On May 30 of this year I arrived in South Korea, the first time I'd ever set foot outside North America in my 29 years. The last six months have been exciting, challenging, frustrating and rewarding all at the same time.
I've learned many things in this half-year, among them:
1. Adapting to a new country isn't as hard as I thought it would be. Once I learned my way around the neighborhood and got used to the fact that my conversations with others would be minimal, it wasn't so bad. I still remember how strange everything felt the day I arrived. It was like being in a whole new world. Would I be able to handle this country?
Six months later it already feels like home. My daily life has all kinds of oddities that I never dealt with in the U.S., and I'm accustomed to them. Every so often it dawns on me when I'm walking around town that...hey! I'm in a country I'd never so much as visited before May! Yes, I'm aware that I'm an outsider, but it doesn't bother me too much. I'm comfortable with it.
2. Teaching is a hard job. Contrary to what one of my co-workers told me the night I got here, this job requires a lot of commitment for maximum effectiveness. At least, it does for me. Perhaps I'm just not a natural-born teacher, and therefore have to expend more effort. Whatever the case may be, I'm certainly going to work hard to be the best I can be.
3. Becoming bilingual is no walk in the park, even for someone with pretty good language abilities. Yes, my Korean has been progressing slowly. A big reason is that I'm often tired out from work and don't commit as much time to it as I could, and I think another part of it has been laziness. I'm trying to buckle down and study more, because discovering this language on my own is actually fun when I do take the time to learn it. After being commended for my language abilities most of my life, I think I should be able to speak at least two of them fluently. I am able to understand more than I did before I got here, so that has to count for something.
4. Apparently I look German. Multiple people (I'm talking two here!) have made that observation, one of them a Korean guy who grew up in Germany. I've always identified most with my Scottish part, since it's the source of my name, but otherwise thought of myself as a general Euro-American. I didn't realize my German part was the dominant look I carried around on my face. Speaking of faces...
5. I apparently have a face or head that's disproportionately small compared to my body. Students frequently make that observation, and I have no idea what I'm supposed to say to it. I guess it means Koreans generally aren't as bulky as I am. It's hard to be aware of how you compare to others visually when you see everything from your own perspective.
6. Taking classes at ComedySportz was a good move. 2010 will probably go down in my personal history as the year of ComedySportz, and I was disappointed that I couldn't afford to take Level 4. I honestly believe the three classes I took there prepared me for this job though. They helped me become more confident in my decision-making and public speaking, and in small ways perhaps enhanced my funniness. If you want to take it even further, my CSz experience may have given me the gumption to attempt this overseas adventure. There's something truly satisfying about being able to look back at a decision and know it was a good one.
7. It's possible for me to have a job I like and make good money at. For a long time I thought I was destined to be miserable in whatever line I found myself, because I was constantly dissatisfied with my sources of income. This job has proven me wrong. I'm not saying I wake up every morning looking forward to teaching, only that I find what I do worthwhile and even fun at times. I've waited my whole life to to have a job I could be proud of, and now that I finally have one, I certainly don't take it for granted.
Like just about everyone, I want contentment in life. I want to know that I belong somewhere, that I'm making a difference in some way and that my situation is a stable one. Have I found that? It's way too early to say, because I don't know where my head will be in the future. It's possible I could get burned out on this job, as I did with every other one I had for a significant amount of time. I hope that won't be the case, but you never know.
Of course, this job being different than the others, perhaps it's an apples-to-oranges comparison. Perhaps the reason I don't feel so bad about going the extra mile for this job is because it means more to me. When I stay late preparing for the next day's classes, I know it's a character-building experience as well as an investment in the future of children whose minds have been entrusted to me, not some transitory service that'll be forgotten the next day. Again, not that I enjoy it, per se, only that the drudgery feels like it's for the greater good.
