do ANYTHING for their idols. Why? Because Kpop satisfies their basic need - to belong to something bigger than just you. Something clean, pure, kind and beautiful.<br /><br />Kpop stars dress sexy, but not trashy and dirty. They sing about love and their lyrics are clean. Yes, I know there are some songs with dirty lyrics, but for the most part (99.9%) it is all about love. They follow Shakespeare, Petrarch and many others who wrote about love. Kpop is experiencing cultural renaissance when their ideas and believes are still very innocent, yet their music and video-making skills are advanced beyond the 22st century. Modern appeal with eternal value - how can it be NOT addictive?<br /><br />I don't think it is a coincidence that Justin Bieber's producer was the one who "discovered" PSY. I bet he knew about Kpop before he "created" Justin Bieber. He modeled him after Kpop flower boys - infinite femininity, youth appeal and fashionable clothes. Too bad Justin Bieber is ugly, has a eunuch-like falsetto voice and ... he is not Korean. He does not have that "clean feeling" about him. <br /><br />The reason why Gangnam Style got so popular is very simple: it has become a cultural meme. Just like the nyan cat, Spongebob, Angry birds, etc. And it will fade away unless PSY will keep producing something equally funny and upbeat. Gangnam Style is easy to love: it is very entertaining and sweet. Notice how he has almost never repeated his locations in the video, and when repeating - it was only shown for a brief second. The video is innocent (compared to what they show on MTV) and it is made just for fun. Simple, clean fun. PSY is making a mockery of himself in a sweet and non-degrading way - and it is appealing to almost everyone, because people like anything that is uplifting and makes them smile. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36405856.post-41396469237988269492012-09-28T04:18:17.590-04:002012-09-28T04:18:17.590-04:00I live in Silicon Valley, and anything that can be...I live in Silicon Valley, and anything that can be compared to Hollywood (where I have also lived) bears no relation to Silicon Valley. Chic here is a tee shirt and jeans (the classic line is, "Silicon Valley isn't a place - it's a wardrobe" because in the flush years, everyone hands out tee shirts like water, so everyone is wearing tech logos all the time.) Not tastefully ripped jeans - just jeans. Chic in the Valley is as understated as possible - most of the very rich I know dress like farmers - or favor Hawaiian shirts. Judithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01776605762260245516noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36405856.post-63492667003516908602012-09-28T02:25:57.463-04:002012-09-28T02:25:57.463-04:00It was great to get some things said about Gangnam...It was great to get some things said about Gangnam Style. I'll comment on that just music-wise. <br />The first time I heard that song I really thought "OMG, this sucks!" The rapping, electro-pop-music was never to my liking. But I thought I had to watch that MV at least once, to know what he whole world is talking about. So I did, and it wasn't even over but my head already hurt from listening to it.<br /><br />But I think I watched it 3-4 times on the first day, because I was just totally speechless that a song like that actually could become such a hype worldwide. So I thought, there MUST be something that makes it worth it.<br /><br />Ha, and here we go - catchy! To my utter disbelieve: the more often I heard that song the more comfortable it got to the ears and I could smile some more. <br />This actually (just my own opinion) should be counted as a disgrace for me. How can a song like that, that I didn't like from the very beginning can at least turn my head to the thought: "Well, with some more time it's fine."?<br /><br />This certainly is not a great feedback for a song and certainly doesn't testify to real great work (music-wise). That's a shame, that in our modern times it STILL can be such a huge hit. But again, this is only my opinion.