Carpe Diem: The Downloadable Edition

Remember when my students were super awesome and recorded a song?

Well, now you can watch it, courtesy of the incredible Adam Thomas of Adam Thomas Photography :

And you can download it.

I'm so ridiculously proud of these kids all over again.

Carpe Diem and “Nae Soneul Jaba (내 손을 잡아)”

I want to take a moment to jump back to Korea.  I've been sitting on a secret for a few months now, and I can finally tell you:  My music students partnered with new, Philadelphia-based record label, FeedbackLoop to write and release an original song.  It's out this month, obtainable only by subscription.

The sign that adorns my music students' practice space also declares the name of their band.

It’s confusing, I know - What was I, an English teacher, doing with music students? Sometimes, it hits
me all over again, and I chuckle all the harder. When I originally came to Korea from Nashville two years ago, I thought I had left the music industry behind me. But, as the old saying goes, you can take the girl out of the industry, but you can’t take the industry out of the girl.

Every day, I’d sit at my desk waiting for it. I’d dread it. I tried to love it, but it wasn’t happening. I mean, there’s only so many times a girl can take hearing Gangnam Style wafting up through the floorboards. The school cover band met every day in the room immediately below mine, and I was starting to lose my mind. Winter break came and went all too quickly, and I soon found myself back at my desk, tensing for the opening notes of Psy’s hit that I knew would inevitably come… but was greeting instead by the opening strains of Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep.” For a couple of weeks, I listened through the floor, and then I contacted Justin.

The moment that started it all

The kids couldn’t believe what I was telling them when I explained to them that I, their English teacher, had worked in artist management before coming to Korea, and that I, their ENGLISH teacher, wanted to help them write and record a song to be put on a label in America. I’m still not convinced they believe me.

Kim (right) collaborated with another girl in the band, Ji-Hye Lee (left),
who quickly proved her musical worth as well.

Over the course of the semester, we practiced various songwriting techniques, and then we got down to business. One girl in particular, 김주향 (Ju-Hyang Kim), showed a particular interest in the project and came to me with half a song in nearly flawless English. I brought in a fellow Nashvillian-turned-English-teacher Ashley Harden to help guide her in the process (sadly, I have never been much of a lyricist) and sound engineer (also turned English teacher) Adam Thomas for engineer consultation and to direct and shoot the music video, and the rest is history.

Kim taught each player his or her part, down to the last
detail.  No chord bend or slide was there without her
having intended it to be.

Kim quickly proved her musical prowess, writing not just the lyrics but going on to also collaborate with 이지혜 (Ji-Hye Lee) in writing parts for each instrument. They made my job much easier than I thought it was going to be, leaving me with only a couple vocal coaching sessions and the recording process to do. Of course, I also had quite the job to do in refocusing the band, from time-to-time. After all, it is made entirely of 14-to-16-year-olds. The kids have exceeded every expectation I had of them, and I couldn’t be more proud.

Carpe Diem is a band comprised of and led by middle schoolers in South Korea.

Read more about what provoked my long-time friend Justin to take us on and bring you “Nae Soneul Jaba (내 손을 잡아)” - and how you can get your very own copy of it - here.

Goodbye, Korea

It's so hard to believe that two years (and one month) have come to an end.  It's crazy to think that in that short of a time I would have come to identify myself with a culture so distinctly different from the one into which I was born.  However, at the same time, I don't really fit there either.

Ever since I got my passport, I've felt my culture slipping away from me.  But never have I felt more like a cultural island than I do now.  I don't really find this to be a bad thing; I like the culture I've created for myself, gleaning from all of those that I've visited.  But it's going to be interesting when I enter back into America, where people will be expecting me to pick back up the American culture.  See, one of the joys of being waygookin is that there isn't very much that's expected of me.  For the most part, I'm free to be whatever I want.  I'm not sure how I'm going to react to being back in the States when that is gone.

Because here's the thing.

The plan has changed.

