Looks like everyone is agreeing with the Korean nowadays...
In Korea, a Model for Iraq [New York Times]
In Korea, a Model for Iraq [New York Times]
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Selasa, 31 Agustus 2010
Senin, 30 Agustus 2010
Ask a Korean! News: How Does Korean Language Affect the Way Korean People Think?
Absolutely fascinating article from the New York Times about how languages affect our mode of thought. A few highlights...
Does Your Language Shape How You Think? [New York Times]
Applied to Korean context, what is something that a Korean speaker must think about when constructing a sentence? One example of Korean language's peculiarity is its use of particles -- in which the choice of one wrong particle (which is in most cases no more than one syllable, sometimes two) leads to a pretty strong change in tone. For example: "개가 짖는다" and "개는 짖는다" mean the same in English -- "Dog barks." But the tone is different; the first sentence sounds like it is describing a general scenary of which the dog is a part; the second, like there is another animal that is not doing the barking and there is a need to distinguish which animal is barking. But how does this direct Korean speakers' attention to a particular thing, like the way German and Spanish speakers are a little more attuned to gender as they speak their language? Hmmm.
Actually, the interesting thing is that the Korean cannot really think of too many things within Korean language which obliges a Korean-speaker to have in mind. Korean language is one with pretty loose requirements. There is no need for the subject in a sentence. Tenses are looser in Korean. Singular/plural rules are not strict. Active/passive voice switch is very natural. Perhaps Korean language is characterized by the relative lack of constraints? It's something to think about.
Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
And yet Benjamin Lee Whorf let loose an alluring idea about language’s power over the mind, and his stirring prose seduced a whole generation into believing that our mother tongue restricts what we are able to think. In particular, Whorf announced, Native American languages impose on their speakers a picture of reality that is totally different from ours, so their speakers would simply not be able to understand some of our most basic concepts, like the flow of time or the distinction between objects (like “stone”) and actions (like “fall”).
...
Whorf, we now know, made many mistakes. The most serious one was to assume that our mother tongue constrains our minds and prevents us from being able to think certain thoughts. The general structure of his arguments was to claim that if a language has no word for a certain concept, then its speakers would not be able to understand this concept. If a language has no future tense, for instance, its speakers would simply not be able to grasp our notion of future time. It seems barely comprehensible that this line of argument could ever have achieved such success, given that so much contrary evidence confronts you wherever you look. When you ask, in perfectly normal English, and in the present tense, “Are you coming tomorrow?” do you feel your grip on the notion of futurity slipping away? Do English speakers who have never heard the German word Schadenfreude find it difficult to understand the concept of relishing someone else’s misfortune?
...
Some 50 years ago, the renowned linguist Roman Jakobson pointed out a crucial fact about differences between languages in a pithy maxim: “Languages differ essentially in what they must convey and not in what they may convey.” This maxim offers us the key to unlocking the real force of the mother tongue: if different languages influence our minds in different ways, this is not because of what our language allows us to think but rather because of what it habitually obliges us to think about.
Consider this example. Suppose I say to you in English that “I spent yesterday evening with a neighbor.” You may well wonder whether my companion was male or female, but I have the right to tell you politely that it’s none of your business. But if we were speaking French or German, I wouldn’t have the privilege to equivocate in this way, because I would be obliged by the grammar of language to choose between voisin or voisine; Nachbar or Nachbarin. These languages compel me to inform you about the sex of my companion whether or not I feel it is remotely your concern. This does not mean, of course, that English speakers are unable to understand the differences between evenings spent with male or female neighbors, but it does mean that they do not have to consider the sexes of neighbors, friends, teachers and a host of other persons each time they come up in a conversation, whereas speakers of some languages are obliged to do so.
Applied to Korean context, what is something that a Korean speaker must think about when constructing a sentence? One example of Korean language's peculiarity is its use of particles -- in which the choice of one wrong particle (which is in most cases no more than one syllable, sometimes two) leads to a pretty strong change in tone. For example: "개가 짖는다" and "개는 짖는다" mean the same in English -- "Dog barks." But the tone is different; the first sentence sounds like it is describing a general scenary of which the dog is a part; the second, like there is another animal that is not doing the barking and there is a need to distinguish which animal is barking. But how does this direct Korean speakers' attention to a particular thing, like the way German and Spanish speakers are a little more attuned to gender as they speak their language? Hmmm.
Actually, the interesting thing is that the Korean cannot really think of too many things within Korean language which obliges a Korean-speaker to have in mind. Korean language is one with pretty loose requirements. There is no need for the subject in a sentence. Tenses are looser in Korean. Singular/plural rules are not strict. Active/passive voice switch is very natural. Perhaps Korean language is characterized by the relative lack of constraints? It's something to think about.
Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
Minggu, 29 Agustus 2010
An article by Prof. Noah Feldman makes the exact same point that the Korean has made previously, although the Korean was speaking of Afghanistan:
A Very Long Engagement [Wall Street Journal]In 1953, after the armistice ending the Korean War, South Korea lay in ruins. President Eisenhower was eager to put an end to hostilities that had left his predecessor deeply unpopular, and the war ended in an uneasy stalemate. But the United States had a strong interest in regional stability, and some worrisome enemies to keep in check. So Eisenhower decided to leave tens of thousands of troops behind, and signed a treaty with the U.S.-backed government to formalize their presence. Thirty-five years later, South Korea emerged as a stable democracy.The situation in Iraq today bears some intriguing similarities....South Korea again provides an instructive example. The U.S. left troops in the peninsula after the armistice not to benefit the Korean people, but because it did not trust either North Korea or China. Like Iraq, South Korea had no meaningful history of electoral self-government. Indeed, for the first generation after the war, South Korea was governed by a succession of military dictators—and the U.S. acquiesced, even acting in concert with the governments. No one would have predicted at the time that South Korea—war-torn like Iraq, and in dire need of reconstruction—was a candidate for successful democratization.
Sabtu, 28 Agustus 2010
Ask a Korean! News: Kim Jong-Il Spurns Jimmy Carter, Visits China
North Korea is turning to a very interesting direction. Former president Jimmy Carter is visiting North Korea to spring out Aijalon Gomes, an American who illegally entered North Korea. (On a side note -- can people please stop doing this? First, the two dumb journalists. Then the missionary Robert Park. Why can't people understand that North Korea is just about the worst country to enter illegally?)
But incredibly, Kim Jong-Il spurned Jimmy Carter and decided to visit China instead. What the heck is going on? In all situations involving North Korea, the best source is always -- Mr. Joo Seong-Ha of Nambuk Story. Below is his take:
In examining Kim Jong-Il's China visit, the correct analysis is that he first selected Changchun as the meeting place with Shi Jin-Ping and visited Yukmun Middle School in Jilin in his spare time, not the other way around. [TK: Kim Il-Sung, Kim Jong-Il's father, worked as a secretary at Yukmun Middle School.] Today's morning papers seem to think that the visit to the middle school was about legitimizing the succession to Kim Jong-Un. But Yukmun Middle School is not some great North Korean holy site, nor is it important enough for Kim Jong-Il that he must visit before he dies. It is just not the place that has enough value or meaning to demonstrate the succession's legitimacy to the world. There are many other sites that have about the same weight.
Once the business is concluded in Changchun, the likely path is to return to North Korea by going through Tumen, reaching Hamgyeongbuk-do, as the media has generally reported.
Why Changchun? Why did Kim Jong-Il set out to visit the three northeastern provinces of China? Many analyze that it was to have Kim Jong-Un recognized, but I do not believe that is the case. Nominating Kim Jong-Un in North Korea is enough; it is incorrect to think that the visit was designed to take Kim Jong-Un to be recognized by China. North Korea is not yet at a place in which it is so politically enslaved by China such that it cannot nominate its own successor.
The theory that the visit was to ask for economic aid is more persuasive. It would be strange for Kim Jong-Il to make a trip to China and not beg. Let us suppose the Party Representatives Meeting in September will be the chance to nominate Kim Jong-Un, and let us analogize this to a big party. The feast needs to be ready and the music has to be played, but North Korea has nothing in its hands.
To minimize North Korean people's resistance to Kim Jong-Un, the regime needs to at least provide rationing and give an impression that something is changing. Even Kim Jong-Il would feel that it would not work if the people are demanded to devote their loyalty to Kim Jong-Un without any change with only their thumb to suck on.
But China will not provide aid that easily. So far from observation, China has given hug lip service to North Korea, calling it "blood-allies" and acting as if it would cut off its own flesh to help, but has acted miserly when it comes to economic aid. The most generous aid so far is about several tens of million dollars. (Given that, South Korea did give a whole lot to North Korea.)
So Kim Jong-Il must give something in exchange. What is there to give? At this point, we should think about why Kim headed to Changchun and Jilin, not Beijing. The first thing that comes to mind is the North Korean aid following the development of Chang-Ji-Tu. [TK: Changchun-Jilin-Tumen.] Kim already visited Changchun and Jilin, so if he goes through Tumen he will have made a Chang-Ji-Tu pilgrimage. Chang-Ji-Tu development can only happen completely if it is connected to Rajin-Seonbong development [TK: in North Korea].
There are causes to turn one's attention to Rajin-Seonbong. For over a year, there has been some preparation (although unclear as to exactly what that is) in Rajin-Seonbong since Kim Jong-Il last visited. Also, Park Bong-Ju has returned to power recently. [TK: Park has been an advocate for economic reform.]
At this point, North Korea has only land, minerals or rights to give. They might also be able to pretend opening up. As long as North Korea does not collapse, China will tolerate North Korea's nuclear weapon or having North Korea succeeded by Kim Jong-Un or any three-year-old. That comports with its greatest interest.
So it is not as if Kim Jong-Un cannot inherit the throne without China's permission. So what if China does not permit? Will China try to collapse North Korea or something? Such thing will not happen, especially considering that Kim Jong-Il will be willing to do just about anything in order to maintain his regime. It would not matter to him that millions die of starvation, nor would it matter to him that he handed over a large chunk of North Korean territory. If cornered, Kim Jong-Il will not hesitate to sell out his country to China.
So far, Kim Jong-Il has been wary of China, trying as much as he can to resist China's influence over North Korea. This is not out of any sense of patriotism, but out of preventing the threat of reform to his regime. But if cornered, this can all change. If the regime can survive for one more year at the brink of collapse, Kim will not care if North Korea became China's colony.
If this visit bears fruit, Kim Jong-Il would have sent a message to South Korea -- "Look, you think I can't live without you?"
From North Korean people's perspective, they cannot help but expect some change resulting from Carter's visit and Kim Jong-Il's visit to China. This is because there was a big change after Carter's last visit, resulting in the Inter-Korea summit. North Korean propaganda machine will broadcast to its people that Carter brought a message implying a very significant policy change in America, and the regime is considering whether or not to accept it. It would point out that former president of America of the Democratic Party is politely waiting in Pyongyang while Kim Jong-Il is taking care of business in China, which boosts the greatness of Dear Leader. On top of that, if Kim Jong-Il manages to (for example) bring a large-scale joint venture at Rajin-Seonbong from China, the dissatisfied North Koreans would go into the September meeting with some level of ancitipation for the better.
All this would make a pretty good atmospherics for the September Representative Meeting. If the country had something, it could give something to the people; but without nothing, it is a decent haul to have some good atmosphere.
Of course, there is high likelihood that the China visit would not be limited to creating atmosphere. Kim Jong-Il might try to use the visit as a pragmatic opportunity to make something happen for Kim Jong-Un's succession. The 2-3 years after Kim Jong-Un is nominated is the most perilous. During this time, if the regime manages to put on a show by going on a big project with China, the people may endure the circumstances with the hope that Kim Jong-Un is leading the reform. In short, it will earn the time to solidify Kim Jong-Un's succession while distracting the people's dissatisfaction toward Kim Jong-Un by anticipation. This time is golden for Kim Jong-Il.
But as I mentioned, China is a selfish country that does not move without profit. Unlike Korea, North Korea cannot just pretend to do things in front of the merchants of China. Our focus should be: What will Kim Jong-Il give up to China for his benefit?
The unusual destination of Changchun is eye-catching. Of course, this may not necessarily be something worrisome. Opening up Rajin-Seonbong alone would compel North Korea to step into the irresistible trend that North Korea has feared so much thus far. Everything will become clear by the end of Kim Jong-Il's China visit. Was it just for creating atmosphere, or is it more meaningful, pregnant with something significant for the future? This is not the first or second time we were disappointed after we anticipated something.
