Korean Job Discussion Forums

Snowmeow · Joined: 03 Oct 2005 Location: pc room

I will presume there is such a thing as Korean rock, punk and metal bands first of all. I believe I had seen at least a couple of them on TV during a World Cup pep rally.

Anyone know the names of some of these bands? To relate to my students I sometimes talk about Korean pop culture, in the same way that young kids at home love to talk about Spongebob and so on (actually they love that here too, don't they). Girl students love chatting about Super Junior and Li Joon Ki, SHin Hwa, Bada (V.I.P), Kim Jong Guk but what about bands that appeal to the male students in class? Often times I can just see them roll their eyes.

SO, know any Korean rock/punk/metal bands?

pocketfluff · Posted: Mon Jul 31, 2006 12:07 pm Post subject: Re: korean rock/punk/metal bands

ClairQuilty · Joined: 23 Jul 2006

http://www.townhallrecords.net/
can not vouch for music quality.

own_king · Joined: 17 Apr 2004 Location: here

1. I can tolerate The Traxx when they're not acting gay with Don't We Sing Gay or whatver they're called. So The Traxx can be pretty cool on their own and the students will know of them.

2. Seo Tae Ji did some cool kinda Limp Bizkit/Korn style stuff once he dyed his hair pink and shed his hip hop facade around 2001 or so. But his new stuff really sucks IMO, but your students will know him too, although think he's kinda dated.

3. I'm a little reluctant to mention Moon Hee Jun, because of his former membership in perhaps the gayest group ever HOT. But his solo stuff can get a little on the heavy side, which makes his music much less repugnant than the solo efforts of the other eunuchs he sang with. And students will know him for sure.

4. Saving the best to last, Crash is about as hard of a heavy metal group you'll come across in Korea, who are actually Korean. I like them, but I think they've since disbanded, like Japan X. Older university or young adult students will probably know Crash, but kids won't.

RACETRAITOR · Joined: 24 Oct 2005 Location: Seoul, South Korea

Towhall is a hardcore label. The main punk label is Skunk, which is also behind Skunk Hell in Hongdae.

If you want to mention Korean punk bands your students will know, I recommend Rux and Couch. Both of their names still get an angry reaction from time to time. I do not advise playing their music for your students because there are too many Korean swears (as well as English) and it's offensive to most Koreans' ears.

I'm also compelled to mention this country has a lively, if small, underground punk scene with weekly shows featuring some great bands.

own_king · Joined: 17 Apr 2004 Location: here

Oh yeah, right! And who was that Korean punk singer that took a leak on stage? I remember he got fined for it and maybe even imprisoned for a short spell. This is a country where, a guy with even one earing is considered a nalari, this was quite a shock.

RACETRAITOR · Joined: 24 Oct 2005 Location: Seoul, South Korea

Snowmeow · Joined: 03 Oct 2005 Location: pc room

While I do think it's a good tactic to have some knowledge of kids' interests I am also asking because I actually like punk and metal, so thanks for the info. I'll give them a listen. I remember seeing a band on TV that had a sound similar to Rancid, again during the pre-World Cup pep rallies but I didn't catch their name.

RACETRAITOR · Joined: 24 Oct 2005 Location: Seoul, South Korea

Of the top of my head, if they were on TV they were either No Brain or Crying Nut. You won't see any real punk bands on TV anymore for a while.

Too bad you live in Busan, because they don't have that many shows down there. If you're not in Seoul or Cheongju, there's basically nothing around.

By the way, it sounds like the cops have decided to clamp down on piercing now. I guess they realised that, because tattoos are illegal because the needle pierces the skin, they have to be fair and ban piercing too. I'm not saying it'll be impossible, just a little weirder than it was a few months ago.

bobbyhanlon · Joined: 09 Nov 2003 Location: 서울

ghetto bombs are pretty good..

RACETRAITOR · Joined: 24 Oct 2005 Location: Seoul, South Korea

Their guitarist, Joohyun, just started a crazy new band called Galaxy Express.

http://www.myspace.com/galaxyrocknroll

own_king · Joined: 17 Apr 2004 Location: here

jaganath69 · Joined: 17 Jul 2003

Yellow Puffer, not my bag coz its this sappy Nu Metal sound, but they throw in the odd Sex Pistols and Ramones cover to keep an old punk like me interested. Better than nothing.

Kyrei · Joined: 22 Jan 2003

Places to hit for the live scene are Skunk Hell (as RACETRAITOR mentioned) and DGBD club around the corner and down the street from it, both in Hongdae. Commonly there are shows on Fridays, Saturdays, and/or Sundays. This Friday there are shows at Skunk and DGBD, not sure about Saturday, but Sunday has a Crying Nut show... my favourite of the punk-turned-popular bands.

RACETRAITOR · Joined: 24 Oct 2005 Location: Seoul, South Korea

Crying Nut is the best of the punk-turned-popular bands, although I still prefer their old stuff.

jaganth69, if you have a hankering for the old punk sound, you can do better than Yellow Puffer.

There is a huge show this Saturday at Ssamzie Space and Rolling Hall. Ssamzie is going to spotlight some of the top hardcore bands, such as 13 Steps, Vassline, and Samchung, and then everyone's supposed to head over to Rolling Hall for Rux. Just take a look at the front page of Skunk.
http://www.skunklabel.com/