This doesn't surprise me, because the plan was based on Korean culture, in which things are likely to change drastically, even in the middle of implementation, but it will probably surprise those of you who are unused to Korean culture.

A couple of weeks ago, I found out that, due to governmental reasons in India, I would be unable to take up my position there.  At the same time, I was offered a missionary position in Australia, working with Aboriginal children.  As my pastor explained it to me, I became more and more disheartened by the prospect.  They're a group of children that have grown up in an environment that puts no emphasis on education, due to government hand-outs.  The stipends are actually large enough that the people don't really need to value education.  The community is also riddled with drug and alcohol abuse.  My pastor asked me to go and join the effort to convince this community of the value of education, a feat that has been attempted by many and successful by none, save the minimal progress our church has made.  In short, it sounded like all the things I like least about teaching.

With a clenched stomach, I asked my pastor for time to pray about it, and he gave me two weeks.

As many of you probably know by now, during that time, I made a quick trip back to the US.  I was overwhelmed by a desire to be there before I had to make the choice.  In the past, I have always felt trapped in the US, to the point that my family and I have assumed for many years that I would be spending all of my adult life living outside of the States.  Nevertheless, in the past months, I have been growing increasingly homesick.  I didn't mention it, chalking it up to this factor or that factor, but it didn't go away.  I wanted to see if it would if I stepped foot in the mother country, and all the opportunities lined up for me to do just that.  I found an incredibly cheap plane ticket.  Appointments got canceled (without my doing so).  Schedules were rearranged.  And I found myself on a flight back to Nashville.

As soon as I saw the city unfurl beneath the plane, I had my answer.  I've never felt like I had a home before, but seeing that city... I knew I finally had one.  I was so giddy I started giggling and bouncing my legs in excitement.  But I was reluctant to admit I had my answer.  I knew what I wanted, but I needed to make sure it lined up with what G-d wanted.  So I waited and prayed.

As much as everything went right in preparation for the trip, everything went wrong while I was there.  And yet, I was still overwhelmed with peace and excitement when I thought about moving back.  In the end, I gave into it, and though I felt frustrated with many things happening around me, I could center myself in knowing that I was on the right path in my decision to return to the States.

Upon my return to Korea, I spent the greater part of my first morning back in bed, mulling over my trip and my decision... and praying.  Oh, how I prayed!  And, suddenly, a plan washed over me... It was like it was being shown to me in its completeness rather than developing as I laid there.

It is now my intention to go to graduate school to pursue a masters in Music Therapy with the ultimate goal of opening the Jim Foglesong Center for Fine Arts, which will be both a fine arts school and therapy center.  I have so many ideas for it that I could write and write about it, but I think I'd overwhelm you all, so I'll save that for another time.

The moral of the story is this: I'm coming back, and I know that I am on G-d's path.  I don't know if that path will end where I think it will right now, but I do know that it's the right one.

Incidentally, this also means that I will have to make severe cuts to my travel plans, as I need to be preparing for an audition on December 7.

Thank you for all of your love and support.

Psy's a Gentleman?

This is my preemptive strike at your questions, dear American friends.  You just can't get enough of Korea these days, can you?  Let me assure you, they're loving that over here.  Frankly, it's about time, too.  Korea is where the 90's went to hide from you.  90's music is over here.  90's clothes are over here.  90's computer games are over here... All of you 90's kids who complain because you miss that decade... How come you're still over there?  So Korea just had to leak a little Psy onto the scene.  Now, I don't think that Psy is an accurate representation of the full scope of Korean culture these days, and I know I'll be slaughtered if I even try to suggest that he's anything like the 90's, but I love that you're getting into him, and I hope that you'll use him as a gateway to other aspects of Korean culture.

So "Gentleman."  Let's hear it for the man that knocked Justin Bieber out of a record-holding position!  In just 24 hours, Gentleman had over 18.9 million YouTube views, as compared to The Biebs' then record-breaking 10.6 million views for his collaboration with Nicki Minaj on "Beauty and the Beat."  It's been a horrible week for that kid, and I can't help but feel slightly bad for him... that is, until I realize that it's pretty much his ego that's been causing all his troubles.

