DOCSLIB.ORG

Embedded Voices in Between Empires the Cultural Formation of Korean Popular Music in Modern Times

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Embedded Voices in Between Empires the Cultural Formation of Korean Popular Music in Modern Times Embedded Voices In Between Empires The Cultural Formation of Korean Popular Music in Modern Times By Yongwoo Lee Art History and Communication Studies McGill University, Montreal A dissertation submitted to the faculty of the McGill University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Department of Art History and Communication Studies. Montreal May, 2010 ○c 2010 Yongwoo Lee All Rights Reserved ii ABSTRACT Embedded Voices In Between Empires: The Cultural Formation of Korean Popular Music in Modern Times Yongwoo Lee, Ph.D. McGill University, 2010 Supervisor: Will Straw This dissertation examines the historical trajectory of colonial mentality and the genealogy of cultural modernity and Americanization in South Korea by recontextualizing popular music as a narrative of collective memories and mass trauma. By mapping out two continual colonial histories, those represented by the periods of the Japanese Empire and of the American military government, I develop a narrative of Korean popular music that echoes this submission experienced by Koreans, a movement empowered by modern western technology such as the gramophone, radio and phonograph records as well as by the appropriation of various foreign popular music genres. This research primarily explores the ways in which consumption and production practices of Korean popular music were intertwined with structures of Korean cultural modernity. By examining socio-historical transformations such as urban development, commercialization and modernization, I examine the colonial experiences of Koreans as manifest in popular music narratives that gradually embraced collective sentiments and mass perceptions of everyday life under colonial circumstances, particularly as these were influenced by burgeoning concepts of western and American modernity and represented in song lyrics and musical performances from within the interior of Japanese colonial surveillance. As I shall argue, the submissive colonial narrative in Korean popular songs was enforced by the mobilization of Japanese militarism and imperial discourses concerned with ―becoming an imperial subject‖ within the imperial national body, such that the colonial narrative was present continuously from the post-liberation era until the 1950s when the U.S. military controlled Korean society. iii Thus, this research raises a set of questions concerning, first, the embedding of Japanese colonialism within Korean popular songs, and secondly, the means by which Americanization and modern life circulated within the colonial and postcolonial discourses in Korean popular song. By addressing new technologies, colonial and postcolonial debates on popular songs, and the audience‘s reception of popular songs, I will discuss the ambivalence of Korean subjectivity in the years of Japanese colonial occupation, the Korean War and the American military stationing, the ambivalence of a people eager to experience modern life and who tried to erase the boundaries between a burdensome pre-modern history, one that doubly divided Korean mentality by making distinctions between the inner and the outer, the ‗us‘ and our other. Meanwhile, colonial Koreans also tried to be free from dominant transcendental ideologies and traditional conventions such as neo-Confucianism and patriarchy, while self-censoring against indoctrination by Japanese imperialism. These contradictory interactions between the Japanese Empire and colonial subjectivity were counteracted by an unexpected western influence through local accommodations of western and American cultural influxes as offshoots of modernity. Therefore, I will expand on the persistence of this embedded colonial submission in Korean popular song narratives from the introduction of the American military government in 1945 through the end of the Korean Wars in the 1950s. Popular music may be seen as offering narratives that reveal the fascination and revulsion in response to colonial modernity. As such, popular music offers us a means to develop alternative ideas regarding the formation of cultural modernity in the periphery. The discourse on popular music in Korea serves not only as an ambivalent epistemology for Koreans positioned in the distinction between colonizers and colonized, but also represents the collective memory of different