김정일 중국서 잔치 부조금 얼마나 받아올까 [Nambuk Story]
Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
But incredibly, Kim Jong-Il spurned Jimmy Carter and decided to visit China instead. What the heck is going on? In all situations involving North Korea, the best source is always -- Mr. Joo Seong-Ha of Nambuk Story. Below is his take:
* * *
In examining Kim Jong-Il's China visit, the correct analysis is that he first selected Changchun as the meeting place with Shi Jin-Ping and visited Yukmun Middle School in Jilin in his spare time, not the other way around. [TK: Kim Il-Sung, Kim Jong-Il's father, worked as a secretary at Yukmun Middle School.] Today's morning papers seem to think that the visit to the middle school was about legitimizing the succession to Kim Jong-Un. But Yukmun Middle School is not some great North Korean holy site, nor is it important enough for Kim Jong-Il that he must visit before he dies. It is just not the place that has enough value or meaning to demonstrate the succession's legitimacy to the world. There are many other sites that have about the same weight.
Once the business is concluded in Changchun, the likely path is to return to North Korea by going through Tumen, reaching Hamgyeongbuk-do, as the media has generally reported.
Why Changchun? Why did Kim Jong-Il set out to visit the three northeastern provinces of China? Many analyze that it was to have Kim Jong-Un recognized, but I do not believe that is the case. Nominating Kim Jong-Un in North Korea is enough; it is incorrect to think that the visit was designed to take Kim Jong-Un to be recognized by China. North Korea is not yet at a place in which it is so politically enslaved by China such that it cannot nominate its own successor.
The theory that the visit was to ask for economic aid is more persuasive. It would be strange for Kim Jong-Il to make a trip to China and not beg. Let us suppose the Party Representatives Meeting in September will be the chance to nominate Kim Jong-Un, and let us analogize this to a big party. The feast needs to be ready and the music has to be played, but North Korea has nothing in its hands.
To minimize North Korean people's resistance to Kim Jong-Un, the regime needs to at least provide rationing and give an impression that something is changing. Even Kim Jong-Il would feel that it would not work if the people are demanded to devote their loyalty to Kim Jong-Un without any change with only their thumb to suck on.
But China will not provide aid that easily. So far from observation, China has given hug lip service to North Korea, calling it "blood-allies" and acting as if it would cut off its own flesh to help, but has acted miserly when it comes to economic aid. The most generous aid so far is about several tens of million dollars. (Given that, South Korea did give a whole lot to North Korea.)
So Kim Jong-Il must give something in exchange. What is there to give? At this point, we should think about why Kim headed to Changchun and Jilin, not Beijing. The first thing that comes to mind is the North Korean aid following the development of Chang-Ji-Tu. [TK: Changchun-Jilin-Tumen.] Kim already visited Changchun and Jilin, so if he goes through Tumen he will have made a Chang-Ji-Tu pilgrimage. Chang-Ji-Tu development can only happen completely if it is connected to Rajin-Seonbong development [TK: in North Korea].
There are causes to turn one's attention to Rajin-Seonbong. For over a year, there has been some preparation (although unclear as to exactly what that is) in Rajin-Seonbong since Kim Jong-Il last visited. Also, Park Bong-Ju has returned to power recently. [TK: Park has been an advocate for economic reform.]
At this point, North Korea has only land, minerals or rights to give. They might also be able to pretend opening up. As long as North Korea does not collapse, China will tolerate North Korea's nuclear weapon or having North Korea succeeded by Kim Jong-Un or any three-year-old. That comports with its greatest interest.
So it is not as if Kim Jong-Un cannot inherit the throne without China's permission. So what if China does not permit? Will China try to collapse North Korea or something? Such thing will not happen, especially considering that Kim Jong-Il will be willing to do just about anything in order to maintain his regime. It would not matter to him that millions die of starvation, nor would it matter to him that he handed over a large chunk of North Korean territory. If cornered, Kim Jong-Il will not hesitate to sell out his country to China.
So far, Kim Jong-Il has been wary of China, trying as much as he can to resist China's influence over North Korea. This is not out of any sense of patriotism, but out of preventing the threat of reform to his regime. But if cornered, this can all change. If the regime can survive for one more year at the brink of collapse, Kim will not care if North Korea became China's colony.
If this visit bears fruit, Kim Jong-Il would have sent a message to South Korea -- "Look, you think I can't live without you?"
From North Korean people's perspective, they cannot help but expect some change resulting from Carter's visit and Kim Jong-Il's visit to China. This is because there was a big change after Carter's last visit, resulting in the Inter-Korea summit. North Korean propaganda machine will broadcast to its people that Carter brought a message implying a very significant policy change in America, and the regime is considering whether or not to accept it. It would point out that former president of America of the Democratic Party is politely waiting in Pyongyang while Kim Jong-Il is taking care of business in China, which boosts the greatness of Dear Leader. On top of that, if Kim Jong-Il manages to (for example) bring a large-scale joint venture at Rajin-Seonbong from China, the dissatisfied North Koreans would go into the September meeting with some level of ancitipation for the better.
All this would make a pretty good atmospherics for the September Representative Meeting. If the country had something, it could give something to the people; but without nothing, it is a decent haul to have some good atmosphere.
Of course, there is high likelihood that the China visit would not be limited to creating atmosphere. Kim Jong-Il might try to use the visit as a pragmatic opportunity to make something happen for Kim Jong-Un's succession. The 2-3 years after Kim Jong-Un is nominated is the most perilous. During this time, if the regime manages to put on a show by going on a big project with China, the people may endure the circumstances with the hope that Kim Jong-Un is leading the reform. In short, it will earn the time to solidify Kim Jong-Un's succession while distracting the people's dissatisfaction toward Kim Jong-Un by anticipation. This time is golden for Kim Jong-Il.
But as I mentioned, China is a selfish country that does not move without profit. Unlike Korea, North Korea cannot just pretend to do things in front of the merchants of China. Our focus should be: What will Kim Jong-Il give up to China for his benefit?
The unusual destination of Changchun is eye-catching. Of course, this may not necessarily be something worrisome. Opening up Rajin-Seonbong alone would compel North Korea to step into the irresistible trend that North Korea has feared so much thus far. Everything will become clear by the end of Kim Jong-Il's China visit. Was it just for creating atmosphere, or is it more meaningful, pregnant with something significant for the future? This is not the first or second time we were disappointed after we anticipated something.
김정일 중국서 잔치 부조금 얼마나 받아올까 [Nambuk Story]
Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
Rabu, 25 Agustus 2010
Because it was not enough to have cell phone coverage inside the subway and on the mountaintop, Korean telecom companies installed relays on lighthouses so that there will be cell phone reception 50 kilometers (around 30 miles) off the coast.
The logical next step? Waterproof cell phone to be used as a flotation device.
50km 밖 바다에서도 통화 가능 [Dong-A Ilbo]
The logical next step? Waterproof cell phone to be used as a flotation device.
50km 밖 바다에서도 통화 가능 [Dong-A Ilbo]
Senin, 23 Agustus 2010
50 Most Influential K-Pop Artists: 48. Dongmulwon
[Series Index]
48. Dongmulwon [동물원, "Zoo"]
Years of Activity: 1987-2003
Members:
Regular Members
Yoo Joon-Yeol [유준열] - Vocal, guitar
Park Ki-Yeong [박기영] - Vocal, keyboard
Bae Yeong-Gil [배영길] - Vocal, guitar
Temporary Members
Kim Chang-Gi [김창기] - Vocal, guitar
Park Kyeong-Chan [박경찬] - Vocal, guitar, keyboard
Lee Seong-Woo [이성우] - Vocal, guitar
Choi Hyeong-Gyu [최형규] - Drum
Kim Gwang-Seok [김광석] - Vocal
Discography:
Regular Albums
Dongmulwon [동물원] (1987)
Dongmulwon Second Collection of Songs [동물원 두번째 노래 모음] (1988)
Dongmulwon Third Collection of Songs [동물원 세번째 노래 모음] (1990)
Dongmulwon Fourth Collection of Songs [동물원 네번째 노래 모음] (1991)
Dongmulwon 5-1 [동물원 5-1] (1993)
Dongmulwon 5-2 [동물원 5-2] (1993)
Dongmulwon 6 [동물원 6] (1994)
Dongmulwon Seventh [동물원 일곱번째] (1997)
Dongmulwon Eighth Story [동물원 여덟번째 이야기] (2001)
Dongmulwon Ninth Footprint [동물원 아홉번째 발자국] (2003)
Special Albums
Dongmulwon in Concert [동물원 in Concert] (Live, 1994)
Dongmulwon Revisited [다시 가본 동물원] (Compilation, 1996)
Dongmulwon Best [동물원 베스트] (1999)
In 15 Words or Less: The amateur representative of Korean folk rock.
Representative Song: Hyehwa-Dong, from Dongmulwon Second Collection of Songs.
48. Dongmulwon [동물원, "Zoo"]
Years of Activity: 1987-2003
Members:
Regular Members
Yoo Joon-Yeol [유준열] - Vocal, guitar
Park Ki-Yeong [박기영] - Vocal, keyboard
Bae Yeong-Gil [배영길] - Vocal, guitar
Temporary Members
Kim Chang-Gi [김창기] - Vocal, guitar
Park Kyeong-Chan [박경찬] - Vocal, guitar, keyboard
Lee Seong-Woo [이성우] - Vocal, guitar
Choi Hyeong-Gyu [최형규] - Drum
Kim Gwang-Seok [김광석] - Vocal
Discography:
Regular Albums
Dongmulwon [동물원] (1987)
Dongmulwon Second Collection of Songs [동물원 두번째 노래 모음] (1988)
Dongmulwon Third Collection of Songs [동물원 세번째 노래 모음] (1990)
Dongmulwon Fourth Collection of Songs [동물원 네번째 노래 모음] (1991)
Dongmulwon 5-1 [동물원 5-1] (1993)
Dongmulwon 5-2 [동물원 5-2] (1993)
Dongmulwon 6 [동물원 6] (1994)
Dongmulwon Seventh [동물원 일곱번째] (1997)
Dongmulwon Eighth Story [동물원 여덟번째 이야기] (2001)
Dongmulwon Ninth Footprint [동물원 아홉번째 발자국] (2003)
Special Albums
Dongmulwon in Concert [동물원 in Concert] (Live, 1994)
Dongmulwon Revisited [다시 가본 동물원] (Compilation, 1996)
Dongmulwon Best [동물원 베스트] (1999)
In 15 Words or Less: The amateur representative of Korean folk rock.
Representative Song: Hyehwa-Dong, from Dongmulwon Second Collection of Songs.
혜화동
Hyehwa-dong
오늘은 잊고 지내던 친구에게서 전화가 왔네
Today, a phone call came from a friend I had forgotten
내일이면 멀리 떠나간다고
Tomorrow he is going very far away
어릴적 함께 뛰놀던 골목길에서 만나자 하네
Says let us meet at the alleyway where we ran and played as children
내일이면 멀리 떠나간다고
Tomorrow he is going very far away
덜컹거리는 전철을 타고 찾아가는 그 길
The way over, taking the rumbling subway
우린 얼마나 많은 것을 잊고 살아가는지
How many things have we forgotten as we live
어릴 적 넓게만 보이던 좁은 골목길에
The narrow alleyway that seemed so wide when we were young
다정한 옛친구 나를 반겨 달려오는데
My good old friend runs to greet me
어릴적 함께 꿈꾸던 부푼 세상을 만나자 하네
Says let us meet the beautiful world we dreamed together as children
내일이면 아주 멀리 떠나간다고
Tomorrow he is going very far away
언젠가 돌아오는 날 활짝웃으며 만나자 하네
Says someday when he comes back let us meet with big smiles
내일이면 아무 멀리 간다고
Tomorrow he is going very far away
덜컹거리는 전철을 타고 찾아가는 그 길
The way over, taking the rumbling subway
우린 얼마나 많은 것을 잊고 살아가는지
How many things have we forgotten as we live
어릴 적 넓게만 보이던 좁은 골목길에
The narrow alleyway that seemed so wide when we were young
다정한 옛친구 나를 반겨 달려오는데
My good old friend runs to greet me
랄라 랄라라 랄라랄라라 라랄라랄라라
Lala Lalala Lalalalala Lalalalala
우린 얼마나 많은 것을 잊고 살아가는지
How many things have we forgotten as we live
Translation Note: Hyehwa-dong is a district in the center of Seoul, with many colleges, theaters and coffee shops.