I'm hesitant to post the music video for Gentleman, considering the outrageously vast number of Americans who have already taken it upon themselves to watch all four minutes of the video before jumping to conclusions about what it means, but, since you're here at my blog, I'm assuming you're looking for a slightly more Korean perspective on the Korean singer's song that came out of - where? - Korea, rather than the perspective of an American who may or may not have even bothered to translate the lyrics before jumping into an in-depth analysis.  (Yes, that is an actual article.)  I'm going to put the video here, trusting that you will continue reading it even after you watch it.

Even as I put that here, this thing has a jaw-dropping 137,001,850 views.  Holy crap.  Sadly, it looks like we're going to have to put up with drop-crotch jeans a bit longer, because if that many people have watched the video, I don't think we're going to have able to keep them a secret anymore.  Seriously... why are you people wearing those things?  They look horrible.

Okay.  Let's start where it's easy... well... easy-ish.  The translation.  Thanks to a tip I got from a comment on an article with a translation, I realized that most of the translations you're going to find are missing a lot of the nuances of the song, going for word-for-word translations instead.  The best translation is (unfortunately for you, fortunately for Psy) found in the video of Psy's press release of the song.  Way to go marketing team, right?  So... if you want to get a good feel for the lyrics, you're going to need to listen to the song again.  Sadly, I've heard that there are some word plays in the song that I just don't have enough Korean language under my belt to be able to point out if there are any in the Korean of the song, but most of the English (like "mother-father" and "party mafia") is punny in Korea.  Here you go, listen away:

Now, did you notice the other difference?  Without the video, the song seems... less confusing?  Less poignant?  That's on purpose.  If you paid attention to my other Psy post, you already know that Psy loves the satire.  So I don't think anyone should be surprised when I say that he's done it again.  Let me clarify.  Psy is not condoning this mistreatment of women.  Psy is protesting it.

I've seen an article that I'm pretty sure is out of Canada mention that it could be a slam against rappers and the culture of violence (especially toward women) that seems to spring up in association with them.  Maybe he is, but I doubt it.  I've surveyed about 40 of my students (yes, for those of you who know my class sizes, that means I surveyed the one class I've had since I decided to make this post), and not a single one had any clue what was going on in the song.  They all knew what the word gentleman meant, and they all acknowledged that the words in the song didn't seem to match that.  But when I asked "So, why would Psy write it that way?"... crickets.  I gave my opinion, and they agreed it could be an option, although, I don't know how much of that was just a teacher-pleasing tactic.

Basically, I see it like this:  In Korea especially, there is a big problem with the inequality between genders.  Certainly, Korea isn't the worst country on this front, but it's far from the best.  Koreans my age and younger are really beginning to speak out about their distaste for this.  Based on his history of tongue-in-cheek exposés of topics he felt needed to be addressed in Korea, I think this song could easily be about the way men treat women in Korea.  There are many men who parade around, claiming to be gentlemen, while terrifying their families into submission, abusing their wives, and having affairs.  This is, unfortunately, somewhat normal, showing up even in one of the most popular dramas in Korea - My Daughter, Seo-Young - with quotes like "No normal man stays in love with his wife for three years."

Similarly, the general word out of Asia seems to be interpreting the song as a commentary on celebrities and their lifestyles.  It could easily be this, too, and, as I am in no way, shape, or form Asian, I would be more than happy to submit to that option, however, this is the word out of China and not yet the word out of Korea, so I am still waiting before resigning my opinion.  (Korea has remained rather silent on an interpretation.)

Now... that phrase you hear over and over - "mother-father" - is exactly what you're hoping it's not.  He is, in fact, saying "mother-father" and not some slurred/mumbled/un-enunciated version of "motherf*****", but these days "mother-father" has become a Korean euphemism for it's more colorful counterpart, much like dang or darn can be substituted for d***.  So, all these people who are wondering if he's trying to say he's the kind of man you can take home to mother and father... well, they're apparently not up on current Korean culture.

