An Angry Man in the Land of the Morning Calm

Anyone who’s known me any decent length of time has been exposed to more Japanese music than they probably cared for.  For this, I make no apologies.  I’ll admit that Japanese and Korean music is very similar.  Massive groups, up to 15 singers (none of whom play any kind of instrument), catchy repetitive pop songs, singers who look better than they sing, not too different from American popular music when you really think about it.

In fact, for every major pop star/group in America, there is a Korean copy.  That’s not just a cynical observation, it is intentional.  For Britney Spears, there is BoA.  Backstreet Boys are countered with Big Bang.  It goes on, and is blasted in the streets at all hours.  The only major difference is that in America, sluttiness is heavily emphasized, and tons of focus on sex.  In Korea, cuteness is a lot more important than sexiness, so you end up with grown women (sometimes), dressing like a teenager.  Or like a Final Fantasy character.

I’ll stop here to interject, I’m not complaining about this.  At all.

A few examples:

Girls’ Generation

Pretty popular.  A lot of my students don’t like them because most of the members (12 members) have had plastic surgery.  I’m not sure why they love Wonder Girls so much if this is so distasteful, but no one ever said teenage girls were great thinkers.

Warning, though, the video is annoying, but catchy as all hell and the girls are really cute.  This song is playing at all hours in korea, usually at high volume in the street, often two within earshot of eachother.  I know every lyric thanks to students singing it ad nauseum, but have no clue what it means, beyond the subtitles.

The Wonder Girls

Probably the biggest group out right now.  Groups of schoolgirls walking arm and arm singing whatever Wonder Girls song is in their heads is a pretty common sight in korea.

Every English teacher quickly learns from this video that we cannot use the word “Nobody” in any lesson, because it will prompt every single student, male or female, to sing this song.

Rain

Rain was the most popular entertainer in the world for awhile, even in the states, although I never heard of him.  He even had a hilarious dance off against Steven Colbert on the Colbert Report when he beat Colbert in the Times top 100 most influential people list  (thanks for the info, Tiffany).  If you watch only one video, make it this one.

And yes, I do have a shirt and vest like the one Rain is wearing.  And I rock it pretty well.

Next is Big Bang.  Big Bang is huge.  I really don’t know how they can ever leave their homes without being literally mobbed and kidnapped by crazed mobs of teenage girls.  They have their own brands of clothes and shoes.  They do commericals for every product imaginable.  I used to try to use pictures of them and music to keep students’ attention, but I can’t anymore, because so much as showing a picture of them results in a literal riot as girls shriek, cry, and completely lose control of themselves.  We usually simply cannot restore order.  I really wish I was exaggerating.

I’m not a huge fan, which does not impress my students.  According to them, I simply don’t have an ear for true musical talent.  I asked them to choose between Big Bang and somewhat more influential artists such as Santana, Queen, or Clapton, and just got blank stares in return.  So I tried Beethoven, and they chose Big Bang as the more important figures in music.