I don't know how stable my situation is either. It seems like many teachers in Korea change schools frequently, and I'm not sure why that is. Do many schools not like keeping their foreign teachers for too long? Do many people simply get tired of their schools and search for new challenges? Are there many shady schools that drive away employees and offset the average? I don't have enough knowledge to make a definitive statement. I do know, however, that the teacher I replaced was here for two years, and one of my co-workers recently extended her contract for a second year. That tells me at least one more year is within the realm of possibility, and after all the horror stories about shady hagwons I read on the internet, I'd prefer not to risk ending up at one of them instead of the good school I teach at now.
It's amazing how quickly things can change. At the beginning of 2011 I didn't expect to be doing what I'm doing. In fact, the thought hadn't even entered my mind until a friend suggested it as part of a birthday wish on Facebook. Within three months I'd gotten all the necessary paperwork processed and found my way to East Asia. It was a wild ride, but I don't regret it for a second. If there's anything to be learned from this experience, it's that taking risks can be incredibly rewarding.
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Thursday, November 10, 2011
First Witness
Well, well, well. There's an interesting piece of news in the baseball world. Korean pitcher Yoon Seok-Min is looking to come to Major League Baseball, and he's even hired Scott Boras as his agent. That's cool, I guess, but what's the big deal? Don't lots of foreign players jump to MLB? Indeed they do, but most of them make the transition before I've seen them live, not after. If we go back two and a half months, we find that Yoon Seok-Min was the home team pitcher for the game I attended this year. To boot, he had a masterful performance against the team that went on to be runner-up in this year's Korea Series.
Do you realize what this means? If Mr. Yoon becomes an MLB star, I'll be able to tell everyone I saw him first! I knew of his greatness before Joe MLB Fan had ever heard of him! All those johnny-come-latelies would have nothing on me!
Of course, if he comes to MLB and turns into a bust, none of this will matter. Who cares if you saw him first? He stinks! Even worse, he could end up with a team I hate and I'd be forced to root against him regardless of how well he does. After the way the 2011 MLB Postseason went (I actually had a nightmare about it recently and woke up feeling pretty rotten), I know not to get my hopes up about anything when it comes to baseball.
Oh, life.
Do you realize what this means? If Mr. Yoon becomes an MLB star, I'll be able to tell everyone I saw him first! I knew of his greatness before Joe MLB Fan had ever heard of him! All those johnny-come-latelies would have nothing on me!
Of course, if he comes to MLB and turns into a bust, none of this will matter. Who cares if you saw him first? He stinks! Even worse, he could end up with a team I hate and I'd be forced to root against him regardless of how well he does. After the way the 2011 MLB Postseason went (I actually had a nightmare about it recently and woke up feeling pretty rotten), I know not to get my hopes up about anything when it comes to baseball.
Oh, life.
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Album Review - Secret - Moving in Secret
Yeah, I'm doing it. I'm becoming a pretentious music critic. No sooner do I waltz into this country than I start pretending I have some sort of expertise on music and culture that'd qualify me to give a real critique of one of their popular girl groups. I'm deplorable, aren't I? Even worse, I'm publishing this review two weeks after the album was released! What nerve have I!
As some of you who are aware of my major dork tendencies know, Secret's been my pet girl group since I started getting into K-Pop. I saw their video for "Shy Boy" and the next thing I knew I was a fan for life. As I explored them more and more, I found I liked them beyond that one song. They have the perfect balance of talent, personality and likability, and they've managed to become one of Korea's top groups through hard work and smart management. They're a true American success story...except they're not American. Besides that, their music incorporates more diverse elements than the typical pop groups whose primary style is synthesized dance pop. Not that I'm trying to diss those other groups or anything, but...I'll be honest, their music gets boring much more quickly.
Secret debuted in October of 2009, back when MLB was having one of its most forgettable postseasons in recent memory, and two years later, they finally have a full-length album. All their previous releases were mini-albums, none containing more than six tracks. This one has ten tracks, though only nine unique songs. The final track is just the instrumental for the first track, which seems to be a common disc-padding practice in Korea. I guess the popularity of karaoke in these parts makes as good an excuse as any.