Finally, to answer MTV, he is most definitely saying "Wet Psy," not "West Side."  Although Psy did go to college in the States, he would have no reason to yell out "West Side" for his predominantly Korean audience.  Let's stop being ethnocentric and thinking the world revolves around American culture.  Simply because we chose to borrow a song from another does not mean that its writer will kowtow to ours.  "Wet Psy" has nothing to do with what you're fearing it is, incidentally, and everything to do with his sweaty armpits.

And that, friends, is my preemptive answer to your upcoming Psy questions.

Incidentally, if you're interested in looking at several hilarious-looking (I haven't watched any yet) parodies of this song, you can find a bunch here.

Even still...

Words cannot express how deeply saddened by what happened in Boston. This is all I have to offer.

Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else. Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
-1 Thessalonians 5:15-18 (NIV)

I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
-Psalm 34:1 (KJV)

Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.
-Hebrews 13:15 (ESV)

The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.
-Zephaniah 3:17 (ESV)

In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
-John 1:4-5 (NIV)

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
-1 Peter 2:9 (NIV)

The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.
-Romans 13:12 (NIV)

O G-d, who brought us to birth,

and in whose arms we die,

in our grief and shock

contain and comfort us;

embrace us with your love,

give us hope in our confusion

and grace to let go into new life;

through Jesus Christ.

Amen.

Common Worship: Pastoral Services (p238)

My Life Song

Plenty of Christians talk about having a "life verse."  I, however, have a "life song."  This is a little nudge that I get from G-d to tell me to hang on; I'm on the right path, and there's something great just over the horizon.  It refreshes my soul, helping me to be able to push on when I reach what I think is the end of my limits.  Today, for the first time since I was in the airport, leaving for Korea, I heard that song again.

So this is probably a good time to leave you with a teaser... I've got an announcement, coming soon.  I'm not quite ready to drop the bomb, yet, but start preparing!

Until then, I'll leave you with Lee Ann Womack's "I Hope You Dance":

I hope you never lose your sense of wonder

You get your fill to eat but always keep that hunger

May you never take one single breath for granted

God forbid love ever leave you empty handed

I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean 

Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens 

Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance 

And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance 

I hope you dance 

I hope you dance 

I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance

Never settle for the path of least resistance 

Livin' might mean takin' chances, but they're worth takin' 

Lovin' might be a mistake, but it's worth makin' 

Don't let some Hellbent heart leave you bitter 

When you come close to sellin' out, reconsider 

Give the heavens above more than just a passing glance 

And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance 

I hope you dance 

I hope you dance 

(Time is a wheel in constant motion always rolling us along) 

I hope you dance 

I hope you dance 

(Tell me who wants to look back on their years and wonder, where those years have gone?) 

I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean

Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens 

Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance 

And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance 

Dance

(Time is a wheel in constant motion always rolling us along) 

I hope you dance 

I hope you dance 

(Tell me who wants to look back on their years and wonder, where those years have gone?)

It starts early.

I'd like to say several things about this video:


1. This is cutest cover of this song I've ever seen.

2. The twin that starts on screen left has excellent rhythm, and I think he has a promising career in dance or drumming. The right twin looks like he could be the next Aaron Carter. (Alex, you will not want to click on that, as it is an example of Aaron singing/"dancing", and you won't like it. Everyone else, it probably won't affect you as severely as it would her.)

3. (This is the main point) I think this is a perfect example of the general Korean mentality. Whereas American children would be running around, spinning in circles, occasionally doing a non-committal horsey dance, these boys have studied Psy's music video and are working on perfecting HIS dance. As far as studying/perfecting goes, these boys have the potential to be prodigies. But turn off the visual for them, and I'd be very surprised if they (okay, maybe more the dancer/drummer than Aaron) would move at all. Now, on the flip side, tell an American child that he/she had to copy Psy's dance, and you'd get some that tried, but a lot of them would probably cry. Interesting to see how culture affects us, even this young, isn't it?

