무료 Issue 24
THIS ZINE KILLS FASCISTS when improperly ingested Letter from the Editor Table of Contents Well that took a while. I’ve concluded it’s hard to motivate myself to 1. Cover write zines while I’m also working at a newspaper. Even if it’s “that” newspaper, it still lets me print a lot of crazy stuff, at least until I start 2. This Page pushing it too far. Issue 24 The last issue was starting to seem a little lazy, as I was recycling con- 3. Letters to the Editor June/Sept 2017 tent also published in the newspaper. For this issue I wanted to cut down on that, as well as on lengthy interviews. So we have a lot of smaller 4. Ash stories, and all sorts of other quick content. I interviewed a lot of people This zine has been published and sliced up their interviews into pieces here and there. I also filched a 5. Dead Gakkahs at random intervals for the lot of content from social media, mainly as PSAs. Think of it more as a past ten years. social media share/retweet, but on paper; hope no one’s pissed. 6. Pseudo & BurnBurnBurn There’s a page spread on Yuppie Killer memories I solicited way back Founders when Yuppie Killer had their last show. There’s also a similar spread on 7. WDI & SHARP Jon Twitch people’s memories of Hongdae Playground, where you can get a sense 8. Playground Paul Mutts of how radically the place has changed, as well as possibly the effect we had on it ourselves. 10. Skaleton Editor Ken putting out “Ash,” his documentary filmed here last summer, was Jon Twitch something I had to write about. He urged me to also put in content 11. NST & The Soul Sauce about Lee Dongwoo’s documentary “No Money, No Future,” but I just didn’t have the time and space, and I couldn’t get Dongwoo to give me Contributing Writers 12. Pigibit5 a subtitled copy. Kyle Decker Since last issue, we’ve seen one incompetent authoritarian govern- 13. Yamagata Tweakster ment dismantled, and another one rise to power. The former was quite Translator a thing to witness. It’s in the past now, but I included some related vs Seoullo 7017 Google Translate content. The latter just keeps getting worse. (yeah, that explains Excavator Vigilante is based on a real incident. Early in the scan- 14. VS a lot of things, right?) dal, around November 1, this more or less really happened. The guy brought his excavator up to Seoul and attacked the prosecutors’ office, 15. Norse Rage & GBN Photos attempting to kill Choi Soon-sil. It was the moment I realised this one Jon Twitch wasn’t going away, that reality was about to get a lot more absurd. I 16. Yuppie Killer Moments Robin Kenson immediately fantasised about starting a movie franchise based around him, and adding in other bizarre figures fighting back against power 18. K-pop section through such eccentric means. Layout So it’s almost 1am, and just as I start writing this letter, the last thing I 19. CNBLEW Jon Twitch plan to do before perfecting the layout and burning a PDF, I get a last- minute reply from Jeonn Juhl of Dead Gakkahs. She did answer all my 22. Gongdeok eviction Contact interview questions and send them to me. So now I have to deal with jon_dunbar that. It’s worth the hassle though, as there’s been a lot of controversy in 23. Photographing pro- @hotmail.com the scene lately over sexual harassment and various other interpersonal tests matters. PDFs of Broke: I had initially hoped to interview her and several other women in the 24. What You Say? daehanmindecline scene for an article on women’s issues, hoping to look at everything .com/broke from the participation of women to bathroom politics. But I wasn’t able 25. Ash review to talk to enough people to get what I needed for this article, and really didn’t feel comfortable publishing an incomplete picture. 26. CD reviews I’m not sure when the next Broke will come out. A year went by with- Contributors are out me really feeling the need to make one, and it could be a similar 28. Crossword always welcome. amount of time before the next one. Then again, sometimes these things just make themselves. I don’t think this will be the last issue, at least. If 29. Archie Meets Christfuck I don’t work on a Broke, I’ll be working on something similar anyway. This zine is created So, get reading, do the crossword, get your free tattoo, and see if you 30. Alt-right glossary using a neverending can defeat tyranny using only an excavator! sequence of Adobe 31. Bimonthly Bootfuck InDesign CC free tri- Jon Twitch als. Apparently the SEPTEMBER UPDATE: Having not had an official release for the 30-day timer doesn’t 33. Farewells matter if you just zine yet, and havinng caught a number of errors including calling this 32. Playing in Traffic keep downloading it issue 23 on the front page, I’ve decided to update this issue and add 34. Rapscallion’s Den on a PC방 PC. four more pages of content, just so I don’t have to make yet another issue again too soon. Choose Your Broke Adventure: ing, you think, as you gaze upon the You survey the interior of the is never the answer. face of evil who was responsible for construction crate you’ve convert- What’s it gonna be? Excavator Vigilante all the misfortune that has befallen ed into your office. You’re a modest your country and its people. The business owner, renting out con- I’ll trust the legislative and judici- “I committed a capital offence and blacklist against artists, the cor- struction equipment. Many of the ary system to serve justice. GO TO deserve to die!” wails Choi Soon-sil porate corruption, the power of the vehicles on your lot could be used THE FRONT PAGE OF ANY KO- on the TV in your office as she en- rich over poor, religious immorality, as weapons and turned against the REAN NEWSPAPER. ters the prosecutors’ office in Seoul. all the fault of this one contemptible powers that be. Now is the time for I’ll help Choi Soon-sil to die. GO 2 This is fucking disgust- woman. extreme action. Or maybe violence TO PAGE 3. Letters to the Editor Nobody sends Broke letters to the editor (at least not intentionally), but we get some ripe ones over at my day job. Here are two suspicious packages that I in- tercepted at work.
Jon Twitch
You exit your office and survey have to stay pretty still for you to hands, reader — but history has Hint: are you familiar with the the lot full of your construction pour the cement down her throat. been written, as has the name of this original story? How did the real-life equipment. Your steamroller — how A bulldozer likewise might not get Choose Your Broke Adventure sto- Excavator Vigilante get up to Seoul? awesome would it be to flatten Choi the job done. Then your eyes rest ry. You’re taking that excavator. Tell And, was his attempt successful? Soon-sil like a pancake using that? on your favourite excavator, its you what though: I’ll let you choose But you remember that scene from prehensile shovel glistening in the how to get it there, by loading it onto I’ll drive my excavator straight to Austin Powers: way too slow to morning sun like Excalibur pulled a flatbed truck or driving the moth- Seoul. GO TO PAGE 4 be practical. The cement mixer? A out of the rock. That’s the ticket. erfucking thing all the way from I’ll drive it up to Seoul on the back horrible way to go, but she would Sorry to wrest this one from your Sunchang, North Jeolla Province. of a truck. GO TO PAGE 9 3 “Ash” Versus the Evil Jon Twitch in the band, and I was like here’s that got dropped too. I mean how do This interview was done late one some inspiration for you — it should you define success? night by voice. have been the other way around — Jon: Jinsuk’s travelling the world Western musicians should be hear- and going to tattoo conventions. Jon: So like fuck, one of the things ing from this scene because there’s Ken: Absolutely and I think that’s I really wanted to bring up, I don’t so many more women playing bass an amazing thing and I think that’s a disagree with your premise about and drums and guitar, roles that loser’s victory, and some people will “Ash” but I wanted to discuss it, they’re not supposed to do. be like “oh he’ll grow out of that.” so you basically state “GBN and Jon: Your documentary has a lot of Jon: Epstein and Tangherlini’s “Us and SHARP are born from ash,” and it’s small moments that must have been Them” focuses so much on globali- absolutely easy to make a case for hard to cut, and you fought to justify sation and follows ...Whatever That that and I think you do, but I can keeping them in. Like the moment of Means touring the US, and Koreans also see there is a generation gap Bumjoo buying coffee for everyone. going overseas, and Jeff and Trash’s between the second wave of punk In the process of editing, why did marriage was presented on a silver and the third wave. So how did you want to have those particular platter. But I do really think globalisa- you build up this thought about the types of moments? tion is a big thing in the scene, and we scene being built on ash? Ken: I actually wanted to have have had Juyoung and Paeng moved Ken: “Ash” is a placeholder title for more. There was one scene of Goy- overseas, and Jinsuk was just in Bela- the moment. But that doesn’t negate Ken, loaded with equipment, at Seun Sangga ang chasing after a ladybug with a rus, but I felt like you just focused on the idea that holds up the film. I was on July 10, 2016 in early stages of his filming. drill screaming “Die motherfucker” the Korean side of this equation so I trying to think up something as a there did seem to be two separate en- and it didn’t make it in. was curious about that. placeholder title, the reason being tities geographically. In the past there The process of making this film Ken: A lot of the film focuses on that to qualify for film festivals you was a lot of audience crossover, but has been interesting because I’ve two things: one I guess the socio- can’t have had premiere screenings until my going away party there were been trying to appeal to two audi- cultural reality of somebody living and one way around that is to change people who hadn’t seen each other in ences: there’s the one that gets it, in Korea, and two just two months in the name so there’s no history. three years seeing each other for the and then there’s the audience that’ll the Korean scene in summer 2016. Jon: Can I really quote you on that? first time. And then there was that automatically be turned off. So a Juyoung told me she was probably Ken: Maybe not for the Korea GBN-SHARP show a few months ago. lot of the moments the humour, the leaving, and Paeng told me also he Times. Musically they’re disparate but ethi- chaos, it’s there to appeal to the was probably going to Australia, so Jon: Sounds kinda like fraud to me cally they share a lot of the same ideas. audience it’s made for. And I think I’m filming all these bands and peo- so... Because they are coming from without that it would be far too ple and it’s like a timeline, when are Ken: It’s a common thing to do the same context in the past they serious. At the end of the day it’s they not going to exist anymore. because the film will change in a had no idea they were working to- about having fun and enjoying life. Jon: What about the reduced presence couple places. And the name does ward the same goals. And that last thing, it’s something of foreigners in the scene? We see a affect how people read the film Jon: They have that shared experi- Bumjoo and I talked about, it’s the bit of Jeff and we see Ian’s face briefly. anyway so it is quite a big change. ence of fleeing Hongdae. idea of a loser’s victory. A lot of Ken: Ian’s thing in there was actual- But Ash is just poking around in the Ken: One of the reasons it isn’t the stuff that you do in countercul- ly a fight to keep in. A lot of people Korean word like “je” and when more of a focus, Jung Yong-taek, ture you can’t win, because society reacted poorly to that in rough cuts. you look at the Hanja for it, there “Party 51” if you need a movie is going to move on without you. Jon: What do you mean? All I re- are all sorts of different meanings, about Hongdae gentrification, that’s And if you do have a victory they’ll member is you showed him for a what the film could be about, posi- the one you need to go to. coopt it and bring it into their fold. second and he didn’t speak. tive ones, negative ones, that don’t Part of making a film is trying not But that doesn’t mean you haven’t Ken: It depends on the audience you have to do with Ash in English. So to be too redundant in the canon, or lived a full satisfying life as a result. showed it to. I thought that was kind of fun, tied again since I’m a foreigner, what I’m Jon: I actually just sent Jinsuk inter- Jon: Foreign audiences will be with what Jinsuk says at the begin- submitting to film festivals, what if view questions today, and I called turned off if there’s too many white ning, how the scene is like reading there’s a chance since I’m a white him out on his comment about “none faces? a Chinese character, it’s hard to ex- guy, my film is going to go in ahead of us are successful” Ken: It’s not that but they start to plain, it’s all based on context. of theirs, so to eliminate their space Ken: Jeff said that. take credit away from the non- Jon: On your observation you make because of my for lack of a better Jon: Fuck. Okay that’s a problem. white faces in the film. through the movie, that the scene is built word privilege is kind of a shitty Ken: A retraction. People actually what happens is on the ash of the earlier punk scene. thing to do. Jon: If Jeff is saying that, he’s they think it’s great the white guy Ken: I think that is one read you Jon: When I watched your film, it throwing people under the bus too. I gets shut up. And the people of col- can have on it, but like you said the was much more like Epstein and mean, Jinsuk is successful. our actually sympathise with Jeff. older scene still exists. When I was Tangherlini’s, rather than Jung Ken: Oh absolutely. It’s a narrative Jon: To be honest I just watched the doing interviews, you kind of get Yong-taek, but yours also seems movie and I just saw friends kidding the sense this mini-wave, they’re to consciously contrast itself with around. It didn’t matter what any- kind of defining themselves on re- their movies. body’s race was in that interaction. jection of race and gender and age Ken: I didn’t want to come in like an Anyway, thank you for not por- discrimination, that’s kind of what anthropologist, I wanted people to talk traying the Korean punk scene as the theme is right now. at the camera. It’s only had one public chock-full of foreigners. Punk scenes themselves are a screening at this time, but it works well Ken: They come and go, they’re response to society. in the theater. If you can imagine 400 temporary. They don’t have the Where the actual Ash comes people in a room with a giant screen, stake in the game. I fought to keep from, I think my intention was ge- and Trash is staring at them and telling Jeff in. He’s quite important, he’s a ographic, but it could be from the them why the fuck they’re wrong about divisive character. He makes people ashes of older waves. her, it’s actually pretty cool. angry, but he’s done a lot for the Jon: There are my opinion there I wanted to go with a parallel people he’s connected with. are three waves of punk and they glance or one that’s looking up. For Jon: And his quotes about how all exist right now. Like Crying as small at it is and as political as we’ve all grown up the same way, I Nut still exists right now. So, you it can get, there’s a lot of inspired thought were very powerful. talk a few times about there be- stuff in the Korean scene. One of Ken: And I commented on that in ing two scenes, and I wasn’t sure if the biggest things is the participa- the scene where he’s told to shut you meant Hongdae vs everywhere tion of women in a functional capac- up because he is loud. For us it’s else, or GBN and SHARP. ity. I remember giving a CD to Juy- a funny thing because he’s loud, Ken: It’s good there can be multiple oung when I was a far more ignorant Ken says watch “No Money, No he talks a lot. But I think there’s a readings like that. My intention was white dude and had a female friend Future” (2016) by Lee Dong-woo. deeper thing because as much as At a maximum 30kpm, it should hours in, you encounter a long are you headed?” “though our methods are consider- only take you about eight hours to convoy of tractors and other ag- “Choi Soon-sil said she commit- ably less violent than yours. Care to drive north to Seoul. ricultural vehicles, maybe 1000 ted a capital crime and deserves to join forces?” You drive along the shoulder of them. As you overtake them, die,” you say. “I’m going up to Seoul of the highway so faster the driver of one tractor calls to give her a hand.” Sure! GO TO PAGE 5 4 cars can pass. A couple out to you, “Hey friend, where “So are we,” says the farmer, Too slow, nope. GO TO PAGE 9 he contributes, people aren’t going to want to listen to him as much. Or somebody’s reading something about his marriage and how impor- tant it is. Jon: So I take it you have viewed Dead Gakkahs Jon Twitch patriarchy. Is it a problem with only the Korean punk scene? this through an anti-colonial lens. I thought Dead Gakkahs were broken up, but it turns There are far more men than women in any other countries’ Ken: Colonial lens would be like out they have a new drummer (Choi Nanum). I inter- punk scenes. As outnumbered men have dominated the field these foreign ideas come in, and viewed Yurim and Nanum about the band and the state and led subculture, how come we could be free from sexual it’s influenced them so they’ve of the scene. discrimination within? I believe gender equality in the scene lost their culture, “their culture” in I’m glad they replied, even though she told me my could be possible when there are similar numbers of the power and the powerless to coexist. quotes. questions had a lot of misogyny. I went into this in- Jon: One more question I had, right terview inquiring why there seem to be fewer girls in Broke: It seems like there are fewer women in the scene these after you finished filming, Choi the hardcore scene than usual, and I got as much of an days. How can we encourage more women to come to con- Soon-sil was exposed and the gov- explanation as I could. certs? ernment fell shortly after. and it Yurim has been very active on social media but her 전율: 여자 음악가가 언제는 많았나? 항상 적었다. 나는 펑크의 역사 really did expose a lot of the social voice hasn’t been heard in any of the produced media 도 씬도 잘 모르지만 애초에 펑크라는 것에서 여자가 얼마나 비중이 structures that keep people down. going out these days. This interview will make some 있었는지도 모르겠다. 애초에 여자가 많지 않았던 문화에서 왜 자꾸 So when I watch the movie I feel 여자를 끌어들이려고 하는지 모르겠다. 여자들이 좋아하고 싶었으면 people unhappy, but it will answer questions for oth- 사람들이 계속 있었겠지. 그리고 여전히 씬에 남아있는 사람들도 있 like it’s a snapshot of right before ers, at least about what she’s thinking. She has had her 다. 그리고 이것을 읽고 있는 남자들은 생각해봐라. 당신들이 여자 the fall of Park Geun-hye. say, for the history books, or at least zines. 들을 어떤 눈으로 봤고 어떻게 평가했고 어떻게 쫓아 냈는지. 왜 더 Ken: When the protests were hap- I decided to leave in the name of the guy she accused, 많은 여성들이 펑크공연을 봐야하는가? 더 많은 여자들이 펑크씬에 pening, I thought I just missed this partly because I took it as a dare I didn’t want to back 들어왔으면 하는 이유는 뭔가? 여자들도 자기가 좋으면 알아서 씬 because of the visuals. But for pro- down from. I don’t fear legal threats, because it would 에 들어오지 않을까? test visuals, you need to go watch make this zine cooler, though I also want to be at least a 그리고 여자 뿐만 아니라 다른 성에 관해서도 생각을 가끔 했었는 Dong-woo’s film. Are you interview- 데 왜 펑크에 다른 성들은 잘 보이지가 않을까? 펑크는 너무 보수 little responsible and do right by everyone. The sexual 적이다. ing him about his film by the way? harassment she accuses him of is a fairly simple uninvit- Yurim: When did we have a lot of female musicians? I’ve al- Jon: No, I haven’t seen his film yet. ed sexual comment. I’ve been told he complimented her ways said this. I do not know the history of punk, nor the scene, Ken: If I’m in the same zine he de- tattoos and added a pretty generic sexual comment about but I do not know how much weight women had in punk in the serves to be side by side with it. It it. Frankly I’ve said and done things worse, including in first place. I do not know why I’m trying to attract women in a won $10,000 last year. this zine (I even on one page depict sexual contact be- culture where there were not many women in the first place. When I was out there I had a bro- tween you, dear reader, and Park Geun-hye). But I also People would have been there if women wanted to like it. And ken camera which was fun. But I was some still remain in the scene. And think of the men reading know someone who quit her job because her boss made a this. How you looked at women, how they evaluated them, and hoping I could catch some protest. similar comment to her, so inappropriateness is on a slid- how they drove them. Why do more women have to watch punk The biggest thing that was happen- ing scale and this incident falls somewhere between. The performances? Why do you want more women to enter the ing was a small anti-THAAD pro- guy who made the comment to Yurim will live the rest of punk scene? Would not girls to the scene if they liked it? And test, “Homo sex is Jesus sin,” and his life with the neurons somewhere in his brain wired to I had thought about other genders as well as women: but why the quiet Sewol protest in front of remember he made that comment, which is probably a don’t we see other genres in punk? Punk is too conservative. Gwanghwamun. So it’s neat I have proportional punishment to fit his offence. 나눔: 앞에서 말했다시피 여성아티스트는 펑크씬을 비롯한 모든 씬 this shot in the film that’s just wait- 에 적다. 뿐만 아니라 남성중심적인 문화가 팽배한 이 사회에서 여성 I interviewed a number of girls in the Korean punk 이 살아남기 위해서는 여성성을 제거하고 남성이 되거나, 남성에 의 ing for social pressures to boil over. scene about similar issues, and all the other answers 한 모든 폭력과 대상화를 견디거나, 그 씬을 뜨는 수밖에 없다. 나는 I don’t think it’s a standalone film. I got were far different from this, which is what made 펑크씬을 접한지 5년이 되었는데, 그동안 강간을 제외한 모든 폭력 There’s other ones from Korea. I this interview interesting to me. I also had a line of 을 겪었다. 남성아티스트도 그러한 경험을 하는가? 이것이 바로 성 think this one will help people ac- inquiry about washrooms at live venues, as both GBN 차별적 구조로 인한 같은 현장의 다른 경험이다. 여성과 남성은 동등 cess those a little easier. and SHARP, the two foremost punk clubs here, have 하지 않다. 요즘 여성이 작게 나온다는 너의 시선이 불편하다. 여성 Jon: The final line in the movie was terrible facilities. It’s a problem that is especially unfair 들을 독려하기 위해서는 평등한 문화를 만들어 나가는 수밖에 없다. “you’ll be the same person regard- Nanum: I don’t think it applies to the punk scene only. In any to women, as well as me due to some health problems, scenes, there are far less female musicians active. In our pa- less of what country you’re in.” making these two venues significantly less comfortable triarchal culture, women musicians often choose one of three Why did you choose to end on that? for certain people. The answer I got here was the only choices to survive. First, acting like men and becoming men. Ken: I thought it was important to one that took my question seriously. Second, enduring both obviously visible or invisible men’s vio- leave on some ambiguity. The end- lence against women or objectification of women. Or you just ing was a choice between worrying Broke: I had heard a rumour Dead Gakkahs had broken up be- get away from it. I have been a female punk musician and have about the future of the scene, or sim- cause of frustration with how women are treated in the punk experienced all different types of violence except rape against ply worrying about one’s existence. scene. Was there any truth to that at all? women. I have a question here. How about male musicians? 전율: 데드가카스는 해체한 것이 아니라 드러머가 나간 것이다. 처음 Do they go through these degrading and violent experiences What I think what Jinsuk’s get- 에는 드러머가 나가서 데드가카스를 없애고 새로운 밴드를 할 생각 too because they are male? The culture of the scene itself ting at is it’s impossible to reinvent 이었는데 계속 이어가는 것이 좋다고 판단돼서 미즈노(전 드러머)에 is systematically unfriendly and tough to female musicians as yourself by moving, you have to 게 얘기하고 이어가기로 했다. equality doesn’t exist. It is not a matter of individual choice of have that drive or character that’s 나는(전율) 2016년 1월 공연 후 코가손 드러머 였던 권우석에게 female musicians to be inactive. How can we encourage more been repressed. Leaving a location 성희롱을 당했고 그것을 고발하고 공개사과를 원하는 글을 페이스북 women to show up? We have to change the culture of the scene can remove a lot of pressure on 에 개시했다. 나는 나를 ‘데드가카스의 전율’로 쓰고 권우석에게 ‘코 and promote gender equality in the scene. you, but it’s not going to reinvent 가손’ 이름으로 공식 사과 받기를 원했다. Yurim: Dead Gakkahs was not dismantled, but the drummer Broke: One of the big problems with concert venues is the who you are as an individual. was out. At first, the drummer went out and we thought it would washrooms really aren’t nice. Can you talk about this? Jon: As an expat in Korea I couldn’t be better to go on without the Dead Gakkahs and start a new 나눔: 이성의 몸에 대한 경험이 성별에 따라 여성에게는 당하는 폭력 agree more. band, but I decided to continue talking to Mizno (former drum- 으로, 남성에게는 돈을 내고 구입할 수 있는 쾌락으로 인식된다. 때 Ken: It’s a helluva lot easier for peo- mer). 문에 공용 화장실의 경우 남성은 자연스럽게 성기 노출을 해도 딱히 ple like us to live in Korea because After a performance in January 2016, I was sexually harassed 상관없는 공간이 된다. 나는 그것이 불편하다. 특히 펑크 씬에서 공 there are fewer social constraints. by Kwon Woo-seok, the drummer of Kogason, and accused 연중에 남성이 성기를 노출하고, 화장실에서 볼 일 보는 것을 찍어서 Jon: I meet a lot of westerners here him and demanded an apology on Facebook. I wanted for Kwon 페이스북에 올리고 그런 문화가 있다. 당사자들은 부끄러워 하지 않 Woo-seok to give an official apology on behalf of Kogasan. 는다. 웃는다. 하지만 여성들은 거기서 배제된다. 바로 그 차이를 가 and sometimes I get the feeling 능하게 하는 것이 성별권력관계다. 때문에 이것은 어떤 특정 공연장 they’re trying to escape themselves. Broke: Is the Korean punk scene feminist, or does it have a lot 화장실의 문제가 아니다. 성차별적이고 남성중심적인 화장실 구조의 Ken: Yeah they double down on of the same sexist problems Korean society has? 문제이고 펑크 문화의 문제다. their shittiness. 나눔: 한국의 펑크씬은 페미니스트가 모이지 않았다. 왜냐하면 페미 Nanum: The experience of the body of reason is perceived Jon: Yeah. 니스트 씬이 아니기 때문이다. 펑크의 뿌리도 1세계 백인 비장애인 as violence against women according to sex, pleasure to buy Ken: I would like people that would 시스젠더 헤테로 섹슈얼 남성에게서 시작되었다. 그렇기 때문에 당 money for men. Therefore, in the case of a public restroom, have no interest in this subculture to 연히 펑크씬에는 가부장제 논리가 작동할 수밖에 없다. 한국 펑크씬 men will naturally have no problem even if they expose their 뿐만이겠나? 게다가 세계 어느 펑크씬을 가도 남성이 압도적으로 많 penis. I am uncomfortable with it. Especially in the punk scene, be able to see it and for people that 다. 그 씬 안의 남성들이 만들어가는 문화인데 성차별적이지 않을 수 men are exposed to penis during the performance, and they feel disenfranchised with the country 있다고 생각하는가? 평등이 존재하기 위해서는 약자의 수가 강자의 take a look at the toilet and put it on Facebook. The parties they live in to see people they don’t 수랑 동등한 것에서부터 시작한다고 생각한다. are not ashamed. I smile. But women are excluded from it. It is normally see being inspirational. Nanum: I can’t say that Korean punk scene has been feminist the gender power relationship that makes the difference pos- It’s pretty rare in global media to as not many feminists are in it YET. Punk was started by cis- sible. This is not a problem with any particular venue toilet. see somebody from Korea speak- gender heterosexual Anglo-Saxon white men with no disability It is a sexist, male-centered toilet structure and a problem of ing so openly and humanely. and the punk scene has been rooted and deeply influenced by punk culture.