empires, the contradictory sentiments of colonial modernity and the idea of Americanization in the periphery. Considering the influential role of popular culture in contemporary East Asian circumstances, this dissertation offers greater conceptual and methodological fluidity. iv RESUMÉ Des voix gravées entre deux empires La formation culturelle de la musique populaire coréenne dans les temps modernes Yongwoo Lee, Ph.D. Université McGill, 2010 Directeur de thèse: Will Straw En replaçant la musique populaire dans le contexte d‘une histoire de mémoire collective et de traumatisme de masse, cette thèse examine le parcours historique des mentalités coloniales et la généalogie de la modernité culturelle et de l‘américanisation en Corée du Sud. En traçant les contours de deux histoires coloniales successives, de l‘Empire japonais au contrôle du gouvernement militaire américain, les expériences modernes des Coréens font écho à la soumission implicite du récit colonial au sein du texte culturel, autorisée par le trope moderne des technologies occidentales – le gramophone, la radio et les enregistrements phonographiques – et la conciliation entre divers genres de musique populaire. Cette recherche explore comment les pratiques de consommation et de production de la musique populaire, s‘enlacent intimement dans la formation de la modernité culturelle en examinant la commercialisation et la modernisation, avec le développement urbain. La représentation des expériences coloniales des Coréens dans le récit de la musique populaire a progressivement englobé les sentiments collectifs et les perceptions de masse des circonstances coloniales en insufflant le concept naissant de modernité occidentale/américaine dans les paroles et dans les performances, à travers plusieurs processus de modernisations macroscopiques dans la vie de tous les jours à l‘intérieur de l‘imaginaire colonial japonais. Par conséquent, le récit assujetti à l‘empire japonais de l‘expérience coloniale, dans les chants populaires, avait été renforcé par la mobilisation du militarisme japonais et des discours sur le « sujet impérial » à l‘intérieur du corps impérial de la nation qui ont refait surface sous la forme de la soumission continuelle à l‘intérieur des mentalités coréennes qui avaient repris les pleins pouvoirs après la libération du joug japonais durant les années 1950. Cette étude s‘intéresse à la période de la guerre de Corée, quand le gouvernement militaire américain contrôlait la v société coréenne. Ainsi, cette recherche questionne la structure scellée du colonialisme japonais, l‘impact du processus d‘américanisation et l‘invention de la vie moderne à travers une enquête sur les traces des discours concernant l‘introduction de diverses technologies orales, les débats coloniaux et post coloniaux sur la musique populaire et la réception des chants populaires par le public. Les sujets coloniaux ambigus étaient prompts à expérimenter la vie moderne et à essayer d‘effacer les frontières du fardeau de l‘histoire pré-moderne, qui divisaient les Coréens –historiquement parlant- entre ceux de l‘intérieur vu de l‘extérieur, et le ‗nous‘ vu des autres. Pendant ce temps-là, les Coréens coloniaux ont aussi essayé de se libérer des idéologies transcendantales qui dominaient à l‘époque et des conventions traditionnelles, alors qu‘ils étaient en train de s‘autocensurer contre l‘impérialisme japonais endoctrinant. Ces interactions contradictoires entre l‘Empire japonais et la subjectivité coloniale étaient brouillés par une alchimie culturelle inattendue en accueillant le flot culturel occidental/américain comme un mouvement neutralisateur. C‘est pourquoi je traiterais de la continuité de la soumission coloniale gravée dans le récit des chants populaires coréens de l‘introduction du gouvernement militaire américain en 1945, en passant par la guerre de Corée durant les années 1950. La musique populaire en tant que récit de la fascination et de la révulsion pour la modernité coloniale offre des idées alternatives concernant la formation de la modernité culturelle dans la périphérie. Le discours sur la musique populaire d‘après guerre fournira non seulement des épistémologies positionnées en distinguant les colonisateurs et les colonisés, mais aussi des représentations de mémoire collective covalente, des ressentis contradictoires de la modernité, et une idée de l‘américanisation. En considérant le rôle influent de la culture populaire dans le contexte de l‘Asie orientale contemporaine, cette thèse peut fournir une fluidité conceptuelle et méthodologique plus grande. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter1: Undoing Archived Voices: Oblivion, Collective Memory and Colonial Modernity in Korean Popular Culture ------- 1 1. Introduction --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 2. Recorded Memory, Collective Sentiments and Postcolonial Reflections -----------------3 3. Korean Popular Music and Collective Memory---------------------------------------------10 4. Trajectory of Modernity, Coloniality and Americanism in Korea-------------------------17 4.1. Colonial Modernity and a Plural Postwar in Korea------------------------------------17 4.2. Coloniality as
