Korean Job Discussion Forums

[World Traveler]

I know a guy who is good at playing guitar and singing. He said to me, "Korea is terrible for busking. I played Hongdae for four hours but only got 1,000 won."

But I've seen (Korean) buskers with loads of money in their case, sometimes over 100,000 won. So the problem lies with him.

He said, "Koreans want to hear Korean songs, but I don't know any."

Recently I learned there are Korean songs that are (unbeknownst to Koreans) derived from Western tunes.

I was playing on the street to no audience when a passerby asked me if I knew any Korean songs.

As I strummed Mary Had a Little Lamb, a crowd gathered around, belting out the lyrics to 비행기. They thought it was the greatest thing ever. Afterwards people were clapping and giving me high fives and telling me how cool I was. I cannot describe how surreal it was to be playing a corny nursery rhyme to throngs of adoring fans. I suspected I was in the Twilight Zone or on Candid Camera or Punk'd or something, only it was real.

"How could you know that Korean song?" I was asked.

As I replied, "I'm interested in Korean culture", I saw the look of delight on so many faces.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QuonfyIq4A8

In a guitar store, the adjuma worker was really cold and rude towards me until she heard me playing Arirang, which melted her scowl into a smile.

She then asked me how long I have been in Korea, at which point her enthusiasm was greatly diminished by my reply. (I guess she assumed I was a tourist.)

The longer one stays in Korea, the more Korean words one is expected to know; likewise, the more Korean songs a musician should know in order to be a "good foreigner" I suppose.

A teacher who has been in Korean five years told me he often is complemented for saying a simple sentence in Korean, followed by inquiry as to how long he has lived in Korea. When he says five years, the praise turns to disgust.

...Which makes me think I should up my game regarding how many Korean songs I can play...

The problem is I'm thinking about the opportunity cost versus the long term benefit for learning how to do then maintain the songs. Like the language (which is also freaking hard to learn how to do well) such a skill becomes a lot less useful once one steps outside the South Korean border.

일석이조 means I should learn Western songs which are also Korean songs to get double the bang for my buck.

No Korean I talked to knew this song outside of its Korean context, which was really shocking. They just thought it was a Korean song written in Korea. (First it was Korea's National Anthem. Now, with different lyrics, it is played at graduation ceremonies.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8Hx7wm0Y0s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkDgzOou0rc

*What are some other Western melodies well known in Korea?

[mithridates]

Just like how everybody here knows the national anthem of the German Empire, Heil dir im Siegerkranz:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4cfzFBTK9i8

[World Traveler]

Actually, God Save the Queen was first:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tN9EC3Gy6Nk

[mithridates]

[mithridates]

Back to the main topic: why not take any Korean song, turn it into an English version on your own, and sing that? Then you could pick any song at all. Koreans would get a kick out of that.

[World Traveler]

Good idea...but if I leave Korea, I won't have a familiar tune to take with me. Audiences like to sing along with songs they know. I guess I should get to work on this:

빙빙 돌아라
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NxNT0FDCmwQ

동물 흉내
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5RjFDrb0SU

...but those probably aren't songs adults like to sing along with...but oh well- I'll give it a shot. If anyone knows any other titles, post 'em below.

[hellofaniceguy]

[Joe Boxer]

Koreans really like the Cranberries' song "Ode to my Father" (or maybe it's Ode to my Family?). it's featured on a TV show here. Can that be played on guitar? Maybe the beginning can be plucked?

I bet you'd get a lot of people gathering around for that.