What are your opinions on this subject? I'd love to get a good discussion going.

MOTh: Days 14 and 15

3 Gifts Silent

I know, I know... I'm really bad at keeping up with blogging.  It's been a BUSY week, what with Kris and Cora getting MARRIED!  I did shoot a video for you, but I couldn't post it from my phone!  Soooo... it didn't get posted.  Maybe I'll put it up tonight.

1. I'm thankful for Sunday afternoons that are so quiet that I'm tempted to think I'm the only person in my building.  I'm secretly an introvert.  I like quiet.
2. I'm thankful for snow.  But only when it's falling in the middle of the night and I'm the only person around, so it seems silent... and then you can hear the snow.  After that, I'd be happy if the snow went away... or cancelled things.
3. I'm thankful for music with rests in it.  Because sometimes, dear Mozart, holding my violin up for an entire symphony gets tiring.  I just thought I'd throw that out there.

3 Gifts Golden

Annnd... I had the time, so I thought I'd hit another in here.

1. I'm thankful for 50th wedding anniversaries.  They're rather uncommon in this day and age, and I think they're an amazing thing.
2. I'm thankful for the gold cross my aunt and uncle bought me a long time ago. Every time I look at it, I remember how much they love me and how important our religion is to them.
3. I'm thankful for glitter, because glitter makes all things more fun.  Makeup is more fun.  Projects are more fun. Everything is more fun!

MOTh: Day 10

3 Gifts Found in Bible Reading

For this, I'm listing my 3 favorite Bible verses.  And no, I'm not kidding on any of these.

1. Zephaniah 3:17.  At first glance, this may be obvious.  Of course, I'm going to love any reference to G-d singing, but, as I've grown older, I've seen more and more heart-warming reassurance and peace in this verse.
2. John 11:32-35, with particular emphasis on verse 35.  I know a lot of kids claim to love this one because of its length, but I love it because it shows the Heart of our L-rd.  He truly loved, very deeply.  Every time I read it, it brings me to tears, because I know what it is to lose someone you love, and, again, every time I read this, I learn more.
3. Genesis 3:14-15.  Three chapters in, and we get our first Messianic prophecy.  Let me point out, that it's not even a full 10 verses past the offense.  We messed up, and G-d immediately gave us a solution.  If that doesn't make you feel truly and deeply loved, I don't know what will.

MOTh: Day 3

3 Gifts That Start with N

I'm not going to lie.  I'm pretty excited about this one, because it's as silly as I've been lately.  :)

1. I'm thankful for nuts, because they're a delicious source of protein that make me feel better when hypoglycemia is kicking my butt, but I don't have to eat meat, which will make me feel better.  I also like nutmeg and machos, which have nothing to do with hypoglycemia, but they are foods that start with N that I like.
2. I'm thankful for for the Newsboys (the Peter Furler Newsboys).  I'd link you to them, but what you'd find is not what I'm thankful for, because the new Newsboys are just annoying.  The Newsboys album Step Up to the Microphone was my first, and it started me on the path to the music industry, which I don't regret for a moment.  I love the music industry.  Step Up was a gift to me from my Deeda, as was a lot of my first music.  My cousin David and I spent endless hours pouring over the Newsboys and Phil Joel's solo album in the years following my receipt of that CD.
3. I'm thankful for the Nazi who changed my life.  It's not my story to tell there, or rather, part of it is, but I don't feel comfortable telling it in this forum.  Those who know, know.  But I will say that he taught me so much about life and love, and I'm eternally grateful.  

Well, I've been brainwashed.