Load more

Recommended publications
  • The University of Chicago Tears in the Imperial Screen
    THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO TEARS IN THE IMPERIAL SCREEN: WARTIME COLONIAL KOREAN CINEMA, 1936-1945 A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF THE DIVISION OF THE HUMANITIES IN CANDIDACY FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY DEPARTMENT OF EAST ASIAN LANGUAGES AND CIVILIZATIONS BY HYUN HEE PARK CHICAGO, ILLINOIS AUGUST 2017 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF TABLES ...…………………..………………………………...……… iii LIST OF FIGURES ...…………………………………………………..……….. iv ABSTRACT ...………………………….………………………………………. vi CHAPTER 1 ………………………..…..……………………………………..… 1 INTRODUCTION CHAPTER 2 ……………………………..…………………….……………..… 36 ENLIGHTENMENT AND DISENCHANTMENT: THE NEW WOMAN, COLONIAL POLICE, AND THE RISE OF NEW CITIZENSHIP IN SWEET DREAM (1936) CHAPTER 3 ……………………………...…………………………………..… 89 REJECTED SINCERITY: THE FALSE LOGIC OF BECOMING IMPERIAL CITIZENS IN THE VOLUNTEER FILMS CHAPTER 4 ………………………………………………………………… 137 ORPHANS AS METAPHOR: COLONIAL REALISM IN CH’OE IN-GYU’S CHILDREN TRILOGY CHAPTER 5 …………………………………………….…………………… 192 THE PLEASURE OF TEARS: CHOSŎN STRAIT (1943), WOMAN’S FILM, AND WARTIME SPECTATORSHIP CHAPTER 6 …………………………………………….…………………… 241 CONCLUSION BIBLIOGRAPHY …………………………………………………………….. 253 FILMOGRAPHY OF EXTANT COLONIAL KOREAN FILMS …………... 265 ii LIST OF TABLES Page Table 1. Newspaper articles regarding traffic film screening events ………....…54 Table 2. Newspaper articles regarding traffic film production ……………..….. 56 iii LIST OF FIGURES Page Figure. 1-1. DVDs of “The Past Unearthed” series ...……………..………..…..... 3 Figure. 1-2. News articles on “hygiene film screening” in Maeil sinbo ….…... 27 Figure. 2-1. An advertisement for Sweet Dream in Maeil sinbo……………… 42 Figure. 2-2. Stills from Sweet Dream ………………………………………… 59 Figure. 2-3. Stills from the beginning part of Sweet Dream ………………….…65 Figure. 2-4. Change of Ae-sun in Sweet Dream ……………………………… 76 Figure. 3-1. An advertisement of Volunteer ………………………………….. 99 Figure. 3-2. Stills from Volunteer …………………………………...……… 108 Figure.
    [Show full text]
  • Multicultural Japan? Discourse and the 'Myth' of Homogeneity [Indonesian Translation Available]
    Volume 5 | Issue 3 | Article ID 2389 | Mar 01, 2007 The Asia-Pacific Journal | Japan Focus Multicultural Japan? Discourse and the 'Myth' of Homogeneity [Indonesian Translation Available] Chris Burgess Multicultural Japan? Discourse and the one which dismisses the popular discourse of ‘Myth’ of Homogeneity [1] ‘homogeneous Japan’ as myth and which draws on ‘factual’ demographic and economic data to [Indonesian Translation Available Here] argue for the inevitability of further migration. This paper examines the discrepancy between Chris Burgess an increasingly negative global discourse on migration and an unwaveringly positive ‘multicultural Japan’ discourse. I argue that a It is not sufficient to fight against myths by destroying one myth and replacing it failure to acknowledge popular discourse as a with another, as in, for example,crucial element in the construction of Japanese criticising the myth of the homogenous social reality can lead to a distorted nation by replacing it with the myth of the understanding of migrants and migration in mixed nation (Oguma 2002: 349) Japan. 1. Nihonjinron and ‘Multicultural Japan’ Introduction In the field of Japanese Studies, one prominent discourse is that of a ‘multicultural Japan’. Recent years have seen a trend towards the Much of this can be traced back to a number of stabilisation of global migration flows (OECD critiques (e.g. Aoki 1990; Befu 1987; Dale 2005: 17/53). One factor behind this trend may 1986; Mouer and Sugimoto 1986; Yoshino be the growing atmosphere of global anxiety 1992) of Nihonjinron, a genre of writing and fear, fuelled by media reports of terrorist discussing Japanese cultural uniqueness.