The way music is generally promoted in Korea is that groups will announce their "comeback," AKA new release, a month or so in advance, and slowly reveal more information to build up the public's anticipation. There'll be teaser photos and videos to give you an idea of what their image and theme for the next single will be. Secret's last two singles, "Shy Boy" and "별빛 달빛" ("Starlight Moonlight") were charming and cute, so fans were expecting them to change it up this time. Sure enough, they did just that, with the teaser photos showing a sultry new "sexy black" image.
The record store threw in a free poster of the album cover when I bought the CD, and it's brought the total of wall decorations in my room to one. Inside the bulky laminated cardboard case that houses the album (and its massive booklet), we can see a visual love letter to cosmetics. Someone really went overboard with the makeup here. In the booklet cover photo they almost look like mannequins, lacking any natural variations in flesh tone, and I didn't even recognize Ji-eun at first. This might be just another one of my crackpot theories, but when someone looks like a completely different person, that might be a sign you're overdoing it. Come on, image department, these girls are already beautiful. You don't need to paint a mural on their faces. It worked as sort of an ironic statement with Poison's Look What the Cat Dragged In, but here, it's just tacky. I prefer some of the photos inside the booklet, where they're more moderately made-up and look more natural.
Enough commentary on the visuals, though. The audio is the most important part! Let's start our journey through this disc, shall we?
The first track is "사랑은 MOVE," (which approximately translates as "Love is MOVE") the lead single that I posted the video for last time. What do I think of it? Well, ya know...it's pretty darn good, though not my favorite track on the album. It makes a good single though, with its upbeat, hooky chorus. The thing I like best is that it's got some genuine rock 'n roll elements to it. The intro sounds straight out of a surf-rock garage band's 45 single before the heavy bass and horns kick in. The piano in the chorus and the tinny distorted guitar harken back to the days when people still danced to that genre which is now known as the all-too-serious "rock." Eat your heart out, all you pop groups with backing tracks constructed completely through a keyboard!
The next track is "섹시하게," which translates as either "Sexy" or "Sexily," depending on who you ask. This is probably the album's catchiest tune, but parts of it are also pretty goofy. It starts out with Zinger saying "Hey! So sexy right now girl! Just like me! Come on!" over a guitar and synthesized handclaps. Why is she singing to a girl, and using the vernacular of a braggadocious alpha male no less? I'm guessing the rap part was originally written for a guy, but they ended up giving the song to Secret, and changing the English lyrics was a low priority. We English speakers really aren't the target audience for this stuff. Despite some silliness, I can't help but love this song. No matter where you turn...hey! Check it out! There's another hook! You can't fight its brain-sticking-ness, so you might as well give up and let yourself enjoy it.
You can't have a good album without a strong ballad (well OK, you can, but it certainly doesn't hurt to have one). Look no further than the next track, "웃지 좀 마," to fill that requirement. The title translates as either "Don't Laugh," "Don't Make Me Laugh" or "Stop Smiling." Someday I need to get fluent in Korean and translate this stuff for myself. Hyo-seong is the star of this one, as she has a good quiver in her voice that really sells the emotion. Very beautiful. They've been performing this one in their TV appearances along with "사랑은 MOVE," which is a testament to its quality.
"Movie Star" is an interesting one. It's jazzy and has lots of starts and stops, reminiscent of the Transport Tycoon soundtrack. While it's not hit single material, it's definitely strong album track material. Maybe it's easier to do than it sounds, but the way they incorporate Zinger's rapping so seamlessly against this musical backdrop is impressive.