Maybe they should have been ranked higher because... Actually, this is about as high as this band could possibly go.
Maybe they should have been ranked lower because... See the discussion below.
Why is this band important?
The Korean can already hear the objections of those who are conversant at K-pop. Clazziquai at 49, but Dongmulwon at 48? Dongmulwon never once had a number one song on the charts. It never had a huge media presence, nor did it ever attract a screaming horde of girls. It was not even very musically talented, as it was a band made up of a rotating group of amateurs. Their songs do not require a huge range of voice, nor do they require a particular skilled hand at the guitar. Perhaps at that point the objectors might recall that this list is subject to the Korean’s arbitrary and capricious whim, and stop reading altogether.
But the Korean’s ranking is not completely off the reservation. The Korean believes his placement of Dongmulwon at 48 is justified, because of the significance of folk rock as a genre in K-pop history, and Dongmulwon’s significance within that genre cannot be discounted.
Let us ask the basic question one more time: What is K-pop? The Korean defined this term earlier as popular music of Korea Korea
Implicitly, the Korean so far has been employing a broad definition of “music of Korea ” – music of artists who were/are primarily active in Korea Korea Korea ” would simply mean: music that reflects “Koreanness,” the emotional core that characterizes Korea
To be sure, the two definitions are not mutually exclusive. Generally, music that survives in Korean popular culture does so because it contains some measure of “Koreanness” that appeals to its fans, i.e. Koreans. But in discussing influence – which, again, is what this chart is intended to measure, not popularity, talent or fame – the Korean thinks it is fair to give a higher mark to artists who did a better job at reflecting “Koreanness”. This is so because the popular music that survives in the minds of the public (i.e. becomes influential) is the one that reflects the essential zeitgeist of the times.
In fact, this is exactly the reason why pretty girl/pretty boy artists across the world receive no respect for the aesthetic quality of the music they perform. Pretty people exist across the space and time. So do banal and saccharine love songs. They simply do not reflect any essential quality of their life and time. Accordingly, Bob Dylan’s music survived the times and remains influential, but Britney Spears’ did not.
Korean folk rock is the most significant K-pop genre because it is the genre that did the best job at reflecting the life and times of Koreans. For all of Clazziquai’s considerable talent, there is not much about techno/electronica that reflects the emotional core that is particular to Koreans. Same with heavy metal, and even less so with ballad or generic dance music. (A more serious case might be made for trot or rap, which will be discussed later in the series.) This is so because folk rock is a message-driven music. The music itself in folk rock is never complicated – many of the times it only involves a single guitar. The main focus of folk rock is always about the message carried in the lyrics, contained the simple and flexible vessel of its melody.
Dongmulwon is important because it is one of the finest representations of what folk rock in Korea
In fact, Dongmulwon’s most representative songs are all about certain recognizable places. Other than Hyehwa-dong that was translated above, their most popular songs were On the Street [거리에서] and At the Subway Station in front of the City Hall [시청 앞 지하철역에서]. Because the places are familiar to their listeners (although not necessarily for non-Koreans or Koreans of later generations,) the emotions that are evoked by those places are also familiar.
Since late 1980s through 1990s, Korea
Dongmulwon was never the most prominent figure in K-pop history. But the band is important because decades later, people will turn to their songs to reminisce how things were in Korea
Interesting Trivia:
- The band is named "Zoo" because the members thought that they were being caged, both by the stiffness of the society and ideology-driven college culture at the time. But the first suggestion for the band name was "Ballad for Ewha Students" [이대생을 위한 발라드], based on the jocular calculation that simply selling albums to Ewha Woman's University students would let them sell at least 1,000 copies.
Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
Jumat, 20 Agustus 2010
This is interesting -- there will be a Korean immersion charter school in Minneapolis. The school's website is here.
(Via Marmot's Hole.)
(Via Marmot's Hole.)
Kamis, 19 Agustus 2010
One of the things about America that excited the 16-year-old the Korean as he emigrated was the way American teens entered into adulthood faster. Once turned 18, boom -- American children/young adults would move out of their parents' house, go off to a faraway college and stop financially relying on their parents. The Korean thought it was a more mature phenomenon that what happens in Korea, in which Korean children/young adults after high school would frequently live with their parents until they get married, because everything/everyone is located in Seoul, college financial aid was scant and jobs are harder to find immediately after college graduation.
A little more than a decade later, it seems American children/young adults are becoming about as dependent to their parents as their Korean counterparts. Deja vu all over again.
A little more than a decade later, it seems American children/young adults are becoming about as dependent to their parents as their Korean counterparts. Deja vu all over again.
Rabu, 18 Agustus 2010
Ask a Korean! Wiki: Do You Feel Welcome in Korea?
Dear Korean,
After much deliberation, I've decided to spend a quarter studying abroad in Korea , living in the dorms located on campus this upcoming year. I'm worried, however, about how life will be once I get over there, and how I will get along with the Korean people. Having never been anywhere outside the U.S., I was very excited to see a new culture, but after reading your blog and your constant criticism that Koreans are racist and xenophobic , I'm beginning to worry about how I will be able to socialize and interact with the native Koreans there. I was born and raised in California, but ethnically I would have to identify myself as a mixed Chinese-Vietnamese. In all honesty, should I brace myself for a world of hurt, or am I just exaggerating things and that, despite all the criticisms, Korea really is a warm and inviting place for foreigners?
Hmm, Really..Yon-Don't-Sei???
Dear Yon-Don't-Sei,
The Korean is probably not qualified to answer this question. He certainly knows both positive and negative aspects of Korea, but he just does not have a first-hand experience in being a foreigner in Korea because obviously, he tends to blend in with the local populace rather well.
The Korean can say one thing about the foreigner experience in Korea, however. If you are only staying in Korea for at most six months, bad things (resulting from racism or xenophobia) will rarely happen to you. As the Korean wrote previously, there are few reasons for Koreans (or really, anyone,) to do anything -- positively or negatively -- with someone who is simply passing through, either as a tourist or an exchange student who will certainly leave Korea after their brief stay.
Some people who write to the Korean worry as if they will be stoned on the streets of Seoul for being dark-skinned. Please, relax. Racism is a real problem in Korea, but that has more to do with the way Korea deals with its own citizens or at most, its long-term residents. And under no circumstances is racism in Korea like the Jim Crow South. The worst manifestations of racism in Korea for foreign visitors -- if they happen at all -- will be curious stares, drunken rants or politically incorrect remark motivated mostly out of ignorance (= not knowing) rather than malice.
Nor is racism the only operative factor that determines how Koreans interact with foreigners. In fact, often the stronger factor is that Koreans deeply care about Korea's international reputation, i.e. how other countries -- through the foreigners who visit Korea -- perceive Korea. Because of that, some foreigners who visit Korea receive a royal treatment by Koreans who are determined to show the best side of the country, sometimes to the degree that is disingenuous and uncomfortable.
The long and short of it is that while the Korean can list all these factors, he himself does not know (and will never know) how all these things blend in and form "the foreigner experience" in Korea. So readers, have your say at it. How was your stay in Korea? Did you feel welcome?
Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
After much deliberation, I've decided to spend a quarter studying abroad in Korea , living in the dorms located on campus this upcoming year. I'm worried, however, about how life will be once I get over there, and how I will get along with the Korean people. Having never been anywhere outside the U.S., I was very excited to see a new culture, but after reading your blog and your constant criticism that Koreans are racist and xenophobic , I'm beginning to worry about how I will be able to socialize and interact with the native Koreans there. I was born and raised in California, but ethnically I would have to identify myself as a mixed Chinese-Vietnamese. In all honesty, should I brace myself for a world of hurt, or am I just exaggerating things and that, despite all the criticisms, Korea really is a warm and inviting place for foreigners?
Hmm, Really..Yon-Don't-Sei???
Dear Yon-Don't-Sei,
The Korean is probably not qualified to answer this question. He certainly knows both positive and negative aspects of Korea, but he just does not have a first-hand experience in being a foreigner in Korea because obviously, he tends to blend in with the local populace rather well.
The Korean can say one thing about the foreigner experience in Korea, however. If you are only staying in Korea for at most six months, bad things (resulting from racism or xenophobia) will rarely happen to you. As the Korean wrote previously, there are few reasons for Koreans (or really, anyone,) to do anything -- positively or negatively -- with someone who is simply passing through, either as a tourist or an exchange student who will certainly leave Korea after their brief stay.
Some people who write to the Korean worry as if they will be stoned on the streets of Seoul for being dark-skinned. Please, relax. Racism is a real problem in Korea, but that has more to do with the way Korea deals with its own citizens or at most, its long-term residents. And under no circumstances is racism in Korea like the Jim Crow South. The worst manifestations of racism in Korea for foreign visitors -- if they happen at all -- will be curious stares, drunken rants or politically incorrect remark motivated mostly out of ignorance (= not knowing) rather than malice.
Nor is racism the only operative factor that determines how Koreans interact with foreigners. In fact, often the stronger factor is that Koreans deeply care about Korea's international reputation, i.e. how other countries -- through the foreigners who visit Korea -- perceive Korea. Because of that, some foreigners who visit Korea receive a royal treatment by Koreans who are determined to show the best side of the country, sometimes to the degree that is disingenuous and uncomfortable.
The long and short of it is that while the Korean can list all these factors, he himself does not know (and will never know) how all these things blend in and form "the foreigner experience" in Korea. So readers, have your say at it. How was your stay in Korea? Did you feel welcome?
Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
Selasa, 17 Agustus 2010
Newsweek ranked Korea as World's 15th-best country.
Senin, 16 Agustus 2010
Do Koreans Feel Connection with China?
Dear Korean,
I am a Chinese-American. Both of my parents were born and raised in main land China and whenever anything Korean comes into the conversation they immediately say "Korea is a part of China" or "Korean culture is just a variation of Chinese" or some other ethnocentric remark. They don't only think this way about Korea -- they also deny that Taiwan is a country in its own right, and think it is just an extension of China. I know that this attitude is just a result of my parents upbringing, but I was wondering if Koreans feel any connection with China.
Ina
Dear Ina,
The easiest way to explain is to examine the relationship between United States and Italy. Obviously, Italy is the modern heir of the Roman Empire. And as a part of the Western Civilization, America has many elements within it that reflects the influence of the Roman Empire. Our national seal involves an eagle, influenced by Roman standard of armies. Americans still frequently use Roman numerals. American colleges are made to look like Roman buildings. American lawyers (and assholes who want to sound smart) often resort to Latin phrases. And these are just a few examples.
But does all this extend to ordinary Americans' feeling any particular connection with Italy, like rooting for the Azzurri or suddenly thinking Snooki is not repulsive?? The answer is an obvious no. (And HELL NO with respect to Snooki.)
The same is true with China and Korea. Much of classic literature in China -- such as Romance of Three Kingdoms or the Analects -- are classics in Korea as well. Like the way the learned in America use Latin phrases, the learned in Korea use Chinese phrases. Many of Korea's traditional buildings reflect a strong Chinese influence.
But that does not extend to Koreans' feeling particular connection with China of today. This is even more so because until very recently, (South) Korea and (People's Republic of) China were in an antagonistic relationship, facing off in the Cold War. (Diplomatic relationship between Korea and China did not exist until 1992.) While Korea and China have been actively engaging each other in the last 18 years, few in Korea feel a particular connection with China because of the Chinese influence over Korea. It is, simply put, ancient history.
Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
I am a Chinese-American. Both of my parents were born and raised in main land China and whenever anything Korean comes into the conversation they immediately say "Korea is a part of China" or "Korean culture is just a variation of Chinese" or some other ethnocentric remark. They don't only think this way about Korea -- they also deny that Taiwan is a country in its own right, and think it is just an extension of China. I know that this attitude is just a result of my parents upbringing, but I was wondering if Koreans feel any connection with China.
Ina
Dear Ina,
The easiest way to explain is to examine the relationship between United States and Italy. Obviously, Italy is the modern heir of the Roman Empire. And as a part of the Western Civilization, America has many elements within it that reflects the influence of the Roman Empire. Our national seal involves an eagle, influenced by Roman standard of armies. Americans still frequently use Roman numerals. American colleges are made to look like Roman buildings. American lawyers (and assholes who want to sound smart) often resort to Latin phrases. And these are just a few examples.