    [Show full text]
  • Fanning the Flames: Fandoms and Consumer Culture in Contemporary Japan
    FANNING THE FLAMES Fans and Consumer Culture in Contemporary Japan Edited by William W. Kelly Fanning the Flames SUNY series in Japan in Transition Jerry Eades and Takeo Funabiki, editors Fanning the Flames Fans and Consumer Culture in Contemporary Japan EDITED BY WILLIAM W. K ELLY STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK PRESS Published by State University of New York Press, Albany © 2004 State University of New York All rights reserved Printed in the United States of America No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission. No part of this book may be stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means including electronic, electrostatic, magnetic tape, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior permission in writing of the publisher. For information, address State University of New York Press, 90 State Street, Suite 700, Albany, NY 12207 Production by Kelli Williams Marketing by Michael Campochiaro Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Fanning the f lames : fans and consumer culture in contemporary Japan / edited by William W. Kelly. p. cm. — (SUNY series in Japan in transition) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0-7914-6031-2 (alk. paper) — ISBN 0-7914-6032-0 (pbk. : alk.paper) 1. Popular culture—Japan—History—20th century. I. Kelly, William W. II. Series. DS822.5b. F36 2004 306'.0952'09049—dc22 2004041740 10987654321 Contents List of Illustrations vii Acknowledgments ix Introduction: Locating the Fans 1 William W. Kelly 1 B-Boys and B-Girls: Rap Fandom and Consumer Culture in Japan 17 Ian Condry 2 Letters from the Heart: Negotiating Fan–Star Relationships in Japanese Popular Music 41 Christine R.
    [Show full text]
  • The Global and the Vernacular
    THE GLOBAL AND THE VERNACULAR THE APPROPRIATION OF TRANSNATIONAL CULTURAL IMAGERY AND THE RECONSTRUCTION OF CULTURAL IDENTITIES IN THE REALM OF CONTEMPORARY KOREAN POPULAR MUSIC HYUNJU PARK Department ofMedia and Communications, Goldsmiths College, University of London Thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Ph. D. ) (C HYUNJU PARK 2003 Li'&. J ABSTRACT This thesis examines theoretical debates about cultural appropriation and postmodern plurality and hybridity in the formation of cultural identities. This is approachedhere through a case study of how the multiplicity of national and cultural identities are constructed in the processesof appropriating transnational popular musics, within the Korean context. On the basis of data obtained by interviewing contemporary musicians and young music enthusiasts,the thesis investigates the appropriation of global pop, mainly western pop music, within the non-Western context. In Part One, which encompassestheoretical and methodological frameworks, Chapters2 and 3 explore the recent discourse on cultural hybridity in post-colonial studies, and wider theories of popular music, identity and locality, from a global/transnational perspective. Methodological questions are discussedin Chapter 4. Part Two contains a case study: Chapters 5,6, and 7 present an interview-based study of the contemporary Korean popular music scene, where various musicians and young music enthusiasts consume and rework imported musics from a variety of positions. Some musicians are concerned with national cultural identity and attempt to incorporate traditional Korean elements into Western musical genres;other musicians show a large degree of cosmopolitanism; and young hip hop music fans articulate their identities, through the contrasting and differentiated consumption of transnationalmusical products.