Speaking of Zinger, the next song is actually her first solo track! I'm happy with the decision to showcase her this way, as Zinger is my favorite member, and she also tends to be the most overlooked. After Ji-eun released a solo single in March, several fans (including me) thought Zinger should be the next to get a solo, as she's perhaps the most well-rounded member of the group. Fret not, our wish has finally come true! The title, appropriately, is "Amazinger." It's probably ironic that the rapper of the group is my favorite, as I'm not a big fan of rap music, but this track leans more toward old school rap than modern-day rap, so I actually find it quite enjoyable. I'm talking beatboxing, scratching, straight off the streets of New York. This thing's an oversized boom box full of fun. The only real disappointment I have with it is that it's probably not going to appeal to a very broad audience, and therefore, the chances of Zinger raising her profile as a solo artist like Ji-eun did are slim, at least with this song. That won't stop me from enjoying it though, and offering a 징거 화이팅!
Next is "Together," a slightly R&B-ish ballad. I say "slightly," because I doubt it could ever cross over into that market, and the chorus sounds like pure pop, but the chimes, synth-claps and slow piano in the intro definitely give it that feel. Compared to the stuff that came before it this one is more filler-y, but it's pleasant enough. I could probably say the same thing about "바래" ("Hope"), the next track. The only difference is that it's a midtempo pop song rather than an R&B-ish ballad. It's not bad, but not a highlight either.
The album takes a less-cheery turn with "Bastard." I never expected these girls to use such a provocative title, but I doubt they had much choice in the matter. Honestly this track seems like it would've fit the dark, sexy image of the teaser photos better than better than "사랑은 MOVE" did. It has a very heavy, angry sound to it. I'm not a huge fan, but I'll admit it's hookier than the previous two tracks, and might've gone over well with certain types of Korean listeners. I could easily picture a video for this song with the girls sneering at the camera, scrolling through six different sets of black outfits in frantic cut shots against black and gray-toned walls and...yeah, whatever. There are plenty of other girl groups who make those kinds of videos, but I prefer my Secret to be fun. I don't mind them trying to project a confident image, but a menacing one is kind of a turn-off. Besides, unless you're the Replacements, you probably can't get away with "Bastard" in the title of your single.
"Neverland" is the final unique song on the album, and it has an ethereal princess pop quality to it. No, there's nothing original here, but it has a great chorus with some fine harmonies. The translation of the lyrics I read seems to indicate that it's a song about love being an escape from reality. I can back that sentiment. I read Peter Pan to my kindergarteners recently, and Neverland does seem like it'd be a pretty cool place to hang, even if there is that whole issue of Captain Hook terrorizing you frequently. Back to the song though...I like it. It makes a good album closer, even if it's not technically the final track on the disc.
The aforementioned instrumental to "사랑은 MOVE" is actually pretty cool, even if it's more like a bonus track than a piece of the artistic whole we'd consider "the album." It allows you to hear more details in the mix and rock out a bit. I don't plan on learning the choreography and performing this song with three other people in a talent contest or anything, but you know what? Thanks to this track the option is there, and I appreciate that.
All in all, Moving in Secret is a fine effort, and it reinforces my status as one of Secret's few Euro-American male fans pushing 30. The girls' hard work is evident in everything they do, and TS Entertainment has done a great job in allowing them to stand out from the rest of the K-Pop landscape. I realize it might sound crass to mention their management company, but let's be honest: these girls aren't indie artists, they're a pop group. They bring strong talent to the table in terms of singing, dancing and rapping, and their distinct personalities and chemistry are a big part of their appeal. Without the guiding hand of some industry veterans though, there's no way they'd be what they are today. In the symbiotic relationship between producers and performers, we have here a case where both sides made out well, and I'll be waving the flag for them as long as they're still turning out fun, creative pop. It may have been dumb luck that led me to Secret in the first place, but it's the kind of serendipity I'll take any day.
