Hard Acts to Follow: Seo Taeji and Boys

Hard Acts to Follow: Seo TaeJi and Boys Roald Maliangkay (The Australian National University ) In the 1990s a small number of Korean boy and girl bands presented a new, unique form of popular music and presentation that set the standard for many later acts. Whereas in previous years pop acts had had to approach the market carefully in order to avoid measures being taken by the strict censoring committees, from the early to mid 1990s the latter began to gradually relax their stance on pop music and live concerts. They continued to monitor public gatherings, but possibly out of pride over the success the new acts were having abroad, and the difficulty in maintaining control over forms of expression in popular entertainment, and because a considerable degree of conformity was reassuring them, the committees began to allow all kinds of large concerts in public including unusually frantic displays of fandom. The relaxation of the committees’ stance coincided with the emergence of a vibrant pop scene for and by teenagers and college students, who unlike their parents often had considerable pocket money. Whereas a number of formulaic stars created by large media corporations had enjoyed some success until then, the band formed by Seo Taiji (orig. name Chŏng Hyŏngch’ŏl) in 1991 was to become the most significant force in Korean popular music to date. Seo recruited dancers Yi Chuno and Yang Hyŏnsŏk to form a band, Seo Taiji and Boys, that mixed contemporary melodies with urban dance rhythms and sounds, and sang lyrics about socio- political issues. Many of the US-based bands that appear to have influenced Seo’s music at least at some stage, such as House of Pain and Cypress Hill, promoted individualism and forms of anarchy, but although Seo Taiji’s lyrics sometimes strongly criticised aspects of contemporary Korean society, they never romanticized violence or social discord. As part of the pro-democratic minjung (populist) movement of the 1970s and 1980s, singer-songwriters such as Kim Min’gi had preceded Seo in addressing political oppression and social injustice, and they, too, had struggled greatly with censorship. Unlike their very personal style of performing, however, Seo’s expressive music was indicative of strong influence from heavy metal and black rap. He became an icon of independent musicianship, someone who would not conform to a corporate standard, and would always prioritise the integrity of his music and lyrics, but it appears that in his lyrics and performance Seo applied a measure of self-censorship, either consciously or subconsciously. It is possible that he wanted to remain mainstream in order to maximise the potential reach of his music, but because his music and performing style continued to change, it may also be that he never believed in promoting forms of social discord for any means. Seo Taiji and Boys’ music and performing style at least in Korea appeared to have no precedence. Seo avoided committing to longer-term marketing activities, but his CDs and cassette tapes sold regardless, and began setting many records. Over the years they would always have a significant impact on the sales of other major acts, which despite also having much success abroad, could never truly compete, such as Sechs Kies, H.O.T., and Clon. Seo Taiji and his fellow band members all became idols in ways unseen previously. Whereas rock ‘n roll star Shin Chunghyŏn had had a major following in the 1960s, Seo Taiji’s success came at a time when the record industries were able to target consumers through various media, as well as through numerous spin-off products, without too much interference from the authorities. Although the 1990s also saw the emergence of so-called talents, young people turned into stars by the industry, Seo’s resolution not to play the marketing game effectively added to the mystique and appeal of the reclusive artist. His band had an enormous influence on young people’s ideas on music, dance and fashion, and even on the Korean language and forms of communication. When in August 1997 a survey was carried out to find out what Koreans considered their most important cultural product, the band came out on top, ranked even higher than the Korean alphabet. 1 This chapter will examine the years in which the groundbreaking band Seo Taiji and Boys emerged, and analyse how the band’s music and performing style differed from previous acts, and how it came to lay the foundations for Korea’s pop music and idol scene today. It will discuss what role Seo’s band may have played in the democratisation movement in South Korea, both through the band’s music and lyrics, and through what the band came to represent. Roald Maliangkay is Senior Lecturer in Korean studies at the Australian National University. After completing his PhD on the preservation of folksongs in South Korea (SOAS, London), Maliangkay has expanded the scope of his research to include popular culture in myriad forms. He is particularly interested in the mechanics of cultural policy and the challenges of studying the dynamics of major cultural phenomena. In broad terms, his research analyses Korea's cultural industries and cultural policy from the early and mid-twentieth century to the present. 2 .

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