You join the convoy of farming the police have blockaded the road rather than against it. Okay, I will be patient. GO TO vehicles and pull up into the rocking ahead, halting your progress. “Calm down, good buddy,” says an- PAGE 6 chair. But as you approach Pyeo- “How could they protect her?” other driver. “We’ll get through this once These cops aren’t gonna ngtaek, your front door signals that you rage, albeit from the machine the courts uphold our right to assembly.” stop me. GO TO PAGE 7 5 Pseudotour 3rd-degree Burn Jon Twitch Jon Twitch These guys are coming to Korea, These guys are coming to Ko- and I had the chance to interview rea, and I had the chance to inter- them for work. Little did they know, view them for work. Little did they the same interview would be recy- know, the same interview would cled for a cheap photocopied zine. be recycled for a cheap photocop- But hell, this zine is going out at ied zine. But hell, this zine is going their shows here, so I know they’ll out at their shows here, so I know read it; they have no choice. they’ll read it; they have no choice. Also, I’m going to recycle the in- Also, they’re not getting to keep troduction from Pseudo’s article. Image courtesy of Burn Burn Burn Ken, who’s travelling with them. If Want to know more about them? you don’t know who Ken is, hang Broke: Have you had no reserva- Just ask. your head in shame. tions about getting into bed with a foreign entity called World Domi- Broke: Where did your Korean Broke: How did this tour come nation, Inc? Are you feeling no in- connection come from? about? Something to do with Ken? clination to put America First? How Adam: Drew knew WTM before I Jonathan: we really wanted to do will supporting Korean bands Make was in the band. Years later we this tour ever since we created the America Great Again? got to talking with Jeff about put- band back in high school. this year Adam: We’re BIG TIME now, why ting out a split together. We had we started touring a lot so we fig- focus all our energy on the region just released our EP “Have Fun” ured, why not give it a shot now? we are local to, that devalues art, and had some b-sides from it and ken definitely inspired the push when we could be dominating THE Image courtesy of Robin Kenson they had just recorded some new we needed to go through with it we go away, but that is just be- WORLD? Working with Korean songs so it lined up pretty well. and has been instrumental in the cause they are not used to us being bands (or any international bands we did the same thing with Full whole process. we self booked it away for so long. for that matter) helps share the Garage. It’s super fun doing that with him pretty much. same passion we all have as artists kind of stuff purely through email Broke: Can you tell me about your with different pockets of the world and then being able to put a name Broke: What was it like having Ken expectations for Zandari Fest? that we might not reach if we were to a face when you meet a few around? Also, when will you be Jonathan: i am expecting zandari as just doing it on our own. months later to play shows to- done with him and can we have him a whole to be a networking oppor- gether. back? tunity for us (outside of the awe- Broke: So, what do you know so far As far as us going to Korea, WTM Jonathan: that was our first music some show we will be playing). we of our small scene? came over to tour after the split video so we did not know what to do not get a chance to socialize or Drew: Why the fuck did I pick the came out, and then we did some expect. but it was so much fun (tir- make friends with bands from the hard questions? Look, can we talk work with Full Garage and shows ing, but fun) and we would not have eastern part of the world, mainly about my super cool band and all with Skasucks so I think it just kind had it any other way. ken made the because not a lot of them make it yours? What is this, a job interview? of turned into the right time for us process easy and was really thor- over to the west to our neck of the Fine, Full Garage is a really good to go over, and Jeff said he’d take ough with everything. the man has woods. so we are definitely hoping band, WTM likes pies thrown at em care of all the arrangements so all an amazing skill set. i call it magic. to make some friends coming out of and The Geeks are not so straight- I’ve been doing to prepare to go we spend a bit of time with ken and the fest and will be enjoying some edge anymore. That’s literally all I over is watch a lot of Netflix. whenever he can snap a photo or of the bands that i have been dying know. I plan on watching “Train to Drew: WTM played my house in two he does, he has also shot some to see for a while now. Busan” to learn more. 2010. My roommate wouldn’t let of our most important live shows Broke: You might be tired of peo- Adam: Absolutely nothing, aside Burn Burn Burn play with em be- (our album release, to name one). ple asking about this, but I have to from what Jeff has told me. I’m re- cause we were a new band and, in unfortunately you cannot have ask you guys an ethnicity question. ally excited to eat everything I can his opinion, had been getting too him back. he is ours now. Many times I’ve seen white people, over there. As far as the scene, I much attention. In the end, Jeff most often not punks, have a snob- know the three bands we’ve worked thought I was super handsome and Broke: So, what do you know so bish attitude toward Korean punk, with and listened to the compila- funny and six years later asked if far of (a) Korea and (b) our small like “I don’t really know much tions that WDI has put out. we could do the split 7” together. scene? about this music but it’s from my And now we’re going on tour in Jonathan: so far we understand ko- culture and I understand it better Broke: Did international politics Korea. Suck on that, ex-room- rea to be a fairly free-for-all kind than they do.” Shitty, but let’s be give any of you (or loved ones) any mate! of city (as far as our understanding honest, punk scenes can be pretty hesitation about you coming here? We’ve played with WTM and Ska- goes haha). we are looking forward whitewashed communities, even Adam: I think that the most recent sucks in the US but NOT Full Ga- to a new kind of hustle and bustle in Korea at times. So, is punk a political shitstorm all put us on edge rage. We did however put out their there. “white” genre of music, and do you with how quickly much of it came to record stateside through Adam and as for the scene, all of our friends guys feel like you stick out for be- a head after we booked our flights. my label, Tiny Dragon Music. have told us that it is the cosiest, ing visible minorities playing punk? I know a few of us got the fear that Adam: I thought we played with most welcoming scene and that we Jonathan: punk is a white genre, al- we’d be blocked from entering the them at The Kraken?? will have more fun there than we though there is a very niche under- country. My boss is worried I won’t Drew: Nope. I booked their show do in north america - i hope that ground IBPOC scene that is looking come home. But everyone else has but we didn’t play. is true! we also learned quite a bit to take it and move it away from been so excited and supportive of Adam: WELP about the friendly dynamic from whitewashing. us going over and had nothing but ken’s recent documentary that i definitely feel like we stick out great things to say about South Ko- Broke: So, what are ...Whatever he shot over there. 10/10 scene i in punk. we experienced it over rea and the music scene that all of That Means like on tour? would say! and over at some of the shows we our fears are at rest. Drew: I will tell you Trash needs to played on our recent tour of the US. Drew: Yeah, for the most part stop calling me Andy. Broke: Did international politics as for home - i do not even want to everyone we’ve talked to have Adam: They came to visit me at give any of you (or loved ones) any get in to it haha. we have had our been super supportive and stoked my job one day before I’d actually hesitation about you coming here? worst experiences as minorities in for us. There’s been a few times met any of them and it was a pretty Jonathan: there was a tiny bit of a punk band here in canada. I’ve been asked “Why South Ko- awkward encounter. They’re all su- apprehension, mainly regarding i find if people are not familiar, rea?” And I typically respond with per fun people, and Jeff and Trash things like nuclear unrest and such. they are apprehensive. like you “Cause we’re super cool,” “Cause are married so they have a really other than that, no actual concerns said, a bad attitude to have and one we fucking can!” or “We’re big- cool punk couple thing going on, or hesitation! that has fuelled some of pseudo’s time ballers! That’s just how we very similar to Drew and I. my parents are always sad when work. roll, ya bish!”
You and the rest of the caravan Seoul Administrative Court rules excavator, leaving yourself un- I’ll join this worthy cause. GO TO assemble at the side of the road as that you may proceed on up to Seoul armed against an existential threat. PAGE 8 you listen to the news and wait for to take part in the growing protest Protest is all well and good, but I’ll strike out alone and take my the court decision. It’s a tense movement. However, you will be excavators tear things apart and get chances ahead of the herd. GO TO 6 couple of days, but finally the unable to bring along your trusty things done. PAGE 9 A Message from Club SHARP (Taken without asking from Club 기는 쓰레기통에 버려주고요! There aren’t many punk clubs SHARP’s Facebook) 2. 큰 목소리는 공연장 안에서 공연을 left in Seoul. Let’s help make sure 안녕하세요. 보면서 내주시고(이건 저희 모두에게 SHARP can stick around. 클럽 샤프입니다. 힘이 되는 목소리입니다.) 밖에서는 목 Here are a few things that you 아시다시피 저희가 망원동에 자리를 소리를 최대한 조용하게 부탁드립니다. can do to prevent SHARP from 잡은지 1년이 조금 넘었습니다. 3. 공연장에 나가거나 들어올때 문은 having problems with the neigh- 다름이 아니라 걱정해주시는 민원들 꼭 닫아주세요. bors/police: 에 대해서 말씀드리려고합니다. 4. 화장실은 2층이 아니라 출입문 옆에 1. After smoking, throw the ciga- 일단 저희 클럽 샤프는 평균 1주일에 주차장 쪽에 있습니다. (2층은 클럽 샤 rette butts in the TRASH BIN, not 한번 공연을 하고 있고 혹시 모를 근처 Four police cars responded to com- 프와는 별개의 장소입니다. 운영자도, on the ground. 주민들의 불편을 염두해 처음부터 만든 plaints during the Green Flame 계약자도 전혀 다릅니다.) 2. The most IMPORTANT, hangout 규칙인 ‘늦어도 11시엔 공연을 마친다’ Boys CD release on June 17. 5. 주차가 되지 않습니다. 주차는 근처 on the main road (not in the alley 를 지키기 위해 노력하고 있으며 그 결 라고 생각하고 있었습니다만 주위 주 의 유료주차장을 찾아보셔야 합니다. in front of the club entrance) - You 과 1년이 넘는 동안 10번 이내를 제외 택가에서 지내는 분들께선 그 동안 저 6. 만약 이 글을 보신 분들중 음악을 좋 can help the club by walking a few 한 나머지 공연에선 11시전에 끝마쳤 희 혹은 저희를 대관해주신 분들의 노 아하고, 공연보는걸 좋아하고, 저희의 meters away from the door (keeps 고 그 사이에 생기는 담배꽁초를 비롯 력이 부족하다고 느끼시는것 같다고 이런 문화를 좋아하고, 앞으로 소규모 the noise away from the apart- 한 기타 쓰레기들은 짧게는 세시간에 생각합니다. 공연장 그리고 저희 클럽 샤프가 오랫 ments next door) 서 길게는 여섯시간정도를 하는 공연 그래서 샤프에 오시는 밴드, 관객분 동안 있길 바라신다면 위에 저희의 부 3. Help control the volume outside. 시간동안 틈틈히 쓸어 편의점 사장님에 들 혹은 음악 관계자 분들에게 몇가지 탁을 꼭 들어주시길 바랍니다. 그것과 This can be difficult but is impor- 서 허락을 받아서 쓰고 있는 쓰레기통 부탁을 드리려고 합니다. 동시에 이 글을 많은 분들이 볼수 있게 tant. You can be LOUD as you want 에 버렸습니다. 재떨이를 몇개 만들어 사실 이전에도 계속해왔던 부탁들이 ‘공유’ 부탁드립니다. INSIDE OF CLUB, but we need to 놓기도 했고요. 그리고 바로 클럽 샤프 긴 하지만 한번 더 부탁을 드리자면 정말 어렵게 어렵게 많은 분들의 도 keep it under control outside :) 위에 편의점이나 술집에 도움을 주기위 1. 담배는 샤프랑 관계없는 행인들을 움으로 우리 모두의 공간이 만들어졌 We all want a couple good punk 해서도 그렇고 수익에 피해가 가지않을 위해 큰길가에서 피시거나 저희 문 바 고 또 다른 많은 분들의 도움으로 1년 clubs in this stupid K-pop Korea. 까하는 마음도 있고 저희가 파는 술로 로 앞에서 피시고 꽁초는 꼭 저희 재떨 이나 넘는 시간동안 버텨왔습니다. SHARP is able to avoid the prob- 인한 사고가 없길 원해서 안에서는 저 이에(문 바로 앞에 있습니다.) 버려주 하지만 염치불구하고 또 부탁을 드 lems that drove the punk clubs out 희가 직접 술을 팔지 않고 있었습니다. 시거나 쓰레기통에 버려주세요. (어린 립니다. of Hongdae, so they have the abil- 공연장에 오신 분들은 보셨다시피 공 아이들이 있다면 잠시 꺼주시거나 피 긴글 읽어주신분들 감사합니다. ity to stay open for a long time. We 연날 하루도 안빼고 샤프의 대관 관계 해주시고요. 이건 클럽 샤프에서뿐 아 Basic English Translation of the just need to work together to solve 자나 샤프의 관계자들 몇명이 가능한 니라 다른곳에서도 지켜주시면 감사하 most important points (courtesy of these new problems (aka: don’t 한 최대한의 통제를 하고 있었습니다. 겠습니다. 개인적인 부탁입니다.) 쓰레 World Domination, Inc.): piss off the neighbors). 2 Messages from World Domination, Inc 는 합주실안의 믹서까지 교체까지해가 ist/Bully Studio owner) showed ex- We got it working in a limited way to 며 우리에게 흔.쾌.히 도움의 손길을 보 actly what I mean by that. As most of start the show, but to help make the 내주었습니다. 감사의 마음으로 집으 you know, we were scheduled to have sound better, Avail drove back to 로 달려와 연결하였으나 믹서가 기계 the last 2ndSaturdays show on Satur- his studio and got us a set of special 적인 문제로 작동하지 않자 그때 경순 day. It was an acoustic show on our speaker cables to use for the night. He 이형은 그 소식을 듣고, 우리집으로 한 rooftop and was almost completely stayed for the whole show, helped run 걸음에 달려와 셋팅을 마무리하게 도 sold out in presale tickets. One hour the sound, which freed up Trash and I 움을 주었습니다. 그 임시적인 상황에 before the show was scheduled to to enjoy the night more, and at the end 공연은 일단 다행히 시작할 수 있게 되 start, I turned on our PA mixer, and it of the night, he refused to accept any 었고, 그 사이 경순이형은 문제를 파악 exploded. We were freaking out. How money from us. He said he was glad 한 후 다시 합주실로 달려가 우리가 필 were we going to fix this problem in to help us have a great last 2ndSat- 요한 장비를 다시 또 가져와서 정확하 just one hour?? We called Avail, and urdays. THAT, to me, is how a punk 게 믹서와 스피커가 둘다 제대로 작동 he offered to lend us an extra mixer scene is supposed to work. So thanks Image “borrowed” from WDI 할 수 있도록 재정비를 해주었습니다. from his practice studio. When we again, Avail. You saved the night in a 많은 해들 동안, 수많은 사람들이 저 모든 문제가 해결되고, 경순이형은 were having trouble getting it to work, spectacular way! 에게 펑크락”씬”의 의미가 무어냐 물 다시 합주실로 돌아가도 되는데도 불 he came to our house to help set it up. Jeff 어왔어요. 전 한결같이 대답하기를, “ 구, 공연까지 다 남아서 공연을 즐기며 당연히 펑크뮤직과 공연을 동일시하 사운드엔지니어까지 자처해주어, 결과 게 둘다 사랑하는 마음을 가져야하고, 적으로 저와 쓰렉이 신경써야 할 부분 그 열정은 다른 어느것보다 더 큰 사 인 사운드까지 본인이 케어해주었습니 랑을 가져야해. 그리고 또한 펑크라는 다. 덕분에 저와 쓰렉은 한결 자유롭 테두리안에서 서로가 성공하기를 기원 게 공연을 더욱 즐겁게 즐길수있었고 하며 기쁜맘으로 자신을 투자하며 상 요. 우리는 감사한 마음에 소정의 금 대방과 서로를 돕는 것도 의미해.”라 액이라도 전달하려했으나 극구 사양하 고 답해주죠. 면서 웃으며 마지막 세컨세터데이즈를 지난 주말, 우리의 친구, Avail로 알 돕는게 너무 기쁘다고 말하며 합주나 려진 안경순형(레이지본, 브리게이드 하러와! 라고 하더군요. ㅎㅎ 그 순간, 베이스/불리 합주실 오너)은 제가 항 펑크가 이렇게 우리를 만들어주고 이 상 말해온 ‘펑크씬의 의미’를 정확하게 어주는구나! 라고 다시한번 깨닫게 되 스스로 보여준 사람이었습니다. 었습니다. 여러분도 알다시피, 저희 마지막 세 다시한번 감사해요. 경순형. 그날을 컨세터데이즈는 성공적으로 예매를 기 무사히 마치게 해준 판타스틱 영웅같은 록하며 준비에 임하고 있었습니다. 존재여!!! -WDI, 세컨새터데이즈 제프 공연 시작 한시간 전, 제가 모든 사운 Over the years, many people have 드를 주관하는 마스터 믹서를 켜는 순 asked me what it means to be a punk 간 연기와함께 믹서가 터져버리는 일 rock “scene.” I always answer that 이 발생했습니다. 저와 쓰렉은 패닉해 of course it means we all have that 버렸죠!! 이걸 어떻게 고치지? 공연 한 same love of the music and shows, but 시간전이면 관객입장은???? 정말 “어 it’s more than that. It also means that 쿠스틱”으로 진행해야하는건가? we’re invested in helping each other 우린 고민끝에 급하게 경순이형께 전 be successful. This past weekend, our 화를 했고, 그는 우리에게 운영하고있 friend Avail (레이지본 lazybone bass- This is not the time for mod- you this far and approaching road access. You power through tion. One of them tases you and eration. You pound forward on the police line. The riot police and try to flip one over with your you’re done. the excavator controls, surging scramble, but behind them are shovel, but as you work on this ahead of the convoy that brought their buses lined up to cut off the police overwhelm your posi- THE END 7 Remembering Hongdae Playground Whenever I go to Hongdae these see other foreigners there after the pack of fireworks and letting him kids could have a turn. Once, we days, I feel like I’m trapped in a subways closed. fire them at me. tried to follow him home. He led us Michael Hurt street photograph of The following summer, it became We had to call off the firefights af- all the way to Sangsu-dong where young girls dressing conspicuous- more popular. But still it was the ter one incident, in which the play- he must’ve noticed us and ran off. ly. Things have changed so much. punk place, especially our corner ground was very crowded. A stray And there was Jimmy, a loveable My first time coming to Hongdae of it. As it got crazier, it became bold ricocheted and exploded right guy with a mental handicap. Plus, in December 2003, it was a quieter, less friendly to our Korean punk next to the ear of a random girl. the makgeolli man who would show residential area, with plenty of af- friends, but the foreign punks had A less violent thing we did was up and sell cheap makgeolli for too fordable restaurants and bars. As no problem hanging out there, bring out permanent markers every cheap. summer arrived, we began hang- holding onto something we consid- time someone fell asleep. My fa- Gradually, around the turn of the ing out more and more in Hong- ered a quintessential aspect of the vourite thing to do was when a decade, the playground started dae Playground. I recall in April Korean punk experience. skinhead passed out, draw on the to fill up with normal people and 2004 seeing a concert there with We continued with our antisocial back or top of his head, which he there were events that displaced several familiar punk bands, in- behaviour even as the playground might not notice until someone tells punks. The same cover band would cluding the Geeks, Popstore, Half surged in popularity with normal him. We tried to colour in the face play the same covers every week. Brothers (featuring future King- people. of Jin-yong of Christfuck, making There were rappers. And there ston Rudieska frontman Sugar). Late at night, we would hold fight him black. I thought things went too was the silent disco, where eve- Generally in those days, you could clubs, attempting to create a safe far one night when a homeless guy ryone gets earphones and dances wander through any time and see place for combatants to duke it fell asleep in the park and someone along to music only they can hear. punks sitting there, mostly around out just to see what would happen. drew on his face. Around 2011 maybe, some punks the corner next to the playground I recall seeing Verv take on two The playground attracted many banded together to form the “Purge equipment. guys at once, who bested him, and strange characters. There was the Movement,” primarily to organ- While teasing my Austral- one tense fight between Verv and crazy park lady who clearly had ise punk shows in the playground ian friends, I decided to name the Broke co-founder Paul Mutts in mental problems. She’d come to and “purge” it of those elements. equipment “Good Australia,” sort which they just circled each other the playground to drink and bring Ultimately, the more we tried to of based on how on “King of the and never did anything, and anoth- her small, sad dog. She knew a de- preserve the playground through Hill,” Hank’s dad has a baby son er fight between Verv and an older cent enough amount of English to declarations and territorial claims, and names him “Good Hank.” skinhead who gave him a bloody harass us — “Do you like Korean the more we failed. Typically, we would congregate nose. I took on Burke in more of a girl?” — and there were always ru- The playground was recently ren- in the playground, go to a show at grappling match once, and it ended mours about who would sleep with ovated, taking out the playground Skunk, and come back to the play- badly when a third friend interfered her. One guy who will go unnamed equipment (which itself had been ground. Sometimes we would go to supposedly on my behalf. actually left the playground with built only a few years earlier, re- a restaurant after a show, and in- When it was discovered we could her, but claims he realised shortly placing Good Australia). It also re- evitably end up in the playground. I easily purchase roman candle fire- after that she was crazy and ran moved a lot of the bench seating still recall one night in August 2004 works from a nearby convenience out on her. and plant areas, creating a wider when I went to Itaewon to see Mad store, we began holding late-night There was the swing kid, a guy open space. The public washroom, Professor, then came back to dis- “Harry Potter” fireworks battles. in his early 20s maybe who would declared in 2002 or 2003 the best cover the playground full of punks Often I would climb up on top of come to the playground every day of the city, now looks like a medi- all night. We stayed there until the Hongdae Playground washroom to swing on the swings. He’d go re- eval fortress cladded in wood bars, sunrise. That summer, much of the where I could safely snipe off the ally high, for long periods of time, with big sharp intimidating spikes equipment was still new, and it was others. Once, a bolt from a ro- and had the biggest smile on his on top to prevent anyone from get- considered clean enough you could man candle exploded too close to face. Usually it would end when ting onto the roof. just lie down anywhere and sleep Verv’s skin, creating a burned hole the park nazi, an elderly man at It’s no longer the playground we on the crushed-old-tires rub- resembling a bullethole in a nice the senior community center there, remember fondly. ber ground or on the benches, or new white polo shirt. I apologised came out and blew his whistle to on Good Australia. It was rare to on his birthday, by buying him a get him off the swing so younger It was 2004 when I first went to the play Once upon a time, there’s Punks, - - When I first discovered the music and bar scene in Hongdae ground. So did my experience in skunkhell Skinheads, Anarchists, Commu - back in fall of 2006 the logical first step when trying to meetup began. What an era! The cooliest thing about nists, Soldiers, Lumpen, Home with people was to choose a common place that was easy to the place is that I always could meet some- less.. they were friends in a small find and also close to most things. Corners around subway one I knew at that time. No matter when, there park. Anyone you can imagine terminals were the obvious choice but were so congested with was always someone I knew to hangout with. possibly be friended together at other people doing the same thing that a new place seemed Back in time, there was this mexican restau- Hongdae playground. That was to be begging to be found. Venues and Clubs that I would rant called Casa Maya right in front of it. I used very interesting to me. I saw many - frequent like Skunk Hell, Free Bird, Ta, FF, DRUG, and Spot to go there with Jesse and he used to have his bands come and go. A unexplaina were all close by and always needed a place to gather either magarita as to go and enjoyed it in the play ble culture was there. I met a punk - - before or after an event and Hongdae Park was just the logical ground. Come to think of it, it was a bit weird boy who were interest about An spot. It only remained a meeting place for a short time before that the nursing home was located in there. I’m archism. He brought me to many - growing into so much more. We would scrounge up cardboard sure the old might have suffered from noise gigs of 99 angers, Suckstuff, As to sit on the ground, leaning against the ever changing wall from young lads a lot. Kudos to them! Now I no signment 27, Captain boot boys, murals on the grounds building, pick up some Soju, beer and longer go there though(Im not in Korea now), Rux, Blue Punk bugs, No brain, street snacks at the close at hand food carts and convenience that place bring me this nostalgic memory as Lazybone... and Yes, Crying nut. - stores and have a great time enjoying the nightlife around us. I spent most of my weekend there. All those I feel sad when I try to remem If we were very fortunate we would even be visited but the punk gigs and hanging out in the playground ber back then because the time friendly and generous Makgeolli Man who would shower us consoled me countless times. It made me feel will never come back again. I miss with more bottles of Makgeolli and cups then we knew what as if I am a cool kid. Makgoli ajjossi, lady with friends of Hongdae but some of to do with. There was also a great chance for random new pipe, I miss them too. Sometimes fight hap - them are changed and they aren’t people to meet in these times, some that became friends and pened. Sometimes shit happened. But most of them I used to know anymore. Miss others who were just strange one of kind people who you- the time I was happy. I wonder what I would you buddy. Miss you Hongdae. just never forget for better or worse. To give just one spe have became if I didn’t know its existence. I cific memory of the park is difficult since it was just so apart would be someone different. Now I am 30 and Maybe around 2015 being taught of almost every weekend I was in Seoul from 2006 to 2010. time flied so fast. I won’t be able to feel the “proper” knife fighting by a super There was almost always something happening there whether same feeling I had in the playground anymore. sketchy Russian guy who claimed to it be live bands, magic shows, dance offs, people selling their But I still have this bit of affection left toward have fought against the Chechens. He own brands of clothes or other interesting items but what I went as far as showing us his scars all the place for sure. By the way, Casa Maya remember most was watching the sunrise on many occasions- reopened in Nonhyun. You should go. Thanks! over his torso from being stabbed or after long nights of fun, the laughter, a few tears and espe otherwise. cially the comradery that was had. Peaceful civil disobedience should your excavator through the streets, pointing to the prosecutors’ office. I came here to kill Choi Soon-sil. be enough to get the job done, you heading north, as you’re joined by That’s where they’re keeping Choi GO TO PAGE 10 hope. Once you arrive in Seoul with more and more marchers. Soon-sil! Or you could follow along I’ll go with the flow. GO TO PAGE 8 the other protesters, you drive On the way, you see a street sign with the crowd. 25 We got married in Hongdae Park...