    [Show full text]
  • Yun Mi Hwang Phd Thesis
    SOUTH KOREAN HISTORICAL DRAMA: GENDER, NATION AND THE HERITAGE INDUSTRY Yun Mi Hwang A Thesis Submitted for the Degree of PhD at the University of St Andrews 2011 Full metadata for this item is available in St Andrews Research Repository at: http://research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk/ Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/10023/1924 This item is protected by original copyright This item is licensed under a Creative Commons Licence SOUTH KOREAN HISTORICAL DRAMA: GENDER, NATION AND THE HERITAGE INDUSTRY YUN MI HWANG Thesis Submitted to the University of St Andrews for the Degree of PhD in Film Studies 2011 DECLARATIONS I, Yun Mi Hwang, hereby certify that this thesis, which is approximately 80,000 words in length, has been written by me, that it is the record of work carried out by me and that it has not been submitted in any previous application for a higher degree. I was admitted as a research student and as a candidate for the degree of PhD in September 2006; the higher study for which this is a record was carried out in the University of St Andrews between 2006 and 2010. I, Yun Mi Hwang, received assistance in the writing of this thesis in respect of language and grammar, which was provided by R.A.M Wright. Date …17 May 2011.… signature of candidate ……………… I hereby certify that the candidate has fulfilled the conditions of the Resolution and Regulations appropriate for the degree of PhD in the University of St Andrews and that the candidate is qualified to submit this thesis in application for that degree.
    [Show full text]
  • The Hanoi Summit and Politically Biased Language a Critical Discourse Study on Political Bias in the Language of Two South Korean Newspapers
    The Hanoi Summit and Politically Biased Language A Critical Discourse Study on Political Bias in the Language of Two South Korean newspapers Riikka Saari MA thesis English, Degree Programme for Language Specialists School of Languages and Translation Studies Faculty of Humanities University of Turku April 2020 The originality of this thesis has been checked in accordance with the University of Turku quality assurance system using the Turnitin OriginalityCheck service. UNIVERSITY OF TURKU School of Languages and Translation Studies/ Faculty of Humanities SAARI, RIIKKA: The Hanoi Summit and Politically Biased Language: A Critical Discourse Study on Political Bias in the Language of Two South Korean newspapers MA Thesis, 63 pages, 8 appendix pages English, Degree Programme for Language Specialists April 2020 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –– – – – – – On 27– 28 February 2019 the United States President Donald Trump met with the North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Hanoi for a second US-North Korea summit. This study focuses on possible politically biased stances in several English language news articles from two prominent South Korean newspapers. The aim of the study was to find out if the two papers displayed biased attitudes that were visible in the language of the articles, and if the possible biases were consistent with the previously research biases of the papers. The linguistic framework used in this study was Martin and White’s Appraisal framework (2005). The sections of Attitude and Engagement from the framework were determined to best suit the needs of this study because it centers around value judgements and opinions expressed in the texts, as well as the commitment to those opinions and other voices in the text.
    [Show full text]
  • Olivia Rodrigo's 'Sour' Returns to No. 1 on Billboard 200 Albums Chart
    Bulletin YOUR DAILY ENTERTAINMENT NEWS UPDATE JUNE 28, 2021 Page 1 of 24 INSIDE Olivia Rodrigo’s ‘Sour’ Returns to • BTS’ ‘Butter’ Leads Hot 100 for Fifth No. 1 on Billboard 200 Albums Chart Week, Dua Lipa’s ‘Levitating’ Becomes BY KEITH CAULFIELD Most-Heard Radio Hit livia Rodrigo’s Sour returns to No. 1 on five frames (charts dated Jan. 23 – Feb. 20). (It’s worth • Executive of the the Billboard 200 chart for a second total noting that Dangerous had 30 tracks aiding its SEA Week: Motown Records Chairman/ week, as the album steps 3-1 in its fifth and TEA units, while Sour only has 11.) CEO Ethiopia week on the list. It earned 105,000 equiva- Polo G’s Hall of Fame falls 1-2 in its second week Habtemariam Olent album units in the U.S. in the week ending June on the Billboard 200 with 65,000 equivalent album 24 (down 14%), according to MRC Data. The album units (down 54%). Lil Baby and Lil Durk’s former • Will Avatars Kill The Radio Stars? debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated June 5. leader The Voice of the Heroes former rises 4-3 with Inside Today’s Virtual The Billboard 200 chart ranks the most popular 57,000 (down 21%). Migos’ Culture III dips 2-4 with Artist Record Labels albums of the week in the U.S. based on multi-metric 54,000 units (down 58%). Wallen’s Dangerous: The consumption as measured in equivalent album units. Double Album is a non-mover at No.