As some of you who are aware of my major dork tendencies know, Secret's been my pet girl group since I started getting into K-Pop. I saw their video for "Shy Boy" and the next thing I knew I was a fan for life. As I explored them more and more, I found I liked them beyond that one song. They have the perfect balance of talent, personality and likability, and they've managed to become one of Korea's top groups through hard work and smart management. They're a true American success story...except they're not American. Besides that, their music incorporates more diverse elements than the typical pop groups whose primary style is synthesized dance pop. Not that I'm trying to diss those other groups or anything, but...I'll be honest, their music gets boring much more quickly.
Secret debuted in October of 2009, back when MLB was having one of its most forgettable postseasons in recent memory, and two years later, they finally have a full-length album. All their previous releases were mini-albums, none containing more than six tracks. This one has ten tracks, though only nine unique songs. The final track is just the instrumental for the first track, which seems to be a common disc-padding practice in Korea. I guess the popularity of karaoke in these parts makes as good an excuse as any.
The record store threw in a free poster of the album cover when I bought the CD, and it's brought the total of wall decorations in my room to one. Inside the bulky laminated cardboard case that houses the album (and its massive booklet), we can see a visual love letter to cosmetics. Someone really went overboard with the makeup here. In the booklet cover photo they almost look like mannequins, lacking any natural variations in flesh tone, and I didn't even recognize Ji-eun at first. This might be just another one of my crackpot theories, but when someone looks like a completely different person, that might be a sign you're overdoing it. Come on, image department, these girls are already beautiful. You don't need to paint a mural on their faces. It worked as sort of an ironic statement with Poison's Look What the Cat Dragged In, but here, it's just tacky. I prefer some of the photos inside the booklet, where they're more moderately made-up and look more natural.
Enough commentary on the visuals, though. The audio is the most important part! Let's start our journey through this disc, shall we?
The first track is "사랑은 MOVE," (which approximately translates as "Love is MOVE") the lead single that I posted the video for last time. What do I think of it? Well, ya know...it's pretty darn good, though not my favorite track on the album. It makes a good single though, with its upbeat, hooky chorus. The thing I like best is that it's got some genuine rock 'n roll elements to it. The intro sounds straight out of a surf-rock garage band's 45 single before the heavy bass and horns kick in. The piano in the chorus and the tinny distorted guitar harken back to the days when people still danced to that genre which is now known as the all-too-serious "rock." Eat your heart out, all you pop groups with backing tracks constructed completely through a keyboard!
The next track is "섹시하게," which translates as either "Sexy" or "Sexily," depending on who you ask. This is probably the album's catchiest tune, but parts of it are also pretty goofy. It starts out with Zinger saying "Hey! So sexy right now girl! Just like me! Come on!" over a guitar and synthesized handclaps. Why is she singing to a girl, and using the vernacular of a braggadocious alpha male no less? I'm guessing the rap part was originally written for a guy, but they ended up giving the song to Secret, and changing the English lyrics was a low priority. We English speakers really aren't the target audience for this stuff. Despite some silliness, I can't help but love this song. No matter where you turn...hey! Check it out! There's another hook! You can't fight its brain-sticking-ness, so you might as well give up and let yourself enjoy it.
You can't have a good album without a strong ballad (well OK, you can, but it certainly doesn't hurt to have one). Look no further than the next track, "웃지 좀 마," to fill that requirement. The title translates as either "Don't Laugh," "Don't Make Me Laugh" or "Stop Smiling." Someday I need to get fluent in Korean and translate this stuff for myself. Hyo-seong is the star of this one, as she has a good quiver in her voice that really sells the emotion. Very beautiful. They've been performing this one in their TV appearances along with "사랑은 MOVE," which is a testament to its quality.
"Movie Star" is an interesting one. It's jazzy and has lots of starts and stops, reminiscent of the Transport Tycoon soundtrack. While it's not hit single material, it's definitely strong album track material. Maybe it's easier to do than it sounds, but the way they incorporate Zinger's rapping so seamlessly against this musical backdrop is impressive.