It's true, I have.  I went to a recital tonight, and, while I was there, I was overwhelmed with the urge to write a review of the event, as I had to do in college for my listening credit hours, which I generally tried to meld with my recital credits, when possible.  As a result, I have a couple of notebook pages worth of a paper, and no on to whom I should give it.  So, although you can't give me college credit for it, I'm going to share my "assignment" with you.

First, the program, which you need as proof of my attendance:

Then, my review (It may be a little disjointed, as, since none of you can give me any kind of grade for this that will affect my future, I'm only typing out for you what I wrote at the recital and not editing it much at all):

The program opened with an elegantly dressed violinist playing Vittorio Monti's "Csardas," which had me utterly captivated  by its haunting melody, that is, until we got to about the halfway part.  Upon hearing the change to a section done entirely in harmonics, I became quite convinced of his insanity.  The only question that was left for me to debate was whether or not the violinist could qualify as more insane than Monti, as she willingly selected and practiced this monster of a piece for hours on end, somehow conquering it, and making it through the piece with only the harmonic section giving her any grief, as it would anyone.

I must say, I was disappointed in Korea's apparent constant need for electronic "enhancements."  While the reverb added by the sound technicians was esthetically pleasing, for the hall was somewhat lacking by way of acoustics, the coast was found in blocking the faces of the performers with a microphone.  It is rare indeed that a classical performer actually needs one, and many of them were actually backing far away from it, so its presence was rather a frustration for me more than anything else.

The appropriate attire for accompanists seemed to be a matter on which Korean and American cultures also differ.  The many hot pink gowns that flowed over the piano bench often not so much as took away my attention from the performer at hand as they screamed for it, occasionally seeming to grab me bodily and turn me toward themselves.  Add to that sequins, multi-colored skirts, and yellow tule, and you have a sure-fire recipe for culture shock.  Luckily, G-d invented eyelids to be closed, and close mine did, allowing for my renewed focus on the upstaged performer.

And then came the Schubert, the hope of which had been sustaining me since the moment I heard of this event.  It brought with it, of course, another hot pink gown, but it was at least worn by the soprano, 신정헤, this time, so all attention was forcibly placed on the correct person, and, oh my, was it due.  This woman was the possessor of the single largest voice I have ever had the pleasure to hear live in my life.  She was obviously singing with only a fraction of what she could, making it look and sound as easy as if a child, fresh out of the womb could sing Schubert.  The only hint of nerves to be found showed itself only in her hands  which balled themselves into fists or stretched into other odd contortions when she was resting for long passages.

To my pleasure, the first half ended with a Baritone aria from Verdi's Attila.  While I have no great love for Italian (as I do for German), Verdi does hold a special place in my heart.  Furthermore, Baritones rarely fail to steal away my breath, and 박재명 was no exception.  His luscious tones filled the room in a nature most counterintuitive to his stiff mannerisms on stage. In spite of that, it was a satisfying end of half, and I felt somewhat warmed, a feat, as I'm almost positive the auditorium remained unheated tonight, thus proving the extreme welcome of the velvet blanket his tone and timbre cast over me, if only for a moment.

After the intermission, I began to wonder if I had  perhaps missed a theme, as, yet again, a hot pink dress walked across the stage, this time adorning the body of a solo pianist, 박유선.  She was no David Finney, my accompanist in college (nor will anyone ever be, is I allow my very biased opinion be known), but so far as I could tell, she was very good.  However, as my piano training ended in the seventh grade, I can't pretend that I'm a very good judge.  I can tell you, however, that she was both pleasing to listen to and watch, which is an accomplishment, as many musicians get carried away on the ocean waves of their music, consequently causing seasickness in their poor listeners/viewers.  Luckily, that was no the case in this instance.

I was disappointed in the omission of the promised "O mio babbino caro" from the program that was originally advertised, a disappointment further hightened by a severe lack of recital training of my fellow audience members.  Although I loathed the time we spent officially learning it in university, I'm now extremely grateful.

[As the cold set in still deeper, I found myself writing less (and what I did write got severely edited), as the cold tends to shorten my temper and sharpen my pen, so much of the second half is missing from my recounting, I did leave alone my commentary on the finale.]