My favorite (anonymous) That park used to be so quiet before memory of that park is when Jon the 희망시장 made it a madhouse. the old convenience store there Twitch stocked 5,000 won bottles on It turns gin and Canada Dry tonic. out that Tel likes to get into charac- Now there's a party! ter for KJP47, which made it a little hard to understand what he’s going For a couple of years there were a rotating group of peo I remember pulling out cardboard boxes for here. Which...could be good? At ple that basically do a real life Fight Club on random weekends from the stacks of garbage to sit on the first I thought he was trying to sound there. Fairly quickly it became monetized and they would offer- ground where the playset is now. we used like a Korean who isn’t great at 1-3 minutes of fighting with options for fighting the “champion” to sit and/or sleep there after shows on the English, but it seems more he’s just one handed or at 100%. The longest running fighter was a pro weekend. I think it was one of the Korea/ working on sounding feral. KJP47 boxer that knew how to put on an entertaining show. Drunken Japan Unity ska shows and there were about sounds like it’s more a spontane- punters trying to impress their girlfriends would be able to show 20+ people sleeping in the park on card ous attempt to get as violent as their bravery as he deftly dodged their wild swings for 2 minutes. - board. possible on stage and otherwise I and some friends would occassionally spar with those guys and completely wing it. Also, pretty it really brought a typical Saturday night out to a new level. destructive. Good thing the band I first came upon guys bringing head gear a pair of gloves and In 2005, I was 21, there was an art dis- has Yuying in it, because you’ll offering to spar with people around 2012/2013? I think around play that was a booth where you were never get banned from GBN Live 2014-2015 it became much more of a regular thing with signs, supposed to be filmed using a q-tip. I House. I asked Tel some ques- prices, timers, etc. thought this was the dumbest thing that tions online, shortly beforeI rememberdoing when the park was I’d ever seen, so I took a piss inside the the Chadburger interview.a punkAfter territory. around 2006, booth. They weren’t pleased. he sent me the answers, he apol- there were many fight between One time a couple of my bandmates and I went to Monster Pizza. We were ogised and promised not to be in punks and clubgoers(hip hop, pretty darn hammered. I got 2 or 3 slices, as did one of my bandmates. My character for the other interview. maybe). and literally, the park other bandmate wanted to buy a whole pizza, we kept telling him it was too was a second home. some much. But he kept saying “I want a whole pizza.” He was warned, neverthe - punks don’t go back home and less, he persisted. Obviously, he couldn’t finish it, and having already eaten my stay there for days. and some own slices, I couldn’t help. So we just wandered around the park giving away punks from outside seoul used pizza to some people. to sleep at a park and some John’s Park Memories, in no particular times they broke into a silver- order are: 1. Jimmy hall(경로당). 2. Verv fighting randoms speaking of... somebody better submit an account of System 3. The huge turnout for HCGC at the They were Fucker’s vocalist climbing that tent-like covering and freak Play Out Festival auctioning dates 4. Random escapes to play Battlefield ing out all the normies with guys for a - 5. Any night that involved a trip to he ‘dived’ (meaning, carefully fell) off it onto the audience Carnage Station cause of sorts, if my memories of those shows are damaged by my bag (and 6. Eric’s Carhartt Muumuu Verv’s) being stolen... which was followed by me getting 7. Space Morgan 3000 I recall pissed off and smashing some lighttubes, which you then in 8. Getting recruited to fight a jerk who advertently guilt-tripped me into sweeping up ended up being me I was there a few weeks ago - 9. Running into someone you knew and people were still hanging pretty much 24/7 out but the playground equip In 2010-11 there was a regular 10. Meeting so many hilarious, tal - ment was gone and the bath “Silent Disco” on a lot of week- I think I’ve had ented, smart, unique, and influencial in- - ends that was interesting. Random some pre-show dividuals - rooms had paneling outside to people doing fire spinning, random anxiety poops there. Unqualified for the park, but still a discourage graffiti but would musicians (usually hip hop guys Amazingly, there (foggy) memory was something that in definitely encourage climbing. volved New York Fries, doing free style raps) perform was always toilet - - Skinhead Grant, Ryan B, a special ing, etc. a lot of of the bigger pub paper to be found?? ring, a lighter, and some branding. crawls would end or start there so A few months ago I saw a construction i have so many memories of that crew there, laying bricks and whatnot. I park overrun with drunk santas, I met the members of Yuppie Killer there for the stoop there by one of the entrances for zombies, toga clad people. first time. It was fall 2013 and my first time in the probably 10 minutes, constantly with my park. I had a pin for the Canadian band Fucked Up middle finger raised. Watched Soundbox (Sound- on my jacket and Ian White started a conversation Edit: it was around 9am and I was com- pletely wasted. jam? The rapping, tapping, with me about it. After forming Food for Worms a - year later we went on to play a lot of shows to beatboxing, wooden-box-beat - The hongdae playground has been such a clas ing group that performed there gether. I also remember watching fire jugglers and - dance offs. sic staple of refuge for Party on throughout the most weekends)... years I’ve known it. Too many memories to count. We’re talking high school stomping grounds (1999) I’m stumped for top tales. My dearest high I saw an amateur boxer rock up into- My memory of that night is fuzzy, just like most school doug ran away and stayed in the hong- the park and charge people money to weekend nights back then in 2007. All I remember dae park for a school week, he and his girlfriend box him. He handicapped himself us - is some trouble makers, maybe Jon and Verv (again, found the key to what I believe was a senior citi- ing only defense, 1 arm, or both arms. fuzzy memory) decided that it would be a good idea zens lounge at the time under a kimchi pot and I thought he was such a rad bad dog. So many pals Price varied according to the handi to start a bonfire on the edge of the park close to so many shows so many beers and makgoli so cap. Spot. We gathered around and enjoyed the fire until some (responsible) old bastard came over and an many sorrow so many fun. Been sold on hongdae - park from da start...... 3 words-Crazy Park Lady. grily put the fire out. Apparently it was a bad idea!
You rock into the capital, your ing a tool as merciless as the enemy you must stop, Choi or the I’ll strike at Choi Soon-sil at the shovel weapon poised to strike. brutal way she controlled your president? You’re probably only Prosecutors’ Office GO TO PAGE 10 It is time to carry out Choi country. going to get one shot at this before I’ll go straight to Cheong Soon-sil’s death sentence us- But where to attack? Who is the they stop you. Wa Dae. GO TO PAGE 13 9 Meet Daegu’s Skaleton Crew Kyle Decker
I think it’s pretty safe to say that Skaleton is currently Daegu’s only ska-punk band. Starting in 2015, Skaleton has managed to hold on in the choppy waters that is the Daegu music scene. I sat down for coffee with drummer Kim HyungSub and lead guitarist and band leader Heo YoungMin to talk about the band’s history, future plans, and the cur- rent state of punk in their home city
Broke: Let’s start easy. Everyone please introduce themselves. HyungSub: I’m HyungSub, 29, and I play drums in Skaleton. And I’m pharmacist. He is YoungMin, 21, and he is the guitarist and leader of the band.
Broke: How did the band get started? Image courtesy of Skaleton Sucks style? the melody line are written by him HyungSub: Did you understand YoungMin: I really like punk mu- HyungSub: Yeah. But after using (YoungMin). any of that? sic and wanted to have many per- the synth he found wants the brass formances. So we formed a band section again. So we got those Broke: This is kind of a big- Broke: You plan to make an al- because I like punk music. members again. ger, multi-part question. What are bum, play more out of town gigs, Broke: I heard the show you have your thoughts on the Daegu music and try to get a spot in the festival? Broke: Skaleton is obviously a this weekend (March 25) will be scene now? Many bands seem to be HyeonSub: This year he wants to pun on ska and skeleton. Was the the last one with the keyboard. breaking up or on pause, and two make an album. He wants to play name or band inspired The Skel- Hyungsub: Yes. That’s right. venues just closed. Like, Retro City Seoul and Busan. And next year we etones? Meena will go back to her own band and Urban just closed. Why do you want to get into New Generation of HyungSub: Yes, you’re right. Be- (Drinking Boys and Girls Choir). think that is? Ska Festival. If we feel we can. cause at first we were all so skinny. HyungSub: So, not just bands but Really. Like, no fat. So he (Young- Broke: Whenever I have seen you mean stages? Broke: Where will you record Min) used Skaleton. Because it’s you guys perform you are always Broke: Yeah. And bands. Ko- your album? ska-punk and skeleton fused. telling jokes or doing your little rean bands and foreigner bands. It YoungMin: Daejeon. At Burning “Skaleton!” pose. seems there’s a lot less today than Hepburn’s studio. Broke: What bands have inspired (Both laugh) a year or two ago. you? Hyungsub: You remember! HyungSub: We’re such a minor Broke: Cool. They would be fa- YoungMin: Spiky Brats. They (laughs) genre. So people don’t really like miliar with your sound. They would showed me the attraction of punk this music so much. So we can’t in- know how to record you. music. Broke: What type of feeling crease it. HyungSub: He is familiar with HyungSub: I like jazz music. So do you want people to have at a Broke: I feel ya. So why do you them. I usually listen to Oscar Peterson, Skaleton show? play music? And why ska-punk? Anything else you like to add? the jazz pianist. My Chemical Ro- YoungMin: I don’t want it to be Especially since not a lot of other YoungMin: There’s so many good mance also. My favorite emocore a serious music performance. I just people like it. Why do you still do bands and music. So, please take band want people to see the fun of the it? an interest in them. Not just us but music. So it can be very amusing. YoungMin: It’s such a unique other punk bands. Like Food for Broke: How has Skaleton changed An amusing thing. genre. It’s amusing. So I like that Worms! over the years? Because, how long genre. (All laugh) ago did you start? Last year? 2015? Broke: How do people usually Ha. Thank you. Also, there’s HyungSub: One year and two respond to ska-punk in Korea? It Broke: What are Skaleton’s plans Roach Seventy-Three now. An- months? doesn’t seem to be a popular genre for the future? Will you ever try to other Daegu punk band. Broke: One year and two months? in Korea. I mean I know SkaSucks, play at Team New Generation of (Confused silence) Youngmin: No. It was longer. We Burning Hepburn, Lazy Bone, and Ska Festival in August? Roach chil-sib-sam? started in 2015. you guys. So... HyungSub: Team...? Both: Ahhhhhh! HyungSub: Oh. I’m sorry. Nearly (everyone laughs) YoungMin: New Generation of YoungMin: (explains to HyungSub two years. Since 2015. April. I might be forgetting one or two. Ska Festival. Ska, punk, reggae in Korean) But how do people normally react festival in the summer. HyungSub: Ah. I thought Roach Broke: Yeah, I was about to say to that kind of music in Korea? Broke: You guys would be a good Seventy-Three is unfamiliar Eng- I could have sworn you’d been to- YoungMin: So many people think fit for it. lish word. gether longer than that. At least it’s too noisy music. When we play HyungSub: He knows it well. I I heard they wrote some songs two or close to three. You’ve been Club HEAVY the building owner don’t know about it so much. together like 10 years ago, but around almost as long we (Food for comes down and says “Why is it so Broke: It’s awesome. I’ve been to didn’t do anything since then and Worms) have. So how has the band noisy in here?” the last three. just started playing again in No- changed? Have there been new Broke: Yeah, we’ve had the po- HyungSub: ...I’m sorry. What was vember. members? New sound? lice called on us a couple of times the question? YoungMin: Yeah. YoungMin: At first we started at Food for Worms shows. So some (All laugh) Broke: So now there’s like... five with a brass section. Trombone similar reactions. Broke: The question was, “What punk bands in Daegu? So, that’s was included. But I wanted to have are the band’s plans for the fu- nice. a synth. But there was some trou- Broke: What is your process for ture?” Will you record an album? (All Laugh) ble. So trombone was out, trumpet making songs? Does one person Do more out of town shows? Will Broke: Thank you very much, was out. So I got a synth (played write all of the music or does each you try to get a spot in that fes- gentleman. Those are all the ques- by Bae Meena). So we changed that person write their own part? tival? tions I have. part. HyungSub: Vocalist (Lee Dong- YoungMin: (speaking quickly in HyungSub: Thank you. Let’s Broke: So it was more of a Ska- Gun) writes the lyrics. And most of Korean) make a show together soon. You arrive outside the Pros- property. gas grenade at you, but it bounces What will you do now? ecutors’ Office early in the morn- As you drive toward the front of off your vehicle and hits him in the ing, and drive your excavator right the building, a security guard ap- head, knocking him down. He still I’ll press on. GO TO PAGE 11 10 through the front gate onto its pears in your path. He fires a tear has fight in his eyes though. I’ll help him. GO TO PAGE 12 Scratch and Sauce Jon Twitch for KOREAN ska, reggae. NST & The Soul Sauce is a They provide only flight fee collaboration of many local mu- and hotel fee (only perform- sical heavyweights, from Noh ing day; we’re gonna have two Seon-teck formerly of Windy days). City and Smiley Song formerly But it should be paid by band of I&I Djangdan, to Lee Jong- money first, and after we come min of Kiha and the Faces and back KOCCA will check how Oh Jeong-seok of Kingston was it then reimburse the band. Rudieska, and that’s only half of this innovative band’s lineup. Broke: How well did your per- The sense is this is a passion formance at the festival go? project for some great accom- Oh: As you know, Sierra Ne- plished musicians feeling pi- vada World Music Festival geonholed and looking for a hosts some of the world’s best creative outlet. Which I still as- reggae musicians. We want- sert is unfair to those bands as ed to play our own style and they are still great. show them Korean reggae. As They recently went to the US for the performance, the sound for Sierra Nevada World Music NST & The Soul Sauce meet Lee Scratch Perry, fourth from right. system was great. I think their Festival, sharing the stage with culture. I think it makes a differ- enough quality to me. Will engineeers are tuned into reg- many legendary reggae musi- ent sound, like food cultures. “When Tigers Smoked” impress gae music, which made it very cians, and performing two extra me more? comfortable for us on the stage. shows sharing the bill with Lee Broke: In a short time, NST NST: Song for Rico is dedi- We played a little early, but the Scratch Perry. I had to ask. and the Soul Sauce has re- cated to Rico Rodriguez. The reaction to our performance I interviewed NST just as he ceived a lot of attention over- new album “Back When Tigers was overwhelming because so was jumping on the plane, and seas. I’ve been surprised, es- Smoked” has each member’s many people came to talk to us then I interviewed trumpet pecially considering Kingston attitude. I guess, you felt that. afterwards. I almost felt like a player Oh Jeong-seok right af- Rudieska hasn’t been as openly star from the audiences reac- ter he got back. embraced. Why do you think Broke: I understand there is a tion to us. Of that, many times people are so excited by your US version of the album and a I heard from people that they Broke: The members of your band? Korean one. How are they dif- predict we will play at the fes- band have pretty impressive NST: Band music has big en- ferent? tival again. music careers already. I would ergy! Each bands have different NST: The US version’s cover We brough almost about 400 almost describe it as a super- own energy. That is the point has a more deep Oriental flavor. CDs almost sold out. group, except usually super- enjoy band music. Sadly, Kore- The Korean version cover will groups aren’t as good as their an Music market is going to no be ‘vivid.’ haha Broke: What was it like meet- individual members. How do good way. but I expect it’s get- ing Lee Scratch Perry? you guys come together to ting better. Kingston Rudieska Broke: The song “Riding a Oh: It was amazing experience make music? is going to beat the world soon! Jorang Horse” is one of my to play with such such an iconic NST: I think NST & The Soul favourites. What is a “jorang and influencial musician like Lee Sauce is not a “Supergroup,” Broke: When I arrived in Korea horse”? Scratch Perry. We’ve been lis- but I am sure The Soul Sauce in 2003, nobody ever thought NST: Jorang horse is one of tening to his music for a long members are unique like pi- this country could have reggae the landmarks of Jeju Island. time, and I think every reggae rates. music. Do you think NST and 1000 years ago, the Mongolian musician in existence has been I learned from my team mem- the Soul Sauce will make peo- empire attacked Korea. They influenced by Lee Perry in some bers. They really love reggae ple see Korea differently? And left their horses in Korea. way, so it was really meaningful and ska music, of course groove if so, how will they view it, or Actually, the same species of for us. music for dance. They love bass does that not concern you? Mongolian horse... Oriental cul- better than me, basically re- NST: This is a difficult... but ture — Nomad culture, natural Broke: What other interesting spect lowfi sounds... That why good question! farming etc... — the message is things happened on the tour that I captured them. When I play Reggae music comes from Ja- ‘live all together’ so want to talk should I know about? music with The Soul Sauce, I’m maican roots and culture. I re- about this through the “route of Oh: I didn’t realize Californian always happy! spect the reggae sound but I nomad” ... From Jeju Island to people were so kind. They were The new album came out like a don’t follow Jamaican roots and Western capitalism riding rid- so welcoming to us and really baby born to the world. culture because I am Korean. dim. responded positively to our mu- When Koreans accept high sic. After we finished playing, I Broke: Performing with Lee level sound culture, people en- Broke: One other important got so much feedback from the Scratch Perry sounds like a joy that, Korean music is going question, sorry. Is your US tour audience about how impressed very big step. How do you feel to beat the world music market! sponsored or supported by any they were with Korean reggae. about it? Then NST & The Soul Sauce Korean government agencies or Many people didn’t realize that NST: Honored... But I want to is not going to stop for it! NGOs? (culture ministry, KOC- reggae music existed in Korea, show him another sound from CA, etc) so I was happy to bring some Far East Asia. Broke: I’ll be honest, “Songs NST: Yes. Korean government attention to the Korean reggae I am living in different roots and for Rico” didn’t sound good agency. But I think it is so weak scene. You keep going, and he gets back whirring. cent life in your pursuit of justice, her power, sentences you to onto his feet and steps into your You get caught in the front door- you end up turning popular opin- death for mutiny. You are given path. way of the office, and another secu- ion against the prosecution of Choi a tiny cell filled with leftist art- With one swipe of your shovel, rity guard swoops in and manages and the president, and there is not ists to live out the last of your you knock him aside and continue to tase you. You’re immobilised and enough popular support to carry on days. on up the front steps of the Pros- arrested. the case. ecutors’ Office, your tank treads As you have taken an inno- The president, unimpeded in THE END 11 Champing at the bit5 Jon Twitch vol.1”입니다. “Sadman I’ve been meaning to interview the Movie”란 무엇입니 Pigibit5 for years, but due to their 까? infrequent concerts, I could never Pigibit5: 친구가 제작하기 tell if they were still together. Then 로 했었던
Broke: On Bandcamp, Pigibit5 is classified as a “noise pop, punk band.” Since this is for a punk zine, can you please explain what makes Pigibit5 a punk band? Bandcamp에 서 Pigibit5는 “잡음 팝, 펑크 밴드”로 분류됩니다. 이것은 펑크 마인을위한 것이므로 Pigibit5를 펑크 밴드로 만드 는 이유를 설명해 주시겠습니까? Pigibit5: 작곡방식이나 멜로디메이킹 은 아마도 일반적인 펑크 밴드와는 전 혀 다를지도 모르지만, 기본적으로 우 리는 펑크음악의 거친 사운드와 미니멀 한 밴드구성에 큰 영향을 받았기 때문 입니다. 따져보자면 펑크음악의 사운드를 가 진 챔버팝 밴드 정도가 적당할수도 있 겠네요. The composition method and the melody making may be quite differ- ent from the general punk band, but basically we are influenced by the rough sound of the punk music and Pigibit5 perform in Hongdae Playground in 2013 for Play Out Festival. Just behind them, the minimal band composition. Heimlich County Gun Club was playing at the same time. You jump out of your excavator ask. “Dammit, tell me where!” filled with holding cells. You use around you. and run to his side. “She’s at a detention center just your shovel to pry open the wall, Well, that was satisfying, but was “I’m afraid...I don’t have much up the road,” he wheezes, point- uncovering Choi Soon-sil in there, it worth it? You killed her. Is there time,” he says. ing his finger in the direction you sitting on the bed talking on the any fight in you left, or will you sur- “Look, I’m sorry about that, but have to go before collapsing in your phone, probably to her daughter render to the police? the future of the country rides on arms, this time for good. about horses. She looks up at you what I do next,” you say. You jump back in your excavator in horror, but you know this is what Yes, onward to Cheong Wa Dae to “So, you came to kill Choi Soon- and head in the direction the guard she wanted, deep down. You use the finish the job! GO TO PAGE 13 sil?” he chuckles, spitting up blood. pointed. shovel of your excavator to mash Ha ha ha! So what? Do anything “She isn’t even here.” The road leads to an unimpres- her into paste, all the while the you want to me now! I killed Choi 12 “Then where is she?” you sive building, more of a dormitory police take up defensive positions Soon-sil! GO TO PAGE 31 Vadding Seoullo 7017 Jon Twitch 습니다. 말씀하신 장면은 T1과 찬이 만 I’ve already published my 나 춤을 추는 고고장씬인데 여기서 노 thoughts on Seoullo 7017, so why 동법을 깨우친다는 그런 상상의 장면 not ask someone else what he 이기도 합니다. 중요한 장면이기에 좀 thinks about it? 낯설은 곳에서 하고 싶었습니다. 서울 Han Vad staged multiple perfor- 로의 공간 중에서 그곳이 가장 상상적 mances shortly after the elderly 인 공간이라고 생각했습니다. 횡단보 overpass was reopened as a pub- 도에 나가서 춤추려는 의도는 처음엔 lic park. His mobile performances 없었습니다만 자연스레 그곳으로 나아 consist of him trucking around a 가게 되었습니다. sound system on a cart, while he 그러한 것을 처음부터 의도하지는 않 sings into a headset and dances 았습니다만 and just generally explores the ur- 자연스레 그 장소에서 춤을 추는 것 ban environment. Seoullo 7017 was 으로 그런 의미-보행자의 춤출권리? built perfectly for his performance 걷다가 춤추는-또한 생성된 것 같습 style. 니다. The area around Seoul Station 여공들의 코러스가 T1을 만나러 계 has been in flux since the end of 단위로 올라가는 장면이 그 전에 있는 2015, as the overpass closure and 데개인적으로 가장 좋아하는 장면이기 reconstruction inconvenienced us 도 합니다. all and changed the nature of the 야마가타 트윅스터로 공연할 때 실제 surrounding areas. The overpass, 로 도로를 점령하는 경험을 많이 해 보 which once ferried trucks and de- Han Vad gets on the ledge over Seoullo 7017 as people (in- 았기 때문에 livery scooters between Namdae- cluding cops [jk, cops aren’t people]) watch from below. 그것이 일종의 해방감을 선사하리라 mun Market and working-class 도시개발학자는 ‘도심회춘’이라고 ‘젠 about in a documentary created 는 생각은 했었던 것 같습니다. Malli-dong, changed the nature of 트리피케이션’을 번역하여 낙후된 동 just before Malli-dong disappears I moved around almost all the these places. 네를 재탄생시켰다고 공언하기도 합 due to redevelopment.) places on Seoullo. The places in I attended one of Han Vad’s per- 니다. (만리동이 재개발로 사라지기 직 I feel that the land prices in near- my performance are the scenes of formances as part of “Malli-dong 전에 만들어진 다큐멘터리에서 그렇게 by neighborhoods of Ahyeon-dong, the imagination where T1 and Chan Missing You” (wordplay on a word 이야기합니다.) Gongdeok-dong, and Yongsan are meet and dance, and it is the scene for a type of sewing machine found 주변동네인 마포구 아현동, 공덕동, rocking due to Seoullo. We feel that of the imagination that enlightens there, and the English phrase) and 용산구 서계동 땅값이 ‘서울로’로 인하 rent is rising. Jungnim-dong is re- labor law here. I wanted to do it in interviewed him by email after. 여 요동치고 있는 것을 느낍니다. 임대 named as Jungnimdan-gil, and the a somewhat strange place because 료가 상승하고 있는 것을 느끼고 있습 neighborhood bakery I liked and it is an important location. I thought Broke: What do you think of Seoul- 니다. 중림동은 아예 중리단길이라 명 frequented also suddenly disap- it was the most imaginary space lo 7017? Is it a good project or are 명하고 있으며, 제가 좋아하고 자주가 peared recently. in Seoul. I did not intend to go out there problems? 서울로7017에 대해 던 동네 빵집도 최근에 갑자기 사라졌 on the crosswalk and dance, but I 어떻게 생각하십니까? 좋은 프로젝트 습니다. Broke: The best part of your Malli- naturally went there. 입니까, 아니면 문제가 있습니까? Before Seoullo was built, Malli- dong Missing You show was seeing I did not intend to do that from the Han Vad: 차는 사람이 몬다는 것을 잘 dong was completely erased by everyone dancing in the intersec- beginning. 알고 있음에도차 안에 있으면 사람이 redevelopment. Nowadays, high- tion in front of Lotte Mart. Do you It is natural to dance in that place 안 보이고, 차 밖에 있으면 차만 보입 rise apartments are being built. consider your performance to be a — meaning the pedestrian’s right to 니다. The existing Malli-dong has been political statement about pedestri- dance? Walking and dancing — also 이것이 은근히 많은 스트레스가 되고 destroyed by redevelopment and an rights, walkable cities, or fight- seems to have been created. 있습니다. construction of a so-called ‘luxu- ing car traffic? 만리 동 미싱 유 쇼 중 The part before the chorus of the 차가 차지하고 지나다녔던 도로와 도 ry’ apartment complex. One urban 가장 좋은 부분은 롯데 마트 앞 교차로 women workers climbing the stairs 시 중심부의 풍광을사람이 다니는 길 development scholar who is also 에서 모두 춤을 추는 장면이었습니다. to meet T1 was also my favorite 로 재생시켜서 시민들에게 나누어 준 a critic of the Four Riverse Res- 귀하의 실적이 보행자 권리, 걷기 좋은 part. 것이 큰 의미를 갖고 있다 생각합니다. toration Project professed that he 도시 또는 자동차 교통에 대한 정치적 When I performed there, I actu- Even though we know people are has rebuilt a backward town by 진술이라고 생각하십니까? ally thought it would give a kind driving cars, we cannot see people translating ‘urban rejuvenation’ and Han Vad: 하다보니 서울로의 거의 모 of sense of liberty because I could in the car, and only cars are visible ‘gentrification.’ (That’s what I talk 든 공간을 이동하면서 공연하게 되었 occupy the road. when we are outside the car. This is quietly very stressful. Broke: You also performed a lot in I think that it is very meaningful the anti-Park Geun-hye protests. that the roads cars occupied and Did performing there among 1 mil- the scenery of the city center were lion people have an influence on reproduced for people and distrib- your performances, especially in uted to the citizens. their mobility? 당신도 반 박근혜 시 위에서 많은 성과를 올렸습니다. 1 백 Broke: What do you think will 만 명의 사람들 중에서 공연을 했습니 happen to Malli-dong because of 까? 특히 공연에 영향을 미쳤습니까? Seoullo 7017? 서울로7017때문에 말 Han Vad: 현장은 낯설지가 않았습니 리동에서 어떻게 될 것이라고 생각하 다. 저는 몇만명 앞에서 공연한 적은 없 십니까? 습니다만 청와대 앞으로 사람들과 함 께 트럭 무대(노동당이 제공한 트럭)에 Han Vad: 서울로가 만들어지기 이전 서 들어갈 때 정말 멋졌던 기억이 납 에 중구 만리동은 재개발로 완전히 사 니다. 라졌습니다. The scene was not unfamiliar. 그리고 현재는 고층아파트 대단지가 I have not performed in front of 건설되어 있습니다. 소위 말해 ‘명품’ tens of thousands of people, but I 아파트 단지라고 하는 것입니다. 이렇 remember when I walked with my 게 기존의 만리동은 재개발과 함께 ‘명 mobile truck stage with the people 품’ 아파트 단지 건설로 사라져 버렸습 Seoullo 7017, an aging overpass converted to a city park, in front of Cheong Wa Dae, it was 니다. 4대강 찬성론자이기도 한 어느 lights up at dusk during its very crowded May 20 opening. really cool. Choi Soon-sil is the weed, but its way but completely empty on the left up toward Gwanghwamun. They wave law. What are you going to do? roots go far deeper, all the way to side. Whatever, driving on the wrong Korean flags, but not American flags Cheong Wa Dae. side of the road to get around obsta- because Donald Trump hasn’t been I’ll plough right through them. GO You turn north and pilot your exca- cles is exactly how you roll in Jeolla. inaugurated yet. As you approach, you TO PAGE 14 vator through the city streets, which Ahead, you see a protest rally can see their banners calling out the They’re not the enemy. GO TO are clogged with traffic going one blocking the road past Sungnyemun lugenpresse and calling for martial PAGE 15 13 VS VS United States of America Jon Twitch When Skasucks’ US tour was announced, I was very amused by their tour poster, bearing the slogan Jon Twitch Broke: I’ve been cu- “Make America Skank Again.” So during my inter- When I had the chance rious about this all view with Jinsuk for this issue, I threw in this ques- to interview Hellivision year. What was your tion giving him a chance to stand on his soapbox. guitarist Lee Tae-hun for opinion of the name of Broke: Skasucks’ US tour seems like a great an article on Zandari Fes- CJ Hellovision? They opportunity, both for you and Americans. I espe- ta, I set aside one ques- got a lot of atten- cially like the name “Make America Skank Again” tion for publication here. tion this year after the parodying Trump’s slogan. Coming from Club I’d been reading a lot failed acquisition by SHARP, itself a symbol of anti-racism, you’re about CJ Hellovision in SKT, and every time I visiting America when it is being dominated by the news, and couldn’t read about it I think of racists. Do you have any political message for help always seeing the you guys. America? Skasucks의 미국 투어는 당신과 미국 모 “Hell” in the name. I Hellivision: Actually, I 두에게 좋은 기회 인 것 같습니다. 나는 특히 트럼프의 was curious what Helli- don’t see the name too 슬로건을 모방하는 “Make America Skank Again” vision thought of it. So often around the town. 이라는 이름을 좋아한다. 반 인종 차별주의의 상징 인 there you have it, CJ, no If anything it sounds Club SHARP에서 오는 것은 인종 차별 주의자들이 지 worries over a lawsuit. pretty cute. 배 할 때 미국을 방문하는 것입니다. 미국에 정치적인 메시지가 있습니까? Jinsuk: 없습니다. No.