But does all this extend to ordinary Americans' feeling any particular connection with Italy, like rooting for the Azzurri or suddenly thinking Snooki is not repulsive?? The answer is an obvious no. (And HELL NO with respect to Snooki.)
 |
The Korean will still gag at the sight of Snooki
even if she is the second coming of Ung-Nyeo.
(Source)
The same is true with China and Korea. Much of classic literature in China -- such as Romance of Three Kingdoms or the Analects -- are classics in Korea as well. Like the way the learned in America use Latin phrases, the learned in Korea use Chinese phrases. Many of Korea's traditional buildings reflect a strong Chinese influence.
But that does not extend to Koreans' feeling particular connection with China of today. This is even more so because until very recently, (South) Korea and (People's Republic of) China were in an antagonistic relationship, facing off in the Cold War. (Diplomatic relationship between Korea and China did not exist until 1992.) While Korea and China have been actively engaging each other in the last 18 years, few in Korea feel a particular connection with China because of the Chinese influence over Korea. It is, simply put, ancient history.
Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
Kamis, 12 Agustus 2010
AAK! PSA: Make Your Own Korean Liquor
Do you dream of Korean moonshine? Then here is Ms. Minji Park:
Dear Korean,
I write on behalf of Susubori Academy, a traditional Korean liquor education center sponsored by Kyonggi University and FACT (Foundation of Agritech Commercialization & Transfer). Susubori is a brand new school, and we are having an opening event where we will be offering a two-week mini course in English. We're giving ten hours of instruction, all ingredients, a container for you to take your liquor home, and some side dishes for only 50,000 won.
I am writing to you because I think this kind of course would be interesting to your readers, and it would be great if you could mention us on your blog. Naturally we'd also be delighted if you could join one of our classes, either now or later.
Sincerely,
Minji Park
The brochure is attached below.
Dear Korean,
I write on behalf of Susubori Academy, a traditional Korean liquor education center sponsored by Kyonggi University and FACT (Foundation of Agritech Commercialization & Transfer). Susubori is a brand new school, and we are having an opening event where we will be offering a two-week mini course in English. We're giving ten hours of instruction, all ingredients, a container for you to take your liquor home, and some side dishes for only 50,000 won.
I am writing to you because I think this kind of course would be interesting to your readers, and it would be great if you could mention us on your blog. Naturally we'd also be delighted if you could join one of our classes, either now or later.
Sincerely,
Minji Park
The brochure is attached below.
Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
Rabu, 11 Agustus 2010
Ask a Korean! News: Japanese Prime Minister Apologizes for the Colonial Rule
First, the news:
The Korean applauds Japan for taking a step in the right direction, but is disappointed that it is only a step and not a stride like it should have been, on the year as significant as the century mark of the occupation. Most Koreans appears to have reacted the same way as the Korean did -- they have seen this show before, and there is not too much to get excited over.
It is commendable that this round of apology was not just words, but came with some level of specific actions. Returning documents and artifacts is a pretty solid move, and a step forward from the 1993 apology which ultimately did not amount to much more than mere words. But at the 100-year mark, something much more significant needed to happen. And it is not as if what Japan does not know what it needs to do. It needs to clearly address the big historical issues -- such as the annexation's illegality, comfort women, remaining territorial disputes, discrimination against Korean-Japanese, whitewashing its textbooks, and attempts to revise and glorify its imperialistic past (e.g. by attending the Yasukuni Shrine.) At the very least, it could have revisited the crass decision earlier in this year to pay 99 yen (about $1) to compensate Korean forced laborers. But none of this happened.
In this respect, the Joint Statement of Scholars issued by scholars from both Japan and Korea was much more honest and courageous, since it challenged Japan’s current interpretation of history. It clearly stated that the Annexation Treaty was illegal and invalid from the start, contrary to the official position of the Japanese government. In contrast, this round of apology by Prime Minister Kan implies nothing about the change in the official position. So, regardless of the apology, the emperor of Korea in 1910 voluntarily handed over his country without any coercion (like invading his palace and killing his wife, the queen) as far as the Japanese government is concerned. Reflecting this unchanged position, even the stolen documents and artifacts are not "returned" (反換) to Korea but are "conveyed" (おわたし) to Korea, lest the word should suggest that Japan was not entitled to take the documents and artifacts in the first place.
The Korean, personally, sympathizes with Prime Minister Kan. He believes that Kan did the best he could under the given circumstances of his domestic politics. In fact, the Korean believes that Koreans would be better served to recognize the segment of Japanese population that is honest and forthright about their past, instead of crudely hurling invectives wholesale whenever the historical issues arise, as some Koreans are wont to do. If Koreans give credit to whom credit is due, it would encourage those Japanese to continue their endeavor and move farther along in persuading the Japanese public at large. In that spirit, the Korean would like to recognize that Prime Minister Kan, former Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama and Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshito Senkoku were particularly brave to persevere and do the right thing.
But the fact that this was the best that Prime Minister Kan could do serves as an indictment on Japan as a whole. At the end of the day, the Japanese government is unable to make a truly meaningful apology and reparation because the Japanese people, as a whole, do not think their country did anything wrong. Indeed, certain segment of Japanese people are all too happy to brand the apology (which does not really change much of the status quo) as "treason," because they genuinely believe that Japan did Korea a favor by annexing it and Prime Minister Kan is apologizing over nothing. This is simply a stunning case of willful historical blindness.
This is why the Korean is not confident that this apology will have a positive impact that will last, even though he believes that the heart of Prime Minister Kan and many Japanese people is at the right place. Because of the considerable portion (if not the majority) of Japanese population that does not think the Imperial Japan did anything wrong in the early 20th century, sooner or later another thing will arise in Japan which will surely make a mockery of any contrition shown in this apology -- like the insulting payment of 99 yen to former forced laborers. That is a pity, and unbecoming of a great nation like Japan.
Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
Japan Apologizes to South Korea on Colonization [New York Times]Prime Minister Naoto Kan of Japan offered a renewed apology to South Korea on Tuesday for Japan’s brutal colonial rule, as part of a statement marking the 100th anniversary of his nation’s prewar annexation of the Korean Peninsula.For the enormous damage and suffering caused during this colonial rule, I would like to express once again our deep remorse and heartfelt apology,” Mr. Kan said in a statement, issued ahead of the Aug. 29 centenary of Japan’s annexation of Korea. The text largely repeated language Japan has used since the early 1990s in apologies to South Korea and other Asian victims of its early-20th-century military expansion....In a sign of the difficulties this nation still faces in holding a healthy debate about the repugnant periods of its history, the prime minister’s statement on the colonial era drew sharp criticism from conservatives. Tabloid newspapers blasted the apology as “treasonous diplomacy,” while right wing groups loudly protested in front of the prime minister’s residence in central Tokyo.In Tuesday’s statement, Mr. Kan offered to return historical documents and other cultural artifacts taken from the Korean Peninsula during Japan’s 1910-45 rule. Mr. Kan said he wanted to address the past in order to build a more forward-looking relationship with South Korea, a country with which Japan now enjoys extensive trade, cultural and political ties and whose music and television shows it avidly consumes.
The Korean applauds Japan for taking a step in the right direction, but is disappointed that it is only a step and not a stride like it should have been, on the year as significant as the century mark of the occupation. Most Koreans appears to have reacted the same way as the Korean did -- they have seen this show before, and there is not too much to get excited over.
It is commendable that this round of apology was not just words, but came with some level of specific actions. Returning documents and artifacts is a pretty solid move, and a step forward from the 1993 apology which ultimately did not amount to much more than mere words. But at the 100-year mark, something much more significant needed to happen. And it is not as if what Japan does not know what it needs to do. It needs to clearly address the big historical issues -- such as the annexation's illegality, comfort women, remaining territorial disputes, discrimination against Korean-Japanese, whitewashing its textbooks, and attempts to revise and glorify its imperialistic past (e.g. by attending the Yasukuni Shrine.) At the very least, it could have revisited the crass decision earlier in this year to pay 99 yen (about $1) to compensate Korean forced laborers. But none of this happened.
In this respect, the Joint Statement of Scholars issued by scholars from both Japan and Korea was much more honest and courageous, since it challenged Japan’s current interpretation of history. It clearly stated that the Annexation Treaty was illegal and invalid from the start, contrary to the official position of the Japanese government. In contrast, this round of apology by Prime Minister Kan implies nothing about the change in the official position. So, regardless of the apology, the emperor of Korea in 1910 voluntarily handed over his country without any coercion (like invading his palace and killing his wife, the queen) as far as the Japanese government is concerned. Reflecting this unchanged position, even the stolen documents and artifacts are not "returned" (反換) to Korea but are "conveyed" (おわたし) to Korea, lest the word should suggest that Japan was not entitled to take the documents and artifacts in the first place.
The Korean, personally, sympathizes with Prime Minister Kan. He believes that Kan did the best he could under the given circumstances of his domestic politics. In fact, the Korean believes that Koreans would be better served to recognize the segment of Japanese population that is honest and forthright about their past, instead of crudely hurling invectives wholesale whenever the historical issues arise, as some Koreans are wont to do. If Koreans give credit to whom credit is due, it would encourage those Japanese to continue their endeavor and move farther along in persuading the Japanese public at large. In that spirit, the Korean would like to recognize that Prime Minister Kan, former Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama and Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshito Senkoku were particularly brave to persevere and do the right thing.
But the fact that this was the best that Prime Minister Kan could do serves as an indictment on Japan as a whole. At the end of the day, the Japanese government is unable to make a truly meaningful apology and reparation because the Japanese people, as a whole, do not think their country did anything wrong. Indeed, certain segment of Japanese people are all too happy to brand the apology (which does not really change much of the status quo) as "treason," because they genuinely believe that Japan did Korea a favor by annexing it and Prime Minister Kan is apologizing over nothing. This is simply a stunning case of willful historical blindness.
This is why the Korean is not confident that this apology will have a positive impact that will last, even though he believes that the heart of Prime Minister Kan and many Japanese people is at the right place. Because of the considerable portion (if not the majority) of Japanese population that does not think the Imperial Japan did anything wrong in the early 20th century, sooner or later another thing will arise in Japan which will surely make a mockery of any contrition shown in this apology -- like the insulting payment of 99 yen to former forced laborers. That is a pity, and unbecoming of a great nation like Japan.
Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
Selasa, 10 Agustus 2010
50 Most Influential K-Pop Artists: 49. Clazziquai Project
[Series Index]
Two in a row? Why not? The Korean is on a roll, and good music makes him happy.
49. Clazziquai Project [클래지콰이 프로젝트]
Years of Activity: 2004-present
Members:
DJ Clazzi (Kim Seong-Hoon [김성훈]) - Mixing, producing
Alex (Alexander Hyeon-Gon Chu [추현곤]) - Vocal
Horan (Choi Su-Jin [최수진]) - Vocal
Christina (Christina Yeong-Ju Chu [추영주]) - Vocal (regularly featuring guest)
Discography:
Regular Albums
Instant Pig (2004)
Color Your Soul (2005)
Love Child of the Century (2007)
Mucho Punk (2009)
Special Albums
Remix - Pinch Your Soul (2006)
Robotica (2007)
Metrotronics Original Soundtrack (2008)
Remix - Mucho Beat (2009)
In 15 Words or Less: World-Class electronica band who made the genre mainstream.
Representative Song: Futuristic, from Instant Pig (No translation necessary!)
Two in a row? Why not? The Korean is on a roll, and good music makes him happy.
49. Clazziquai Project [클래지콰이 프로젝트]
Years of Activity: 2004-present
Members:
DJ Clazzi (Kim Seong-Hoon [김성훈]) - Mixing, producing
Alex (Alexander Hyeon-Gon Chu [추현곤]) - Vocal
Horan (Choi Su-Jin [최수진]) - Vocal
Christina (Christina Yeong-Ju Chu [추영주]) - Vocal (regularly featuring guest)
Discography:
Regular Albums
Instant Pig (2004)
Color Your Soul (2005)
Love Child of the Century (2007)
Mucho Punk (2009)
Special Albums
Remix - Pinch Your Soul (2006)
Robotica (2007)
Metrotronics Original Soundtrack (2008)
Remix - Mucho Beat (2009)
In 15 Words or Less: World-Class electronica band who made the genre mainstream.
Representative Song: Futuristic, from Instant Pig (No translation necessary!)
