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Note: All text in bold are defined in the glossary database
Korea: An Occupied Land (1910-1950)
Contemporary Korean music was greatly influenced by the social and historical events
in the past century. From 1910-1945, Korean music was largely a propaganda machine
for the Japanese during the Japanese occupation. After WWII, Korean politics and
society were shaped by two factors: economic development, which led to a degree
of affluence and increasing urbanization; and the gradual suppression of political
freedoms. The Korean War also marked the first introduction of Western influence
in Korea. Christianity, Western philosophy, and music permeated Korean society
during and after the war. Koreans started to break away from the traditional use
of music for spiritual rituals as millions were converted into Christianity.
Music was now used more for entertainment purposes than for spiritual purposes.
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The Minjung Movement
After the fall of Syngman Rhee, Major General Park Chung Hee took over the government
on May 16th, 1961. Park ruled Korea with an iron fist. He reinforced the nation's
sense of han, which is a feeling of pride in one's country and independence,
which was a reaction to a sense of national impotency from the occupation and the
Korean War. In October 17, 1972 Park declared a state of emergency, all
democratic rights and civil liberties were suspended and in their place he imposed
a new social order which he called Yusin: restoration, revitalizing reforms
that established Park as a dictator. Opposition of yusin policies forced Park to
announce the implementation of Emergency Measure No. 9 in May 1975, which created
more discontent. The Minjung Movement became established as underground
political and cultural opposition to the government. Dissident musicians, writers,
and artists became icons of the new subculture.
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The Massacres at Kwangju
Park was assassinated on October 26th, 1979, and General Chun Doo Hwan took control
of the government. He brutally suppressed a student demonstration at Kwangju,
which angered citizens to join in the protest. Chun sent an American commanded
division to stop the protest, which increased anti-American and anti-Chun sentiments.
In 1988 Roh Tae Woo  succeeded Chun Doo Hwan and relaxed political censorship laws.
This created a flourish of new music from the producers in the underground
Minjung Movement. Now they were able to produce their films without fear of
persecution. Music groups that were afraid to express interest in
Western-style music due to political oppression were now able to do so.
Students in the 1980s appeared to have undergone an ideological shift to the left
or at least toward a minjung-based Christianity. Studnets who had grown up under
General Park's yusin policy and the Kwangju incident saw the threat coming from the
government not North Korea. This atmosphere was perfect for the creation of the Gayo music industry,
or popular Westernized music incorporated in the Korean teen/pop culture.
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The Gayo Music Industry
The Fathers of Gayo: SeoTaiji and Boys
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Roo'ra: The Introduction of a New Music Genre Another classic group in the evolution of Korean popular music is Roo'ra, which stands for Roots of Ragae. The group members are Kim JiHyun, Chae Rina, Lee SangMin, and Go Young Wook. The group's songs consist of an interesting twist of reggae and funky hip-hop. The group encountered controversy when it was discovered that their popular song "Chun Sang Yoo Hae" was an exact copy of a Japanese version. T he group fell in a deep depression as they were hit by a lawsuit and one of the members, Lee Sang Min, attempted suicide. Despite their hardships, the group has bounced back with their 4th album. Currently, the group has split up and each member is taking on his/her own career.
The Next Generation: Political Outrage
The Controversy and Future of Gayo Music Today |
The information and pictures has been primarily provided by http://korea.insights.co.kr/ and self-analysis and is used ONLY for educational purposes.
Before the 1990s, Korean popular music basically consisted of traditional Korean
folk music and Japanese-style karaoke tunes that appealed to mainly adults.
There was hardly any popular music that appealed to teenagers. However, with the
loosening of government restrictions on artistic freedom in the late 1980s-early
1990s, new hope emerged as a group named SeoTaiji and Boys appeared. The group
consisted of Seo Taiji, Yang Hyun Suk, and Lee Juno. SeoTaiji and Boys
revolutionized the Korean pop culture in 1992 with their hit song, "Nan Al Ra Yo",
which was the first successful Korean attempt to introduce rap into the newly formed
Gayo music industry. Seo Taiji and Boys introduced various music genres such as
heavy metal, rap, ballads, and funk. After four successful albums the group decided
to break up due to the pressure to maintain their number one status. Seo Taiji
continues to produce songs while Lee Juno and Yang Hyun Suk have introduced a new
generation of singers such as Young Turks Club and JinuSean. SeoTaiji and Boys
will always be known as the premier group to introduce a new wave of music, dance, and fashion
into the Korean society.