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Fall semester Term Paper
Seotaiji, A Hero or Fake
In January 24th, year 2004, a TV show changed my life. I remember that day as clear as crystal. I woke up late that day without knowing the great event that will happen to me. I prepared my breakfast because I was the only one in the house. I had a bowl of rice mixed with water that was about room temperature and I had anchovy dipped with hot pepper paste. I sat right in front of the TV just as usual. Without much thinking, I turned on the TV with the remote control and fixed the channel on number 6 which was SBS. The next thing I knew, I was watching or rather sucked into the TV. By the time the program ended, my bowl of rice was cold and the paste became stiff.
That moment, I first saw Seotaiji on live. I saw the legendary rock star coming into Korea through the gates of Gimpo Airport. I never heard, saw or even knew the existence of Seotaiji before then. I couldn¡¯t help myself from keep watching him and his fandom who call themselves mania. The grand view and the breathless atmosphere of the airport were transported all the way to my house through the wires of the TV. The crowd did not just yell to see the star. The scene was a feeling of the reunion of friends. The moment was the meeting of long parted friends who have been so longed to see each other.
The same day, I downloaded a music file which was one of the 12 tracks in the new release album, titled the 7th issue of Seotaiji. The title was October 14th (1004). I was captured by the harmonious sound of the guitars and the base. Unlike other tracks, the music was soft and somewhat sad. That moment I ran off to the nearest bookstore with my emergency fund and bought the CD in an instant. From then on, my journey as a fan of Seotaiji began.
I registered almost all the related web sites of Seotaiji, and bought every album of his past music whenever I had the financial ability. His music became my joy and my friend. My CD player was as hot as fried chicken because I kept playing the same CD over and over and over again. From day to night, my passion for listening to his music never stopped. Not many people around understood me, but I did not care. All that mattered to me at that very moment was the music. After a few days, I memorized all the lyrics of the whole CD and as time passed, I was no longer the same model student of my school.
I went through so many experiences that I would have never had if I have never liked him or his music. The appearance of Seotaiji and his 7th issue was what made me as who I am right now and by becoming to know the existence of such a person, I became what I want to be and I became to have goals and dreams that I have never had before. Throughout the few months of Seotaiji doing his work as a musician and as a rock star, I probably attained the most precious jewels of my life.
The Vicissitude Life of Seotaiji
In year 1972, February 21st, a baby was born who was destined write a new history in the pages of Korean pop culture. The name of the boy was Jung HyunChul(ï÷úçôÊ) meaning compassionate light. He was born after his mother had a dream of conception which was his mother swallowing a bright sun. By looking at the works done by Seotaiji, the dream probably meant that the boy was born to light the world of Korean pop culture.
He grew up just like any other Korean boy and went to school just like any ordinary student. The year when he became 8th grade, was the turning point of his life. According to the interview with Seotaiji, he was an exemplary student of the class, always in the top 5 of the class. His life started to change when he first ranked between the 10th to the 20th. This phenomenon could possibly be explained by the first musical activity of the teenager boy. He first started his musical career as a member of the rock group, Ha-Nuel-Byuck. From then on, he becomes one of worst trouble makers.
After he graduated, as a result of juvenile delinquency, he ended up in Seoul Puk Technical High School where only the lowest ranking and trouble making students go. Even in such a notorious high school, Seotaiji was such a student with problems that he was called the legend of Puk Tech High. Not only at classes where he severely resisted to the systematic education but also outside school for running away from home. Nevertheless, he continued his music in another group named Hwal-Hwa-San. The major part of his life as a real musician started when he was chosen to be the 4th member of a famous heavy metal group, Si-Na-Wee.
Group Si-Na-Wee was probably where Seotaiji trained his brilliant bass guitar skills. This group is very significant to him because in here, he cultivated the courage by going through the hard times in the group which helped him to stand the hardship of his career later on. In this group, he also met his life long friend Kim JongSeo, who is known as the ultimate rock singer who can go up from the lowest to the highest octave. After the break up of SiNaWee in year 1990, Seotaiji got into computer and electronic music, dreaming and preparing for his first debut with his very own music. In the autumn of year 1991, Seotaiji finally gets ready for launching and forms the one and only group, Seotaiji and Boys.
However, the bright light of Seotaiji did not shine even when the CD was complete. Every company he went to rejected to release the product. Most of the producers or probably everybody doubted the success of his work done with his blood and sweat. After a long searching for the born of his first work, he was finally able to obtain the contract to release his musical works from a small company, Bando Records.