Speaking of Zinger, the next song is actually her first solo track! I'm happy with the decision to showcase her this way, as Zinger is my favorite member, and she also tends to be the most overlooked. After Ji-eun released a solo single in March, several fans (including me) thought Zinger should be the next to get a solo, as she's perhaps the most well-rounded member of the group. Fret not, our wish has finally come true! The title, appropriately, is "Amazinger." It's probably ironic that the rapper of the group is my favorite, as I'm not a big fan of rap music, but this track leans more toward old school rap than modern-day rap, so I actually find it quite enjoyable. I'm talking beatboxing, scratching, straight off the streets of New York. This thing's an oversized boom box full of fun. The only real disappointment I have with it is that it's probably not going to appeal to a very broad audience, and therefore, the chances of Zinger raising her profile as a solo artist like Ji-eun did are slim, at least with this song. That won't stop me from enjoying it though, and offering a 징거 화이팅!
Next is "Together," a slightly R&B-ish ballad. I say "slightly," because I doubt it could ever cross over into that market, and the chorus sounds like pure pop, but the chimes, synth-claps and slow piano in the intro definitely give it that feel. Compared to the stuff that came before it this one is more filler-y, but it's pleasant enough. I could probably say the same thing about "바래" ("Hope"), the next track. The only difference is that it's a midtempo pop song rather than an R&B-ish ballad. It's not bad, but not a highlight either.
The album takes a less-cheery turn with "Bastard." I never expected these girls to use such a provocative title, but I doubt they had much choice in the matter. Honestly this track seems like it would've fit the dark, sexy image of the teaser photos better than better than "사랑은 MOVE" did. It has a very heavy, angry sound to it. I'm not a huge fan, but I'll admit it's hookier than the previous two tracks, and might've gone over well with certain types of Korean listeners. I could easily picture a video for this song with the girls sneering at the camera, scrolling through six different sets of black outfits in frantic cut shots against black and gray-toned walls and...yeah, whatever. There are plenty of other girl groups who make those kinds of videos, but I prefer my Secret to be fun. I don't mind them trying to project a confident image, but a menacing one is kind of a turn-off. Besides, unless you're the Replacements, you probably can't get away with "Bastard" in the title of your single.
"Neverland" is the final unique song on the album, and it has an ethereal princess pop quality to it. No, there's nothing original here, but it has a great chorus with some fine harmonies. The translation of the lyrics I read seems to indicate that it's a song about love being an escape from reality. I can back that sentiment. I read Peter Pan to my kindergarteners recently, and Neverland does seem like it'd be a pretty cool place to hang, even if there is that whole issue of Captain Hook terrorizing you frequently. Back to the song though...I like it. It makes a good album closer, even if it's not technically the final track on the disc.
The aforementioned instrumental to "사랑은 MOVE" is actually pretty cool, even if it's more like a bonus track than a piece of the artistic whole we'd consider "the album." It allows you to hear more details in the mix and rock out a bit. I don't plan on learning the choreography and performing this song with three other people in a talent contest or anything, but you know what? Thanks to this track the option is there, and I appreciate that.
All in all, Moving in Secret is a fine effort, and it reinforces my status as one of Secret's few Euro-American male fans pushing 30. The girls' hard work is evident in everything they do, and TS Entertainment has done a great job in allowing them to stand out from the rest of the K-Pop landscape. I realize it might sound crass to mention their management company, but let's be honest: these girls aren't indie artists, they're a pop group. They bring strong talent to the table in terms of singing, dancing and rapping, and their distinct personalities and chemistry are a big part of their appeal. Without the guiding hand of some industry veterans though, there's no way they'd be what they are today. In the symbiotic relationship between producers and performers, we have here a case where both sides made out well, and I'll be waving the flag for them as long as they're still turning out fun, creative pop. It may have been dumb luck that led me to Secret in the first place, but it's the kind of serendipity I'll take any day.
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