Nothing less than cuteness shone though in the finale, Galop March for 1 Piano, 8 Hands by A.J. Lavignac, which was a little sad, or perhaps impressive, since there was an immense amount of talent on the stage as several of the evening's accompanists performed together.  They were truly charming, and would have left the evening feeling nothing more than adorable, had there not been another performance unmentioned in the program.  All of the evening's performers found their ways back on the stage to sing and ballroom dance their ways through one final piece eluding to days long past, and, somehow, convince the hear that we may not have come out entirely on top for their loss.

All in all, it was a delightful evening, and I would gladly attend any other put together by the lady and organizer of the event, 강성애, although, preferably, with a working heating system or heavier coat.

Me, the program, and my writing

Want to Keep Ahead of the K-Pop Craze?

Okay, so, maybe I'm exaggerating.  This video probably isn't going to catch on in America like Psy's Gangnam Style did.  BUT, I do want to point out that musicians in Korea (like the rest of the world, really) are on the cutting edge and pushing the envelope.  Today, I want to bring you Miss A's "I Don't Need a Man."  In Korean culture, women are expected to live with their parents until they are about 30, spending all of their money on designer-label clothing and accessories, then get married to a man who has likewise been living with his parents, but saving his money in order to afford an apartment for him and his future wife.  The woman will then (most likely) quit her job and start having children, while the man works to provide for their designer-label habits.  It's an intense cycle, but so accepted that I created quite a stir when I told my Korean counterparts that I hadn't lived with my parents since I was 18.  That being said, I invite you to hear about this idea from the insiders, and their radical alternative option:

[ROMANIZATION]

[TRANSLATION]

This is for all the independent ladies  Let’s go naneun namja eobsi jal sara  geureoni jasini eobseu myeon  nae gyeote ojireul ma  naneun hamburo nal an para  waenya myeon nan  I don’t need a man I don’t need a man (What?)  I don’t need a man I don’t need a man (jinjja)  I don’t need a man I don’t need a man (jeongmal)  I don’t need a man I don’t need a man  naneun namja eobsi jal jal sara nae doneuro bangse da nae  meoggo sipeun geo sa meoggo otdo sa ibgo  chung bun hajin anhjiman manjoghal jul ara  geuraeseo nan nareul saranghae (hey) bumo nimui yongdon nae don cheoreom  sseugo sipji anha naiga manha  son beolliji anhneun ge dang yeonhan geo anya  geureseo nan naega tteot tteotae (hey) Boy don’t say  naega chaeng gyeo julge naega akkyeo julge No No  Boy don’t play  jinji hage ol ge animyeon naneun namja eobsi jal sara  geureoni jasini eobseu myeon  nae gyeote ojireul ma  naneun hamburo nal an para  waenya myeon nan  I don’t need a man I don’t need a man (What?)  I don’t need a man I don’t need a man (jinjja)  I don’t need a man I don’t need a man (jeongmal)  I don’t need a man I don’t need a man  naneun namja eobsi jal jal sara jalnan cheneun andwae ttan deseo neun  tonghalji mollado neo mankeum nado  jalnajin anhat jiman jasin gameun neomchyeo  geuraeseo nan nareul saranghae (hey) nae himeuro salge ttan ae cheoreom  bumonim jal manna namja jal manna  pyeon hage saneun geo gwansimi eobseo  geuraeseo nan naega tteot tteotae (hey) Boy don’t say  naega neoui mirae nareul midgo gidae No No  Boy don’t play  nareul jonjung hal ge animyeon naneun namja eobsi jal sara  geureoni jasini eobseu myeon  nae gyeote ojireul ma  naneun hamburo nal an para  waenya myeon nan  I don’t need a man I don’t need a man (What?)  I don’t need a man I don’t need a man (jinjja)  I don’t need a man I don’t need a man (jeongmal)  I don’t need a man I don’t need a man  naneun namja eobsi jal jal sara maeil achim il jjig ireon aseo  haru jongil bappaseo  bab han kki jedaero mot meogeo  hajiman naega johaseo han iriya doniya  jag jiman da nae ttamiya  namja chinguga sa jun banji aniya  nae cha nae ot naega beoreoseo san geoya  jeoggeum neohgo bumonim yongdon  deurigo naseo san geoya  namja midgo nolda namja tteona myeon  eotteokal geoya  ireon naega bureowo?  bureou myeon jin geoya naneun namja eobsi jal sara  geureoni jasini eobseu myeon  nae gyeote ojireul ma  naneun hamburo nal an para  waenya myeon nan  I don’t need a man I don’t need a man (What?)  I don’t need a man I don’t need a man (jinjja)  I don’t need a man I don’t need a man (jeongmal)  I don’t need a man I don’t need a man  naneun namja eobsi jal jal sara