Seotaiji and Boys Establishes New Record and New Rule
Finally in 1992, March, the first album of Seotaiji and Boys was released. However, not so much as Taiji has expected, the judges of a TV program where they evaluate new groups, gave Seotaiji and Boys the worst grade ever. The grade point average was 7.9 out of 10 where most other groups got at least 8. The irony is that as if the people were laughing at the judges, the album became a million-seller in only a couple of weeks! The music industry has finally met the new era of dance and popular music. Now the whole market came into the hands of Seotaiji and the Boys.
Everything became different after the debut of Seotaiji and Boys. The teenagers who had been so longing for something new and fresh for centuries had finally met their needs. Not only was the market became live again, but the musical trend had also changed and most importantly, new culture was made. The singer was no longer just a musician but the icon and the hero of all teenagers.
It is not a matter of how much one likes him or whether or not he is musically talented, but is a reality and history.
- An excerpt from ¡°the top 100 Musical Masterpieces¡± Dec. 1998 -
At the end of the year, obviously, Seotaiji and Boys won every award a group could get and closed the first act. Not as everybody has expected, Seotaiji and Boys did not immediately start their second act. Unlike today, resting, recovering or refreshing for the next album was not the tradition of that time. Seotaiji broke the usual idea that one must keep showing the media and people of what the star is doing. After the first act was over, Seotaiji took a break time to refresh his mind and to make new music for about 8 months which was never done before.
The next sound was the fusion of rock, reggae, hip-hop and Korean traditional music. The creation was favored by variety of ages and as a result the 2nd album marked double million-seller. Music that seems to be so different from each other were joined and combined together in harmony with the little hands of Seotaiji. As predicted, Seotaiji and Boys again swept all the awards and went into blank period again. The tragedy is that the year 1993 was the last time for people to see Seotaiji and Boys to show on TV as singers and idols.
The third phonograph record brought another shockwave that the Korean society was not yet ready to handle. Rather than singing love songs like the singers before, the music of Seotaiji and Boys 3, was related to social issues such as the unification of Korea and the systematic education system. Sadly, Gyo-sil-idea, meaning the ideal of classroom, was forbidden to be played or shown on national TV because the music could not pass the authorization process. From then on, Seotaiji and Boys were no longer on TV. Yet the record was greater than ever; 5 million were sold. This shows that Seotaiji no longer needed the media. He himself was already the culture and the media. Now, even if the mass media did not agree on the philosophy of Seotaiji, billions and trillions of people were ready to listen to what he say, to see his actions and were ready to fight against the wrongs of the society with him. This is the third change Seotaiji has created. The public was no longer a passive listener. Now they show their power and they ask for their rights as the public.
The fourth or the last album of Seotaiji actually shows what kind of music Seotaiji is really interested in. The fourth Seotaiji and Boys record strongly showed the experimental character more than any records. The new trial of gangster rap was only a tiny portion of the whole album. This album had rock, social issues and the voice of freedom. A song named Si-Dae-Yu-Gam; ãÁÓÛêóÊï (the regret of the times) did not pass the first process of authorization which was worse than what happened to his music in the 3rd album, and had to be recorded without lyrics. Nevertheless, the song rather became a motive for the public to gather up and show their rights. After many protestant movements, signature-collecting campaigns, and 1 person demonstration done by Seotaiji and Boys fandom, the piece was finally able to be recorded with the lyrics. Seotaiji fandom was no longer just a group of obsessed teenage girls but they were another Seotaiji who loves him and his music, working hard to accomplish their ultimate goals.
Four years after the tremendous debut, Seotaiji and Boys retired from their music careers leaving the Korean pop culture a shock that even drove quite a number of people to slump or even death. When Seotaiji left Korea to relax in the US, the three major broadcasting stations showed the last moment of Seotaiji and Boys all together as live in all channels. At that instant, nobody expected the return of Seotaiji alone which took place 2 years later.
The Return of the Star; Hero or Copycat
In 1998, a miracle happened! Seotaiji who retired because of the pain of creating new music, produced his 5th album or his first solo album! The record no longer had the name of Seotaiji and Boys but instead the CD had the name of Seotaiji, alone. The new act had finally raised the curtains. The difference of the Boys period and the solo period is that he is now working on what he had so longed to do; rock.
In his teenage times, he was a rock lover but he made music that the public had wanted and made Korean pop culture overwhelmed with dance music. And now, with all the attentions of the public, he may the people listen to the music he had desired for his whole life.
The prediction of the professionals that the next genre will be techno was completely mistaken.
-Hun Kang, music critic, ¡°Kino,¡± Aug. 1998-
Unlike all the other music where he tried new experiments, the first solo album was completely classical rock arranged with guitar, bass and drums.
