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| Korea Way |
There are pictures that I took a couple of months ago while I was still in the midst of what I actually wanted to do for this topic. While the pictures here may be irrelevant, it still sort of relates to my ventures of different places that deal with different cultures.
Located on 32nd Ave between 5th and Broadway/6th, and on the edge of either side, is a city block filled to the square inch of Korean-owned bussiness. From banks, to a lot of BBQ restaurants, and even an Asian Supermarket. I looked up this place only to find someplace in New York that sells Eastern music. I found that...and a lot more.
This street is called Korea Way, but it could be also considered "Korea Town"
Sorry the picture quality is dark, I was using a disposable camera and quality isn't the best.
This is a Kimbap (or Gimbap) take-out restaurant located in Korea Way. Gimbap is rice, vegetables, and a choice of fish, pork, beef, or just vegetables rolled up in seaweed. It was my first time trying Gimbap and I was feeling a bit daring that day so I bought a beef gimbap. It tasted different but it actually tasted pretty good after a few slices. Here's a picture to show an example on what it looks like.
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posted by KoriNem @ 6:06 PM  |
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| Final part of Music |
Some people have ambition to get notoriety than others… Others take it by any means necessary, even if it means to use one person’s legacy towards their advantage. One of the more controversial examples of this was the copyright infringement that used one of 2 Pac’s (That 2 Pac) freestyle rap as an inclusion to one of Baby VOX, a Korean girl pop group, songs. The song isn’t bad by all means, but it was the inclusion of said freestyle that burnt the reputation. Coupled with lawsuits leading by Tupac’s own mother and a heated disaggrement by fellow rap group DJ Doc, Baby VOX disbanded not too long after..
Personally I say the blame goes on both sides. The claim of copyright is always a sensitive thing and even if Baby VOX had claimed they had copyright, the company didn’t. Legal action was taken but I also feel that it’s not the group’s fault that they had to suffer; they were simply trying to become known in the States, even having planned a promotional tour. The comments made by a member of DOC were kind of foul play as well, but I can see where they are coming from. Point is, in terms of Korean groups, these two are some of my favorites and it’s a shame that it had came to such measures. Sometimes it’s proof that fame is a double edged sword
The video Xcstasy by BabyVOX
An article on the chaos that insued…
To finalize this post, as I mentioned in the previous one, I’ll also give some examples of various crossovers with Asian artists and Western artists.
Rain, or Bi, is a very famous and well known R&B singer in Korea, sometimes compared as the Usher of Korea. His voice is different from others, as well as himself being humble towards his fans. He has had several concerts in the U.S but he recently made his American movie debut in Speed Racer. In the movie, he played as a rival racer who later sided with Speed near the end. Omarion almost needs no introduction…as a singer for the group B2K.
The two of them made a duo in a song, however, it rarely, if it ever did, received airplay in the U.S. However, for some reason, it was a bonus track in the European edition of Omarion’s album.
Man Up by Omarion and Rain
Ne-Yo is another musician and songwriter who definitely needs no introduction, but Utada Hikaru is a J-Pop singer who has a steady fanbase in the U.S. Her songs have been in both games of the Kingdom Hearts series and she’s almost an icon in Japan. The two of them made a duet, but she was included in a remix to Ne-Yo’s song Do You
Do You – Ne-Yo feat Utada Hikaru
I’m pretty sure there are several more pairings of Eastern artists and Western artists. Some more music to look up on would be Nujabes, a Japanese producer, and Dir en Grey, a metal Japanese group. Infact, I believe Dir en Grey is one of the few examples of an international group gaining fame in the U.S. Especially in California, not to single them out. I like Dir en Grey but it’s definitely an acquired, yet interesting, taste. Nujabes has some of the most sickest beats and instrumentals I have ever heard, and he constantly adds underground Western acts into his works. Some of the lyrics in the songs that include it are also deep. I definitely recommend some of his work. |
| posted by KoriNem @ 3:14 PM |
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| First part of Music |
The music, more specifically Korean music, not to single them out, have various western influences in them. Some even use samples from well known songs in the west. Examples would be the usage of the song Street Life by Randy Crawford as a sample for DJ Doc’s (A Korean hip hop group) song of the same name.
