Korean Job Discussion Forums

[nosmallplans]

The Cobra Snake has actually been down to Seoul a few times. He's a friend of mine - no joke.

As far as real counter culture goes...

Do you remember when fixed gear bikes 'jumped the shark'?

Well, imagine a whole country full of stuff in the post-'jumped the shark' condition with nothing existing in a pre-'jumped the shark' condition. The moment something cool, new, and different becomes available in this country, it is immediately... turned into a fad. It's like the whole country is trying to decide whether they like drum lessons more or ballet.

You heard it here first - the next BIG thing in Korea? Cafe racers. We've seen the scooters. We've seen big Harleys. What's next? Thousands of Hongdae-types riding old cafe racer motorcycles.

[redaxe]

[nosmallplans]

[anjinsan]

Yeah, I am still waiting for the day I hear a K. band anywhere put out great hits like the following:

--"Sorry Mom and Dad, but Kiss my Butt"

--"Seoul National Sucks"

--"Ain't Gonna Get Married, So Shut Up"

--"Only Dorks Do the Two-Finger 'V' Sign for Pictures"

--"Kimchi Makes Me Want to Puke"

--"Death Before Samsung"

and that all-time hit

--"Don't Smoke, Don't Drink, Don't Spit"

[Steelrails]

[sarbonn]

Sometimes, finding the counter-culture is somewhat difficult for those of us from the west because often they are very exclusive and only inviting to other Koreans. That limits our access to such venues. I don't mean this as a criticism against Koreans, because this same sort of thing happens in western society as well.

For the basic counter-culture thing you are seeking, Hondae is a great place that has a definite contact base. Even Itaewon has its own counter-culture thing going for it, depending upon where you look.

But there are even deeper, entrenched movements that exist as well, and it pretty much depends upon what you are seeking as to how easy it is to find. There is a gamer culture that also exists that is somewhat subdued, but at the same time very disconnected from the mainstream. There is also a very hidden, almost impossible to penetrate bdsm community as well that keeps itself cut off from the rest of society because of its need, due to social pressures and a very hostile police presence that clamps down on anything that goes against the grain, involving a sexual nature.

A lot of this is findable if you link in with the right communities, which often takes contacting people through their web-based organizations, which is a wonderful thing nowadays. 20 years ago, contacting such organizations was practically impossible, requiring a word of mouth contact process, which often made it impossible for a westerner to even have a chance to make a connection. Granted, contact doesn't lead to connection, but it's a start.

[LosSeoul]

[tall_dave]

[anjinsan]

Steelrails:

You gotta be joking!!!!

Are you honestly trying to say H.O.T. is a counter-culture group?
The corporate-backed, producer-assembled, pretty-boy K.-pop band that is marketed to young Korean girls aged 10 to 15?????
Are these girly-boys somehow at the forefront of a Korean cultural revolution seeking to overturn centuries of inequality? Has their influence been felt through the ranks and files of Korean middle-school pre-teens and developing adolescent females? Has their antiestablishmentarianism inspired riots in the streets of Seoul's satellite suburbs?

You gotta be joking guy.

Further, you seem to know a little too much about this girl-band.
Are you a Korean girl aged 10-15? Do you have some kind of connection with that demographic? Ummm, should you be listening to this b-boy group?

You totally must be joking.

Finally, as per your ignorant assumption that I can not speak, read, or understand Korean, you just made an "ass" out of "u" [but be careful what you assume about "me" jack] What, you suddenly think you know me because you read a joke post I made on this thread? You gotta be joking!

Go listen to your H.O.T. albums . . .

[TheMarsTravolta]

LosSeoul: based out of Sacramento, but I was a music journalist for SF Guardian, and spent a lot of time in Santa Cruz making shows and writing when I was in college.

[Ukon]

I know quite a few, but they dress like everyone else and go to the same places as everyone else....they really don't need a "alt-lifestyle" to match their discontent with korean society....

[Steelrails]

[redaxe]

[Cerberus]

so, according to our steelrails, the Korean girly-boy thing, or better said the constant attempt to feminize the looks and actions of males is an example of "Korean" "counter-culture"

except you have vast percentages of males populations in China, Japan, Phillippines, Thailand and perhaps several other Asian countries where this is culturally engrained and or tolerated/encouraged. Hence, the popularity of Korean pop "music" in such places and its utter inability to be relevant anywhere else.

Then, the same people complain about Hollywood's portrayal of Asian males in its movies


btw.. I've dealt with Nassim Taleb before he wrote his famous books. A very interesting albeit somewhat quirky fellow.

[anjinsan]

Steel- buddy,

You crack me up. It is okay to admit that you are totally into b-boy
bands. We aren't here to judge you (just laugh at you).

We'll agree to disagree on just how anti-establishment H.O.T. is.

As per your points about pedophilia, homosexuality, and a thorough knowledge of K-pop, I'll let your own words on the subject suffice.