Futuristic
We are in virtual loving time
And I am thinking what a mess
All I want from you baby is just a little dance
I know the world we're living in
All these things we do
You want me I want you
You hold me you love me
Now now let me out
I want to take you in my arms I want to feel
Now you dance with me
Come to meet my arms
Now I set you free
I want to look in to your eyes to see the magic
Now now come on out
Futuristic dance yeah
We are in virtual loving time
We are moving and moving and moving
And the future will make me into a fusion girl
I know the world we are living in
All these things we do
You want me I want you
You hold me you love me
Now now let me out
I want to take you in my arms I want to feel
Now you dance with me
Come to meet my arms
Now I set you free
I want to look in to your eyes to see the magic
Now now come on out
Futuristic dance yeah
All this time our love is
Making you and I
Your kiss and your breath
Turn me on turn me on... now
Now now let me out
I want to take you in my arms I want to feel
Now you dance with me
Come to meet my arms
Now I set you free
I want to look in to your eyes to see the magic
Now now come on out
Futuristic dance yea
(Dancing for your love)
Maybe they should have been ranked higher because... Out of the 50 who are ranked in this list, few can be legitimately considered "world class".
Maybe they should have been ranked lower because... It is too soon to tell what their imprint will be.
Why is this band important?
Even without regard to its music, the manner in which Clazziquai elevated to its current fame is significant in and of itself. In 2000 when illegal download of mp3 (a new technology at the time) was decimating the music market, DJ Clazzi opened a simple website that did not have much other than his music, which could be freely shared. Of course, DJ Clazzi was not the first to set up such a website -- but he likely is the first K-pop artist who actually became successful that way. The sophistication that he had shown on the free samples on his website was quite enough to lure several big label executives of Korea to make a trip out to Canada. (Kim Seong-Hoon, a.k.a. DJ Clazzi, is a Korean-Canadian who immigrated during his high school years.) By the time the band's first album was released in 2004, the grassroots support for the band was strong enough to overcome the general depression in the music recordings market. In short, Clazziquai embodies the new model of artistic success in the Internet era, in which talent simply wins out in the democratized field.
And what talent that was. Techno/electronica in Korea may as well be divided into two eras -- pre-Clazziquai, and post-Clazziquai. Electronica made occasional appearance in K-pop previous to Clazziquai, but it was never pursued for the sake of itself. Instead, it was essentially a ploy for a singer to bring something different simply for the sake of bringing something different. K-pop "musicians" cheaply purchased electronica to spice up their tired repertoire, and threw it away just as cheaply. Clazziquai is the first band that seriously pursued techno/electronica as an objective rather than using it as a tool. It is regrettable that K-pop had to wait until 2004 to have a band like Clazziquai, but the quality of Clazziquai's music was worth the wait. Clazziquai -- like Jamiroquai to which its name pays homage -- has always pursued music that was relaxed yet groovy. Its music is calm but complex. It is danceable without being intrusive. It can be legitimately considered a world-class band.
But for the purpose of this list, Clazziquai's crowning achievement is not simply that they made high-quality music, but that they made high-quality music accessible, and even popular, among regular Koreans. For all of its artistic merits, Clazziquai never developed the haughty (and ultimately toxic) attitude that their music was too good for the masses, like the way certain other talented members of K-pop pantheon did. While never sacrificing quality, Clazziquai nonetheless made their music (and themselves) easily accessible to Korean public. Making an average Korean music fan to have better appreciation for newer and more sophisticated music might be the greatest legacy that Clazziquai will leave behind, even after their already-promising career comes to a grand conclusion.
Interesting Trivia:
- DJ Clazzi's music education served as an excellent foundation for his later career as a fusion musician. As a child, he learned classical music from his mother. Once immigrated to Canada, he played piano in the school jazz band, and majored in jazz and music technology in his college years.
- Alex and Christina are siblings.
- Metrotronics was a soundtrack made specifically for a DJ Max Portable 2, a music game for PSP.
Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
Interesting Trivia:
- DJ Clazzi's music education served as an excellent foundation for his later career as a fusion musician. As a child, he learned classical music from his mother. Once immigrated to Canada, he played piano in the school jazz band, and majored in jazz and music technology in his college years.
- Alex and Christina are siblings.
- Metrotronics was a soundtrack made specifically for a DJ Max Portable 2, a music game for PSP.
Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
Minggu, 08 Agustus 2010
50 Most Influential K-Pop Artists: 50. Pipi Band/Pipi Longstocking
[Series Index]
Finally, the 50 Most Influential K-Pop Artists series kicks off in earnest. The series will progress by providing a fairly detailed look at each artist's music career, such that by the time this series is over the reader can have a workable knowledge of K-pop history and its major players. If you have have not already, the Korean high recommends reading the earlier parts of this series to place the ranked artists in proper context.
Just to remind everyone, this list is arbitrary and capricious to the Korean's whim, and reflects the Korean's many biases. But that does not mean it is completely off the reservation -- much thought went into trying to make this list as objective as possible. To help organize the ranking, the Korean divided the 50 artists into four tiers: Legends, Best of an Era, Strong Impact and Notables. As we start from the bottom, here is the first of the notable K-pop artists.
50. Pipi Band [삐삐밴드]/Pipi Longstocking [삐삐롱스타킹]
Years of Activity: 1995-1997
Members:
Lee Yoon-Jeong [이윤정] (Vocal - in Pipi Band)
Kwon Byeong-Joon/Goguma [권병준/고구마] (Vocal - in PiPi Longstocking)
Kang Gi-Yeong [강기영] (Bass)
Park Hyeon-Joon [박현준] (Guitar)
Discography:
Cultural Revolution [문화혁명] (1995)
Impossible Mission [불가능한 작전] (1996)
Red Bean Fish Buns [붕어빵] (1996)
One Way Ticket [원웨이 티켓] (1997)
Pipi Band Pipi Longstocking: The Complete Best [삐삐밴드 삐삐롱스타킹 The Complete Best] (2004)
In 15 Words or Less: La Resistance of the Weird.
Representative Song: Strawberry [딸기], from Cultural Revolution
Maybe they should have been ranked higher because... Arguably, they kicked off the indie scene in Korea.
Finally, the 50 Most Influential K-Pop Artists series kicks off in earnest. The series will progress by providing a fairly detailed look at each artist's music career, such that by the time this series is over the reader can have a workable knowledge of K-pop history and its major players. If you have have not already, the Korean high recommends reading the earlier parts of this series to place the ranked artists in proper context.
Just to remind everyone, this list is arbitrary and capricious to the Korean's whim, and reflects the Korean's many biases. But that does not mean it is completely off the reservation -- much thought went into trying to make this list as objective as possible. To help organize the ranking, the Korean divided the 50 artists into four tiers: Legends, Best of an Era, Strong Impact and Notables. As we start from the bottom, here is the first of the notable K-pop artists.
50. Pipi Band [삐삐밴드]/Pipi Longstocking [삐삐롱스타킹]
Years of Activity: 1995-1997
Members:
Lee Yoon-Jeong [이윤정] (Vocal - in Pipi Band)
Kwon Byeong-Joon/Goguma [권병준/고구마] (Vocal - in PiPi Longstocking)
Kang Gi-Yeong [강기영] (Bass)
Park Hyeon-Joon [박현준] (Guitar)
Discography:
Cultural Revolution [문화혁명] (1995)
Impossible Mission [불가능한 작전] (1996)
Red Bean Fish Buns [붕어빵] (1996)
One Way Ticket [원웨이 티켓] (1997)
Pipi Band Pipi Longstocking: The Complete Best [삐삐밴드 삐삐롱스타킹 The Complete Best] (2004)
In 15 Words or Less: La Resistance of the Weird.
Representative Song: Strawberry [딸기], from Cultural Revolution
딸기
Strawberry
설탕에 찍어 딸기를 먹었어
Had a strawberry dipped in sugar
딸기밭에서 하루종일 놀았어
Played all day at the strawberry field
한참을 놀다보니 하루가 다갔어
Played for a while and the whole day passed
하루는 왜 스물네 시간일까
Why is a day 24 hours
수박 아줌마는 얼룩무늬 치마
Lady watermelon wears a striped skirt
참외 할머니는 귀머거리 할머니
Grandma melon is a deaf grandma
사과 외숙모는 친절한가봐
Auntie apple seems nice
딸기 내 친구는 사랑스러워
Strawberry my friend is lovely
좋아 좋아 좋아 좋아
Like like like like
좋아 좋아 좋아 좋아
Like like like like
좋아 좋아 좋아 좋아
Like like like like
좋아 좋아 좋아 좋아
Like like like like
딸기가 좋아
I like strawberry
딸기를 사달라고 졸랐어
I asked someone to buy me strawberry
딸기를 먹지 않고 웃기만 했어
I didn't eat strawberry, just smiled
나는 왜 이렇게 너를 좋아하는걸까
Why do I like you so much so
나는 왜 니가 좋은지 몰라
I don't know why I like you
그건 정말 몰라 (예) 나도 몰라
I really don't know (yeah) I don't know either
새빨간 딸기는 너무 아름다워
Bright red strawberry is so beautiful
포도 아저씨는 꿈꾸는 사람
Uncle grape is a dreamer
설탕에 찍어 딸기를 먹었어
Had a strawberry dipped in sugar
좋아 좋아 좋아 딸기가 좋아
Like like like I like strawberry
좋아 좋아 좋아 딸기가 좋아
Like like like I like strawberry
딸기가 제일 좋아
I like strawberry the best
맛있어
It's good.
Maybe they should have been ranked higher because... Arguably, they kicked off the indie scene in Korea.
Maybe they should have been ranked lower because... While their indirect influence lived on, their direct influence was for the most part limited to just one album. Does this make them more influential than, say, Jang Yoon-Jeong [장윤정]?
Why is this band important?
The year is 1995, when K-pop was nearing its decisive turning point in 1996/1997. The pop culture scene just exited the oppressive mood of the military dictatorship that lasted until 1993, and was on its way to the heavily commercialized form of today. The mainstream artists were mostly dance "musicians" who peddled soulless music accompanied with catchy tunes, plagiarism and plenty of lip synch, or talented singers selling out their abilities to saccharine "ballad" songs. The underground music scene, whose resistance to the contemporary politics fueled much of its creativity, was fading along with its nemesis. The famous indie music scene in front of Hong-Ik University was not yet to be.
Enter Pipi Band, who bucked the trend in every way. The band involved no dancing. The tunes were scratchy and strange. The lead (female!) singer was not terribly pretty, and could not sing. (There are unconfirmed rumors that she was brought into the band specifically because she was so bad at singing.) Their lyrics were at best nonsensical, at worst insane. They rarely appeared on TV. But they kicked and barged their way into public consciousness by the sheer force of their weirdness. Just one listen was all you needed to furrow your brow in confusion, and turn to your friend and ask, "Have you heard this song?"
This weird band became more famous. But the raised profile only appeared to goad the band into becoming even weirder and more resistant to the prevailing trend. On television, they would sing with a bullhorn instead of a microphone to mock other "singers" who resorted to lip synching. If a TV show compelled them to play canned music, they simply stood around and refused to play the instruments. Everything finally came to a head when Pipi Longstocking -- the changed name of the band after they replaced the vocal -- spat at the camera and raised their middle finger during a live telecast of a popular music program. Ban from television followed, and the members split up to go their own way.
Pipi Band is important because they kicked off two very significant trends in K-pop that live on today -- resistance to the new mainstream, and being weird. Although the corporatized, pre-packaged "bands" are currently the mainstream in K-pop, Korea still has a robust counterculture that involves true singer-song writers and artists who are willing to push the boundaries of normal. Although the band's direct influence was not much more than a flash, it did what every pioneer did -- pointing to the road less taken, although they themselves may have only taken a few steps toward it.
Interesting Trivia:
- Vocal Lee Yoon-Jeong is a daughter of Lee Gyeong-Jae, a prominent politician. She was a ballerina by training. Currently, she is a stylist for the recent crop of celebrities.
- The bassist Kang Gi-Yeong used to belong to Sinawi [시나위], probably the greatest heavy metal band in K-pop history. He has now taken the stage name of Dalparan ("Moon Blue") [달파란], and remains influential in Korea's indie music scene.
Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
Why is this band important?