VS
Jon Twitch of both, and there was While doing an article a show with one band about Jambinai ahead playing here, and an- of their European tour, other show with the I wanted to see what other band playing over guitarist Lee Il-woo there, and you could thought about his older only go to one show, hardcore band, 49 Mor- which one would you phines. So I asked him choose? to choose. Lee Il-woo: I’d rather go to the 49mophines. Broke: Jambinai is a Because their next EP success, but 49Mor- will be really great!!!! phines is great. If you I really want to enjoy were a non-member them show!!
Yeah, something’s fishy about through them, forcing them to scat- lice, as well as the anti-Park pro- I’ll head toward the police line. these protesters, starting with how ter and only squishing the occa- test. There is about a million of GO TO PAGE 24 they’re all so much older than sional demonstrator. them, and they’re on your side, so I’ll go through the protest. GO TO 14 you. And you’re 45. You drive Ahead, there is a line of riot po- no squishing them. Where to? PAGE 25 Rage Against the Metal Scene Jon Twitch with overseas headliners who gfet the current day to day home of met- This interview came about when I disappointed by the small crowd al shows in Korea and the owner, noticed Norse Rage, an American in size. It sucks, and the basic lack off Yuying, and some of the core bands the metal scene, was inviting me to coordinating pisses me off. Finally, play there often so it ends up being Facebook events for Korean metal my last recommendation would be the main repository for info. shows. Rather than assume he’d just part of what you’re asking int he I should note that I think part of this become metal’s most prolific pro- following question. Have a unified dichotomy between the two scenes moter, I knew what he was doing, online forum of event listings. connects to some fundamen- as the Korean punk scene is equally tal character differences between guilty of not taking full advantage of Broke: We have a Korean Punk & metal and punk. Punk has always social media to promote events. Hardcore page. Ever thought about been oriented to inclusiveness and doing a Korean Metal page? egalitarianism, both in the commu- Broke: It seems like you are host of Korean Jesus with Norse Norse: We have — and have had — nity and musically. It has famously half the metal shows in Korea right several. Yet there doesn’t seem to been proud of the fact that you can now. What is happening there? Rage, right be one unified place that lasts. I’m suck as a musician and be part of Norse: The promoters/organizers concert promoters do to better ad- very jealous of the punk and hard- the scene. On the flipside, metal has and often bands don’t seem inclined vertise their shows? core page, its very comprehensive always been predisposed to elit- to make an event page. They just Norse: Number one in this day and and well laid out. We’ve had some ism (especially musically), misan- design a flier (which ironically never time is to make a damn event page. pages that do well for a while, and thropy and nihilism. I think this is gets put up in the real world) and Man its easy and free. Secondly, then someone starts another one somewhat reflected in the lack of share it once and that’s that. Unsur- talk to other organizers in the scene and it has its own life cycle. Its very cohesiveness in organizing. A lot of prisingly, there are a lot of missed about when they’re booking shows. frustrating. Right now the most in- the older Korean bands and scene shows and people being out of the They don’t have to be best buddies, clusive thing that exists is a metal founders here have it seems deep loop. I’m consistently having to trawl but just try not to compete on nights kakao group which has close to 100 blood feuds that are totally ridicu- through FB pages to track down when there’s already another big members on it. I’m not even a part lous and prevent a lot of progress. some show I’ve heard about. So I show booked. The scene is so small of that, its as much of a train-wreck GBN remains an exception espe- just decided to start making the even in comparison to the size of the city as you imagine a 100 person thread cially because it very much tries pages myself. I think we’ve actu- we really cant afford to divide the to be so I’ve had to abandon it. Right to bring both the metal and punk ally seen an uptick in attendance and target demographic up 4 ways on a now Global Headbangers living scenes together so you get some of awareness since I started doing it. given night. Sometimes we’ll go for in Korea is in action, but not very that influence. weeks without a bigger show, and busy. Probably the best bet is GBN Broke: What do you recommend then have 4 in the same night, often Live Houses’s own FB page. That’s Shitting all over Mullae Jon Twitch two-day concerts where one show After seeing GBN and Club is at GBN and the other is at Club SHARP spotlighted together in SHARP. Can you tell me what kind of “Ash,” I wanted to ask Yuying a relationship GBN and SHARP have? few questions about the venue, his Yuying: 생각이 비슷한 언더그라운드 band, and whatever else. 공연장입니다. It’s an underground concert with a similar idea. Broke: How many concerts are now booked at GBN? Broke: A lot of GBN concerts have Yuying: 올해 11월까지는 거의 모든 discounts for children. How suc- 주말이 예약 되어있습니다, 이번에 무 cessful has this been at encourag- 대 보수 공사를 했고 더욱 활발히 운영 ing younger kids to come out? 할 예정입니다. Imposition. You can Yuying: 전혀 성공적이진 않으나. 종 operate an unlimited driving pro- 종 한 두명만와도 뿌듯합니다. ject on November 11. Not at all successful. Often I’m proud of even one or two. Broke: Your Wi-Fi account used to be “Nazi Punks” and password “Fuck Broke: It seems like there are few- Off.” Now it is “Nazi Punks Fuck Off” er women in the scene these days. which is better. Why did you choose it? Yuying: 몰라요... I don’t know... Yuying: 음악씬을 포함해서 한국 사회 곳곳에 만연히 깔려있는. 무지한 인종 Broke: One of the big problems 안녕하세요 문래동 GBN 입니다 2.문래 공원 공용화장실 (청결도 3/5, 차별, 권위주의, 약자혐오에 대해 오랫 with Mullae-dong is the wash- 시설 3/5) 동안 분노해왔고. 작지만 멋진씬을 만 rooms really aren’t nice. What can 부족하지만 3.대박 식당 1층 (청결도 4/5, 시설 들기위해 친구들과 만든 소중한 공연 be done about this? 쾌적한 환경을 만들기 위해 2/5) 장에 그런 사람들과 함께하는게 도저 Yuying: 많이 생각중인 문제입니다만. 이번 주말 대대적인 화장실 공사를 하 4.하이테크시티 (청결도 4/5, 시설 4/5 히 용남되지 않아. 보이콧 하기로 결 사람들이 더 더러워지는게 빠를거 같 려고 비데유) 정했습니다. 습니다 공연까지 취소했는데, 조금이라도 불편함이 해소 됐으면 좋 It is spread all over Korean soci- I am thinking a lot. It’s faster for 겠습니다... ety including the music scene. I’ve people to get dirty. 워낙 낡은 건물에 바이바이.... been outraged for a long time about 배관등 문제로 공사 불가능 판정 받았 ignorant racism, authoritarianism Broke: How did you come up with the 습니다.. English: and abstinence. To make a small band name Little Puppy Princess? our toilet is too old and dirt but wonderful scene, it is hardly Yuying: 맴버 세명이 각각 제일 귀엽 이에 공연장 주변 if you want more comfatable possible to be with such people in 다 생각하는 영어 단어를 골라서 합쳤 무료 개방 화장실 지도를 공유합니다 please follow the map precious venues made with friends. 습니다 (지역 특성상 그래도 엄청 깨끗하진 않 theres bunch better place I decided to boycott. We picked the English words our 아요..ㅠ) three members each think are the hope you understand Broke: I’ve also noticed a number of most adorable. 1.GBN 2층,3층 (구림) thanks
They’re not the enemy: these people more like pussy tank tread, around One of them shatters your win- street. Those are some vicious el- are only victims of state authoritarian- them, they swarm your machine. dow with a baseball bat. You’re derly people. ism, brought up decades ago to obey “Get off!” you cry. “I only have dragged out of the cab of your ve- the state. As you pussyfoot, or maybe your best interests at heart!” hicle and pounded to death in the THE END 15 Yuppie Killer Moments I have a lot of great Yuppie Killer fester into a deep-seated Fuckity- -Tyler, noise musician Really funny and interesting nights! memories, but I think my favorite fuckfuckfuckfuckfuck. Hav drink for And I’d love to add that for me, the Yuppie Killer moment would have you hav drink for u. Do trust ur keys I’ve really enjoyed the sheer ran- punk scene in Seoul without Yuppie to be when they opened the Satur- with that, dun. Being kissed by eve- domness of “You party like shit” Killer will be different. We will miss day show of the Crucial Section tour ryone. Murr. Motherfucking gentle- stickers appearing in my life! From those bastards. back in... 2012? ...and they finished man. Oh shit, took that too seriously. random metal bars in Hongdae to I’m not sure I should explain more their set with Ian and Tim all but Durr. Derp? DurrPina. Oy. You won’t rest stops in Gangwon-Do. It’s been about the evil side... I was thinking fighting each other, Tim diving on get this. Fishsticksfishsticks Damnit fun seeing that sticker appear. for example about some drunken Ian and trying to wrestle him, then I’m an ajeosshi. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh- -Michael, private citizen punchs, crying moment etc... Jason getting up from the drums and hhh pants. I am the genie of green Cheap booze is not all the time your diving on the both of them. The to- hell. Drink black coffeee at the wall. Their first show best friend, but it creates interesting tal chaotic unpredictability of early La bibliotheca or something. Inap- As I know, at that time they played and unforgettable moments! Yuppie Killer sets made them one of propriate, the appropriations com- the music after making the band. And -JP, Octopoulpe my favorite live bands of the Korean mittee. Who’s worstest naked on a tim’s voice was so husky maybe be- punk scene, almost up there with rainy day. Who got longest stretch cause of practice Tim Jxxxxx responding to an ad: Love Banran circa 2010 and early Scum- hair. Fucking hells yeh. 볼일보고옷 I have never seen the show after Motel looking for a new vocalist. raid sets when Jihwan used to dive 나. E3t TacoBell no cannon. Be a bad that show “Hi, into the audience all the time. boy, don’t be a good boy. Do think It was fun! I heard about your band and to be Honorable mention to their attempts about this. Is all good. Beer in the -Jaehyeon, Kitsches honest, I heard your band was shit. at getting a Hot Six sponsorship. pants beer in the pants. Moar beer in I will change that. I take shit and I have never seen proof, but Ian and the pants. Umm life is good, even if Yuppie killer and Double A genera- mould it into something people will Tim’s story has never wavered, so I I am an emotiKon. Where the fuck ar tion (2014-2015). They made a lot give a shit about. believe that yes, they really did con- you and tongue years of bad sex wtf. of the shows and It was really many I currently sing in the Seoul hardcore tact Hot Six and offer to write them I RUINS EVERYTHING. Wir bracken. good memories to me band Yuppie Killer, but I am looking a song in return for sponsorship or I hath the failest of the fairs. I mite -Yoon Gwang, Agari for a project that is less machismo, something like that. Of course, they be crazy. Everythingok. I mean buf- more psychedelic and caters to high never expected to actually have an- falo, buffalo the buffalo. Argh save- Never saw them actually killing a levels of prescription drug abuse. I ything come of it. deth. Pain pain pain is no. Don’t pain. yuppie. Very disappointed. have a serious drug problem but I -Tel, Misawa I love everyone… What’s wrong with I think there was one night that also have a serious talent. that. Edumacations edumacatetions ian talked to me only using rick I once was asked if I was gay and i remember yuppie killer and scum- ejacumalation. Digging digs. Mmm and morty and the eric andre show the guy was not joking so you know raid we were heading to busan, after digs. I drunk. Potatoes. Potentate. quotes but I might be just made this I take care of myself. I am glad you get on a bus, jay just got a problem This too. I miss. Mewdude. Omgwtf shit up right now. idk are okay with race because not all and he said he need some help and I found brotte. Argghhghgh love you -Jin-ho, Onager of us can be racist, right? I am super he couldn’t go to busan unless take love you love you love u hatechu white. that diarrhea out, so he got out, one love u. Shaddup. Shag, sir. Squirt ha. We were at Mushroom recording to I am really fucking into drugs, the of crew, yongjun he just got join to Wrong you back together. I say too do the gang vocals on Police Inform- band Berlin and super early Mega- yuppiekiller. that was moment i re- much and I drink too much. Fucking ant. The group of us, Tim Butcher death demos. This should give you member of yuppiekiller. also mo- hells good luck man and I wish you included, were having some trou- a good idea about the strength of ments of yeonnam town guys the best. Fuck it all as hard as ble with the timing. No matter how drugs I am addicted to. I liked MGMT -Jihwan, Scumraid you can. together we thought we were, we before they got big, if you say dif- —; HE NEEDS CONSTRUCTION couldn’t stay in time with the music. ferent then I will call you on your It was a sweaty and strummy day of HAT. ARRHGHHGHGHSDHDHFDF At first we thought it was because total bullshit. when the Yuppie Killer descended LJKDF:SJKFKLS:LDKFJAJFS:DLJG we couldn’t hear the playback loud Please respond with practice sched- upon us with the Earest of the the :ALKFJAS:LKJDASL:DJSHDSFSJDF enough. This didn’t fix things so ules and information on how I will be Earporn, between the Hamburger HLSDKJF:SAJASL:DFJDS:LFJSDGH we tried to slap out the timing with financially compensated. CockandBalls lineup where I think ellaciouslybeautifulsadsong. La burr our hands. At this point we realised broken boners were in the horizon. labor. No hug. Where the fuck ar you that the song was getting faster and Sincerely, And holy fucking jesus, fuckjesus and 7 years of bad sex wtf. I RUINS slower during the outro. It only took is very doing grindcheck. Fear, the EVERYTHING. Fishsticksfishsticks. a few tries after this to stay in “time” Tim Jxxxxx walking friend showed up. JH des- WhythefuckYisangnotplaymusicany- with the music and we were eventu- Singer of Love Motel” ecrates. I’m on permanent tilt. Dude more. Lifesoserious. Whattodowhat- ally able to finish. It was idiosyncra- on craigslist is a people squisher. Black and blue todoaaaahhhhh. I hath the failest of cies like this that really made Yuppie Ky from pennywise got drunk off the fairs. I mite be crazy. Everythin- Killer more than just a scene curi- Those pranksters. shamrock. “It’s the most awkward gok. osity. Also: I woke up at home one morning mating dance I’ve ever seen.” And -Amy, S-Gerat Yuppie Killer don’t need your click after a Yuppie Killer show in Busan like, Yongsam had to leave early cuz track. to find the whole band in my house he has no money but all your mon- (Yuppie Killer would advertise “free -Ken, “Ash” director for no good reason. Tim was walk- ies are not belong to dis fat cat... drinks” at their shows, which would ing around in full-body long johns HE NEEDS CONSTRUCTION HAT. be just a ton of different alcohols and Some foreigners I didn’t know and their old drummer Jason was ARRHGHHGHGHSDHDHFDFLJKDF juices mixed together in a big buck- showed up for a Halloween show at saying, his brow furrowed, slightly :SJKFKLS:LDKFJAJFS:DLJG:ALKFJ et. One time it included absinthe. Al- AA. I asked who they were here for, perturbed, “Tim. Your dick is really AS:LKJDASL:DJSHDSFSJDFHLSDK ways absolutely disgusting.) and they said Yuppie Killer. I said protruding.” JF:SAJASL:DFJDS:LFJSDGHellacio The look of disappointment when “They suck” before realising one It was though. It was gross. uslybeautifulsadsong. La burr labor. people find out what the “free was Tim (vocalist) in a Halloween Yuppie Killers past and present have So stress. WhythefuckYisangnot- drinks” are was always fun. costume. all been my kind of people. The per- playmusicanymore. Lifesoserious. Tim introducing the song “Pigs in the -Jon Twitch fect blend of trash and smarts and Whattodowhattodoaaaahhhhh. So Void” as “A Black Sabbath cover or wanton stupidity on an endless quest scary hug. Takin many photos tak- whatever,” at Death of Club Spot. (If Getting complained on in the bar- for kicks. in many photos takin many photos memory serves, it might not) racks for blasting their music. Who else could be this obnoxious making bacon pancakes makin makin There was also the time Tim made -Alex, military boy and stupid and still this funny and bacon pancakes. I think I could at the mistake of passing out with Red- cool? least be friends with myself, I think boi present. I still have pictures. I loved a lot all the free booze Yuppie Hope some of that is useful. the way I can stand my own exist- -Kyle, Food for Worms Killer shows at Double A. Especially Those guys so annoying but love ence boils down to a deep-seated the ones that made you discover the them. stockholm syndrome. Don’t let it Those memory-reducing cocktails... evil side of people in the audience. -Steve C, Genius
You roll past the bus blockade, force of the water meets your face, After a sustained blast to your causes.” but the police target you with high- feeling not too dissimilar from a boot head, you’re hospitalised. You die in 16 pressure water hoses. The full stomping on your face forever. a coma ten months later, of “natural THE END The quest for a new band name One of the bands I consid- Burger Bar Grave Eater Wet Fumes Merkin Boys Slimy Member ered interviewing decided Hair Burger Grave Digger Land Shit Mouth Bolo Tie Tube Disaster to turn me down. And that’s Wild One NARUTO We Can’t Come Up Acid Mouth Sushi Dreams of Hiro fine, as an interview now Head Disorder Brutal Health with a Band Name Moth Eater Bootlicker means not an interview lat- Little Sister Wild Ass Can’t Decide Abominate Defamed Mullet er. They apparently felt they Frantic Romantic Wheelchair Epidemic SSault Wrist Eater Dreadful Pussy and weren’t ready, and were still Disgusteen Spike Island Rassicsst Melted Concept the Sacrificial Swab even arguing over the name. Sick Burn Peasant Dance Gentle Sons Cutt Depp Prowling Posse and As luck would have it, I Sallow Peasant Fumes Fucked Up on PCP Mental Ward the Pivotal Virtuoso came across a group chat Subgenius Pagan Hex Brutal Cruising Dark Man Licker Breath Teed Off Pagan Fumes Cowards That Doesn’t Meat Mouth Galactic Platter of the in which the same band was Ferine Pagan Dance Even Smoke Crack New Pleasure Homo Associate discussing possible new Meth Breath Pagan Ass Fat Waves New Flesh Evil Eye names. Maybe by sharing it Nix Stinky Villagers Sugarless I Hate Children Dream Journal with you, dear reader, we Oaves Ribbed Paper Tank Word Attack Social Capital can help them settle on a Kvetch Handsome Jim and his Scribble No Friends Goop new name. Adrenochrome Crows Christian Friction Look’s Like Meat’s Feral Moan Or, look downwards a little Downtown Poland Pagan Hoax Gravel Mouth Back on the Menu, Taken from a Lake and you’ll see Broke’s of- Good Weekend Pagan Reagan Abigail’s Fancy Boys! Freeze! Park Ranger ficial guide to naming your Good Vibes Tribe Cloudfucker The Rope Sting’s Deceivers Wholesale Membership Korean hardcore band. Yolo Nation Mouth Breather Lee Harvey Skaswald Death Threat Hepatitis C-Span Update: they named it, and Nip Slip Moran Verbal Weight Pearl Clutchers Negative Covfefe it ain’t listed here. Puerile Male Gaze Slit The Only Fists Being Ex-Cum Disclaimer: Broke as- Han Duo Coward Chewdaddy Raised Around Here Sad Cum sumes no responsibility for Trevor’s Boys Little Sorrell Corridor are Pacifists Skull Basher publishing this. It was given Jesse’s Girls Kissing Dad on the Veil Big Girls Bashing Skulls to me by one of your own Tony Bananas Mouth Lifetime Problems Schools Out Band of Skulls members, who thought it Allochka Wet Mouth Rich Daddy Mutagen Big Bones would be funny if I published Chewing Gum Big Mouth Empty Skull Sadistic Release Spooky Scary Bones
it. Boys Town Wet Dad Mouth Big Brat Plumb Tired Berry Bones
doing so. so. doing Puretty IOT 43 NAME 71
interest in in interest Venus Hello KSOOL 40 BOWL 68
expressed expressed Gangkiz KAY 38 EON 66
both have have both Name My UDO 36 64 ALI 64 What’s your Korean
rea, although although rea, Top Teen DSL 34 RAID 63
- Ko played Caramel EWE 33 LAGS 61
have not not have Orange MEA 32 60 HANKS 60 hardcore punk band name?