<br /><br />So, at least for me: What is it about that song "Gangnam Style"? A catchy but headache-causing song that shows a ridiculous dance, which comes on very funny. No more, no less.Charahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17076306812811118884noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36405856.post-74337585783480037262012-09-27T23:30:55.998-04:002012-09-27T23:30:55.998-04:00Yeah, too bad. At least they were prepared for it...Yeah, too bad. At least they were prepared for it by the previous failures of the likes of Pink Lady and Utada Hikaru.Sam Suhrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13599826426736183764noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36405856.post-25282973291307126682012-09-27T16:35:07.267-04:002012-09-27T16:35:07.267-04:00guitard...I assume that Aaron knows something abou...guitard...I assume that Aaron knows something about Korean rap even if his taste does lean toward the ridiculous. I would have to find the time to watch and listen to some of the other artists mentioned here, including Psy. I don't even know if this type of video is a signature of his style, like LMFAO here in the states. There's nothing wrong with humor, even in rap, Eminem employs satire and humor all the time. Will Smith started his career with it. It just isn't Drunken Tiger style and it just kind of puzzled me why something like that would happen. Believe me if you were in the states and a bunch of jerks started yelling at Lil Wayne to do the pee-pee dance. He'd probably whip it out and pee on them. oldgalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14300942268456541949noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36405856.post-81937952366068891672012-09-27T13:23:44.315-04:002012-09-27T13:23:44.315-04:002NE1 haven't debuted in America yet. They won&...2NE1 haven't debuted in America yet. They won't debut there until the beginning of 2013. But, Wonder Girls and Girls' Generation flopped in the US - especially Girls' Generation.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36405856.post-35212035810786607062012-09-27T11:23:01.375-04:002012-09-27T11:23:01.375-04:00Because if they knew more about Korea, they would ...Because if they knew more about Korea, they would not have written that!T.K. (Ask a Korean!)https://www.blogger.com/profile/07663422474464557214noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36405856.post-10986260031778933422012-09-27T11:22:28.213-04:002012-09-27T11:22:28.213-04:00Naver is in Bundang, Daum is in Jeju. But more imp...Naver is in Bundang, Daum is in Jeju. But more importantly, culturally speaking, Gangnam does not have the same type of geek-chic culture that Silicon Valley has. T.K. (Ask a Korean!)https://www.blogger.com/profile/07663422474464557214noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36405856.post-69531316022053260262012-09-27T08:41:57.327-04:002012-09-27T08:41:57.327-04:00Tamara Johnson wrote: "So what do you mean by...Tamara Johnson wrote: "So what do you mean by the Asian/American chip on their shoulder? What if they do? Isn't it justified if they do have a chip on their shoulder? Just a cursory google search about Tiger JK will tell you that he was living in L.A. during the 92 riots when so much of the violence was directed at Koreans."<br /><br />It's possible that you've got it backwards - it's not a chip because of the way he was treated in America - it's the way he's treated by Koreans in Korea. He left Korea when he was 12 and therefore in the eyes of some Koreans - is thought to have not really grown up as a true Korean. <br /><br />Speculation on my part - based on what I've seen and experienced in Korea.guitardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08834660057701936471noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36405856.post-39693459008255321302012-09-27T08:35:29.893-04:002012-09-27T08:35:29.893-04:00I see this as a familiar parody. In Montreal, we m...I see this as a familiar parody. In Montreal, we make fun of the often over-the-top nouveau (and often idle) riche that have taken over the Plateau district when it was artist-trendy (all the artists moved to Verdun, btw). We call them Bobos (Bourgeois-Bohème, or Bourgeois-Bohemian). We even made a TV show to laugh at them. http://lesbobos.telequebec.tv/ (in French).<br /><br />Each city has its own take on the people who can afford to buy trendiness, rather than actually contribute to it. This is quite different in the US, where hip-hop culture glorified and worshipped the high-end trappings of consumer culture, which is strangely difficult to parody.<br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36405856.post-23981114326462874092012-09-27T08:15:29.478-04:002012-09-27T08:15:29.478-04:00The Korean wrote: "The most frequent type of...The Korean wrote: "The most frequent type of ridiculousness has been over-analysis. People who otherwise knew little about Korea hung onto every little bit of Gangnam Style, and interpreted every aspect of it as if Gangnam Style were the Bible."<br /><br />The two examples you showed were written by people with Korean surnames. Maybe they were born in the US . . . or maybe they are fresh off the boat . . . probably they are somewhere in between. Whatever the case - why do you suppose they know so little about Korea?guitardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08834660057701936471noreply@blogger.com