The year is 1995, when K-pop was nearing its decisive turning point in 1996/1997. The pop culture scene just exited the oppressive mood of the military dictatorship that lasted until 1993, and was on its way to the heavily commercialized form of today. The mainstream artists were mostly dance "musicians" who peddled soulless music accompanied with catchy tunes, plagiarism and plenty of lip synch, or talented singers selling out their abilities to saccharine "ballad" songs. The underground music scene, whose resistance to the contemporary politics fueled much of its creativity, was fading along with its nemesis. The famous indie music scene in front of Hong-Ik University was not yet to be.
Enter Pipi Band, who bucked the trend in every way. The band involved no dancing. The tunes were scratchy and strange. The lead (female!) singer was not terribly pretty, and could not sing. (There are unconfirmed rumors that she was brought into the band specifically because she was so bad at singing.) Their lyrics were at best nonsensical, at worst insane. They rarely appeared on TV. But they kicked and barged their way into public consciousness by the sheer force of their weirdness. Just one listen was all you needed to furrow your brow in confusion, and turn to your friend and ask, "Have you heard this song?"
This weird band became more famous. But the raised profile only appeared to goad the band into becoming even weirder and more resistant to the prevailing trend. On television, they would sing with a bullhorn instead of a microphone to mock other "singers" who resorted to lip synching. If a TV show compelled them to play canned music, they simply stood around and refused to play the instruments. Everything finally came to a head when Pipi Longstocking -- the changed name of the band after they replaced the vocal -- spat at the camera and raised their middle finger during a live telecast of a popular music program. Ban from television followed, and the members split up to go their own way.
Pipi Band is important because they kicked off two very significant trends in K-pop that live on today -- resistance to the new mainstream, and being weird. Although the corporatized, pre-packaged "bands" are currently the mainstream in K-pop, Korea still has a robust counterculture that involves true singer-song writers and artists who are willing to push the boundaries of normal. Although the band's direct influence was not much more than a flash, it did what every pioneer did -- pointing to the road less taken, although they themselves may have only taken a few steps toward it.
Interesting Trivia:
- Vocal Lee Yoon-Jeong is a daughter of Lee Gyeong-Jae, a prominent politician. She was a ballerina by training. Currently, she is a stylist for the recent crop of celebrities.
- The bassist Kang Gi-Yeong used to belong to Sinawi [시나위], probably the greatest heavy metal band in K-pop history. He has now taken the stage name of Dalparan ("Moon Blue") [달파란], and remains influential in Korea's indie music scene.
Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
Jumat, 06 Agustus 2010
Ask a Korean! News: Korean Food in America, and Rice
One of the most common questions that the Korean receives is: Can the Korean recommend any good Korean restaurant in [area]? This may sound like a simple enough question, but it is very difficult for the Korean -- because he thinks vast majority of Korean restaurants in America are terrible.
The Korean is not a picky eater; one does not get to be 6' 1" and 190 lbs by refusing a lot of food. Instead, he is a judgmental eater. While the Korean rarely refuses to eat any food, he nonetheless has a discriminating taste about Korean food and avoids going to bad Korean restaurants (or bad restaurants in general.) And by "bad Korean restaurants," the Korean means "every Korean restaurant in a given metropolitan area except for two or three, at most five."
And it is difficult to describe why the majority of Korean restaurants are so bad, because there are so many things are wrong with them. For many of them, it is as if the Korean asked for a dry-aged porterhouse and what comes out is a stale Big Mac. When the ignorant masses eat the stale Big Mac and praise it as if it is the most perfect dry-aged porterhouse (see, for example, David Chang and his fraudulent franchise,) the Korean is at a loss for words.
(An aside: lest there should be any confusion, the Korean also thinks that vast majority of Korean restaurants in Korea are also terrible, although obviously there are many more good Korean restaurants in Korea. But that's a topic for another day.)
Part of the difficulty is the fact that most Americans -- Korean Americans included -- have no exposure to what an excellent Korean dish is supposed to look like and taste. The Korean's new favorite food blog, 악식가의 미식일기 ("Epicurean Diary of an Anti-Gourmand") written by a food columnist Hwang Gyo-Ik, gave the Korean a possible way to break into the subject by discussing the most common Korean food -- rice.
"Rice? How special could rice be?" you might ask. If you think that, please read the translation below.
What is Delicious Rice?
Cooked rice is the most important thing in Korean cuisine. It is the same with bread in Western cuisine -- no matter how tasty the dish, the restaurant could never score high if the bread quality is poor. In Korean cuisine, no matter what the food is, the rice has to be delicious.
Rice was introduced to Korean Peninsula over 4,000 years ago, but it took considerable amount of time for rice to take the place as the staple. Until then, Koreans generally ate mixed grains. Even in the Three Kingdoms era [TK: from BCE 37 through A.D. 562], rice was reserved for the noblemen. Also, the means of cooking grains -- whether rice or mixed grains -- was not the same as today.
At the National Central Folk Museum, one of the most common artifacts of the Three Kingdoms era is a steamer. The ancient steamers show that generally, grains were either ground into powder or taken as whole, and steamed. Samgukyusa [TK: ancient history book chronicling the Three Kingdoms era] also features a story about a rice cake before one about cooked rice. The story goes that in 17 A.D., when King Namhae passed away, Norye and Talhae yielded the throne to each other. Talhae then suggests that each bite into a rice cake, because it is said that a wise man has more teeth.
It was about 1,300 years since our ancestors turned rice grains into cooked rice and consumed it as an everyday food. In other words, for over 2,000 years since the introduction of rice, our ancestors either made porridge or rice cakes. While the advancement of pot-making and grain-hulling technology must have been connected to the reason why it took such a long time between cultivating rice stalks and making cooked rice, I believe that the accumulation of knowledge about how to cook the rice also played a factor.
Rice is a dish that requires a truly sophisticated skill. But nowadays, people do not understand this -- because of electric rice cookers. Worse, there are so many people who cannot make decent rice even with an electric cooker. I think this is because the current trend is such that while people care about how the food tastes, they are generally apathetic about how the rice should taste.
There are a number of hanjeongsik [TK: grand course meal that features dozens of side dishes] that charge anywhere between $10 to $50~60 per person. [TK: assumming $1 = KRW 1,000] It is very difficult to make an assessment at a restaurant like this, because there are so many different kinds of food involved. It is generally a series of dishes that I alternately like and do not like. In such a case, I just focus on one thing to judge the level of food at the restaurant. That thing is none other than rice.
Korean food is divided into rice and banchan. [TK: side dishes.] The flavor is only complete after the two mixes in the mouth. The reason why the side dishes such as kimchi, jang'ajji [TK: pickled vegetables] and jeotgal [TK: fermented seafood] are generally salty or have intense flavor is because they are made in consideration of the harmony with rice, which tastes as if it has no flavor. In other words, the rice subdues the intensity of banchan's flavor and extracts the deeper flavor that those banchans hold. Thus, if the rice is not tasty, the true flavor of the side dishes cannot be enjoyed no matter how many dozens of them appear on the table.
This is what delicious rice is like: it is freshly made, with a shiny glint and moisture. It is savory and sweet; once in the mouth, each grain should feel alive individually. When the tongue wraps individual grains of rice, the saliva adds to the sweet flavor. It should neither be too soft or too hard, but cause a delightful friction between the teeth.
Unfortunately, the chances of meeting rice like this is low. Instead, there is rice that smells like the rice husk because it was not washed properly; rice whose grains are in tatters because it was soaked in the water for too long; yellowish rice because the rice was sitting in the pot for a whole day after being cooked; rice with beans that smell like uncooked beans because the beans were not soaked in the water; rice that tastes undercooked because it was not finished properly.
The problem does not only lie in the restaurant owners who shamelessly present these kinds of rice; it also lies with the customers who simply eat them without sending them back. Rice is the most important thing in Korean cuisine; how can people be so generous with the flavor of rice? Is it that difficult to make delicious rice? Let us give some thought about how to make delicious. People generally do not have traditional kitchens anymore, so let's suppose we are cooking with an electric cooker that everyone has.
First, the rice has to be washed to take out any remaining husk and dirt on the rice. The rice has to be washed correctly -- it needs to be rinsed quickly. If one takes too much time, the smell of the husk seeps into the water and the rice ends up smelling like the husk. Pour clean water into the rice, quickly mix two or three times, and drain the water within 10 seconds. Repeat until the drained water comes out clear. Once washed, soak the rice in water -- delicious rice requires the presence of water inside each grain before it goes on the fire. Soak around 1-2 hours in winter, about 30 minutes in summer.
After the rice boils and the rice cooker switches from "Cook" to "Warm", finish the rice by letting it sit for about 10 to 15 minutes. If you let it sit too long, the rice becomes sticky and watery. Once the rice is finished, get a spatula and quickly mix the rice along the edge of the pot. This is done to evaporate the excess water, to maintain the shape of the grain without mangling them and to make the flavor uniform within the pot. If you apply too much pressure mixing the rice, the rice will be caked.
Now, try the rice. The flavor of rice is determined by the shine, aroma, flavor, consistency and texture. Feel the rice not just with your tongue, but with all five of your senses. First take a look at the white, shiny rice; then smell the aroma; then feel the consistency, texture and the slightly sweet flavor; then finally feel the tactile sensation going over the throat.
Thanks to electric rice cooker, this much skill is enough to cook delicious rice. In the old days when the rice was cooked in a cast-iron pot on a wood-burning stove, delicious rice required a near godlike eye for the fire. If the water looks like it will boil over, it needs to be subdued by pouring water on top of the lid; kill the fire just at the right time to finish the rice; and most importantly, one must know just the right time to finally open the lid.
This should confirm that making delicious rice is a sophisticated endeavor. One might think that the sophistication requires one to be more forgiving, but for the owner and the cook for a hanjeongsik restaurant, it is their natural duty to pay attention to each detail, because missing even one detail ruins the taste.
Speaking of hanjeongsik restaurants, recently the way they serve their food is becoming strange. At some point, there was an argument that Korean food should be served in courses instead of on a single table with the excuse that doing so will globalize Korean food. Apparently, some restaurants accepted this argument and considers course-serving to contribute toward Korean food's globalization and advancement toward haute cuisine. Of course, there are Korean dishes that can be developed into a stand-alone dish, and there are Korean foods that have a potential to be appropriately served in a course. But seeing the way hanjeongsik places serve their food in courses, only the form is set, not the flavor. Korean dishes that used to be paired with rice should have been cooked such that they can be enjoyed by themselves, but that has not happened. (I will expand on this later.)
But the bigger problem at these hanjeongsik places is rice. After a few stand-alone dishes appear in courses, the rice and other side dishes are laid out on the table. At this instance, white rice is rare. The most common one instead is the black rice. Black rice has strong aroma and sweet flavor, which only serves to conflict Korean side dishes that are salty, spicy and aromatic. Worse is a restaurant that serves rice mixed with all kinds of things like beans, chestnut, ginseng, date, ginko, aromatic rice, black rice, etc. I really question what they were thinking -- do they really think this saccharine rice full of different aromas will pair well with Korean side dishes?
But most people who receive this absurd table simply eat without complaint. I wonder if they think that since they paid that much, they must finish the course with something unusual, like an uncommon bowl of rice. I wonder if this happens because people eat their food not with their mouth, but with their money.
맛있는 밥이란 [악식가의 미식일기]
Having read this, please do not tell the Korean about your favorite Korean restaurant experience anymore. He hates ruining people's memories.
Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
The Korean is not a picky eater; one does not get to be 6' 1" and 190 lbs by refusing a lot of food. Instead, he is a judgmental eater. While the Korean rarely refuses to eat any food, he nonetheless has a discriminating taste about Korean food and avoids going to bad Korean restaurants (or bad restaurants in general.) And by "bad Korean restaurants," the Korean means "every Korean restaurant in a given metropolitan area except for two or three, at most five."
And it is difficult to describe why the majority of Korean restaurants are so bad, because there are so many things are wrong with them. For many of them, it is as if the Korean asked for a dry-aged porterhouse and what comes out is a stale Big Mac. When the ignorant masses eat the stale Big Mac and praise it as if it is the most perfect dry-aged porterhouse (see, for example, David Chang and his fraudulent franchise,) the Korean is at a loss for words.
(An aside: lest there should be any confusion, the Korean also thinks that vast majority of Korean restaurants in Korea are also terrible, although obviously there are many more good Korean restaurants in Korea. But that's a topic for another day.)
Part of the difficulty is the fact that most Americans -- Korean Americans included -- have no exposure to what an excellent Korean dish is supposed to look like and taste. The Korean's new favorite food blog, 악식가의 미식일기 ("Epicurean Diary of an Anti-Gourmand") written by a food columnist Hwang Gyo-Ik, gave the Korean a possible way to break into the subject by discussing the most common Korean food -- rice.