and Ramones Ramones and Apple Led MANET 30 ARCHIE 59
Bad Manners Manners Bad School Coed UFO 29
TON Stuck coming up with a name for your Ko- 3. What’s the first
Names OLE 27 -
57 SKALE 57 rean hardcore, post-hardcore, or metalcore consonant of your K-Pop K-Pop GBN 26 AVAIL 52
Mountains ONI 25
50 OORT 50 band? Don’t be like the band above. Here, personal name (not your
Machines ANSWERS PCP 24
46 ASIA 46 surname)? Colours PUZZLE JAE 23
44 EYE 44 use this helpful guide!
Visuals SEX 78 ODE 21 OIS 42
Bands: IRA 77 RIN 13
41 GAEL 41 1. What’s your Asian 2. Which month were ㅂ/b/v: Days Ali’s 4 4 Ali’s SAN 76 ELF 12 KONA 40
75 ALA 75 ELT 11
39 PINED 39 Zodiac sign? you born? ㅈ/j/z: Inside
73 MCI 73 BATWING ENEWS
Boys24 AUX 72 10 - 37 FAK 37 ㄷ/d: Here
Black Pink Black WDI 70 ESKS 9
35 CNBLUE 35 Rat: Find January: these ㄱ/g: Bridge/
Seventeen OUR 69 KEN 8 AIMED 31
Wings BAI 68 AOI 7 28 DRUM 28 Ox: In February: from Bridges
Rubber Soul Rubber NOFX 67 CHOIR 6
24 POGO 24 Tiger: Join March: the ㅅ/s: Face
Oh My Girl My Oh INCA 65 DPRK 5 SJW 22
Uniq GEEKS 62 ARE 4 20 KOI 20 Rabbit: Turn April: your ㅁ/m: Spot
Red Velvet Red ASO 59 RAW 3
19 TTFN 19 Dragon: Fear May: this ㄴ/n: Circle Siren ESL 58 OHO 2 OINK 18
Play the the Play LED 56 NST 1 17 TOWER 17 Snake: Far June: into ㅇ/vowel/w/y: Our
Lovelyz III 55 DOWN
16 ALLI 16 Horse: End July: my ㄹ/r/l: Have K-Much AHA 54 HOES 15
Bob Girls Bob VCR 53 XANAX 84 14 SHARP 14 Sheep: All August: that ㅎ/h: Ear
Berry Good Berry RNA 51 AXIS 83
10 BEER 10 Monkey: Burn September: for ㅋ/c/k/x: Back Wassup ALKALIS 49 IRIS 82 CAKE 6
Topp Dogg Topp IAN 48 FLARE 81 1 NORAD 1 Rooster: Day October: were ㅌ/t: Mourning
Ladies’ Code Ladies’ SKA 47 CUCK 80
ACROSS ACROSS Pig: Remnants November: of ㅊ/ch: Fallen public ASH 46 AUDI 79 ANSWERS
- Re Boys EAR 45 OASIS 74 XWORD XWORD Dog: Sever December: I ㅍ/f/p/q: Pain
You press forward, making liberal testers charge in, slipping by you can gather evidence. Your shovel dent in during this time of national use of your horn to scare people out and giving the riot police a lot to bashes through the front gate as if emergency you’ve caused? of the way. Slowly, gradually, you deal with. you were poking holes in a Hanji- make it all the way to the police bus You power through, heading papered traditional window, and The super important disaster re- wall. right to Cheong Wa Dae. A crowd you’re onto the presidential com- sponse center. GO TO PAGE 18 You use your shovel to flip over of special investigators is gathered pound. Nope, the presidential residence. one of the riot police buses. Pro- out front, trying to get in so they But which building is the presi- GO TO PAGE 19 17 Stamping the K-brand on punk
Jon Twitch have various other gov- pop websites are trying to make ernment and corporate room for indie music, with “K-in- I’ve always said I dis- interests coming up with die” “corner” type features where like K-pop for three main branding like K-scissors, they can talk uncritically about how reasons: K-fish, K-smile, K-medi, everything Korean is amazing. That -it isn’t made for peo- K-police, K-shamanism, is who we will have to put up with ple and so on, to not just mon- increasingly. -it isn’t made by people etize but also propagan- Punk is inherently oppositional, -there’s nothing par- dize these things. and it is probably healthy for us to ticularly Korean about it The idea is, K-pop has have this big faceless machine to Add in the tax money been such a success (... rage against. Previously the scene paying for its promotion. pending) that other cul- felt like a refuge against all that While the term obvi- tural properties should horrible K-pop crap, but as it is ously derives from short- get the same industrial forced to increasingly identify itself hand for Korean popular branding treatment. Real in opposition to K-pop, that music music, the specific brand Korean music has been will become more influential in our of K-pop carries a big bag more successful than K- identity. of connotations. Rather pop in growing overseas, There is a notion that real Ko- than a pigeonholed sound, as bands like Galaxy Ex- rean bands should be beneficiaries K-pop is evolutionary and press, Jambinai, and NST of Hallyu funding, that they would expansionary, absorbing & the Soul Sauce naturally make the best cultural ambassa- new genres and sounds, network with like-minded dors. But that money comes with as we have seen with rap, people and get people strings attached. The music indus- and more recently with talking. Meanwhile, enter- try here is totalitarian in its control rock and even reggae. It tainment companies use of performers. The government in- also expands to incor- some of that government terest in music is literally authori- porate things that were money to pave the way tarian, as it seeks to make a music previously considered not for paid content, either industry that is compliant with its K-pop, for example any on TV or in major news- wishes and doesn’t encourage dis- successful musical acts papers. So seeing articles sent. And for the most part, it has here, or popular music organically pop up about succeeded. Real Korean musicians predating the creation of non-K-pop Korean music can’t supple on that government the K-pop brand. acts can be discourag- teat because they’re not submissive I’ve been writing about ing to the people moving enough to do as they’re told. this quite a lot, getting of negative implications. It basi- around mounds of money They’re just getting paid to more eyes in the Korean music cally brings non-idol music into to get a bit of column space for K- dance skankily and satisfy their scene, but the prominent English- the sphere of influence of culture pop idols. So, being able to put it “sponsors.” The female groups all language blog “Ask a Korean” has big business, while not providing all under that big K-tent is a real sing songs directed at their oppa, been publishing articles claiming enough of the benefits. It is gentri- propaganda coup. framing it entirely within the male basically “K-pop is all Korean mu- fying music. If that doesn’t bother you, think gaze, with songs with lyrics like sic.” It is so ridiculous it is easily When I told TK he was parroting of this: soon we will be getting “Oh oh oh it’s my first time. Oh oh dismissable, but I ask you not to government propagandists, he took foreigners coming to punk shows oh oh please be gentle. Oh oh oh immediately laugh and move on. that as me accusing him of being a because they like K-pop and it led tell me I’m pretty.” The male idol I met the blog’s author once, a government shill. I have no doubt them down the path that ended up groups are said to challenge tra- Korean-American lawyer who pro- he is not receiving a cent from the on our doorstep. Already, many K- ditional notions of masculinity, and tects his identity and only goes by Korean government, yet he is ad- Western K-pop fans tend The Korean (TK). He’s a smart guy, vancing their position. to see it as feminist and and his blog is very influential. He’s What is happening to pro-LGBT, when it is not. convinced his regular readers that Hongdae, where the live A dude can put on makeup K-pop is all modern Korean music, music community is be- and blow his sponsor, and on which a consensus has been es- ing erased, is similar then still be anti-progres- tablished among everyone, except to what’s happening by sive. for people in Korean music. So, he’s calling all Korean mu- The K-pop idol group an authority on Korean culture ex- sic K-pop. Underground Big Bang, known for plained to the outside world. musicians succeeded in dressing up in punk clothes His reasoning is that K-pop is making Hongdae a musi- and other times in black- defined by non-Koreans, particu- cal community, and now face, has one song called larly disengaged foreigners. The big companies like YG “Fantastic Plastic Baby” people who are involved in Korean Entertainment can come or something with lots of music are not influential enough, so in, buy up property, and punk and protest image- we are at their mercy. redevelop it, cruising on ry, which means about as TK is just trying to enforce con- the backs of the musi- much as that Kaitlyn Jen- sistency, ignorant of what it means cians who gave Hongdae ner commercial did. to participants who react to the so- legitimacy. Maybe I shouldn’t be cial reality of life in a socially au- K-pop is a propaganda so negative that our tax thoritarian country dominated by machine that exists to re- money is becoming in- K-pop, and ignorant of how propa- ceive government money, creasingly useful, that the gandists have been trying to further juggle that money around same idol groups are sof- their nation-branding agenda with so it goes to the right tening up foreign markets a similar message. He actually dis- people, and hopefully by increasing goodwill in likes idol music, and I think wants to make money. So many younger generations. But I stretch the term K-pop to be more things are given that K- don’t want the music I love inclusive of music he likes. stamp by the government. to be part of that national- Of course, doing so carries a lot Along with K-pop, we istic project. Your shovel tears into the main stuff happens, but you can’t find needed? go out in a blaze of glory. Either building where the president is ex- President Park inside. But as you continue sifting way, mission failed. And I only have pected to be staked out, digging in Where is she? The country is in through the wreckage of the build- a limited number of pages for this, her heels to respond to your at- crisis, and she faces imminent at- ing, PSS agents surround your ex- so let’s end it here, with you fucked. tack. You rip open walls and expose tack! Why wouldn’t she be at the cavator, guns drawn. 18 rooms where super-secret command center where she is You can either surrender now or THE END K-pop idol group or online Korean clothing brand? Boys Republic K-Much Uniq pinksecret TopTen10 Orange Caramel Rubber Soul Puretty Boys24 Black Pink Danilove Shez Good Thursday Island Coed School Lovelyz Fanta Girl Small Man Us n Them Hello Venus Play the Siren Sweet Bong-Bong Seventeen I Love Pink Ladies’ Code Bob Girls Cutiple Oh My Girl Wassup BangBang SSunny Led Apple Topp Dogg babishow Banila B 8 Seconds Codes Combine QNIGIRLS SN Feel Red Velvet Crux Teen Top Boom Style Sweet Cat Wings Uptown Holic Gangkiz Bluepops Colonize My Name Berry Good Teenie Weenie Manufacturing indie cred Jon Twitch themselves, instead pretending to scheme by FNC. The information is the three of them passed the audi- Coming out of the kerfuffle of perform along to a prerecorded Cry- all available on Wikipedia. tions and Lee began training in bass “Ask a Korean”’s “All Korean Music ing Nut version of the song. Their debut concert seems to be a technology at FNC Academy.” is K-Pop” rant, the one big glaring The blame came down to who street show in front of Shinjuku Sta- So, it appears they joined FNC exception is the rock band CNBLUE, was responsible for the creative tion in early 2009; the video is still before moving to Japan. Mention is signed to FNC Entertainment. choices, which was apparently not online on MNet. Street shows, you made of them working with the Jap- CNBLUE is a four-piece band CNBLUE, who supposedly released may know, are money-sinks because anese indie label AI Entertainment, whose members all play instru- a statement saying “The company you need to pay a lot for logistics and but who is that? ments, already contrasting them to that used the song without permis- there’s no actual way to earn money. Wikipedia says: “AI Entertain- K-pop idol groups. Yet, nobody I sion was not us, but CJ E&M. The CNBLUE debuted to a thin crowd, ment Inc. was founded in 2007. It talked to had a problem calling them company that planned and sold the playing with fancy new equipment on is a Japanese indie record label and K-pop. How is this possible? Japanese DVD is not us, either.” a large sound system, all convenient- publishing company which supports A friend working at an English- A representative said “It is now ly captured by a camera crew. Where the indie artists of the world.” language newspaper in Korea com- hard to restore their reputation as did they come from? Why were they Wikipedia also lists two presum- mented to me that whenever they hallyu stars.” all even in Japan? ably Japanese acts as AI’s only published articles about CNBLUE, Crying Nut posted a statement To find that, all I had to do was signed bands. FNC would call them up to remove saying “one must pay the penalties look at the individual members’ But if you view history, the page any mentions of them as K-pop, in- for intellectual property rights in- Wikipedia pages. when it was originally created in sisting they’re a real band that has fringement.” “Jung Yong-hwa was born on June 2010 says: “AI Entertainment In- indie cred from performing actual That didn’t sit well with CNBLUE, 22, 1989, in Seoul, South Korea. His corporated is the official Japanese indie shows, having performed in which fired back with a counter suit family consists of his parents and a branch company of FNC Music. Japan in 2009 before debuting in claiming Crying Nut was spreading brother, who is four years older. He It was founded in 2009.” The two Korea early the next year. false information. Never mind that moved to Busan in 1991 and lived listed signed acts are FT Island and All of this falls apart when you their song had been stolen without there through high school, where CNBLUE. start looking closer. permission and someone was prof- he first began composing music. Much of this information was CNBLUE, which stands for “Code iting off DVD sales. After taking his college entrance, censored over multiple revisions Name Burning, Lovely, Untouch- Crying Nut released a state- he moved back to Seoul, where he by an account named “Aie staff” on able, Emotional,” has gained a ment where they acknowledged the joined FNC Music. In 2009, Jung left March 19, 2015, and an unregis- reputation for ripping off legit indie hurt feelings from their intellectual for Japan to study music with his tered editor on April 25, 2015. First bands. They had a legal tussle with property lawsuit, and reached out to bandmates. While there, they did the connection to FNC was taken YNot? over a song sounding too CNBLUE with the following words: street performances and released out, then in August CNBLUE and FT close to one of Jeon Sang-kyu’s. “We heard that CNBLUE were independent albums.” Island were excised. And Crying Nut sued them and FNC also once an indie band in Japan. Lee Jong-hyun: “The talent The inevitable conclusion is CN- for unauthorised use of the song What is ‘indie’? Simply, it is ‘inde- scouter from FNC Music (currently BLUE has no indie cred: its idol “Pilsal Off-Side.” pendence’? They create their own known as FNC Entertainment) who trainee members were only sent Apparently Crying Nut were asked music, produce in their system, and visited Busan to see Jung, came by FNC to Japan, where they could if CNBLUE could use the song, distribute through a pretty inde- across Lee in the street, and sug- generate indie experience while which they turned down. Then, CN- pendent method. The most impor- gested him to audition at the com- pampered by the Japanese affiliate. BLUE performed the song in at least tant thing is to have full responsibil- pany. On his way to his audition, Then, the band could return to its two appearances in 2010: once on ity over their products and actions. he met his current fellow CNBLUE owners in Korea, FNC who had au- MNet’s “M Countdown” and another ‘Indie’ is not marketing. It is a full member Jung at the Seoul Station. ditioned the members and put them in a Japan concert that was filmed for mindset.” They then met Kang Min-hyuk, through idol hagwon. Now, it was a DVD to be released. And to make But here’s the thing: CNBLUE also a current fellow member of finally ready to debut as an “indie” matters worse, I’ve heard allega- were never an “indie” band and CNBLUE, at FNC Music where band, hiding the true nature of its tions they didn’t even play the song any claim to such is a marketing they auditioned. Eventually, only corporate origins in plain sight. You make a 90-degree turn and exposing a room where Park Geun- excavator shovel threateningly and around you. What will you do now? head for the official residence build- hye is unconscious on an operating the doctor runs away. ing of the president. Raising your table, while a plastic surgeon injects You scoop Park up in your shovel. Bring her to justice. GO TO PAGE 21 shovel, you rip into this building, her with syringes. You wave your But the security service is closing in Kill her. GO TO PAGE 20 19 Kim Insoo of Crying Nut, February 2014 in an interview I did for Food for Worms is not a K-Pop band. I say this as the vocalist of Food Seoul Magazine about them going to SXSW: for Worms. We are not a K-pop band because we are not a pop band. The “I don’t want to be called K-pop or K-rock, or be labeled as part- term “pop” suggests and implies elements of the production, intention, vibe, of the Korean wave. I would rather play with bands from all dif and culture surrounding shows that have nothing to do with us. It is, in fact, ferent places and get to know them. But we will be playing several contrary to how we identify ourselves. We feel what we do is very much the gigs during SXSW this year so I think we’ll have more chances.” antithesis of pop music. K or otherwise.Pigibit5: 음..Kpop은 기본적으로 팬들을 위해 만들어 -Kyle, Food for Worms 지는 음악이지만, 우리같은 사람들이야 자기만족적인 As an active musician in Korea who is definitely not in a 스스로를 빠는(Masterbation) 음악을 하는 경향이 강 K-pop group, I see two major problems with the foundation 하니까.. 좀 다르지 않을까여. 태도의 문제인듯합니다. of this whole argument. First, such a literal definition-based Q. Is Jambinai part of hallyu, or Well .. Kpop is basically a music made for fans, take on artistic expression is a problem. Stephen hit on a something different? - but it’s people like us because it tends to be a lot of specifics, but my main argument is simpler. “Pop Mu A. We are not hallyu. The Ko self-sucking masterbation music. It seems to be a sic” hasn’t simply meant “popular music” in decades. Calling rean government supports K-pop matter of attitude. something pop music has implications. Slayer has sold mil - or Korean dramas and these are- lions of records and sold out stadiums. Anybody who would hallyu. The government is in Norse Rage: Oh gosh, I have no desire call them pop music has no place talking about music. Ask- vesting a lot of money into it so to really get into a semantics argument people on the street what pop music is, and you’ll get things many people overseas will know about that aural slime....however....the like Michael Jackson, George Michael, Madonna, Britney hallyu. only time we get K-pop fans at met- Spears, N’Sync, etc. While there is room for variation, over But we have to promote us by al shows is uaully if they’re dragged all, it has an implied meaning beyond, “top of the charts.” ourselves with our money or less there by a friend/relative. They often Second, your basic premise that Koreans are misinterpret - money from the government.- seem confused and fragile. ing how foreign fans use the term is absurd. If the “K” stands So it is much harder. As the in- About the term....in my opinion K-pop for “Korean,” why is what foreigners think the term means- vestment has improved, the re does exist as straight pop music from more important? I guess the Chinese character tattoo the sults have improved. So hallyu Korea. So is it a real style? Well, as college frat guy got really does mean “Strength.” can make a lot of money, but we much a style as just pop music is. When -Jeff, ...Whatever That Means can’t. However we keep trying to I see them using the term on things improve our circumstances. which are more rock oriented like Cry- And honestly, we don’t care if ing Nut I think that’s just stupid. we are hallyu or not. We don’t- But if there are musical differences want to be categorized as K-mu enough to differentiate it form Japa- K-pop에 대한 정확한 이해도가 없어서 어떠한 정의를 내리기가 sic, or K-something. European or nese pop or American pop without just 힘듬니다. 클럽 샤프에는 많은 밴드들이 공연을 하고있고 모두 각 overseas listeners think Jambinai meaning a national designation? I have 자 자기들을 어떻게 생각하는지는 저도 알수 없습니다. is just Jambinai, not the K-band no idea but I doubt it. I don’t know if We don’t clearly know about the K-pop, so we don’t know Jambinai or K-whatever. They- that helped but now I’m pissed off just what to say. There are lots of bands performing at club think K-pop and hallyu is “Gang thinking about it. I’m gonna go listen to S.H.A.R.P and we don’t know what they are aiming for. nam Style” and idol music. But some Suffocation to decompress. -Jinsuk, Skasucks that’s not us. Jon: There is a lot of power in promoting K-pop and Hallyu abroad. Can NST be part of K-pop, or is it 우리가 일본, 미국이나 유럽투어에 갔을때 많은 관심을 얻은 이유는 그 something different? Or, is that your worst nightmare? 동안 볼수없었던 나라에서 온 이유가 크다고 생각합니다. 단지 그것 K-pop과 한류를 해외에 홍보하는 데는 많은 힘이 있습 뿐이지 kpop과는 아무 관계 없습니다. The reason why we got so 니다. NST를 K-popP에 포함시킬 수 있습니까? 아니면 뭔 much interest when we went to Japan, USA or Europe tour is that 가 다른가요? 아니면 최악의 악몽인가요? we have many reasons to come from a country we have not seen NST: Haha nightmare! in the past. It’s just that, it has nothing to do with kpop. I think NST & The Soul Sauce is real K-pop and Hal- -Juyoung, Scumraid lyu! But Why doesn’t Korean government promote me? Hahaha I’m just using this is just an excuse to post about that one time Yuppie Killer changed our bandcamp tags and briefly became the top selling k-pop band on bandcamp. -Ian, Yuppie Killer
You raise Park up in your shovel, “I also know a secret way out of say as soon as the treasure is load- What will you do? preparing to deal a killing blow. here,” Park says. ed into your shovel. “Wait!” she cries. “I can give you She directs you around to a spot “Sure,” she says, “but you have I’ve got what I need from her, so my illicitly gotten fortune!” in the grass where she commands to take me with you!” now I’ll get rid of her. GO TO PAGE “What good will that do me?” you you to dig. You soon uncover a big She shows you a big cargo door 28 retort. “I’m not getting out of chest full of gold bars. leading to a deep tunnel. “This leads I’ll take her with me. GO TO 20 here alive after all I’ve done!” “Now, about this way out?” you to Gwacheon,” she tells you. PAGE 29 TK: Compare [K-pop] to, say, “Britpop.” Britpop Jon Twitch: If you start a D-beat band is a favorite counterpoint to my argument, probably in Korea and talk only with other D-beat because it is another portmanteau that combines bands in other countries, not with K-pop “pop” with a name of a country. “If ‘K-pop’ must idols, which camp do you belong to? mean ‘all kinds of popular music of Korea,’ must TK: You are a K-pop D-beat band. They ‘Britpop’ mean ‘all kinds of popular music of Brit are not mutually exclusive categories. ain’?”—so argue the people who never thought very TK: Jon’s error comes from deeply about how concepts work. the fact that he is based in Korea and is enmeshed with - Korea’s underground rock scene. TK: I hate idol pop; that’s why I GAVE IT THE NAME “idol pop”, so that people would stop using “idol pop” - interchangeably with “K-pop,” (which clearly means Jon Twitch: Are local Korean punk bands with expat mem “Korean popular music” in their usage) and wake up to bers K-pop? Is ...Whatever That Means, which is 50% foreign the fact that Korean popular music includes WAY more (American husband, Korean wife, Polish guitarist and Korean than idol pop. drummer), a K-pop band? What about Yuppie Killer which We basically have the same goal, and you are pissing has had a few Korean members but was mostly foreigners, or on me just because you don’t like having a single la Food for Worms? bel apply across both idol pop and indie music. You’re- TK: The answer is yes, to all the bands you listed. gonna fight your own team based on THAT? Come on man.
Hi TK, ple negotiate that large grey area in shade in and out of the prehis- tween the SXSW organizers and As you know, I’m an admirer of common discourse. tory of K-pop; some of the issue KOCCA but again: really bad exam- your blog, so please don’t regard You go on to posit a strawman in is temporal. Fuhr also, btw, easily ple to draw upon. In fact, if you’re what follows as against you or your envisioning a definition of K-pop allows you to include more recent going to cite the Wikipedia page work generally. I do, though, have when you write: “...what are the artists like IU and BST and FT Is- on K-pop to back up some of your to take issue with your arguments key characteristics that run across land, whom you cite early on, with- points (and I think you’re extrapo- on K-pop and not let them go un- the music that people call K-pop? If out having to say that K-pop = all lating and reading in some state- challenged, given your influential you answer highly processed mu- popular music from Korea. ments that aren’t there about the status as an interpreter of Korea for sic performed by beautiful people If I can persuade you to think meaning of K-pop, simply because the world at large. who were groomed by management through and accept Fuhr’s take that the article gives a wider history of You’ve adopted a strong position agencies, you cannot explain why underlines his book for (1), I think Korean popular music to set con- in polemical terms about the need Gangnam Style is considered K- we can go somewhere with your text), you might also want to note to understand K-pop as meaning pop, nor can you explain why Seo statement here: “I will acknowl- this Wikipedia page on K-Pop Night all popular music from Korea and Taiji and Boys is considered the edge that “K-pop” is a genre or Out that gives counter-evidence. not being a genre or style. But as fountainhead of K-pop, nor can you a style — a defined concept — if My work on the punk and under- somebody who engages K-pop explain why Kim Wan-seon is never anyone can show me: (1) the key ground scenes strongly suggests (and Korean popular music) seri- included in the canon of K-pop his- characteristics that run across most that for a lot of those involved, their ously, with academic publications tory.” pieces of music that people call own key criteria for what drives and a couple of documentaries on The definition you give is cer- K-pop; (2) archetypical examples their music is opposition to the the topic, I have to dissent: in the tainly not mine, though, and likely of K-pop; (3) archetypical exam- mainstream (juryu) even when they current popular negotiation of the not to be the definition of a lot of ples of Korean popular music that have been happy to declare an alle- term, there is no question that K- people, even if it is a better defi- is not considered K-pop.” For (2), giance to Korea. That’s why terms pop has come to represent a clear nition of idol pop. Here is scholar how about if we then take SNSD’s like hanguk hip-hop (see the work subset, and not the entirety, of Ko- Michael Fuhr from his recent Rout- “Gee”, Hyuna’s “Bubble Pop” and of Kelly Song on this topic) were rean popular music. ledge book Globalization and Popu- Big Bang’s “Fantastic Baby” and deliberately chosen *not* to en- I’ll try to keep this as concise lar Music in South Korea: Sounding then for (3), we can put in the mu- gage with the way that K- is tossed as possible, so let me restrict this Out K-pop where he takes a more sic of, e.g., Jambinai, RUX and 3rd around as a state-sponsored mar- to key points. We agree that the holistic view of how to understand Line Butterfly. I recognize that this keting tool. It’s also why we wound boundaries of K-pop are fuzzy, what K-pop represents and why it is where contestation/negotiation/ up with ironic terms like Joseon aren’t used with rigour, and cannot draws attention: “K-pop is a thor- dispute comes into play, but we are punk. You’re also wrong when you be rigidly defined, but it does not oughly hybridized product, a unique very far from being able to assert state “Words like K-rock or K-rap follow that they can be extended coalescence of music, visuals, lyr- that K-pop = Korean popular music. do not exist.” In fact, we do have anywhere near as widely as you ics, dance and fashion, a postmod- Maybe I can nudge you more toward the term K-indie, which is used suggest. Where to place generic ern product of pastiche and parody, accepting that K-pop is a style or from time to time, but does not meet boundaries surfaces as a problem a carnivalesque celebration of dif- genre. with favour from a lot of commit- in the discussion of virtually every ference, a shiny world of escapism, By the way, you also go astray and ted indie musicians, precisely for category, from sandwiches, as you and a highly participatory cultural run into the danger of circular rea- the reasons I suggest. For more on discuss, to, say, punk rock. practice enacted through digital soning by citing the “K-pop Night these issues, I direct you to my ar- To use your sandwich analogy, I media.” Out” for evidence, as that event has ticle “Us and Them: Korean Indie think you are wrong when you say What you can extract from this been a problematic venture in be- Rock in a K-pop World.” “Although the precise line may be description is that a central, de- ing KOCCA-sponsored and a top- Perhaps one even easier way out difficult to draw, we all know that fining feature of K-pop is that it down initiative designed for national here, as a few people have already there must be a line somewhere, goes beyond the merely sonic and branding. The whole idea is to help suggested, if you don’t like Fuhr’s because there are certain things is a generic mode that incorporates stamp that good old special K on more abstract definition is to say in the world that we will never call other qualities, often visual. Fuhr’s to Korean music as a branding tool that K-pop = all pop music from a “sandwich” even if those things definition, to my mind, thus lets you and it overreaches. A lot of bands Korea, but is not = all popular music might come fairly close. There include PSY, exclude Kim Wan-sun, have been willing to play on that from Korea. There is extensive lit- must be a line, because we know and put Seo Taiji at the beginning of bill because of the very significant erature, filled of course with similar it is possible to cross the line.” I a long line of K-pop with his glo- exposure it has brought them, but debates, on distinguishing pop mu- disagree. Only rarely is there a balized, hip-hop inflected and highly I think it is safe to say that a lot of sic and popular music. I’m not going clear line; instead one confronts a visual brand of blending music with them would prefer not to be lumped to rehearse them and I’ve already continuum around a grey area, for youth culture — but in both of the in with K-pop. gone longer than I intended, so will which there is a process of negotia- latter two cases, we start to push People who know more about the cut this now. tion and inevitable dispute. The key the margins into that grey area and back story than I do can fill in the in determining a genre is how peo- people can argue on where they details about the discussions be- Cheers, Stephen Epstein You pivot around, preparing to the predicament she’s in. Then the are you going to do with me?” “...deliver you to the prosecution drive out with the president in your president of Korea locks eyes with “President Park, I am the Exca- for questioning!” GO TO PAGE 22 clutches. you. vator Vigilante!” you roar. “And I “...make you answer to the She stirs, wakes up, and sees “Who are you?” she yells. “What am going to...” people!” GO TO PAGE 23 21 Content taken from Facebook 켜주는겁니까. without permission. The first few 제2의 용산 참사가 재발되지 않도록 paragraphs are likely commentary 많은 관심과 성원을 부탁드립니다. written by the person who shared it. 