Agenda

02 May 2023 16:00

Us & Them: Korean Indie Rock in a K-Pop World

Sala A, palazzo Vendramin dei Carmini

Stephen Epstein, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand

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Abstract:

The spread of South Korean popular music, or K-pop, has been a striking global phenomenon. In 2012 PSY’s viral sensation “Gangnam Style” became the most viewed video on YouTube ever, generating billions of hits and scores of imitations, and in recent years BTS and Blackpink have taken the world by storm. But Korean music is not only viral videos and idol groups. There is also a vibrant indie and punk scene that has been active for almost three decades. A lot of the energy driving the scene has come in opposition to mainstream Korean music. Yet, just as K-pop is becoming more well-known internationally, bands from the Korean underground are now touring overseas and have become more professional in their own pursuit of global connections. The documentary follows several of Korea's most well-known indie bands as they embarked on their first US tours. The spotlight lands in particular on Crying Nut, the endearing godfathers of Korean underground rock; the stylish RockTigers, Korea's most successful rockabilly band; and Whatever That Means..., a melodic punk band led by a married couple--bass player Trash and her American guitarist husband. The documentary's compelling portrait of the Korean indie scene offers sharp insights into a society that is in the midst of frequently dizzying change.

Bio: 

Associate Professor Stephen Epstein is a member of the Asian Languages and Cultures Programme at Victoria University of Wellington. His research focuses on contemporary Korean society and popular culture, and he has translated several works of Korean and Indonesian fiction. Recent books include the co-edited volumes The Korean Wave: A Sourcebook, (Academy of Korean Studies Press, 2016, with Yun Mi Hwang) and Popular Culture and the Transformation of Japan-Korea Relations (Routledge, 2021, with Rumi Sakamoto). His translation of Intan Paramaditha’s novel The Wandering: A Red Shoes Adventure appeared on Harvill Secker in 2020. He has also co-produced two documentaries on the Korean underground music scene with Timothy Tangherlini (Our Nation: a Korean Punk Rock Community, 2001; Us and Them: Korean Indie Rock in a K-pop World, 2014) and served as the 2013-14 president of the New Zealand Asian Studies Society.

This event was supported by the Seed Program for Korean Studies through the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Korea and Korean Studies Promotion Service of the Academy of Korean Studies (AKS-2020-INC-2230010).

Organized by

Dipartimento di Studi sull’Asia e sull’Africa Mediterranea (Jong-Chol An, Giulia Prandina); The Academy of Korean Studies

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