"Rice? How special could rice be?" you might ask. If you think that, please read the translation below.
-------------------------------------------------
Cooked rice is the most important thing in Korean cuisine. It is the same with bread in Western cuisine -- no matter how tasty the dish, the restaurant could never score high if the bread quality is poor. In Korean cuisine, no matter what the food is, the rice has to be delicious.
Rice was introduced to Korean Peninsula over 4,000 years ago, but it took considerable amount of time for rice to take the place as the staple. Until then, Koreans generally ate mixed grains. Even in the Three Kingdoms era [TK: from BCE 37 through A.D. 562], rice was reserved for the noblemen. Also, the means of cooking grains -- whether rice or mixed grains -- was not the same as today.
At the National Central Folk Museum, one of the most common artifacts of the Three Kingdoms era is a steamer. The ancient steamers show that generally, grains were either ground into powder or taken as whole, and steamed. Samgukyusa [TK: ancient history book chronicling the Three Kingdoms era] also features a story about a rice cake before one about cooked rice. The story goes that in 17 A.D., when King Namhae passed away, Norye and Talhae yielded the throne to each other. Talhae then suggests that each bite into a rice cake, because it is said that a wise man has more teeth.
It was about 1,300 years since our ancestors turned rice grains into cooked rice and consumed it as an everyday food. In other words, for over 2,000 years since the introduction of rice, our ancestors either made porridge or rice cakes. While the advancement of pot-making and grain-hulling technology must have been connected to the reason why it took such a long time between cultivating rice stalks and making cooked rice, I believe that the accumulation of knowledge about how to cook the rice also played a factor.
Rice is a dish that requires a truly sophisticated skill. But nowadays, people do not understand this -- because of electric rice cookers. Worse, there are so many people who cannot make decent rice even with an electric cooker. I think this is because the current trend is such that while people care about how the food tastes, they are generally apathetic about how the rice should taste.
There are a number of hanjeongsik [TK: grand course meal that features dozens of side dishes] that charge anywhere between $10 to $50~60 per person. [TK: assumming $1 = KRW 1,000] It is very difficult to make an assessment at a restaurant like this, because there are so many different kinds of food involved. It is generally a series of dishes that I alternately like and do not like. In such a case, I just focus on one thing to judge the level of food at the restaurant. That thing is none other than rice.
Korean food is divided into rice and banchan. [TK: side dishes.] The flavor is only complete after the two mixes in the mouth. The reason why the side dishes such as kimchi, jang'ajji [TK: pickled vegetables] and jeotgal [TK: fermented seafood] are generally salty or have intense flavor is because they are made in consideration of the harmony with rice, which tastes as if it has no flavor. In other words, the rice subdues the intensity of banchan's flavor and extracts the deeper flavor that those banchans hold. Thus, if the rice is not tasty, the true flavor of the side dishes cannot be enjoyed no matter how many dozens of them appear on the table.
This is what delicious rice is like: it is freshly made, with a shiny glint and moisture. It is savory and sweet; once in the mouth, each grain should feel alive individually. When the tongue wraps individual grains of rice, the saliva adds to the sweet flavor. It should neither be too soft or too hard, but cause a delightful friction between the teeth.
Unfortunately, the chances of meeting rice like this is low. Instead, there is rice that smells like the rice husk because it was not washed properly; rice whose grains are in tatters because it was soaked in the water for too long; yellowish rice because the rice was sitting in the pot for a whole day after being cooked; rice with beans that smell like uncooked beans because the beans were not soaked in the water; rice that tastes undercooked because it was not finished properly.
The problem does not only lie in the restaurant owners who shamelessly present these kinds of rice; it also lies with the customers who simply eat them without sending them back. Rice is the most important thing in Korean cuisine; how can people be so generous with the flavor of rice? Is it that difficult to make delicious rice? Let us give some thought about how to make delicious. People generally do not have traditional kitchens anymore, so let's suppose we are cooking with an electric cooker that everyone has.
First, the rice has to be washed to take out any remaining husk and dirt on the rice. The rice has to be washed correctly -- it needs to be rinsed quickly. If one takes too much time, the smell of the husk seeps into the water and the rice ends up smelling like the husk. Pour clean water into the rice, quickly mix two or three times, and drain the water within 10 seconds. Repeat until the drained water comes out clear. Once washed, soak the rice in water -- delicious rice requires the presence of water inside each grain before it goes on the fire. Soak around 1-2 hours in winter, about 30 minutes in summer.
After the rice boils and the rice cooker switches from "Cook" to "Warm", finish the rice by letting it sit for about 10 to 15 minutes. If you let it sit too long, the rice becomes sticky and watery. Once the rice is finished, get a spatula and quickly mix the rice along the edge of the pot. This is done to evaporate the excess water, to maintain the shape of the grain without mangling them and to make the flavor uniform within the pot. If you apply too much pressure mixing the rice, the rice will be caked.
Now, try the rice. The flavor of rice is determined by the shine, aroma, flavor, consistency and texture. Feel the rice not just with your tongue, but with all five of your senses. First take a look at the white, shiny rice; then smell the aroma; then feel the consistency, texture and the slightly sweet flavor; then finally feel the tactile sensation going over the throat.
Thanks to electric rice cooker, this much skill is enough to cook delicious rice. In the old days when the rice was cooked in a cast-iron pot on a wood-burning stove, delicious rice required a near godlike eye for the fire. If the water looks like it will boil over, it needs to be subdued by pouring water on top of the lid; kill the fire just at the right time to finish the rice; and most importantly, one must know just the right time to finally open the lid.
This should confirm that making delicious rice is a sophisticated endeavor. One might think that the sophistication requires one to be more forgiving, but for the owner and the cook for a hanjeongsik restaurant, it is their natural duty to pay attention to each detail, because missing even one detail ruins the taste.
Speaking of hanjeongsik restaurants, recently the way they serve their food is becoming strange. At some point, there was an argument that Korean food should be served in courses instead of on a single table with the excuse that doing so will globalize Korean food. Apparently, some restaurants accepted this argument and considers course-serving to contribute toward Korean food's globalization and advancement toward haute cuisine. Of course, there are Korean dishes that can be developed into a stand-alone dish, and there are Korean foods that have a potential to be appropriately served in a course. But seeing the way hanjeongsik places serve their food in courses, only the form is set, not the flavor. Korean dishes that used to be paired with rice should have been cooked such that they can be enjoyed by themselves, but that has not happened. (I will expand on this later.)
But the bigger problem at these hanjeongsik places is rice. After a few stand-alone dishes appear in courses, the rice and other side dishes are laid out on the table. At this instance, white rice is rare. The most common one instead is the black rice. Black rice has strong aroma and sweet flavor, which only serves to conflict Korean side dishes that are salty, spicy and aromatic. Worse is a restaurant that serves rice mixed with all kinds of things like beans, chestnut, ginseng, date, ginko, aromatic rice, black rice, etc. I really question what they were thinking -- do they really think this saccharine rice full of different aromas will pair well with Korean side dishes?
But most people who receive this absurd table simply eat without complaint. I wonder if they think that since they paid that much, they must finish the course with something unusual, like an uncommon bowl of rice. I wonder if this happens because people eat their food not with their mouth, but with their money.
맛있는 밥이란 [악식가의 미식일기]
Having read this, please do not tell the Korean about your favorite Korean restaurant experience anymore. He hates ruining people's memories.
Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
Rabu, 04 Agustus 2010
Ask a Korean! News: North Korean Soccer (Part III)
[Part I]
[Part II]
This is the final part of the translation of Mr. Joo Seong-Ha's account of North Korean soccer history and analysis.
While North Korean women's soccer could not avoid the lack of food and the height disadvantage, it nonetheless advanced by leaps and bounds in the 20 years since its beginning, surprising the world soccer community. North Korean women's soccer is currently ranked fifth in the world, highest in Asia. While the national team's record is subpar, the U-20 team beat Germany -- ranked first in the world -- in the 2006 FIFA Youth World Cup held in Moscow.
This is the first championship for either North or South Korean team in any game hosted by FIFA. North Korean women's team was again the champion in the U-17 World Cup held in New Zealand in 2008, proving again their mettle.
The reason for the women's soccer team's success includes tenacious mental strength, rigorous training, high rewards and excellent coaches. The women's team trains with the men's team in North Korea. The 12 km run on every Friday is notorious for its difficulty. Once victorious in the World Cup, the players not only receive the People's Athlete honors but also their entire family receives Pyongyang citizenship. Because the women's team does relatively well, the better coaches prefer to coach the women's team.
Why women's soccer team, and not men's? Personally, I think North Korean women's innate toughness must have played a factor. As the proverb goes, "Southern men, northern women" -- women from Hamgyeongbuk-do Province, the northernmost part of North Korea are particularly tough and tenacious. Including Gil Seon-Hee (from Gilju, Hamgyeongbuk-do,) winner for the Asia MVP and idol for North Korean female students, more than half of the U-20 are from Hamgyeongbuk-do.
Soccer is undoubtedly the most popular sport in North Korea. Other sports popular in South Korea, such as baseball or golf, have been excluded after having been branded as capitalist games. Because of soccer's popularity, for each FIFA World Cup there is a recorded telecast of major games that lasts for about 40 minutes, regardless of whether or not North Korea made the finals. That may not seem much, but it is a significant gesture in North Korea. Because there is only one channel that is broadcast over the entire country, and because that channel only goes from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m., 40 minutes is a precious block of time.
But not all games are shown on television. Even the ones that show on television appear several days after the fact. Because of that, diplomats would visit hotels to watch the games during the World Cup. In the hotels that house foreigners, live telecast is available through satellite. Games held in Europe usually begins around 1 a.m. Many children of diplomats would stay awake to wait for their father's phone call. When the father calls to tell the final score after watching the game, the children come to school the next day to relay the score to their friends who are eager to listen. I recall a story from one diplomat's son, whose father said after tallying the final score: "Son, why can't we make it to World Cup just once, when the people are so passionate about soccer?" That diplomat must have gotten his wish after North Korea advanced to the World Cup finals this year.
Soccer is the most open aspect of North Korea. There are even North Korean players who play abroad, such as Hong Yeong-Jo (Russia) and Kim Young-Jun (China). Team North Korea tends to have an open door, even including Jeong Dae-Se who plays in Japan and An Yeong-Hak who plays in South Korea. Because many players play abroad, and because they travel abroad often, the North Korean soccer players clearly know the vast gap between their own country and the world. Likewise, they are well aware of how South Korea lives. There are few other groups in North Korea who are internationalized to this degree.
How would such North Korean soccer players act when they come across one of their own who defected into South Korea? Hwang Bo-Yeong played ice hockey in North Korea until he defected in 1999. He subsequently joined the South Korean national team, and ran into North Korean players in an international game. According to Hwang, North Korean players reacted very coldly, calling him "Enemy" and saying "Traitor to the nation is beneath a human being." This is perhaps a reflection that compared to soccer players, ice hockey players have much fewer chances to go abroad.
Last April, Moon Gyeong-Min, a former North Korean soccer player who defected into Seoul, visited the North Korean national team who was staying at the Seoul Mayfield hotel. While many of the players were his friends, the players who recognized him pretended not to see him, turning their gaze somewhere else. But the starting attacker Hong Yeong-Jo continued to look at his direction. Apparently the two lived in the same apartment in North Korea, calling each other brothers.
There is no telling what Hong was thinking. But he traveled extensively, and his father Hong Hyeon-Cheol is the manager of the 4.25 Athletics soccer team. It appears that Hong had strong enough background to have the confidence to continue gazing at Moon.
Moon also visited the North Korea-Japan game, part of the East Asian Cup held at the Daejeon World Cup Stadium, in July 2005. Again this time, the North Korean players averted their gaze. But according to Moon's grandmother who was living in Pyongyang until she defected later, the players quietly spoke among themselves that "Gyeong-Min made a trip to cheer for us."
Readers -- please note that Mr. Joo wrote this post before the World Cup. After the North Korean team returned with disappointing result, it has been reported that the team coach is now relegated to forced labor at a construction site after six hours of interrogation. It is not like anyone needs a reminder of this, but North Korea really is a messed up place.
Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
[Part II]
This is the final part of the translation of Mr. Joo Seong-Ha's account of North Korean soccer history and analysis.
