Audio Diary – 남진 and 1980s Trot Music
The last few weeks I have been listening to a lot of trot music (old-style Korean pop). Predominantly artists from the 80s and 90s. A favourite of mine has been Nam Jin (남진). His vocals mix with the instrumentals to create such a full and rich sound that is so reminiscent of the Korea in which his music was born. The economic resurgence of post-war Korea is significantly aligned with the height of Nam Jin’s heyday, and you can feel it in his music and the music of other artists of his time.
There is a word in Korean, 분위기 (boonigi), that’s closest translation in English is atmosphere, mood, or perhaps feeling. There is no clean English substitute for it, which is a shame because it is the perfect noun for discussing the manifestation of inspiration that comes from music. Him songs have such a robust, upbeat 분위기 that encapsulate a narrative beyond the bounds of mere lyrics alone.
Art is incredibly interesting in places that are experiencing growing pains and there is just something spectacular about music, fashion, and culture in Korea just before the turn of the century. Traditional Korea was in the process of meeting the postmodern, technologised, globalised identity it currently possesses. Western influence was seen as both a blessing and a threat and alongside its liberation from Japanese annexation, the Cold-War, and its democratisation in 1987, a neo-Korean identity was being born. Pop culture was playing a massive part in this and Nam Jin, alongside other Korean artists were paving the way to the Hallyu wave that is now hitting international markets.
The final song he performs above,님과함께 (with you), is one of my favourites. It is so campy and boppy; you can just hear the rich, vibrant, and abrasive colours of the 1980s. Korea had gone through a lot of hardship for almost a century by the time the song was produced and yet there is an course and unapologetic optimism carried in the melody that doesn’t at all promote the image of a downtrodden post-war nation. His song, amongst many others, inspires a 분위기 of Korean perseverance and positivity that is one of my favourite things about the country.
I have no image in my head of a possible music video for this song (though it would make one hell of a good entry into a larger film soundtrack; it has mad Tarantino-Kill-Bill meets Wong Kar Wai-As Tears Go By vibes). However I think this is a key example of how music can incite visual memory and inspiration. The songs are more than sounds, and the meanings they inspire can be subverted or solidified through visual context. Wether it be the direct narrative of the song, or the broader context of its creation, these meanings will interact with whatever visuals they are married to. Understanding this concept I think is key in the creation of music videos. It is in the interaction of meanings held within the music and the visuals that a music video is formed. This relationship is dynamic and shouldn’t be approached simplistically. This is perhaps why I dislike music videos that only feature a bands performance so much: they feel like cop-outs. The videos I have posted hear are performances, not music videos, as music videos should add to the narrative. 1+1 should, in a sense equal 3. The pairing should become more than the sum of its parts.
Reflecting on the meanings inspired by these songs give me an appreciation of exactly what task lies ahead in creating a music video.
Some other absolute gems that deserve to be featured:
The bowl cut in this one is the stuff of legends. honestly breathtaking.