    [Show full text]
  • The Four Asian Dragon's Significance in World Economic Development
    Bhatia Nikhil, Gupta Ishan, International Journal of Advance Research, Ideas and Innovations in Technology. ISSN: 2454-132X Impact factor: 4.295 (Volume 4, Issue 1) Available online at www.ijariit.com The Four Asian Dragon's Significance in World Economic Development Nikhil Bhatia Ishan Gupta [email protected] [email protected] Christ University, Bangalore, Karnataka Christ University, Bangalore, Karnataka ABSTRACT This paper analyses the contribution of four Asian Dragons towards International Economic System from 1965-2017 and reveals insight into related trends and patterns. The paper shows how four Asian dragons (Singapore, Taiwan, South Korea, and Hong Kong) have grown since Independence to Industrialisation. Lastly, reasons for their slowing growth. This study is divided into four parts. Firstly, the growth pattern of GDP and Exports in these countries. Secondly, factors leading to this growth. Thirdly, how Industrialisation of four dragons helped world economy during currency fluctuations and recession. Fourthly, reasons for declining growth of these nations. The study discusses the challenges facing four Dragon’s sharply declining growth rate and proposes policy approaches that might help boost the country’s growth in the future. Keywords: Asian Dragon, International Economic System, GDP. 1. INTRODUCTION Four Asian Dragons The countries that come under are Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan, they had gone through rapid industrialisation and had high growth rate i.e. more than 7 percent a year between the 1960s and 1990s. By the 21st century, all the countries had developed into an advanced and high-income nation, industrialised and developed countries specialising in the areas of competitive advantage.
    [Show full text]
  • “PRESENCE” of JAPAN in KOREA's POPULAR MUSIC CULTURE by Eun-Young Ju
    TRANSNATIONAL CULTURAL TRAFFIC IN NORTHEAST ASIA: THE “PRESENCE” OF JAPAN IN KOREA’S POPULAR MUSIC CULTURE by Eun-Young Jung M.A. in Ethnomusicology, Arizona State University, 2001 Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of School of Arts and Sciences in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy University of Pittsburgh 2007 UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH SCHOOL OF ARTS AND SCIENCES This dissertation was presented by Eun-Young Jung It was defended on April 30, 2007 and approved by Richard Smethurst, Professor, Department of History Mathew Rosenblum, Professor, Department of Music Andrew Weintraub, Associate Professor, Department of Music Dissertation Advisor: Bell Yung, Professor, Department of Music ii Copyright © by Eun-Young Jung 2007 iii TRANSNATIONAL CULTURAL TRAFFIC IN NORTHEAST ASIA: THE “PRESENCE” OF JAPAN IN KOREA’S POPULAR MUSIC CULTURE Eun-Young Jung, PhD University of Pittsburgh, 2007 Korea’s nationalistic antagonism towards Japan and “things Japanese” has mostly been a response to the colonial annexation by Japan (1910-1945). Despite their close economic relationship since 1965, their conflicting historic and political relationships and deep-seated prejudice against each other have continued. The Korean government’s official ban on the direct import of Japanese cultural products existed until 1997, but various kinds of Japanese cultural products, including popular music, found their way into Korea through various legal and illegal routes and influenced contemporary Korean popular culture. Since 1998, under Korea’s Open- Door Policy, legally available Japanese popular cultural products became widely consumed, especially among young Koreans fascinated by Japan’s quintessentially postmodern popular culture, despite lingering resentments towards Japan.