주소는 마포구 백범로 157 공덕빌딩 입니다. 오늘 문재인 정부 출범 이후 첫 강제 철거가 공덕역 2번 출구에 있는 마포로 It is said that the first forced dem- 6 도시환경정비사업 지역에서 진행된 olition after the inauguration of the 다고 합니다. 도시정비법은 용산 참사 Moon Jae-in government will pro- 를 불러온 악법이죠. 문재인 정부의 도 ceed in the area of the Urban En- 시재생President 50조 원 투입보다 도시정비법 Moon’s first evictionvironmental Improvement Project 정비가 시급해 보입니다. at Mapo-ro 6 by Gongdeok Station 더구나 상가 세입자가 아니라 조합의 exit 2. The city maintenance law is 편을 들고 있다는 악명 높은 더 민주 소 the evil law that caused the Yong- 속 구청장은 홍대 앞 두리반을 철거당 san Disaster. It is urgent to improve 하게 했던 사람입니다. the city maintenance law rather than 위급한 상황에 처한 세입자들에게 아 injecting 50 trillion won into the ur- 무런 일이 일어나지 않기를 바랍니다. ban regeneration of the Moon Jae-in 재개발 위협에 처한 음악학원을 운영 government. 하는 세입자의 호소문을 붙입니다. Moreover, the notorious dean of the democratic subordinate, who is 호 소 문 holding the side of the union instead of the tenant, was the one who drove 저는 현재 마포에서 24년째 음악학 him out of Hongdae. 원을 운영하고 있습니다. I hope that nothing will happen to 17년 동안 운영하던 음악학원이 재 the tenants in emergency situations. 개발이 된다고 하여 가까운 거리에서 Attached a tenant’s appeal for a 다시 학원을 시작하고 어느덧 8년의 시 music school under threat of rede- 간이 흘렀습니다. velopment. 돈을 벌면 학원에 다시 투자하여 어 엿한 마포 최고의 학원을 만들어 200여 Appeal 명의 학생들을 가르치며 열심히 일하던 중 지역주민의 절반이 반대하는 재개발 I currently have run a music school 이 진행되었습니다. in Mapo for 24 years. It has been 세입자 입장에서 그동안 만들어온 영 eight years since I started the school 업권에 대한 보상을 받고 싶었지만 현 again in a short distance because the 실은 무조건 주는 대로 받고 나가야만 music school that I had been oper- 하는 상황입니다. ating for 17 years was redeveloped. 조합이 제시하는 감정평가 금액으로 When I made money, I invested 는 학원을 폐업해야 합니다. again in the institute to make the 저희는 단 한번이라도 제대로 된 협 best school in Mapo and taught about 상을 기대했었습니다. 200 students. While working hard, 그러나 그 바램은 단지 저희의 희망 half of the local residents were op- 사항일 뿐 도시개발정비법이라는 악법 posed to redevelopment. 의 덫에 걸려 토지수용이 되자마자 불 I wanted to be compensated for 법점유로 형사고발을 당해 200만원의 억울한 약자들은 손해배상청구 당할 재개발 현장은 돈이 먼저, 사람이 나 the goodwill that has been made in 벌금형을 받았고, 끊임없는 회유와 협 까봐 저항할 수도 없습니다. 중입니다. the standpoint of the tenant, but the 박, 강제철거에 그나마 있던 학생들마 오늘 저는 강제집행을 당합니다. 손해보는 것이 당연하니 저항하지 말 reality is that I have to go out and 저 그만두는 상황이라 생활고까지 겪고 어디에 하소연 할 곳도 없습니다. 고 턱도 없이 부족한 보상금 들고라도 receive it unconditionally. 있습니다. 정권이 바뀌어도 악법은 존재하고, 나가야 하는겁니까. The school must be closed for the 그나마 다행이도 1년이 훌쩍 지난 현 쫒겨나는 것이 여전히 당연합니다. 왜 서민들의 수 십년간의 피와 땀을 appraisal amount proposed by the 재 조합장이 만나자고 연락이 와서 협상 24년 동안 열심히 일만 했던 대가가 하루아침에 빼앗아 갑니까. union. 이 진행되려나 했습니다. 이건가요? 너무나 이런일들이 많아 말도 안되는 We had hoped for the right nego- 며칠 전 2시간가량 서로 붙잡고 울며 24년 동안 열심히 일만 했더니 그 가 일들을 겪으면서도 당연하게 생각하는 tiation once and for all. However, the 불며 같이 잘 해결해 보자고 얘기까지 치를 조합과 SK와 시청, 구청이 빼앗아 이 현실을 보고만 있어야 합니까. wish was only a wish of ours, and as 했습니다. 갑니다. 뺏겨도 할 수 없으니 입다물 soon as we were caught in the trap 본인도 강제집행이 싫다고 했습니다. 고 나가라 합니다. 강제집행을 당하는 날 저는 이렇게 of the evil law of the Urban Devel- 집행비를 차라리 보상에 보태줘야 한 지금 마포지역은 5군데에 재개발이 호소합니다. opment and Improvement Act, we 다고까지 했습니다. 진행되고 있습니다. 이 세상엔 당연하게 쫒겨나야 할 사 received a fine of 2,000,000 won due 며칠 전까지 그러던 사람이 강제집행 70넘으신 노인분들이 생존권을 지키 람도 그래야할 이유도 없습니다. to illegally occupying the land and 을 하겠답니다. 려 아픈몸을 이끌고 시위를 하고 있습 법위에 사람이 먼저인 세상이 되었으 suffered constant suicide and intimi- 도대체 왜그러는지 묻고 싶어 조합장 니다. 큰 충격에 치매에 걸리신 어르신 면 좋겠습니다. dation I am still experiencing my life 에게 전화했더니 안받습니다. 들도 계시고, 병세가 악화되어 돌아가신 강자의 이익을 위해 약자의 손해가 because I have quit my students. 시청 구청 직원의 전화도 안받는답 분들고 계십니다. 몇 주 전엔 강제집행 당연한 사회는 병든 사회입니다. It is fortunate that a year has 니다. 에 저항하려 70노모가 온몸에 위험물질 상식이 통하는 세상이 되었음 좋겠 passed and the negotiations have 시청과 구청도 법대로 진행되니 어쩔 을 뒤집어 쓰시기도 했습니다. 서울 곳 습니다. been going on. A few days ago, I had 수가 없답니다. 곳에 이런 불합리한 개발과 집행이 만연 세입자들이 과한 것을 요구하는것도 to hold on to each other for about 그 법으로 국민들의 인권과 생존권이 하여도 언론은 관심이 없습니다. 기사제 아닙니다. two hours and talk about crying and 빼앗겨도 어쩔 수가 없답니다. 보를 해보아도 소용이 없습니다. 20여명의 젊은 직원들이 모두 일자리 working together. I also said I hate 현재 마포로 6 재개발 지역은 몇 차 이렇게 재개발 지역 주민들은 죽어가 를 잃게 되었습니다. forced eviction. I have even said I 례의 강제집행으로 힘없는 노인분들과 고 있습니다. 일을 하게 해주십시오. should add the expenses to the re- 세입자들이 저항한번 못해보고 쫓겨났 제가 지지한 후보가 대통령이 되어 법대로 한다며 위험한 강제집행을 하 ward. Someone who did that until a 습니다. 하루하루 새로운 세상을 경험하고 있습 는 조합이 더 이상 횡포를 저지르지 못 few days ago would be forced to do 지병에 걸린 할아버지가 약도 못 챙 니다. 그러나 재개발 현장은 그대로입니 하게 막아주십시오. 누구보다 열심히 세 so. I want to ask why, but I called 긴 채 쫒겨났습니다. 다. 하나도 바뀌지 않았습니다. 금 내며 일한 저희들의 권리는 누가 지 the union and I do not accept it. I do You drive the president back out to go get sojued up and sleep for “Awaiting orders, ma’am,” the tors, whacking away a few with to where the prosecutorial investi- 24 hours. lead prosecutor says. your shovel, but they pry open the gation team is assembled, and dump But then a guy from the justice The president gets to her feet and door to your excavator and haul you Park out in front of them. ministry shows up and hands each brushes off her pantsuit. “You fools, don’t out. It’s you who goes to jail. “You can take it from here!” you of the prosecutors an envelope full let that excavator vigilante get away!” 22 exclaim. Job well done, time of cash. You try to fight off the prosecu- THE END not even call the staff at City Hall. City Hall and Mapo District Office are also acting within the law so we cannot help it. That law cannot help Photographing protests but be deprived of human rights and the right to live. ing long exposures either on a roof At present, the elderly people or on the street. And it’s easier to and tenants of Mapo 6 Redevel- respond to changing crowd move- opment Zone who could not resist ments when holding a monopod than have been forced out several times. a tripod. My grandfather, who was suffering from chronic illness, was kicked Take advantage of empty streets: out with no medicine. We can not One thing common at many pro- resist that the unjust people will be tests is the sense of pedestrians bribed. taking the streets back from cars. Today I am enforced. There is no Sometimes they just get a few lanes place to complain. Even if the re- cordoned off, but when you have gime changes, evil laws exist, and a million fucking people, it’s like it is still natural to be driven away. watching icebergs shift and con- Is this the price for my 24 years sume entire streets. There are wide of hard work? I have worked hard open areas where you can get some for 24 years, and its value is taken perspectives that normally would be by the union, SK, City Hall, and the suicide. district office. I cannot even take it Jon Twitch Queer Culture Festival in 2015, I Photograph the other side: There away. just glided through, got all the pic- is often an opposing side, even if There are now five redevel- I’ve been to a few protests in tures, then went home and looked they are paid for by the FKI. Pho- opment areas in the Mapo area. my time in Korea, probably half of at them and began translating, and tograph them, yes, but don’t get too The elderly people who are over which were within the last year in I was sickened by it. If I’d looked close and don’t linger lest you be 70 are protesting to protect their which a million people would mobi- closer while I was there, I wouldn’t seen as implicitly supporting them, right to live. Some of the elderly lise in downtown Seoul all at once. have done the job. or they attack you because they’re suffered from a great shock and I learned early on that Korean pro- old and crazy. were suffering from dementia, and tests are thoroughly peaceful, until Shoot kids: Nobody likes kids, so some died because their condi- they aren’t, and the police are well- put a bullet in their heads. Or wait, Find people you know, bands: tions worsened. A few weeks ago behaved, until they aren’t. Tak- if you’re a photographer, take a Even at massive million-strong I tried to resist forced eviction. ing pictures at protests presents a picture of them participating in the protests, I’m always liable to run Even though these unreasonable range of tactical and ethical quan- protest. How are they being used into a few people I know. And it developments and operations are daries. Here are some tips to get by parents? They probably have no can be incredibly reassuring to spreading all over Seoul, the media the best pictures, and either help a autonomy in deciding to participate, see a familiar face among the is not interested. There is no point cause you support or get in and get but their participation carries a lot masses. in reporting an article. out while minimising impact at one of implications, starting with how More reassuring than that, The redevelopment area resi- you don’t support. violent the parents expect the pro- though, is catching a musical per- dents are dying. The candidates I tests to be. formance by someone you like. supported are the president and I Learn where the police are: Ko- My first visit to a protest with experience a new world every day. rean police tend to take up defen- Go against the grain: You can more than 1 million people, I man- However, the redevelopment site is sive positions using bus walls. The march along with crowds, but all the aged to hear Crying Nut perform- intact. Nothing has changed. The most extreme clashes, which I still pictures you’ll get are of the backs ing way off in the distance, which redevelopment site is money first, have always managed to miss, will of people’s heads in front of you. was quite a confidence booster. man second. It is natural to lose, so happen where protesters meet po- But if you turn around, all of a sud- And thanks to the 하야하롹 con- do not resist, you have to go out lice. But beyond that, photographs den everybody is facing you. Park cert series, I got to see many fa- with little compensation without of police can be powerful. It is yourself in a spot by where they’re miliar bands, some interviewed in a jaw. Why do you take away the highly likely the police won’t like marching, or actively walk back- this zine, performing at protests. blood and sweat of decades of the you taking their picture, but they’re wards through the crowd, and this Just walking through a protest common people in the morning? unlikely to do anything more than is when you’ll get the best pictures. can be a real cultural experience, I just need to see this reality so move their heads. But don’t push with all types of music on display. many things are going to take me them. Get up high: Obviously a good through the ridiculous things. vantage point will really help. You Watch out for clowns: They’re On the day of forced eviction, I Be a passive observer: I’d rather can scan rooflines to see where following you, and they’ll find you, appeal to you. There is no reason be a participant or a photographer, there are roofs with people on them, even in massive crowds. for a person to leave this world. I not both at once. If you’re there although some places will allow wish I could be the first person on as a photographer, you should only journalists while others will be the law. A socially harmful society play the part of an impartial ob- government spooks who won’t be is a sick society for the benefit of server, or at least attempt to. And welcoming. But you can always try the strong. I hope it will be a world if you’re a foreigner in Korea, it is talking your way in. where common sense can commu- technically illegal for you to join Even a power box or subway en- nicate. Nor does the tenant require protests. Any holding of signs or trance could be enough of a boost oversight. More than 20 young em- raising of fists is technically il- to put you over the crowd and let ployees lost their jobs. Please let legal. However, you are allowed you get the pictures you want. I got me work. to be at protest locations, as the up somewhere high during Queer Please make sure the union that police can’t exactly cut off your Culture Korea Festival 2015, and all is in dangerous enforcement is no access. the people marching by were wav- longer able to commit the tyranny. ing at me like I was the one on a Who protects our rights that we Photograph, don’t read: This parade float. In Korea, minor civil have worked harder than anyone? helps in my case because I need to disobedience such as climbing on I would like to ask for your con- sit down and puzzle over protest things on the street won’t get you in tinued interest and encouragement slogans to understand them. So I trouble (the cops have their hands so the second Yongsan Disaster just wander through and shoot eve- full), but not sure about the US. does not recur. rything: signs, flags, logos. Just get Travel light: You’ll probably find The address is Mapo-gu, Baek- it and get out. When I photographed a monopod much more useful than a beom-ro 157, Gongdeok Bldg. the Christian protests of Korean tripod, as you’re unlikely to be tak- You back out of Cheong Wa Dae mun is crowded, but the protesters surrounded by the bereaved families while evil still rules the Korean and head through the streets of Seo- move aside for you. You drive straight of the Sewol ferry victims. Peninsula? What now? chon through the labyrinth of police up over Sejong Boulevard to the stat- “She’s all yours, folks!” you buses. The police watch you, but ue of Admiral Yi Sun-shin, where the shout, then throw your excavator in It is time to give up. For now. GO there’s nothing they can do while you Sewol protest tents are. There, you reverse and back out of there. TO PAGE 31 have their president in your clutches. upturn your shovel and deposit Presi- You’re so tired and you’ve come The battle never ends. Onward! The street in front of Gwanghwa- dent Park Geun-hye right on her ass, a long way, but can you really rest GO TO PAGE 32 23 Sorry, used without permission What You Say? Let’s translate some Korean NST & the Soul Sauce lyrics into English! “조랑말을 타고” (Riding a Jo- rang Horse) The Kitsches This song is basically about “Message from Paul Weller” globalising Korean culture. What exactly does Jam They have a big explanation frontman Paul Weller have to about it in the Korean version say to a Korean hardcore band? of their new release, which isn’t I wanted to translate a Kitsches out yet. It’s intended to pre- song and this one was for sent several comical images of some reason beckoning. I don't doing so, all while riding on a actually think we find out what tiny Mongolian horse. Because his message is though. singing about horseback riding worked for Crying Nut. 삶의 이유를 찾지 못해 I cannot find the reason for my 조랑말을 타고 아프리카로 가보자 life. Let’s ride a jorang horse to Af- 아니 솔직히 말하면 하루 종일 앉 rica 아 조랑말을 타고 에피오피아로 가보 No frankly, I sit all day 자 쫓기듯이 일자리만 찾는게 I’m just looking for jobs. Let’s ride a jorang horse to Ethiopia 입 열일 없다가 중국을 지나 몽고를 지나 아라비아 I have no time to talk 사막에 뽕 나무를 심어보자 이제 서야 운을 떼네 From China to Mongolia to Ara- Just now putting it into words bia let’s plant a mulberry tree in the desert 불안감에 잠 못 이루고 I cannot sleep due to anxiety. 조랑말을 타고 유럽으로 가보자 다음날 나는 발견했지 Let’s ride a jorang horse to Eu- The next day I found it rope 폴웰러의 메세지들, 조랑말을 타고 아이슬란드로 가보 Paul Weller’s messages, 자 같은 시대 함께하는 친구들 I had the chance to go on CJSR, my old hometown Friends of the same age Let’s ride a jorang horse to Ice- university radio station, during a visit on July 3. I met 나는 이렇게도 나약해 land with Brittany in the former bank vault DJ booth for an Like this I’m weak. 러시아를 지나 발칸을 지나 빅밴앞 hour-long show. Here’s the playlist. Her cohost Rylan 중심을 잃지 마라 에서 된장찌게를 끓여보자 was out of the country so she was stuck bantering Let’s stay centered. From Russia to Balcans to Big Ben let’s boil doenjang soup with me. They both expressed a great deal of interest Green Flame Boys 조랑말을 타고 아메리카로 가보자 in gentrification issues and punk-folk crossovers, two “LOVE 밤페이군” things I was able to focus on. I was not expecting this to be Let’s ride a jorang horse to about the manga/anime “Oh My America Goddess” before I started. 조랑말을 타고 인디언들과 달려보 Crying Nut - “Ride a Horse” 자 RUX - “Our Minds are all the Same” 스쿨드의 예덟번째 로봇 집을 지키 Let’s ride a jorang horse with Suck Stuff - “Go Outside” 는 밤페이군 the Indians Ska Sucks - “Skank in the Suburbia” Skuld’s eigth robot to keep the 알라스카를 지나 록키산을 넘어 백 Bamseom Pirates - “Long Live Kim Jong Il” house Banpeikun 악관앞에서 모내기를 해보자 스쿨드의 실수로 감정이 생겨버린 From Alaska to the Rocky Mukimukimanmansu - “Andromeda” 밤페이군 Mountains let’s plant rice in Dead Gakkhahs - (unknown due to lack of track list- Skuld accidentally gave emo- front of the White House ing) tions to Banpeikun Shorty Cat - “I’m not Gonna Make it” 적을 무찔러야 해 (그치만)베르단 조랑말을 타고 한라산으로 가보자 디가 너무 사랑스러워 Let’s ride a jorang horse to Green Flame Boys - “L.O.V.E. Banpeikkun” Have to defeat an enemy (but) Hallasan ...Whatever That Means - “68-22” feat. Jong-hee Belldandy is so cute 조랑말을 타고 백두산으로 올라가 from Rux 스쿨드의 예덟번째 로봇 집을 지키 자 Heimlich County Gun Club - “Hongdae Streets” feat. 는 밤페이군 Jinsuk from Skasucks Skuld’s eigth robot to keep the Let’s ride a jorang horse up house Banpeikun Baekdusan Billy Carter - “Time Machine” 좋아하는 그애를 위해 For her 낙동강을 건너 압록강을 건너 만주 Visit cjsr.com to hear the radio station. Or go to 내 목숨도 상관없어요 벌판에서 강강수월래를 하자 mixcloud.com/thehistoryofpunk/korean-punk to lis- My life doesn’t matter Let’s cross Nakdong River and Yalu 나는 널 좋아해요 River and perform Ganggangsullae ten to the actual show. I like you in the plains of Manchuria Rather than turn away, you steer back out of your way. Some are Cheong Wa Dae. You could take a I’ll find another way around. GO directly into the police line. The riot preparing to raid your excavator. side street and try to get past them, TO PAGE 16 police don’t want to put their lives But up ahead is a wall of riot po- or you could go for a frontal assault. I’ll attack with my shovel. GO TO 24 on the line, so they mostly lice buses , impeding your path to How to deal with this obstacle? PAGE 17 Good Ash or Bad Ash?
Jon Twitch So, Ken finally did it. After a summer of trudging around with too much gear last year, he’s put out a 30ish-minute documentary on Korean punk. It looks at two likeminded communities based around GBN Live House and Club SHARP, both interviewe dbriefly in this zine. My first reaction after seeing it was that it seemed like a refuta- tion of Epstein and Tangherlini’s documentaries on Korean music, “Our Nation” (2002) and “Us and Them” (2015). Rather than look for a bigger academic meaning in Korea’s awkward search for its place in the world, Ken focuses on the micro level, learning how participants in the scene see it. After “Us and Them” centered itself around the marriage of ...Whatever That Means members Jeff and Trash, “Ash” has both of them on camera, not together, and Jeff airs his frustration with his family’s racial makeup being Image courtesy of Ken Robinson the cause of attention and cel- pretty well everyone in it. Ken ex- tive mainstream culture, to ap- ing all the bright lights and surging ebration. plains it’s to keep things simpler. proach the actual right-wing punks, crowds would have gotten the mes- That last documentary, filmed Also not represented are for- but I doubt they would have been sage across. around 2011, captured the waning eigners, of which only two appear forthcoming. Although POV Magazine refers years of the second wave of Korean (not counting Taiwanese-Korean Ken leaves out a lot of stuff, but to the film as an “optimistic por- punk, when male-pattern baldness Yuying). We get a few seconds that is the foundation of creativ- trait of the indie music scene in was more common than student IDs. of Ian doing something, and then ity: ignoring a whole bunch of stuff Seoul” the moment in history Ken It missed the third wave of Korean Jeff’s interview at the end. Ken to focus on something important. captures in this film is pessimistic punk, which hadn’t yet found it- says there is some hostility to So it matters less that we don’t and depressed, as we were just self in those times, and much was the idea of a white guy being so see what’s going on at Skunk Hell months away from uncovering the still mired in the Duriban struggle visible in the Korean scene when across the street. misdeeds by the Park Geun-hye and the Hongdae exodus still didn’t he screens the movie, and while I But what this documentary miss- government. One great relic of this seem believeable. This film is very dislike that notion, focusing on the es, in my opinion, is why Hongdae time is Ahn Akhee’s shirt, sport- much about the third wave of punk, more Korean side of things does has become such a hostile place to ing the phrase “Girls do not need distinct from what came before, bring deeper insights that are hard our scene. It just is, as presented, a prince” straight from Megalian, even in the case of the Club SHARP to bring out when it’s drunk Kore- and we get on with it in Mangwon which in those days was consid- crew which comes from that second ans talking with drunk foreigners and Mullae and assorted other loca- ered a controversial statement by wave but now does its own thing. about their country. Also, while tions. An explanation is given, there radical feminist extremists. I’m not This movie follows several mem- there is discussion of Koreans are fewer bands so there are fewer saying things have changed totally, bers of the scene, interviewing leaving the country, taking a “K- clubs, which I think a close analysis but the pendulum has swung in the them at photogenic locations where move” as the government brands of the actual numbers might actually right direction. It is interesting to Ken’s camera gently hovers, never it, it isn’t seriously discussed, contradict; for years the scene was watch this documentary keeping in fully staying still, probably simulat- even though two interviewees are plagued by there being too many mind this is the eve of upheaval. ing what it’s like to be inside Ken’s now gone. venues, too many bands, and not It is good Ken was around to cap- skull, looking at the world through Early on, I was thinking it would enough paying customers, which I ture that time, so we can view it to his viewfinder. have been interesting, with all this think is what did the second wave see how much or little we’ve pro- Ken does coax a lot of very inter- talk about rebelling from conserva- in. Just a few more shots show- gressed since then. esting moments out of his subjects, The third wave is still going not just in what they declare, but strong, and we’ll see how it adapts also how they say it and what hap- under a new presidential adminis- pens while they say it. He captures tration, let alone the era of reality a phone call between Paeng and TV politicians towering over the Dongwoo, and gets a bit of Jinsuk Korean Peninsula, maybe to be seen speaking in formal grammar which in “Ash II: Rebuilding after Korean he then second-guesses in front of War II.” the camera. He gets enough of Ko- How are you going to see “Ash”? rean punks acting natural that the At present, there doesn’t seem to movie does faithfully depict what be a way, unless you can corner these people are like to be around, someone who has a physical copy of something I think Epstein’s movies it. Oh, also, Ken is coming to Korea cut in favour of cerebral sit-down this summer. interviews or planned bits. So he better find a way for his Oddly, no names are used, either friends to see it, because this is a of the participants or the musi- thoughtful, important movie, and cal acts, until the very end, which not just because it’s about our is easy to overlook when you know This one was shamelessly stolen from the DocNow website. friends.
You drive your excavator right you a hero’s welcome. They gather and other merch. I’ll slowly but firmly move for- through the middle of Seoul, right around you and raise their candles But there’s about a million of ward. GO TO PAGE 17 into Sejong Plaza. Rather than try and cheer you on. Some even have them, and they’re all in your way. I’ll try to blend in. GO TO to stop you, the protesters give Excavator Vigilante signs, shirts, What will you do? PAGE 27 25 MUSIC REVIEWS Full Garage / Crab Legs NST & The Soul Sauce Split EP the Pigs,” are pretty extreme. Back When Tigers Smoked the Korean language what Big World Domination, Inc. I like the song quite a lot, and Eastern Standard Sounds Youth did to English. Tiny Dragon Music I hope it matches up with Full Jon Twitch In contrast, frontman NST’s Jon Twitch Garage’s sentiments. Anyway, If reggae came from Korea naturally growlier vocals play One 7”, two sides, one band there is a lot for American rather than Jamaica, it would more of a supporting role. each. Crab Legs offers three punks to be angry about these sound like this. This album has While I enjoy his rough vocal songs while Full Garage fits days. a lot of soul and all of it feels style live, the edges have been four, so Full Garage wins? In contrast, Full Garage’s vehemently Korean. softened here, particularly on Before we get started, some- music expresses a sense of Getting into this album for me “Riding a Jorang Horse.” That one on the Korean Punk & anxiety with being trapped was a challenge at first, as I’ve song was destined to be the Hardcore page asked if the within an oppressive soci- seen them play some amazing centerpiece of this album. It cover of this album was ripping ety. “Work Sleep Work” talks shows, including one in Gwang- actually spans two tracks, as off Dead Kennedys’ “Suffer” about life within a rigid system. hwamun calling for President Kim Oki’s horse-neighing sax- cover, showing a guy dressed “Chainsaw Truck” is about pil- Park’s impeachment; I can’t not noodling spans track 5 and sets in DK gear on fire in a subur- laging a rigid social system, hear “박근혜는 하야하라” when you up for track 6, while leav- ban area. This one shows a guy or just bumming around your I listen to certain parts of some ing them separate for those with a symbol I can’t recognise, friend’s home after crashing on songs. The energy on this al- who want to skip it. It’s a bold who is on fire in a very -simi his couch. bum isn’t the same as those decision I think the members of lar suburban neighbourhood but One band suggests outright shows, but it is robust nonethe- Kingston Rudieska wish they with crabs everywhere. I don’t rejection of societal ideas, while less. could pull off. know the music well enough the other plays with the idea of First off, the obvious compar- The other standout part of the to weigh in, although I found playing within the socially dic- ison: Kingston Rudieska. Where album is “Red Tiger,” a song NOFX’s album cover for “Surf- tated lines and perverting them NST et al excel over that group with sorikkun Kim Yul-hee. The er” to be a pretty witty parody, for ostentatiously personal in- is in the instrumental, ambient song is a little more reminis- and it seems widely parodied, terests. songs that rely on groove rath- cent of I&I Djangdan’s pansori- so lighten up. It’s sort of a macro-micro er than charisma. The first two reggae fusion than the album’s I don’t really know who Crab difference, all expressed within songs are instrumentals, and other songs, though Kim’s vocal Legs are, but they seem to be a 12 minutes, because 7”. unlike with Kingston Rudieska, style distinguishes herself from pretty angry political punk band Take note, if you have this on you won’t feel too rushed wait- Jang Goon’s. But it also doesn’t from somewhere in the US. The vinyl, there is also a download ing for them to play their hits or go far into pansori, relegating lyrics to the first song, “Disarm code so you can get it digitally. for Sugar to point at you. You’ll her to a background instrument. want to hang out with NST and I mean it still works, but hav- savour every moment. ing seen her perform with them, Green Flame Boys The natural lead singer of the this particular collaboration has band is Smiley Song, the per- greater potential. It even seems Green Room earplugs compared to the ear- cussionist and melodican who they have recorded one or two The Valiant lier demo version. I don’t know sings on tracks 3, 4 and 8. Ap- full-on reggae-pansori songs Jon Twitch what was changed or why, but parently he had to be convinced that weren’t included. As a rule, I can’t say anything I hope it didn’t cost too much. to do it, which is mind-blowing At the end of the day, this al- bad about an album in which This bothered me significantly once you hear his voice really bum is recorded superbly, and my name is listed either as a less on “Tsubomi,” the boys’ pick up steam on “Sing a Song it is now one of my most-fre- photographer or in the general 5:40 ode to their favourite & Dance” in which he does to quent-played albums. thanks. Unless they spell my Japanese pornstar. Same with name wrong. Which they did. the perfectly awkward “Purple Green Flame Boys is a fine Sky.” Jeff Rosenstock / Skasucks band, probably one of the coun- But now we have 10 more Split Album a very groovy dub before ex- try’s best “punk” bands right GFB songs than before. World Domination, Inc ploding into distortion and ag- now judging by their June 17 Being able to hear “LOVE 밤 Jon Twitch gravation. album release which attract- 페이군” makes life easier. Lis- I confess, I’d never heard of Next, “Midnight Cowboy” is ed both punks and cops. Their tening to “Plz Boys Don’t Cry” Jeff Rosenstock before. He’s a ska-punk song with a heavy style of music is referred to as at the touch of a button can’t apparently been in a number of emphasis on the keyboard. It “Cheongchun” (youth) punk, be bad. “Song for Young,” their indie and ska-punk bands over builds to “Suicide City,” a song apparently a subgenre originat- English-only song, also is great the past 20 years — including with all the Skasucks elements ing in Japan. It’s hard to find an to have. Not having heard these the Bruce Lee Band with which in place: Jinsuk’s wailing, the audience that won’t go fucking songs recorded before, I highly he toured here for the first New keyboard’s grinding, ska guitar nuts for these guys. value these new songs. And the Generation of Ska Fest — and and rock drums, and lots of at- Earlier, they released a version of “Cherry Boy” here judging by how swiftly he sold titude throughout. smaller EP with four songs, and is from an unidentified live re- out 700 of this album, he must This album combined with the which was rougher but really cording and totally captures be a big deal in the US. His “Make America Skank Again” brought out Kichul’s voice. This their rawness, ending the album songs are cool, but far removed tour hopefully opened the door new album lacks that rawness in a real place. from ska or ska-punk. for Skasucks, the band that has though. On first hearing the new These guys’ music is uni- Then Skasucks rumbles onto worked harder than anyone to version of “동정” (Sympathy), I versally loveable. It is intense, the scene with “Attitude,” a get that damn door open for felt like I was listening through goofy, and superbly done. 47-second song that starts as Korean music.