Randy Crawford’s Street Life
DJ Doc’s Street Life
To diminish the stereotype that all Asian music only speaks in their native language, most artists can speak very fluent English. Some artists have even been in songs for Western artists but the majority never knew about it. A great example of this is a Korean singer who goes by Se7en. Amerie, who is known for songs like 1 Thing and Why Don’t We Fall In Love, is of African-American/Korean decent. In fact, her first language was Korean, and isn’t afraid to show her heritage at all. Anyway, the point is, there’s Se7en, who was born and raised in Korea, and Amerie, who was born in Korea but raised in the U.S. Both of them had Korean as their first language but one is famous throughout Korea while one is known throughout the western area.
Amerie’s song, Take Control, which is one of her recent songs, had two different “official” mixes. One was just with her singing, while one had male vocals added to the song. These male vocals were Se7en’s vocals but it’s only defined in certain areas. There could be several reasons as to why Se7en didn’t have the chance for him to break the mold into western territory but my guess is a clash of recording agencies. It’s sad because both shown great interest in working with each other.
Source of the duo making the song
Se7en and Amerie’s duo in Take Control |
| posted by KoriNem @ 2:15 PM |
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| Friday, January 16, 2009 |
| Movies |
It could be obvious by some movies, that there are plenty of credibility to be placed on different inspirations. For example, the Harry Potter movies are obviously based off of the books. However, I never knew most movies had influences that I would never expect.
Take Star Wars for example. The entire movie, what most people don't realize, was a mixture of ideas from Japanese movies.
Japanese movie director Akira Kurosawa had made plenty of quality movies in his time, especially in the 1960's, when Samurai movies took was abundant. His movies were beyond a simple "Samurai" flick, instead he told stories through his work that defined good and evil in a stylish tone. One of the more direct examples of this was his movie The Hidden Fortress. The movie in short is about how a group of (initially four), sets out to save a princess from a fallen high-class family. While there isn't a Luke, or a Han Solo, two unlikely characters become influenced; the ever lovable CP30 and R2-D2.
R2-D2 and CP30 are both based on the two peasants in the movie, being that they both were used for comedic effect, and also the actions that the two commit. If the peasants were to wound up in a "Galaxy far far away", the robots would come pretty close. As would the princess to Princess Leia.
Link to the information
Other comparisons are
Chinese movie Internal Affairs - The Departed
Il Mare - The Lake House
The classic Ring and Grudge series
For a source that explain these comparions according to movies, a lot more better than I can, this is a very detailed blog which even influenced me to make this blog
Asian's Influence on Hollywood Films |
| posted by KoriNem @ 10:04 AM |
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| Tuesday, January 13, 2009 |
| First Stop on the Express |
This blog was made, or started in mind of, the one thing that most people experience in their lives, yet never actually pick up the experience. From the amount of chicken and fried rice that we order from the local Chinese Restaurant, the numerous Bruce Lee to Tony Jaa movies, and finally to the Sony Playstations that we all seem to play.
While each of these examples might not have originated in Asia, most of the examples either help "westernize" the part of the culture to Asia, or bring a flavor of Asian tradition and customs to the western world.
The common misconception is that Asian customs are weird, different; and to put it bluntly, abnormal to the way other people around the world operate. I think that this cloud of judgment is unfair because what others consider weird, is what businessmen look at and make money off of. It's unfair because they sell these "weird" things, and milk it so that the Western market eats it all up. This blog, will show where our society had gotten their influence from, and to show that what was "weird" over in the eastern world, is acceptable here when it's "westernized".
Likewise, the Western world had influenced many of the Eastern world as well. From Hip Hop, which used to be unheard of, even to Heavy Metal music; these influences of music had greatly came as a form of trade. I'll be addressing what I personally feel is wrong or not, and I will also try to inform others by using this blog. |
| posted by KoriNem @ 10:09 AM |
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Name: KoriNem
Home: CowFarmCity, Laos
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