    [Show full text]
  • Japanese Jazz Series
    PRESS RELEASE FROM THE JAPAN INFORMATION & CULTURE CENTER, EMBASSY OF JAPAN Japanese Jazz Series at Blues Alley Media Contact: Publicity Coordinator, Japan Information & Culture Center, Embassy of Japan Phone: 202-238-6900, Email: [email protected] April 15 - 20 | Shows at 8PM and 10PM | Blues Alley Admission: Ticketing through Blues Alley Not long after the United States gave birth to Jazz, Japan fell in love with its soulful sound. The Japanese Jazz Series, now in its 4th year, has become a highly anticipated musical celebration during the National Cherry Blossom Festival. Contemporary Japanese and American Jazz artists celebrate their countries’ common culture in music. This year, Japanese Jazz greats will perform at Washington DC’s Blues Alley with Tiger Ohkoshi, the legendary saxophonist, as a special guest. I. Pictures Tiger Ohkoshi (Trumpet) Mao Sone (Trumpet) Erena Terakubo (Saxophone) Ami Nakazono (Saxophone) Senri Oe (Piano) II. Further Information For location information, please visit www.bluesalley.com The Japan Information & Culture Center (JICC), Embassy of Japan in Washington DC is the region’s #1 authoritative resource for Japan-related information and culture, a gift sponsored by the people of Japan since 1981. As part of the Embassy of Japan’s public outreach program, the JICC is deeply committed to enriching the relationship between the people of Japan and the United States through an active, vibrant cultural and informational exchange. For more information, please visit http://www.us.emb-japan.go.jp/jicc. # # # Japan Information & Culture Center, Embassy of Japan 1150 18th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20036 | Tel: (202)-238-6900 | Fax: (202)-822-6524 www.us.emb-japan.go.jp/jicc/ .
    [Show full text]
  • The Enduring Myth of an Okinawan Struggle: the History and Trajectory of a Diverse Community of Protest
    The Enduring Myth of an Okinawan Struggle: The History and Trajectory of a Diverse Community of Protest A dissertation presented to the Division of Arts, Murdoch University in fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy 2003 Miyume Tanji BA (Sophia University) MA (Australian National University) I declare that this thesis is my own account of my research. It contains as its main content work which has not previously been submitted for a degree at any university. ——————————————————————————————— ii ABSTRACT The islands of Okinawa have a long history of people’s protest. Much of this has been a manifestation in one way or another of Okinawa’s enforced assimilation into Japan and their differential treatment thereafter. However, it is only in the contemporary period that we find interpretations among academic and popular writers of a collective political movement opposing marginalisation of, and discrimination against, Okinawans. This is most powerfully expressed in the idea of the three ‘waves’ of a post-war ‘Okinawan struggle’ against the US military bases. Yet, since Okinawa’s annexation to Japan in 1879, differences have constantly existed among protest groups over the reasons for and the means by which to protest, and these have only intensified after the reversion to Japanese administration in 1972. This dissertation examines the trajectory of Okinawan protest actors, focusing on the development and nature of internal differences, the origin and survival of the idea of a united ‘Okinawan struggle’, and the implications of these factors for political reform agendas in Okinawa. It explains the internal differences in organisation, strategies and collective identities among the groups in terms of three major priorities in their protest.
    [Show full text]
  • What's a Sijo?
    What’s a Sijo? Poet Hwang Jin-I, 1506–1560, (there’s a K-drama about her!) often wrote sijo half in aristocratic Chinese, and half in Korean Sijo (pronounced she-joe) is a traditional Korean form of hanja used by women even though it was suppressed by the poetry. The earliest known one was written in the 14th scholar officials. Take this one, for example, where the first half century. Sijo are three lines long, each line 14–16 syllables. of each line is in Chinese, the second half in Korean: One type of sijo, called sijo chang, is sung so slowly, it has been called the “slowest song in the world.” Can you sense where the languages change? Sijo began as a sly political weapon. They were written at Jade Green Stream, don’t boast so proud first in classical Chinese by Yangban, the male aristocrats of the Korean ruling class, who were typically military officials of your easy passing through these blue hills. and civil servants. These writers disguised the political Once you have reached the broad sea, points they wanted to make by using nature poetry. By to return again will be hard. the 18th century, times had changed, sijo were written by While the Bright Moon fills these empty hills, everyone, and in Korean. why not pause? Then go on, if you will. —Hwang Jin-i, translation by David McCann Make your own Sijo! Use the word bank to fill in the blanks. old tiger forest hide listen annoy fly river magpie teeth stalk regal green wince stones be legs wing on parent dance powerful gull deer drink snow play crane bear water teach leaves baby ugly clouds hungry palace fight grow eat maple stripes in rain field love tall hare run of gawk So, the ___________ growled, you’ve come to ___________: animal or person verb Seok Mo Ro-in the ________ emperor __________ , locked in his __________.
    [Show full text]