“Yes, you have chosen wisely, my body what your shovel did to left of him was a cryogenically pre- love to this beautiful woman, right Excavator Vigilante!” she says. Lee Kun-hee’s hospital room!” served nose.” there, on that mountain of the skulls “You have defeated evil and brought “I still can’t believe how weird “Shut up and make love to me,” of your enemies. peace to the Korean Peninsula. Now that turned out,” you remark. “Who she says. 26 use your manly arms to do to knew, after all this time, all that was You unzip your pants and make THE END The Kitsches The Rulerz s/t Don’t Be a Poser diy DIY Jon Twitch Jon Twitch Hardcore is a hard genre to On first trying to play this CD, listen to recorded, but on this I was thrown by the sort-of- album, the Kitsches distinguish genuine-looking upper surface themselves. which really resembles a mini- The songs are short and top- EP. It’s a clever trick the cheap ical, jumping between Korean photocopied liner notes don’t and English. “Celebrity” is a hint at. fun song with English lyrics and 2tone ska has been desper- a basic idea, and “권위와질서" ately needed in this country for (Authority and Order) is easy to a long time. It remains to be chant along with, while “Fake seen how many people actually Friends”says something about acknowledge that, but this band friendship we’re all starting brings a very pure sound that to wrap our heads around. It’s Billy Carter hasn’t been attempted in Korea taking me a few extra listens Here I am Pigibit5 previously. And this is Korea’s to get the songs straight in my Warner Music Sadman the Movie OST first 2tone ska band — that in it- head, as there’s little distin- Jon Twitch Butterproof Records self is worth celebrating. guishing them from each other, Jon Twitch It is primarily the brainchild not that that’s a huge problem. Billy Carter should be held This simple 24-minute album of Jude Nah, who previous- Compliments to Chun Hakju up as a gleaming example of is one great example of how ly masterminded the skinhead of Mushroom Recording and how a bunch of punks can go up creative Korean indie music can reggae band Pegurians, team- maybe Salas Xiang of Fishball against the big music business get. Pigibit5, while perform- ing up with Skasucks frontman Mastering for producing an al- and not just hold onto their in- ing music that is technically too Ryu Jinsuk. The two previously bum that gives you the sense tegrity but end up enhancing complicated to be punk, brings performed together while Jude you’re sitting in the same room everything that makes them a punk attitude to music pro- played keys for Skasucks, and with this band playing live great. duction while keeping things this reunion seems perfect. The while not flinching from too Most of the songs on this lat- easy-going. Their music is ex- band is rounded out by several much sound. It sounds perfectly est album, produced not just by cessively complex and gentle, other accomplished musicians, natural and you can almost feel Warner but also KOCCA and unlike what we expect from including Angie An of Wasted yourself brace for someone’s the Ministry of Culture, Sports punk music, while also being Johnny’s and Kim Janghyup, also shoulder to slam into your lung. and Love, I already know and free-spirited and eager to cross of Pegurians as well as skinhead I’d go so far as to call it radio- love. So telling readers why lines, like punk music. Its com- bands The Brigade and Resolute. friendly. they should listen is pointless. plexity is unlike anything punk I loved the Pegurians but what it Oh, and the liner notes may This is Billy Carter louder and is capable of and shocks me needed was a charismatic front- be black and white but they’re amped up, and done well. If you even on repeated listens. man, and Jinsuk fills the spot highly artistic, so whoever did need just one quintessential The previous two albums perfectly. that should come and do art for Billy Carter album, make it this (there may have also been a Songwise, “Don’t Be a Poser” Broke in Korea. one. demo before that) were fun, and is a bouncy fun song that con- I remember after “Cherryboy jures up the best aspects of UK Revolution” it was hard to get 2tone ska bands. Same can be Food For Worms used to “Mr. MUNBA,” and now said for “Puppet Dance.” Down In The Valley album are the strongest, which is here I am getting used to “Sad- The Rulerz, like the origi- DIY kind of strange. man the Movie Soundtrack.” nal 2tone ska bands, thrives on Jon Twitch Around track 4, “Loqua- It’s a good problem to have. covering earlier musicians. Live, FFW is both familiar and sur- cious,” this album starts to The album begins with a qui- they do an excellent job covering prising: familiar in that they feel very classic punk, to the et piano/violin number before Madness’ take on Prince Buster’s somewhat echo the earlier ex- point where you can’t listen to chugging to life with the in- “One Step Beyond” as well as pat-powered Daegu band Mr it without thinking you heard it tricate “OP,” one of the songs a few other covers. But for this Headbutt, surprising in that on some old documentary about with female vocals. Likewise, album, the only cover included they do their own thing and early punk. Except did those old female vocals feature on the was Sham 69’s “Angel With Dirty when you see them perform, recordings have such literate very stringy “Serenade to Tear Faces,” a bold choice as it is frontman Dyle Kecker has more lyrics? Full disclosure, I don’t #1” plus “Pakuri Lovesong,” more than a cover but a complete charisma than most of the other actually know what “loqua- an energetic song whose key- reinterpretation of a known song bands sharing the same stage cious” means. board always reminds me of the into an entirely new genre. that night. “I Wanna Get My Ass Kicked” soundtrack to an ‘80s aerobics The album ends with anoth- We talk about “teacher-rock” is the “I Wanna Be Your Dog” workout tape. Meanwhile, the er unusual but strong number, as a pejorative, but it isn’t nec- for the generation that looks male singer only has “Sadman “Walk,” a duppier take on the essarily so. This album presents down on those younger millen- Rhapsody” to himself. genre that heavily reminds me of a band that wants to lay down nials. “Daegu City Punk Rock” is The band has always had dual the Pegurians with Jude’s key- some curriculum and bring fo- the “Cheongju City Hardcore” for male-female vocals, but in this boarding, but is bolstered by Jin- cus to what a punk band should this decade. And “Drinking Like album it seems like the singing suk’s low-key vocals that add a be. It works, and we can hope it We Don’t Wanna Live” should be duties swing further toward the lot of grit to the whole project. actually works when it comes to the anthem of English teachers in female side. The songs are as I suspect this album will be scene-building out there in the Korea. fun as before, although I still scarce in the future, so until Yeongnam region. FFW is a great band in a podunk miss the male-female duets. they release a full-length, all I And can we talk about how city of 2.5 million residents, and if They sing together a bit on can say is neener neener neen- much charisma the songs here they were anywhere else they’d “Power of Cheugugi” but more er, I got one of these and you have? The back two-thirds of the probably be doing a lot better. together, not quite as a duet. didn’t! How does an excavator blend in shin statue, a punk band is playing. your excavator. It looks like they I’ll fight them off so I can- com with a crowd at a protest? Not by As you near it, the band leaps off don’t appreciate you there. plete my mission. GO TO PAGE 33. picking up a sign and chanting. the stage and runs away. How are you getting out of this I’ll drive onto the stage. GO TO At stage in front of the Yi Sun- The protesters begin mobbing one? PAGE 34. 27 Broke Crossword
SPECIAL BROKE IN KOREA OFFER!! ONE-TIME OFFER!! Part ...come on, people! 브로크 매거진 독자들을 위한 한번뿐인 스페셜 딜!!파트5. 사람들아 쪼옴!!!!
If you want to get a tattoo paid for by me, 만약 브로크 매거진이 드 리는 무료 타투를 원하신다면 Jon Twitch of Broke in Korea fame, here is a special offer for the first person to claim it 먼저 신청하시 는 선착순 1명의 독자께 이 특별한 무료타투의 기회를 드립니다. (offer may be extended in the future 많은 분이 원하실경우 미래에 다시 같 은 이벤트를 더 진행할 계획도 있습니다). A few issues ago I offered to pay for the first idiot willing to get my name tattooed on them. 4회 전에 원하시는 분에 한해서 무료 ACROSS 4 Where ___ you? 로 저의 이름을 타투로 새겨드리는 이벤트를 진행한 적이 있습니다. 1 Santa-tracker 5 ROK enemy That...didn’t work out, thankfully. 다행히 아무도 원하지 않았습니 6 Goes with -shop and Farts 6 Drinking Boys and Girls ___ 다만... And then Jeff got a tattoo of Jesse’s face and I realised I’d 10 “Hold my ___” 7 Sora ___ been bested.그러나 제프가 제시의 얼굴타투를 새겼고 제가 졌다는 걸 14 Mangwon club 8 Director Robinson 15 Gardening tools 9 Edmonton football team 깨달았죠. And then I think I heard Yuppie Killer is offering a free 16 Busan hardcore band “___ 10 Superhero jet tattoo? 게다가 이젠 여피킬러까지 무료타투를 제공한다니요! Have” 11 Expat occupation in Korea So...welcome to the one-time offer...part who knows at this point. 17 Lotte World ___ 12 North Pole worker 18 Korea’s worst int’l online 13 ___ Tin Tin 그래서.. 결국 이번 한번뿐인 무료타투 이벤트를 진행합니다. This community 21 ___ to My Father one’s not for my name, but for the Broke in Korea logo. 이번엔 제 19 Tigger’s farewell 23 Hong-gu’s babysitter 이름이 아니라 한국 브로크 매거진의 로고 입니다. 20 Pond fish 24 Angel dust 22 Online activist 25 Japanese demon I will pay for you to get a tattoo of the Broke in Korea, 브로크매 24 Couch style punk music 26 Mullae live house 거진의 로고를 타투로 새기겠다는 을 위해서 제가 타투비용을 지불합 28 Buk or janggu 27 ___ Stompers 니다. with the following rules: 대신 다음의 법칙을 따르셔야합니다. 31 Targeted 29 Flying saucer 35 Fake indie K-pop band 30 Impressionist painter Ed- -Maximum cost 50 000 won, so it won’t be huge. 5만원 상당의 타 37 Pizzagate ouard 투. ... 절대로 크지않은 사이즈입니다. 39 Yearned 32 ___ culpa -I claim no editorial rights to the rest of your body. So, if you 40 Hawaii district or Hyundai 33 Opposite of ram SUV 34 Phone internet connection want to get the word “sucks” tattooed under it, you’re totally free 41 Celt 36 Jejudo neighbour to do so on your own dime. 브로크 매거진의 로고외의 다른부위의 피 42 Exclamations at punk show 38 ___ Bailey Hutchison 부에 무엇을 새겨도 좋습니다. 독자님이 개인적으로 돈을 지불하고 옆 44 In the ___ of the beholder 40 Liquid in K-iceberg 에 “suck”따위를 새겨도 된다는 것입니다. 46 Largest continent 43 Talking fridge 50 Comet cloud 45 Gwangju band Sever the ___ -It has to be somewhere on your body that you’re comfortable 52 Ahn of Lazybone 46 8 Down’s film having photographed. 독자님의 몸 어느부위라도 상관없습니다. 57 Daegu ska band 47 Reggae predecessor -I reserve the right to use it as an image for the next issue of 59 Red-headed comic charac- 48 White Yuppie Killer member ter 49 Flats Broke in Korea, 브로크 매거진은 이 타투 사진을 다음호 브로크 매거 60 Actor Tom 51 Mini-DNA 진에 사용할 수 있습니다 so choose the location wisely. 그러니 타투 61 Slows, on a computer 53 VHS player 부위를 현명하게 선택하시기 바랍니다. 63 Goes with air or scum 54 Exclamation of discovery 64 Visuals musician 55 Junior’s son Contact Badass Bomi to claim your free tattoo. 이 멋진 무료타투 66 Long time 56 Display component 를 원하시는 독자님은 배드애즈타투서울의 배드애즈 보미에게 연락하 68 Type of cut 58 11 Down’s subject 세요. 71 Something every band has 59 Taro ___ 74 Britpop band 62 Korean youth crew band We are also still offering “Jeff Sucks” tattoos. You can get subsi- 79 Dieselgate carmaker 65 Pre-Columbian empire dised 10 000 won for getting one of these, or 20 000 won if you’re 80 Kushner, according to Ban- 67 They played Korea in 2007 Jeff’s wife. Come on, Trash, we know you can’t say know to a free non 68 Gov’t organ investigating 4 tattoo! 81 Signal light Rivers 82 Korean spy drama 69 Turn for ___ 83 ___ of Evil 70 WTM label 84 Alprazolam 72 Backup jack Badass Bomi 73 MRE predecessor Japanese/Old School/Custom Tattoos DOWN 75 Pie ___ mode 1 Soul Sauce leader 76 Korean mountain 010-5729-9919 [email protected] 2 Pleased exclamation 77 White terrorists 3 DSLR format 78 Common Korean graffiti facebook/badasstattookorea “Thanks, sucker!” you shout, tunnel, with Park in hot pursuit in The two of you conduct a brutal dent. shoving Park out of your way and her own heavy machinery. machine-on-machine battle, right “At least I have the satisfaction driving into the tunnel. “What are you doing?” you shout there in the tunnel. The violence if taking you to Hell with me!” you “You bastard!” she cries, running back at her. “You’re crazy!” shakes the tunnel walls, leading to shout before your mouth fills up to a nearby bulldozer, which she “Nobody beats Park Geun-hye!” a cave-in. with dirt. fires up and gives chase. she shouts at you as her bulldozer As the dirt pours in around you, 28 You’re driving through this rear-ends your excavator. you get one last look at the presi- THE END Bonus Octopoulpe CD review Man Won vocal appearance on “A Great independent Big Wall of Noise,” a mashup Jon Twitch of the president’s many quotes Octopoulpe is such a visual bragging about his stupid fuck- act, it shouldn’t be as good re- ing wall. “On the Bridge” also corded on a CD. Gone are the isn’t familiar to me. All would naked guy in only his under- be welcome additions at Oc- wear and octopus mask. Gone topoulpe’s live show. Actually, is the interactive video screen. do I really want to be inundat- The prerecorded tracks and ed with images of Trump at a guest vocals are no longer de- show? Probably not. lightfully a part of the perfor- For a basically solo act, Oc- mance and apart from it, as it topoulpe brings together a lot of is all flattened into one prere- talented people for this album, corded track. from the guest musicians both Except the album is still a local and foreign, as well as re- huge pleasure to listen to. It cordings by Mushroom Record- probably helps having seen ing and Thunderhorse Studios them live, because listening to and mixing/mastering by Benoit the songs without the visuals, Courribet at Cylens mastering. I still picture them in my head, Plus the great liner notes by especially on the more famil- Punkie. iar songs, of which there are Which leads to my one com- numerous. Even without JP’s plaint: about the liner show- friendly stage solo-banter be- ing everyone in an Octopoulpe tween (and during) songs, the mask, for sale for only 10,000 humour of the album stands out. won. Now I want one! I’ve seen Also standing out are the three friends upload their im- songs I’m unfamiliar with. I don’t ages from the liner notes to Fa- recall ever seeing “Where’s My cebook, and I’m jealous! I know Tooth?” which must have been I have no musical talent, but amazing to get gap-toothed Dr dammit, I want! If you can’t tell, Paeng to sing. Donald Trump yes, I really am having a real also makes a surprise guest tantrum. Ali Safavi’s band or no? Below, find four* bands helmed by math rockema- tician Ali Safavi, hidden among four other unrelated band names, plus four other words that sound like they could be his band name. Can you spot them?
*Number may increase after publication date, as Ali threatened to use more of 10 Bands these names for his future bands in an attempt to sabotage this quiz. 10밴드들중에서 9개 한국에 왔어요. 여기 콘서트가 없었던 밴드? 1. Automobiles 7. Colours 10 bands that have played Korea, except I’m bullshitting about one of them. Which one is fake? 2. Mountains 8. Editors 3. Numbers 9. Headphones The Business Reducers SF The Queers Champion 4. Foothills 10. Machines NOFX Outbreak 5. Visuals 11. Trains MXPX Sick of It All 6. Optics 12. Islands Ramones Avril Lavigne Bonus reggae/ska version Slackers Bad Manners Chris Murray Combo Mad Professor Dr Ring Ding Bruce Lee Band Pato Banton Toasters Oi-Skall Mates Amsterdam Faya Allstars You invite her into the cabin of know!” Park tells you, grinding se- “Why not stay and fight?” know it you’re on a flight to the Cay- your excavator. There’s not much ductively in your lap. “I’m tired of ruling,” she tells you. man Islands with Geun-hye. The two room, so she sits in your lap. You “Madame President, are you try- “It’s time to move on and live just of you live out the rest of your days pilot the excavator into the tunnel ing to seduce me?” you ask her. for Geun-hye.” in relative luxury out there, out of the and gun it for the other end. A sign “Chung Yoon-hoi didn’t call me This totally seems like she’s set- grasp of the authorities. says it’s in Gwacheon. the maneater of Cheong Wa Dae for ting you up for betrayal. But, once you Personally, I’m a little skeezed, “When we get to the other end, I nothing!” she giggles coquettishly. reach the far end of the tunnel, a truck but congrats to you two, I guess. have friends who can sneak us out “Can I ask, why do you want to is waiting for you there. It brings you of the country. No one will ever leave it all behind?” you ask her. to an airfield nearby, and before you THE END 29 Know your enemy: alt-right glossary After Trump won, it became is the enemy of the nazis — I toward an intended conclusion. tionalist, fascist, or alt-right clear we have to start listening mean the alt-right. Originally the answer to the JQ member, at least while the pub- to the “other side.” So in the in- Cosmopolitan: Someone sus- was the Holocaust. These days lic is paying attention. terest of learning how the other pected of having extra-national the actual JQ is “How much Peaceful ethnic cleansing: side thinks, let’s look at some allegiances, although this ex- anti-semitic stuff can we say Coined by leading white na- of its parlance. empts someone who sieg-heils before someone calls us on it?” tionalist Richard Spencer, these 14 words: Often used as a a foreign flag of a defeated en- Kompromat: Materials which three words sum up how the greeting, shorthand for white emy or worships a hostile for- compromise an individual and alt-right envisions the peaceful supremacist David Lane’s eign leader like Putin. Also may allow for them to be manipu- enactment of policies to cre- phrase, “We must secure the denote one with elitist cultural lated into doing things against ate the world they desire. It is existence of our people and a tastes, which is why Trump their will, such as committing also what racial extremists are future for white children.” Be- is careful to be seen enjoying treason. doing to themselves by openly cause nothing keeps your kids his steak only well-done and Legitimate rape: As many showing their faces in a public safe quite like taking advice smothered in ketchup. alt-righters claim to be against parade. from a dead neo-nazi. Cuck: One who is so insecure sex crimes, they have to draw Pleb: An ordinary person, es- 14/88: This one is used as about male paternity, that he a line somewhere about which pecially from the lower social shorthand for “Hi, I’m a total questions it in all people around sex crimes are okay. Legiti- classes, but importantly not one neo-nazi.” him and fears this more than mate rape is where an attacker, of the ones who’s a follower of 88: H is the eighth letter of anything. usually nonwhite, rapes a white the alt-right. the alphabet, so this is code Cuckservative: A conserva- woman on threat of death. Any- Pro-white: A person who for HH which is shorthand for tive who shares some goals thing else, such as a rich white is blindly faithful to the white “heil Hitler.” Hey, neo-nazis with racial extremists and man moving on a woman “like race, even if it means killing are busy people, and both “heil” sometimes benefits from their a bitch” or grabbing a woman someone of that race. and “Hitler” are hard to spell. support, but has not shown the “by the pussy,” is legitimate, Race traitor: Any white per- Also means “bye bye” in China. strength of lack of character to by which I mean not legitimate son who consorts out of their All Lives Matter: See “White openly support racial extrem- rape, but legitimately legiti- racial-national cohort; not a Lives Matter.” ism, a kind of mid-right fenc- mate, so illegitimate rape. valid insult in the eyes of the Alt-left: Collectively all esitter. Libtard: A portmanteau of majority of people. countercultures, which previ- Deep state: The apolitical liberal and retard, two types Race war: A violent social ously had labels like alterna- civil service that does its job of people that will be disposed struggle that would pit white tive, punk, hippie, etc, and are regardless of partisanism. of once the alt-right takes full people, black people, Jews, inherently left-wing. As this Echo: A codified way of iden- power, just like last time. Hispanics, Asians, Muslims, makes alt-right members feel tifying Jews or their support- Lugenpresse: The “original and every other race and reli- unwelcomed, they created their ers, by enclosing the offend- German” for “fake news.” gion against a small minority of movement holding up a mirror ers in triple sets of brackets, Make America Great Again: A white racial extremists. and creating an ugly reflection eg (((Ivanka Trump))) who is slogan meaning return America Racist: Someone who has of what Trump has now called married to a Jew and (((Park Sa to the time when there were no prejudices about people of oth- the “alt-left.” Mo))) which flew Israeli flags at non-white people. er races, which everyone does, Alt-right: A neo-nazi move- pro-Park Geun-hye protests. National socialism: A form of so the next logical step is to ment secretly infiltrating Amer- Edgelord: Derived from edg- socialism in which the state is join a racial extremist group. ican conservatism and radical- ing, a term for orgasm control. the beneficiary, rather than the Rahowa: Abbreviation for ising youths. One who must maintain a level common good of the people, not Racial Holy War, and name of Alternative facts: Misinfor- of sexual stimulation while not to be confused with nazism or a former neo-nazi punk band mation that supports your be- going over the top in order to socialism. whose lead singer reformed. liefs, such as Breitbart, the troll people online. Nazi: A member of the NS- Rock Against Communism: A Daily Stormer, Infowars. Fake news: Anything that DAP, which disbanded in 1945, movement made in the 1980s Antifa: A word to denormal- doesn’t mesh with the alt-right and the alt-right is totally not to combat the real threats to ise opposition to violent racial worldview, such as CNN, the this, except for the Stormers, the world: multiculturalism, extremists. New York Times, Washington except even then sort of not. immigration, and anti-racism. Anti-racist: ARA, SHARP, Post, Teen Vogue. Nazi sympathizer: The next Named in response to the Rock Rock Against Racism, etc. Fascist: Same as authoritar- recruit. Against Racism movement. Anti-white: See antifa, ac- ian, but more willing to commit Neo-Nazi: Someone who Roman salute: looks like a cording to not one but two non- violent acts for your leader. feels nostalgic for the days of sieg heil enough to get the white alt-righters. Jewish Question (JQ): A the Nazi Party, but totally not message across, and fool the Authoritarian: The belief that vague way of steering someone a white supremacist, white na- plebs into thinking you’re doing people like you are stupid and a “nazi salute,” when you’re not can’t make mature decisions, — but you still are “secretly.” so you should decide to follow But it’s funny because you’re your leader without question. doing it but not and you’re be- Black Lives Matter: The name ing called out by people who of a terrorist organisation run wrongly think you’re doing it by foreigners in America who when you’re pretending not to. came to America centuries be- Safe space: A space where fore your grandparents did. everyone must respect each Clean coal: Shorthand used other, and if people get angry by compulsive liars who have when you discuss ideas for only ten characters to tell a lie. black genocide, you can cite the Communist: Anyone who Pictured: every corner. rules and allow the conversa-
You leap out of your excavator it in reverse and you land on the vances, crushing your legs and ad- “More like pancake vigilante!” and jump up out at the Marshall’s uneven North Korean pavement vancing further. 30 great steamroller. He throws between the two vehicles. He ad- “Excavator vigilante?” he laughs. THE END The Bimonthly Bootfuck Well the world is still fucked up. But then two girls showed up, And I’m finding myself needled by saying they were from SCS and some social media habits people demanding to be let in for free. I have. Also it pisses me off Ado- told the door guy absolutely not, be thinks because I’m in Korea, I but they managed to get in. want Korean-language free trial Later that night, I went back software. on Facebook and told Sean if tion to continue. Virtue-signaling: A conspic- But this issue, I’m saving a spe- he wanted to send people to SJW: Social justice warrior, uous action shown by an SJW cial place for SCS, which quietly my show to get in for free, he one who reacts with indigna- to show they don’t tolerate returned to promoting expensive shouldn’t post negative bullshit tion on hearing the creepy rac- racism, sexism, homophobia, concerts in Korea. like that. He didn’t see any prob- ist beliefs you want to share. or ethics in gaming journal- Years ago, their reputation was lem with what he wrote and then Skinhead: A proud race war- ism, often cited to simultane- ruined when main organiser Sean how he sent people to my show rior who scares all the non- ously acknowledge and deny threatened Beatball Records after he’d just dissed. whites just by existing. Just the moral high ground of the they complained about SCS’s do- Not a big deal, but that’s the don’t ask them to say anything virtue-signaler. mestic tour-planning service Bus kind of person he was, and why I or they’ll probably invite you to White Lives Matter: Short- King. It was hilariously memefied. disliked him, but I kept my opinion their reggae night DJ event. hand for “Only” White Lives And people started talking, to myself. Skrewdriver: A UK band that Matter. comparing notes. Soon every When some of my friends de- had a neo-nazi phase. Or, a White nationalist: A white single promoter in Korea realised cided to become business part- vodka and orange juice highball supremacist who wants to ap- they weren’t the only ones who ners with him to open Powwow, I served at Club Spot in Hong- pear not racist long enough to hated Sean and SCS. warned them privately not to trust dae. try to express his white su- Some, he’d badly fucked over. him. Inevitably, he never paid a Snowflake: The idea that premacist beliefs logically, He fucked up the RockDo festival, cent and left them high and dry. no two alt-right followers are by hiding everything in codi- justified as something about “in- Then “Global Indie Business”- alike — this one is a white na- fied language and preaching frastructure,” meaning he wanted gate happened, and the discussion tionalist, that one is a white diversity of opinion, just so to strengthen his own reputa- group SuperCurrySuper gathered separatist, and the one over long as he can express his tion as a concert promoter by not so many promoters and musicians there is just a meth head. They diverse opinion of what other having competition. united in their hatred of Sean and tend to be very sensitive when diverse opinions should be I personally disliked him, but I SCS. We basically drove SCS out called out for their divisive suppressed. kept it private because it seemed of town, and the people involved beliefs. “I’m not a nazi, I’m a White supremacist: An ex- personal and not other people’s in it rebranded themselves un- national socialist! Your words tremist who will commit mur- concern. He used to berate me for der other names, including Fake hurt my free speech. Can’t we der. not including his events in Korean Virgin, Lasrevinu, and one or two just discuss voluntary self- White separatist: Someone Punk and Hardcore weekly list- others I’m forgetting right now. genocide respectfully?” who wants to create a new so- ings. He insisted his expensive, Alex, a former SCS intern who Stormer: The word neo-na- ciety with only white people, hipstery shows qualified as punk; was very active in sharing all this zis use to mean an out-and- presumably one composed en- I explained he had his own thing information about SCS’ shady proud, self-described neo- tirely of likeminded male white going on and didn’t need our help. dealings, became a target. nazi, one who does the “Heil separatists. On the Broke message board, Back when they worked to- Hitler” sieg heil rather than the White power: A rallying cry Verv wrote a rant titled “Bring gether at Powwow, while Alex “Hail Trump” Roman salute, for white people who are afraid Back Cheap Punk Rock Shows” and Sean’s girlfriend were putting whose swastika flag has four their race isn’t the globally which Sean bristled at, saying it’s up a sign, it fell and injured her. arms not 16, which other neo- dominant one. expensive to bring bands here and So, over a year later, Sean and nazis privately respect. Name White pride: Pride for all he does keep costs down. We all his girlfriend went to the USFK taken from neo-nazi site The European-based ethnicities, pointed out Verv’s rant was about and said Alex had assaulted her. Daily Stormer, named after all at once, without exception. punk shows, which his aren’t. He They had hospital records to ver- actual Third Reich newspaper Because a German-born patri- didn’t like it. ify she was hospitalised for treat- Der Sturmer. ot should have blanket pride in When one guy posted he was ment from the accident. Swastika: A beautiful ancient Greece, Macedonia, and Croa- about to move from the US to Ko- The US military knew Alex runic symbol appearing in mul- tia, too. They celebrate their rea, Sean sent a private message hadn’t done anything wrong, but tiple cultures, which usually is white pride with a steady diet asking if he could bring some they knew better than to defend tilted 45 degrees and pointing of haggis, spotted dick, lutefisk, prescription drugs here. a US soldier against assault al- counterclockwise, and origi- salmiakki, and head cheese. In 2011, I had two shows legations from a Korean girl. So nally has four arms but may WOTAN: Literally “Will of booked for one weekend: Danish they transferred him out of the also have six, eight, 12, 16, or the Aryan Nation,” a racial re- ska band Babylove and the Van country. another number to hide from ligion based loosely on Odin- Dangos on a Thursday at Ta, and So, basically, Sean is not just a the plebs. ism for anti-semites who think we were trying to get together bad business partner but also a Unite the Right: an attempt Jesus is too Jewy for them but a show at Doha, an abandoned snitch who used lies to get a rival from the far-right to shift the don’t want to go full atheist. army base, which ended up not removed. Overton window far rightward ZOG: The Zionist Occupa- happening. SCS has basically always relied and convince more moderate tional Government, which can The afternoon of the ska show, on the revolving door of English conservatives they’re going to only be defeated by another Sean posted on Facebook some- teachers as its target audience, be considered racists anyway, genocide, just like the previous thing to the effect of “Another so any wrongdoings are gradu- so you might as well head to genocide that supposedly nev- boring weekend in Seoul, same ally forgotten by the collective Barney’s Party Supplies and er happened. But they’re okay old bands, same old venues.” I memory. Halloween Superstore for your in Israel as long as they’re kill- wrinkled my nose but went on to When I see SCS named on a tiki torch and join the race war. ing Muslims. have a great show. poster, it disappoints me. You’ve come a long way and You take the keys out of the igni- dons you... lante vs the Ancient Patriot Foun- caused a lot of carnage. But ulti- tion and step out into the sunlight. dation,” when you are once again mately you got things done, and it’s Police swarm you and take you THE END called upon to level your shovel up to others to pick up the shovel into custody. You’re found guilty upon Gwanghwamun Plaza, when a and continue the crusade against and sent to jail, at least until the ...But you will be back, in “Exca- statue of Park Chung-hee is erect- this horrible corruption. next president is voted in and par- vator Vigilante II: Excavator Vigi- ed. 31 Playing in traffic: fun with scooters part 3 Jon Twitch line to drive into the oncoming be gummed up in traffic, hug- right-to-left traffic so you can This is the third list of ri- lane, which presumably is emp- ging the curb to either pick up pull out. diculous maneuvers I’ve coined ty at the time. or drop off fares. If you are while driving a scooter on driving on the extreme far right Parting the waves Seoul’s streets. side of the road, you’re risking There’s nothing more frus- suicide by taxi, as at any mo- trating than being stopped at an Stealing 1st, 2nd, 3rd ment a door could snap open empty crosswalk signal. Which is A scooter has the fastest ac- or someone could step into the why so many scooter drivers just celeration on the road, unless road in front of you to get to a blow through. When the cross- there’s a homicidal bus driver taxi. walk is crowded though, one can toed up at the signal stop line expedite safe passage by going to willing to gamble with the lives ?