-----------------------------------------------------
North Korean women's soccer team celebrates victory.
This is the first championship for either North or South Korean team in any game hosted by FIFA. North Korean women's team was again the champion in the U-17 World Cup held in New Zealand in 2008, proving again their mettle.
The reason for the women's soccer team's success includes tenacious mental strength, rigorous training, high rewards and excellent coaches. The women's team trains with the men's team in North Korea. The 12 km run on every Friday is notorious for its difficulty. Once victorious in the World Cup, the players not only receive the People's Athlete honors but also their entire family receives Pyongyang citizenship. Because the women's team does relatively well, the better coaches prefer to coach the women's team.
Why women's soccer team, and not men's? Personally, I think North Korean women's innate toughness must have played a factor. As the proverb goes, "Southern men, northern women" -- women from Hamgyeongbuk-do Province, the northernmost part of North Korea are particularly tough and tenacious. Including Gil Seon-Hee (from Gilju, Hamgyeongbuk-do,) winner for the Asia MVP and idol for North Korean female students, more than half of the U-20 are from Hamgyeongbuk-do.
Soccer is undoubtedly the most popular sport in North Korea. Other sports popular in South Korea, such as baseball or golf, have been excluded after having been branded as capitalist games. Because of soccer's popularity, for each FIFA World Cup there is a recorded telecast of major games that lasts for about 40 minutes, regardless of whether or not North Korea made the finals. That may not seem much, but it is a significant gesture in North Korea. Because there is only one channel that is broadcast over the entire country, and because that channel only goes from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m., 40 minutes is a precious block of time.
But not all games are shown on television. Even the ones that show on television appear several days after the fact. Because of that, diplomats would visit hotels to watch the games during the World Cup. In the hotels that house foreigners, live telecast is available through satellite. Games held in Europe usually begins around 1 a.m. Many children of diplomats would stay awake to wait for their father's phone call. When the father calls to tell the final score after watching the game, the children come to school the next day to relay the score to their friends who are eager to listen. I recall a story from one diplomat's son, whose father said after tallying the final score: "Son, why can't we make it to World Cup just once, when the people are so passionate about soccer?" That diplomat must have gotten his wish after North Korea advanced to the World Cup finals this year.
Soccer is the most open aspect of North Korea. There are even North Korean players who play abroad, such as Hong Yeong-Jo (Russia) and Kim Young-Jun (China). Team North Korea tends to have an open door, even including Jeong Dae-Se who plays in Japan and An Yeong-Hak who plays in South Korea. Because many players play abroad, and because they travel abroad often, the North Korean soccer players clearly know the vast gap between their own country and the world. Likewise, they are well aware of how South Korea lives. There are few other groups in North Korea who are internationalized to this degree.
How would such North Korean soccer players act when they come across one of their own who defected into South Korea? Hwang Bo-Yeong played ice hockey in North Korea until he defected in 1999. He subsequently joined the South Korean national team, and ran into North Korean players in an international game. According to Hwang, North Korean players reacted very coldly, calling him "Enemy" and saying "Traitor to the nation is beneath a human being." This is perhaps a reflection that compared to soccer players, ice hockey players have much fewer chances to go abroad.
Last April, Moon Gyeong-Min, a former North Korean soccer player who defected into Seoul, visited the North Korean national team who was staying at the Seoul Mayfield hotel. While many of the players were his friends, the players who recognized him pretended not to see him, turning their gaze somewhere else. But the starting attacker Hong Yeong-Jo continued to look at his direction. Apparently the two lived in the same apartment in North Korea, calling each other brothers.
Hong Yeong-Jo, captain of North Korean national team.
There is no telling what Hong was thinking. But he traveled extensively, and his father Hong Hyeon-Cheol is the manager of the 4.25 Athletics soccer team. It appears that Hong had strong enough background to have the confidence to continue gazing at Moon.
Moon also visited the North Korea-Japan game, part of the East Asian Cup held at the Daejeon World Cup Stadium, in July 2005. Again this time, the North Korean players averted their gaze. But according to Moon's grandmother who was living in Pyongyang until she defected later, the players quietly spoke among themselves that "Gyeong-Min made a trip to cheer for us."
In 2002, North Korea made a recorded telecast of the South Korean team's games, reporting South Korea's advancement into the semifinals. This was a significantly conciliatory gesture compared to just a few years previous. In the 1990s, the World Cup seedings were on the message boards in front of North Korean sports team buildings. While each group had four countries, only one group had three countries. U.S.A. was listed, and so was Japan; so the only remaining possibility is South Korea. Even if it was a transparent cover-up, North Korea never used the words "South Korea." Despite that, majority of North Koreans were always interested in their brethren's advancement to the knockout stage. I am certain that South Korea's legendary semifinals run was a happy news for the North Korean people as well.
North Korean soccer also has an open door toward South Korea. The national team trains in Kunming, China thanks to South Korea's aide. South Korea also provided aid of athletic equipments. But the infrastructure of North Korean soccer is extremely rudimentary. For example, the U-12 players who came to train at Kunming wore sneakers, not soccer cleats -- and this was a specially selected team.
The more strained North-South relationship is also chilling the sports exchange, because North Korean aid cannot be provided without government approval. A South Korean organization gave soccer cleats to the U-12 North Korean girls' soccer team in China, only to take them back because the final approval from the South Korean government did not come in time. Although the cleats were eventually handed out at the end, one can only imagine the disappointment felt by the young North Korean children when their first-ever soccer cleats of their own were taken away. Maybe a decade later, by the time those girls grow into national team players, North and South Korea might run the unified soccer national team.
Unified national team is a constant topic as an event to show the North-South reconciliation and coexistence. It is a measure that can be easily taken by each government, and has a great symbolic effect. The skill differential between the North and South may be an issue, but given that the South has the better men's team and the North has a better women's team, both country can save face by yielding the same amount in men's and women's team. It does not seem too far fetched to imagine a soccer team representing Korean Peninsula, under the banner of "Korea".
[북한축구해부3]-서울에서 탈북한 형을 만난 홍영조 [Nambuk Story]
[북한축구해부3]-서울에서 탈북한 형을 만난 홍영조 [Nambuk Story]
Readers -- please note that Mr. Joo wrote this post before the World Cup. After the North Korean team returned with disappointing result, it has been reported that the team coach is now relegated to forced labor at a construction site after six hours of interrogation. It is not like anyone needs a reminder of this, but North Korea really is a messed up place.
Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
Senin, 02 Agustus 2010
Are Koreans Prone to Conspiracy Theories?
Dear Korean,
Why are Koreans so prone to believing conspiracy theories? I have spent a lot of time in developing countries, and while all have different cultures, one thing they had in common was their propensity to believe bizarre conspiracy theories. While Korea is a wealthy country, it still seems their thinking has not caught up with their wallets. Their propensity toward conspiracy theories is very much a developing world way of thinking. Sure, you find conspiracy theories in the West, but mostly from college freshmen and pot heads.
Asianequation
Dear Asianequation,
It is true that conspiracy theories are rife in Korea, and they play a major role in Korean public life. One needs to look no farther than the Mad Cow scare that gripped the country two years ago. While there were legitimate kernels of truth about America's lax regulation against Mad Cow Disease (for example, not accounting for cross-infection until April of 2009,) those kernels were popcorned into utterly crazy ideas that the U.S. is out to kill Koreans with infected meat in the name of profit. More recently, certain South Korean political groups claimed that the South Korean government was falsely accusing North Korea for the attack by manufacturing the critical piece of evidence (which is Korean lettering discovered on a piece of the exploded torpedo shell) in order to gain advantage in the upcoming regional elections. In fact, the political groups that made those wild charges ended up gaining in the regional elections.
Why is this happening? First, try answering the following question:
Q. Which one of the below events did not happen in Korea in the last 50 years?
a. President ordered a prominent opposing politician to be kidnapped while the politician was traveling in Japan, to be dropped into the sea between Korea and Japan from a boat with a dead weight tied to his ankles. The politician barely survives because the Japanese coast guard gave the boat a chase.
b. The United States CIA bugged and eavesdropped on Blue House, the presidential residence of Korea.
c. Paratroopers attacked peacefully marching citizens of a certain city, eventually killing more than 600 people in the process. No one outside of the city heard of the massacre for days, because the dictatorship cut off the phone lines of the city and embargoed every television, radio and newspaper in Korea.
d. A prominent politician who fought against dictatorship all his life agrees to merge his party with two other parties that were heirs to the dictatorship, with a secret written promise to amend the constitution so that would change Korea's political system into English-style proportionally representative parliament.
The answer is: e. All of the above happened in Korea in the last 50 years. And these are just four examples of all the incredible things that happened in Korean politics.
In fact, Asianequation hit the nail on the head -- that the people of developing countries are prone to believing conspiracy theories. This is not because the people in developing countries are stupid; it is because insane stuff like the examples above tends to happen in developing countries. If one crazy thing can happen, why not another crazy thing? The fact that governments have little transparency only makes this worse.
And again, the key thing to remember about Korea is that it escaped being a developing country in no less than 20 years, possibly less. Heck, the Korean is only 29, but he remembers when Korea was a developing country. It is Korean people's towering achievement that Korea moved from a war-torn hellhole into a gleaming postmodern country in just 60 years or so. But it is too much to expect that Korea shed every aspect of a developing country in that process. This is particularly true in politics, where the lowest common elements of the society often reveal themselves.
Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
Why are Koreans so prone to believing conspiracy theories? I have spent a lot of time in developing countries, and while all have different cultures, one thing they had in common was their propensity to believe bizarre conspiracy theories. While Korea is a wealthy country, it still seems their thinking has not caught up with their wallets. Their propensity toward conspiracy theories is very much a developing world way of thinking. Sure, you find conspiracy theories in the West, but mostly from college freshmen and pot heads.
Asianequation
Dear Asianequation,
It is true that conspiracy theories are rife in Korea, and they play a major role in Korean public life. One needs to look no farther than the Mad Cow scare that gripped the country two years ago. While there were legitimate kernels of truth about America's lax regulation against Mad Cow Disease (for example, not accounting for cross-infection until April of 2009,) those kernels were popcorned into utterly crazy ideas that the U.S. is out to kill Koreans with infected meat in the name of profit. More recently, certain South Korean political groups claimed that the South Korean government was falsely accusing North Korea for the attack by manufacturing the critical piece of evidence (which is Korean lettering discovered on a piece of the exploded torpedo shell) in order to gain advantage in the upcoming regional elections. In fact, the political groups that made those wild charges ended up gaining in the regional elections.
Why is this happening? First, try answering the following question:
Q. Which one of the below events did not happen in Korea in the last 50 years?
a. President ordered a prominent opposing politician to be kidnapped while the politician was traveling in Japan, to be dropped into the sea between Korea and Japan from a boat with a dead weight tied to his ankles. The politician barely survives because the Japanese coast guard gave the boat a chase.
b. The United States CIA bugged and eavesdropped on Blue House, the presidential residence of Korea.
c. Paratroopers attacked peacefully marching citizens of a certain city, eventually killing more than 600 people in the process. No one outside of the city heard of the massacre for days, because the dictatorship cut off the phone lines of the city and embargoed every television, radio and newspaper in Korea.
d. A prominent politician who fought against dictatorship all his life agrees to merge his party with two other parties that were heirs to the dictatorship, with a secret written promise to amend the constitution so that would change Korea's political system into English-style proportionally representative parliament.
The answer is: e. All of the above happened in Korea in the last 50 years. And these are just four examples of all the incredible things that happened in Korean politics.
Prominent opposition politician Kim Dae-Jung gives press conference
after surviving from being kidnapped. Notice his busted lips.
In fact, Asianequation hit the nail on the head -- that the people of developing countries are prone to believing conspiracy theories. This is not because the people in developing countries are stupid; it is because insane stuff like the examples above tends to happen in developing countries. If one crazy thing can happen, why not another crazy thing? The fact that governments have little transparency only makes this worse.
And again, the key thing to remember about Korea is that it escaped being a developing country in no less than 20 years, possibly less. Heck, the Korean is only 29, but he remembers when Korea was a developing country. It is Korean people's towering achievement that Korea moved from a war-torn hellhole into a gleaming postmodern country in just 60 years or so. But it is too much to expect that Korea shed every aspect of a developing country in that process. This is particularly true in politics, where the lowest common elements of the society often reveal themselves.
Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
Langganan:
Postingan (Atom)
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