This is for all the independent ladies Let’s go I can be good without a man So don’t come by me  if you are not sure I don’t sell myself to anyone Because  I don’t need a man I don’t need a man (what?) I don’t need a man I don’t need a man (really?) I don’t need a man I don’t need a man (truly) I don’t need a man I don’t need a man I can be good without a man I paid all the rent All the food and all the clothing with my money It’s not enough but I’m satisfied That’s why I love myself (hey) I don’t wanna spend my parents’ money As if it’s mine and I’m old enough I shouldn’t ask for it to them That’s why I feel honorable (hey) Boy don’t say I’ll take care of you I’ll care for you No No Boy don’t play If you’re not serious I can be good without a man So don’t come by me  if you are not sure I don’t sell myself to anyone Because  I don’t need a man I don’t need a man (what?) I don’t need a man I don’t need a man (really?) I don’t need a man I don’t need a man (truly) I don’t need a man I don’t need a man I can be good without a man Don’t put on airs It might work Somewhere else but I’m full of confidence As much as you’re tough I’m not good enough That’s why I love myself (hey) I’m gonna live for myself I don’t care about living a good life Like other kids do with rich parents and a rich man Living a comfy life That’s why I feel honorable (hey) Boy don’t say I’m your future belive and rely on me No No Boy don’t play If you’re not gonna respect me I can be good without a man So don’t come by me  if you are not sure I don’t sell myself to anyone Because  I don’t need a man I don’t need a man (what?) I don’t need a man I don’t need a man (really?) I don’t need a man I don’t need a man (truly) I don’t need a man I don’t need a man I can be good without a man I wake up every morning Have a busy day And don’t have time  to have one good meal But I started it because I liked it  It’s not a good pay but it’s all my sweat It’s not a ring my boyfriend gave to me My car, my clothe, all I paid for them I bought them after installment savings  and giving money to my parents What if the man leaves you when you trust him? Do you envy me? Then you lost I can be good without a man So don’t come by me  if you are not sure I don’t sell myself to anyone Because  I don’t need a man I don’t need a man (what?) I don’t need a man I don’t need a man (really?) I don’t need a man I don’t need a man (truly) I don’t need a man I don’t need a man I can be good without a man

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Composition: J.Y. Park “The Asiansoul”

Lyrics: J.Y. Park “The Asiansoul”

Arrangement: 홍지상, J.Y. Park “The Asiansoul”

Korean: music.daum

Translation: miss A YouTube Channel

Romanization: KyungMi at kromanized

credit if you use!

So, what do you think?  Will they make a difference?  Should they even be trying to make a difference?  Is it right for Korean young people to be beginning to abandon Korean traditional culture in favor of a more Westernized one?  Miss A is not by far one of the most popular K-Pop bands, I feel confident in saying, as I teach middle school, and I'd never heard of them before my friend posted this song to Facebook, so I'm not sure that all this debate really matters but so much.  But, personally, I'm all for this move of theirs.

Until next time, my politics-plagued friends.

Love,

Anne