-turn the first part of the road to clear of everyone on board and near- This one might make more out: the center line or, if there’s a by. Which is not rare. sense in the right font. Ideally, bus lane in the middle of the road, This move takes fast ac- it is used for more safely run- just the middle of the right side of celeration to capitalise on all ning a red light to go straight or the road. As people are moving to other traffic waiting to move left. Unlike stealing second or the sides of the street before the being slower to respond than A British racing turn is a left third, you aren’t going through signal ends, they’ll logically free you. Basically, once a light turn where you kind of use at the start of the signal se- up the exact middle spot between turns, everyone will be waiting both techniques to cross a road quence. Unlike a 7-turn, it is both sidewalks first. So if you for which way gets the green quickly and get into the left done when you have a red light, move there, that’s a few seconds light. You have a split second to road. It is not that different from not a green. And unlike an rur of a headstart on other traffic. plough through that yellow light a ㄴ-turn, except that the Brit- turn, there is traffic on the road. before the green light gets eve- ish racing turn is usually done at There are likely cars passing Opening the curtain rything moving. You’re relying speed to dodge oncoming traffic by from the right, but prefer- Similar principle as parting the on acceleration, as well as the whereas the ㄴ often involves ably not the left. Also, there is waves, only done with cars. The hope everyone is waiting to see waiting at a crosswalk or on the at least one car to your right, last cars through the intersec- whose turn is next. curb for a light to change. waiting for the left-turn signal tion, if they get jammed up and to turn left and head the direc- block your way forward, present Suicide by bus tion you’re coming from. Any an obstacle. Going through them Buses are the most dangerous cars here guarantee you a bit is risky in case traffic starts flow- vehicles on the road, but they of shelter from cars travelling ing. So, if it is left-to-right traf- often have a dedicated lane in from right to left. fic, you drive left and go around the middle of the road that may the last car, or vice versa. This not be as congested as other leaves the cars trapped behind lanes. To commit suicide by bus you flummoxed, but don’t worry, is to share the bus lanes with you have a clean getaway. buses, regardless of whether Stealing first is simply a right there are buses ahead or be- 3-turn turn in this situation. Stealing hind you, or none, or they’re I wrote this one down after second is going straight ahead. congested and can’t move fast. performing it a few times, but Stealing third is a left turn. Not If you want to be extra suicidal, now have absolutely no memory surprisingly, they get hard- try suicide by bus through an of what it is. Looks pretty fan- er and deadlier the higher the actual bus stop where you’re cy, not easy. Any suggestions? number. sure to raise a few eyebrows. To pull this off you sort of British racing turn Suicide by taxi do a right turn, but aim to pull A racing turn is when you Taxis are by far less lethal, up behind a car in the left-turn cross over the center line and being by my count only the lane (preferably the last, but make a much smoother arc to fourth-most dangerous drivers if there are a lot and the turn the left to complete a left turn at on the road (first is buses, fol- signal won’t come soon it can a higher speed. British style is lowed by delivery trucks, then be between cars). Once there, straight up crossing the center scooters). But taxis are likely to you halt and wait for a gap in
You thunder up the road toward The soldier gets on the radio and pry you out. You swivel the ex- You enter the city, to find it evac- Kuki Tunnel, meeting little police reports to his superiors. “He (or cavator around, knocking them the uated. Except for one remaining resistance as they are probably just she if you’re playing as a female) is fuck off and taking out one or two citizen, Marshall Kim, who awaits glad you’re heading away from the going to bring down North Korea... of those blue shacks. you while sitting in his chrome- capital. yeah... uh-huh... With an excava- Their resistance is pretty pathet- plated steamroller. The Korean military, on the other tor. You’re right, we never thought ic, all things considered. Fancy pol- “Excavator vigilante!” he shouts. hand, is up ahead. You’re stopped to try that before. Okay, I’ll remove ished rifles, but no bullets to load in? “You will come no farther!” at a roadblock, stuck between two the barricade.” You drive all the way straight up “That’s okay,” you retort, “I’ve collapsible concrete barriers on With that, you’re past. The sol- to Pyongyang, not seeing a single made it farther than I expected!” both sides. A tank rolls up at the diers stand to the side of the road, vehicle on the road the whole way. Your two vehicles clash. His other side of the checkpoint and the saluting you. As you approach the North Ko- steamroller crushes part of your turret swivels around to point that One waves you over at a gas de- rean capital, you see a giant statue tank tread, preventing you from long barrel at you. pot. of two women towering over the driving straight. A man sticks his head out of the “Where you’re going, you’re road, the Arch of Reunification. A Oh man, this is not good. Your tank and asks “Where do you think gonna need this!” he tells you, fill- little girl is standing in the middle excavator is no match for his you’re going?” ing up your tank. of the road, blocking you. You stop steamroller. What will you do now? “I’m going north to finish that re- You press onward up to the JSA, and address her. gime once and for all!” you reply. where North Korean guards on duty “Move, little girl!” I’ll leave the sanctity of my ride “What, just with an excavator?” look in terror as they see your ex- “Are you here to reunite our and attack bodily. That fat pip- the soldier asks. cavator heading right toward them. country?” she asks you. squeak is no match for my fists! GO You shrug. “Well I’m not called They wait for you to cross the de- “I haven’t thought that far ahead,” TO PAGE 30. the Howitzer vigilante, mother- marcation line, then they swarm you admit. “But yes.” Fuck this, I’m retreating! GO TO 32 fucker!” over your machine, attempting to She moves aside for you. PAGE 35. Every year in Korea we seem to lose good friends in groups of three or four. As well as Redboi who graces the back cover, I also said farewell to three more friends, all who are moving away, though none for the first time.
Since issue 6 it has been established we take friends about to move away to abandoned amuse- ment parks to say farewell. Then we murder them. Dont worry, they mostly reanimate, mostly.
So farewell, Paul, Margarita, Ryan... you’ll be back.
You use your shovel to shake off anyone. However, the wax from about how many recent terrorist at- mission or cash in on a not-so- the protesters, trying your best not your candles gets on your excava- tacks could’ve been stoped by them. new idea that would have made the to harm them. You’re not doing a tor, setting it on fire. Then your ve- Investment idea if you make it out of world safer. If only... great job minimising collateral dam- hicle gets stuck on a street bollard. here alive. Which you don’t, burn- age but you manage not to roll over Hey, remember those things? Think ing alive, thus unable to fulfill your THE END 33 and stuffed it into the backpack “He is not to be disturbed,” the of one of the girls there. When we receptionist told me sharply. got up to go she put the bag on and “Fine, I’ll talk to him after work,” I thought she was extremely drunk. said, hanging up. I’d have to talk to After she almost collapsed, I pulled him about this at some later time. the phone book out and she dis- Whatever this was he was doing, it covered she really wasn’t so bad was weird. I wondered if there was after all. When I came home Char- room for me there too. But for now, lie’s tent wasn’t in the living room, Charlie was the big concern. but I didn’t think much of it and Vas came home around 7 that went to sleep. night well-rested, and Darwin I woke up in the morning to find woke up around the same time too. I was the only one home, except Once I told them Charlie still wasn’t these kids whose names were Eric, back, more than 24 hours after we Time to back up a bit and tell a guys standing on a picnic bench, Mike, and Brad — though I couldn’t dumped him on that bus, they both story that overlaps with previ- handing him up to Darwin on a lad- tell you who was who — who were got concerned. ous chapters. You could say it der. While we were all heaving and sitting on one of the couches read- “Should we call the police?” Dar- brings everything together, but is hauling, Charlie woke up, unzipped ing a porn mag together. No sign win asked as we sat around the more likely the result of imperfect the tent, and leapt out onto the of the tent. kitchen table. memory and experiencing the past roof. He stayed up there for hours, “Hey,” I called to the three teen- “I think we have to wait 48 hours,” achronologically. refusing to get down until the tem- agers glued to the porn mag. Vas said. One note on this chapter: the perature dropped so far at night he “What?” asked one of them, as “We shouldn’t jump to conclu- name Morgan is unrelated to the had no choice. He at least slept in they all looked up at me with the sions and think the worst yet,” I Morgan we know in Korea today. his normal day clothes, which might same guilty expression, as if they’d pointed out. “To Charlie, home is I chose the name for this character explain the smell, but at least he been caught doing something wherever his tent is. He’s probably because I had never known a Mor- wasn’t in his underwear up there. wrong. fine wherever he woke up.” gan before. Darwin upped the game again “Have you seen anyone else “Which could be in a bus depot when he brought home a big ply- around?” I asked. on the outskirts of town,” Darwin “Vas went out around 9 this pointed out. Rapscallion’s Den Chapter 6 wood board, wide enough to carry the tent but narrow enough to slip morning,” said another. “That “You left your friend asleep on Wet Punk out the front door. We slid the tent Muslim guy is in his room, and Dar- the bus?” asked one of the teenag- onto that and used it like a stretch- win is still asleep.” ers from the couch. Jon Twitch er to carry Charlie and the tent “Sikh,” I said. “Ugh, what are you even still do- Pranking each other was a way outside. A bunch of us managed to “What?” asked the kid. ing here?” Vas asked. “Go, get out of life in the Den. I tried to mostly haul him a couple blocks over. We “He’s Sikh, not Muslim.” of here!” stay out of it, because once you get left him on the median of a busy “What’s the difference?” the third “Can we take one of the maga- started, there’s retaliation and you road, protected by only some trees one asked. “They’re all terrorists.” zines with us for the road?” asked re-retaliate, and things spin out and tall wild grass. I was worried I rolled my eyes. Not sure why we one of them. of control. I had a feeling I was no he’d come out and step into traf- put up with those kids. But at least No, fuck off!” Vas yelled. match for my roommates anyway. fic, so I stayed at the curb watch- every minute they spent with their The three of them left, but I knew All that said, I was all for aiding ing for a couple hours for him to heads buried in our magazines, that they’d be back. and abetting my roommates in their come out. But part of the problem was extra time the city’s women “Do you remember which bus we pranks, as people were more likely with Charlie was how late he slept. could relax without being gawped put him on?” I asked. to end up not going to the ER if I He didn’t poke his head out for a at by them. “From that stop, it must have was involved. couple more hours, not until about Darwin’s door was locked so I been the 6 or the 8,” Darwin said. Darwin used to be especially hard 5pm or so. When he finally did, he gave it a knock. He answered with “Or the 36 or 38, or the 138.” on Charlie, who despite being the just sat there, contemplating his lot his eyes half closed. “That’s good!” Vas said. “All of biggest one in the house was also in life where he’d end up waking “Hey Darwin, have you heard those run west.” the most vulnerable, living in the up on a busy median and sipping a from Charlie at all?” I asked. “I “What’s over there?” I asked. living room in a tent. He basically warm can of TNT beer. don’t think he came back last “Basically nothing,” Darwin said. lived in a convenient sack, all his I was never quite so sure why night.” “All of those run through River- belongings carefully bundled up for Darwin was doing this. When “Dunno, maybe Vas saw him,” bend, and I guess turn around and us to haul around, throw down the Charlie was awake and out of his Darwin muttered, and closed the head back this way.” stairs, fill to capacity with empty tent, the two were inseparable, but door. Riverbend. The name connoted cans, or throw a pissed off stray it was like Darwin was jealous of I went to Vas’ room, which turned McMansions, funny rails on park cat inside with him. When I first Charlie spending time on his own out to be unlocked. His room was benches, hobo spikes in any place moved in, I saw Darwin drag Char- dreaming, presumably also about quite different from what I was ex- where a down-on-his-luck punk lie’s tent, with all Charlie’s things Darwin — the same way a housecat pecting, far more spartan. He had a may hunker down for the night. Just inside as well as Charlie himself, only would dream about the house neatly organised desk with a desk- a whole area tucked away between and throw it all down the stairs. it lives in. top PC on it, and a well-stocked the river and the freeway, nothing One time, I helped Darwin drag Anyway, the morning after a bookshelf against the wall. Other but upper-middle-class families Charlie in his tent into the wash- houseparty, by which I mean early than that, there was nothing else. and snobbish churches. room, so when he unzipped the tent afternoon around 2pm, or maybe Where did he even sleep? Upright The next day, we called up our in the morning the first thing he’d 3pm, Darwin rounded up everyone in the desk chair? It looked not landlord Moses who had a car. He see was the toilet right in front of who’d stayed over. We slipped the so comfortable. On the cold floor? drove us down to Riverbend where him. plywood under the tent and car- Nobody could sleep like that. I we rolled up and down the many Another time we pulled it out to ried it out the front door. This time found his notebook on the table, cul-de-sacs, keeping an eye out the front lawn, leaving Charlie to we carried it all the way to the bus and leafed through it until I found for city parks and any commer- wake up in -10C weather without stop, where we waited for the next a number marked simply “Work.” I cial buildings where Charlie might his boots or jacket. We played vid- bus. Darwin handed out bus tick- used the phone line in his room to strand himself. eo games inside, pretending not to ets to get four of us on, hauling the give it a call. We had a printed out black-and- hear him pounding on the door, un- tent with us, for which we didn’t “Hello, Myoclone Labs,” an- white picture of Charlie, wearing a til Vas came home from work and pay a ticket. We set up the tent in swered the receptionist. spiked dog collar, his hair spiked let him in. the back of the bus and jumped out “Hi, could I please speak to Vas?” up and an honestly rote sneer on Where we left him got more and at the next stop, leaving Charlie on I asked. his face. more creative. Once we had a half his own for a voyage across the “Who?” “Excuse me, sir?” Vas called as dozen guys over who helped us city. “Vassily? I dunno his last name, the car pulled up to a middle-aged haul Charlie’s tent out onto the I went to a study club after that something Russian probably.” man out for a walk with his dog deck. The plan was to lift him up on campus which led to drinking “I’m sorry, he’s asleep right now,” in the neighbourhood. “Have you onto the roof, which was incredibly until midnight at the university bar. said the receptionist. seen our dog?” stupid considering the steep angle At some point I grabbed the bar’s “Okay, at work?” I asked. “This is He showed the man the picture. of the roof. But we had a couple Yellow Pages (remember those?) kind of an emergency.” “Ugh, no,” said the man, tugging You drive onto the stage, grind- exclaim. So you give them what you want, to make noise music. ing it to splinters beneath your tank The crowd cheers, mesmerised using your shovel to make sounds. Also, the president is peacefully treads and making quite a racket. by what they perceive as your use You never do make it to Cheong impeached and stuff, so that’s a win! “Wow, is that Hanatarash?” of creative destruction to make Wa Dae, but this is your start as a 34 you hear one youth nearby very loud music. musician operating heavy machinery THE END on his dog’s leash. “But I hope you “That’s what I’m saying!” Charlie find it soon. If not, I hope you had said. “Classy woman, great house.” it neutered.” “And so you have a son now?” I We were having no luck, so we asked. put up posters around the neigh- “Oh yeah, Morgan,” Charlie said. bourhood and headed home. “Yeah, she has a 16-year-old son Day three, I woke up to the phone I’ve been helping out with. He’s ringing. I ran out to the kitchen and a troubled kid, no clear goals in caught it on the fifth ring. life, just focused on studying. I’ve “Hello?” I said. been introducing him to all the ‘77 “Hi, I’m calling about the post- bands.” ers?” said a voice on the other end, “And this woman just puts up with male but younger, maybe 15-17. all this?” Darwin asked. “Yeah?” “Of course,” said Charlie. “That’s “I know who that is. I think you’re the great thing about dating an old- looking for my dad.” er woman; she appreciates me. She “What?” I sputtered. “Charlie? even got me a job at her hair salon Where is he right now?” as a receptionist.” “He’s at work,” said the caller. “None of this is making sense for “Okay, now I really think you’ve everything I know about you,” Vas got the wrong guy,” I said. said. “No, he says his name is Charlie “I know, I feel like I’m growing and he’s a punk from the Rapscal- up,” Charlie said. “I’m becoming lion’s Den,” the caller said. working class.” “Where is he now?” I asked. “You’re basically a manwhore,” “14803-43 Ave,” the caller said. Darwin pointed out. I checked the bus schedule, and She gave me a trim and pulled off er side as they were coming after “With a day job!” Charlie ob- sure enough there were three bus- the bib. As she led me back to the me, and there was this SUV with jected. “And on that note, I’m get- es heading right from our stop di- door, she gave Charlie a kiss and the doors open so I leapt in and hid ting pretty tired after a long day of rectly there. Since I was the only handed him a set of keys. “See you from them there. work. I’d drive back to Riverbend one, I jumped on the 8 bus and soon, hun,” she told him. “So a woman got into the driv- if I hadn’t had so much to drink al- headed to Riverbend. Charlie led me out to a spotless er’s seat and started driving. I was ready. Mind if I crash here for the The address led me to a strip black SUV waiting in the parking trapped. I thought about staying put night? I’ll be out in the morning.” mall where the only presently open lot, in which he drove me back to and hiding until she got out. I even “Crash here?” Darwin echoed. business was a hair salon. I walked the Den. It was a quiet ride as the thought about turning this into an “You live here!” in the front door where a young sun set in the rear view mirror be- actual robbery, just stealing what- We got the tent out of the SUV man in a tight black dress shirt hind us. ever was in her wallet and running. and set it up in the living room for greeted me. “Where’s your tent?” I asked him. “Eventually, I heard her say ‘I him. Charlie unzipped the flap and “Welcome to Riverbend Hair,” “It’s in the back,” Charlie said. know you’re back there. I can smell crawled inside. Within minutes, he he said. “Do you have an appoint- “All my stuff’s in the back. I don’t the wet punk.’ So I came out of hid- was snoring inside. ment?” need any of it anymore. I’ll leave it ing.” Darwin fetched the plywood “Charlie?” I exclaimed. at the Den but I don’t think I’ll be “Yeah, and?” Darwin asked. board out from storage. “Hey guys, It was Charlie alright, cleaned up staying any longer.” “We hit it off so she took me back help me with this,” he said. with his ragged hair scraped over We otherwise waited until we got to her place,” Charlie said. “Oh, you’re not doing that again, his scalp and glistening with what- home before we started talking. “Wait, ‘we hit it off’?” I exclaimed. are you?” I asked. ever amount of hair-care products. Darwin and Vas were there, and we “You were hiding in the back seat “Try and stop me,” Darwin said. “Where the hell have you been? sat around the kitchen table with a of her car like a serial killer!” We scooped Charlie up, tent and We’ve all been worried sick about round of beers. “It was an SUV,” Charlie cor- all, on the board and loaded him into you!” “So...” Darwin asked Charlie, rected me. “Anyway, her name was the back of the SUV. We managed “I’ve been doing well, Owen,” “where the hell have you been Ursula. It turns out, she was part to drive him down to New City, one Charlie told me. “I found a new life these last few days?” of the punk scene here back in the of the local live music venues. out here.” “So, you might be aware, I woke ‘80s. She’d even spent a couple When we arrived at New City, “You have to come home,” I told up on a bus a few days ago,” Char- years in London and had gone to Death By Dawn were playing. We him. lie said, a touch of spite in his voice. see the Clash play there a couple dragged the tent into the mid- “But I am home,” he said. “As soon as the bus driver noticed times. She was especially into oi dle of the room where the people “What about your tent?” I asked. me, he stopped the bus and kicked and used to date skinheads, what who were moshing started swirling “Oh, I don’t live in a tent any- me out on the side of the road. she called an ‘oi mattress.’ She was around it. more,” he said. “I stay in a soft “That was somewhere in Bum- 49 and divorced, and I guess want- It didn’t take long for Charlie to king-sized bed with my lover.” fuck Assbend, nowhere near the ed to relive some of her glory days. be woken up by the loud music. He “What is even going on?” I asked. next bus stop. I had no idea how to She took me to her home which is unzipped the tent and poked his “You have to come home so you get back, so I just set up my tent on this huge place with a swimming head out. Seeing where he was, he can explain all this to the guys.” the spot and waited.” pool in the basement. We went reached behind him and grabbed a “Sure, absolutely, just give me a “Waited for what?” Vas asked. for a swim and I banged her in the beer, then sat in the entrance to his half hour to log off my shift,” Char- “I dunno, my friends to come steam room.” tent drinking it and watching the lie said. “In the meantime, can I in- looking for me, I guess,” Charlie “Damn dude, that’s gross,” said chaos all around him. terest you in a haircut? I can set said. “I stayed put, had a couple Darwin. The next morning — well, after- you up with Ursula at a discounted beers, then I had to go to the bath- “What?” said Charlie. “There’s noon — he began the moving pro- price.” room. nothing wrong with her. I mean the cess into Ursula’s lavish home. “Well...sure, I guess,” I said. “I found a gas station, and snuck chances of me getting her pregnant Of course he stayed friends with He walked me over to Ursula, around back where they had a pub- are low.” us, shaving his hair off to become who put me in a bib and washed my lic bathroom. It was only opened by “But also, like, there’s a high a skinhead and reflect his new hair in the sink, giving me a vig- a key, so I had to wait for someone chance of you getting the same working-class identity and bring- orous scalp massage while her left to go in and use it and I caught the strain of HPV from her that the ing his new son over to introduce breast kept jabbing me in the face. door as they came out. guys of Cock Sparrer are carry- him to the punk lifestyle, but for “So, how do you know Charlie?” “It was not bad. There was a ing,” Vas pointed out. the next several months he was she asked me. shower hose so I also showered “Nah, she’s totally clean,” Charlie a kept man, living the life in sub- “We’re roommates,” I said. “A myself off. As I was coming out, swore. “You saw her, Owen.” urbia and trying to make things few days ago, as a joke we put him the workers chased after me. I “True, I could tell she had a nice work. on a bus, and I guess he somehow ran around behind the building and rack when she brushed up against Of course, we all knew he’d be woke up over here.” jumped a fence. I came out the oth- me,” I conceded. back, sooner or later.
You throw the excavator into re- cle to create an army of excavator yourself in front of, the gargantuan won’t get their hands on your ex- verse and limp away in an arc path. vigilantes, with which we will use to pyramid-shaped Ryugyong Hotel. cavator after all. No wait, it’s that “You can’t escape me, excava- reunite the peninsula!” Your shovel cuts through it like it’s children will sing songs of your tor vigilante!” Marshall Kim calls “You talk too much,” you retort, sand, bringing the whole thing down deeds. after you. “Once I defeat you, we using your shovel to take a swipe on top of both you and your foe. will reverse-engineer your vehi- at the base of the building you find Your last thought is that they THE END 35