As if he was a paranoid patient, in that short running time of 28 minutes, he put in almost everything a person could put in. Fortunately, the completed work was in-depth music that penetrated everyone.
- Jin Sung Kim, Dong A Daily, July 20th, 1998 -
Another special factor in his first solo album was that the musician stayed in the US, only letting the fans know that he is and will continue his music. Unfortunately, the album went out of production because the company that Seotaiji had contract with for the 5th album, declared bankruptcy. For 7 years, only about double million copies of the CD existed in the whole world. Not until the year 2004, were the people able to get the album at last. In 2004 which is 7 years later from then, the copyright was finally handed over to Seotaiji, due to the expiration of the contract, leaving him free to produce his work.
Before the reproduction of his first solo music, he made two other solo albums. The 6th album known as ¡°Ultra mania,¡± deals with mostly hardcore rock. The funny fact is that this album received severe criticism from the Korean critics but ironically, the record received an average of 9 out of 10 from the critics in the US. One of the most famous critic is the one evaluated by Ryan, a journalist of Rock-Extreme, who rarely gives over a 6 out of 10;
To be perfectly honest with you, when I accepted the offer to receive this CD, I took it in a joking manner, not thinking that I would even review it. Man, was I dead wrong about this CD. After tossing it to the side of my desk for a few days, I became bored one day and slid it into my CD player. Wow. I was instantly hit with some of the greatest rock music I have ever heard. The first full song, Tank, hits you with the force of a raging hurricane, with guitar, drum, and vocal talent on display throughout.
Possibly the most incredible feature to this CD is the fact that he plays every instrument on the recording. Yep, all of them, he only hired a band to play shows with him. Talk about pure talent. Even though I cannot tell what a single word he says means, every song is delivered with a catchy melody and intense riffs. This CD is nothing short of a great accomplishment, and I will be waiting for him when he makes his US debut.
- Rock-Extreme music critic, Ryan -
On the other hand, the Korean critics gave harsh remarks to his new album and even accused Seotaiji of plagiarizing group Korn, Limpbizkit and so on. Not only the critics gave him unwelcome marks but also quite a lot of Indy-bands and rock singers treated him the same. Most of them gave remarks like ¡°only invisible mending.¡± These variety of people usually claim two supporting ideas; one, Seotaiji has lost his touch in music and second, he is not confident with his music and that caused him to create social issues to cover that flaw. Are they true? Could all the evidence that the fans claim be just rubbish, a bunch of lies and just exaggeration of his skills?
Of course, even as a fan myself, I cannot completely say that all the opinions of the anti-Seotaiji is wrong. In some aspects, I actually agree with what they argue. The three big arguments that are quite agreeable are these; one, the fandom has too much pride and now they are not as objective as they believe; two, the fact that Seotaiji is a company owner and that he is commercialized is an undeniable fact; third, the issues that he makes these days, are not as pure as before.
First, as a fandom myself, I sometimes feel shameful of looking at the manias. Since Seotaiji has made his first debut in 1992, the teenagers then are now in their 20s and 30s. Nobody can doubt the fact that they are mature enough to handle problems. However when some critics or fans of other rock or idol singers criticize Seotaiji, some senseless manias curse them as if themselves were elementary students. Even if the logic is convincing or right, they just believe that Seotaiji is a perfect man.
Although not all fans are like that the fact that such people who should have responsibility for what they say, are blabbing about whatever they want to believe, without even giving the correct reasons, is a serious matter to be ashamed of and to look back. If they really believe Seotaiji is great musician and as a real hero of themselves, they should be able to write a 5 out of 5 critic to defend a 1.5 critic. If they really believe someone is wrong about Seotaiji, they should give good reasons why. Nobody will listen to people with meaningless words and curses.
Second, too many Seotaiji manias have an ideal mind that Seotaiji would not use his fans to gain his own fortune. I strongly believe that this is absolutely nonsense. I am not criticizing Seotaiji for being commercial at all. If he was really not commercial to achieve his fortunes, he is not being kind but being stupid. As an entertainer, his job is basically to sell his talent to the crowd. Why would he produce records if he really did not want to gain any money at all? Why would he not want to earn money, because he is rich enough? Even the world no. 1 billionaire Bill Gates runs his company to earn more money. Seotaiji is a human being not god.
Third opinion about Seotaiji making issues is in a way agreeable and in another way, not. I am quite sure that he did not create issues to make himself an issue when he was an idol or when he was the leader of the Seotaiji and Boys. Or rather he had no reason to because he was a big issue himself. There is big difference now and then. When Seotaiji was an idol, everything he did was new because even though the techniques are similar to the pop music of the US, he created new genre by mixing the techniques with his own musical talent and the public were not used to the foreign sounds. The music of Seotaiji were new and fresh. Now, the public is used to the foreign sounds due to the development of transportation and communication. Also, the music Seotaiji is creating these days is similar to those of the rest. There are not completely new or so shocking that anybody would buy the CD when they listen to the music.
Anti or Pro Seotaiji
Then why am I so fond of Seotaiji? The reason is simple. I like his music, his philosophy and he made me think about something that I would not have imagined of. He was my power generator through my falling and gloomy days. Even now, I gain comfort when I listen to his music. I also live by the values of what Seotaiji told his fans. I still thank him for making myself to have a dream.
I cannot say he is a musical genius or not. Some say he is and some say he is not. The point is that whether or not he is a genius or not does not matter to me. The fact that he gives me energy and that he gives me joy is what matters to me most. Of course, sometimes if I hear that Seotaiji is a genius, I feel proud because I am his fan. On the other hand, I feel bad when I hear criticism or awful things about him, but why should I not? I am a human and everyone else is too. Different people could have different opinions about the same person. I would be the wrong person if I blame about that.
Some people say I am crazy about Seotaiji and that I am so young to understand how meaninglessly I spend my time on him; they might be right. Maybe when I grow up and when I look back at myself, I might regret myself for doing such thing. However, right now, I am truly grateful about his existence. He gave me a reason to study and a reason to become what I wish to be. Before I got obsessed with Seotaiji, the only reason I studied was because my mother or my father told me to and probably because most of my friends studied. In contrast, when I got to know him very deeply, I became to have a goal. I wished I could be like Seotaiji in the area I will become a professional at which eventually became science; astronomy.
Seotaiji gave up college and went straight to his job because he had a clear vision and dream. Even if other people opposed or did not have and accord with his ideas, he had a firm belief that he could make his dream come true. Whenever he faced difficulties, he did not just give in but he fought the obstacle no matter how hard the problem was. I probably would not have the chance to enter CSIA if I did not study for myself. I would not have been able to enjoy studying or whatever I do if I never understood him. He gave me the greatest lesson that I could not have obtained by myself or from any teachers; I learned how to challenge myself.
Seotaiji is a very controversial musician. Many opinions from a variety of spectrums are being said. Some say this and others say that. Even professionals give extreme opinions about the same person. I also have two different sides of opinions about him. I cannot be sure if I am being right or wrong about him. The only thing I am sure about is that Seotaiji is not a god but he is a hero to my world. He will be my idol until he stops his music. Even if all the people around me turn against me, I will always be ready to listen to his music. I might turn on him as well, but I am sure that I would not turn against my past because whatever happens he was and is the guide to my path.
Knock the world and break the wall!
- Seotaiji -
Works Cited
Books
1. Seo, Taiji. ³«¿±Áö´Â »õ(The cast shed bird). Seoul: JoonAng M&B, 2005
2. Kim, Jinsung, and Kang MyungSeok. ¼ÅÂÁö¿Í ¾ÆÀ̵é, ±×¸®°í ¾Æ¹«µµ ¾ø´Â°¡?(Seotaiji and Boys, and no one else?). Seoul: Premium Books, 1997
Periodicals
1. ¡°Seotaiji and Boys 1.¡± The top 100 Musical Masterpieces. December 1998; 24-27
2. Kang, Hun. ¡°¼ÅÂÁö¿Í ¾ÆÀÌµé ¸®ºä(Review of Seotaiji and Boys)¡± Kino. August 1998; 31-33
3. Kim, Jinsung. ¡°¼ÅÂÁö, »õ ¾Ù¹ü¿¡ ÃÑ 8°î ¼ö·Ï(Seotaiji, records total of 8 tracks on his new album).¡± Dong A Daily 20 July. 1998: 37
4. Ryan, John. ¡°Ultra mania Review.¡± Rock-Extreme 4 Dec. 2001: 23
5. Choi, GyuSeong. ¡°Ãß¾ïÀÇ LP ¿©Çà: ¼ÅÂÁö¿Í ¾ÆÀ̵é (Journey of the Memory of LP: Seotaiji and Boys)¡± Weekly Hankook 14 Jan. 2005: 35
Internet Resources
1. ¡°TV Guide: Seotaiji and Boys Interview¡± CoCo Lee World Page. Naver.com 22 Sept. 2006. .
2. ¡°¼ÅÂÁö´Â ÀÌ·± °¡¼ö(Seotaiji is this kind of musician).¡± Naver.com 23 Sept. 2006. .
3. ¡°Discography.¡± Seotaiji.com 26 Sept. 2006. .
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