이미자
So I have a long standing obsession with learning about things that are old in the Entertainment form. Ovid is my <3. Jane Austen is fantastic. I go head over heels for a great Hollywood movie from the 30s (and know too much about the actress of that time for my own good), or like Awaara a great Bollywood movie from the 50s. Hell, even one of the aspects I went crazy over for MALICE MIZER when I was a crazy fangirl was dating where and when the costume inspiration came from.
I have been able to find various oldie music from China (Zhou Xuan, everyone's go to girl for 30's Shanghai), Japan (Namiki Michiko, Misora Hibari) and America (Fred Astaire, The Andrews Sisters, Bille Holiday). The oldest I've gotten from France is Sylvie Vartan from the 60s (Chiyo Okumura was dubbed the "Sylvie of the East", but I like the latter better, because she's f'ing Chiyo, damnit.) And Spanish I've got Celia Cruz, who's FANTASTICLY awesome, but only from the early 50s at the earliest, I think.
But for Korean music, I could never get any information from people BEFORE Seo Taji/H.O.T, and I couldn't buy any CDs from anyone earlier than Baby V.O.X. (Of whom so far I could only get my hands on albums 4, 5, 5.5, and 7 out of 7) From what I've heard, Baby V.O.X was the best music wise from the 3 big girl groups, them, Fin.K.L., and S.E.S. (But I didn't get to hear much and never wanted to BECAUSE I could never buy a CD.)
So basically I was shut out of oldie Kpop. Which made me quite sad when I thought about how much there should be. Then I remembered I heard someone call this person, Lee Mi Ja, the Barbara Streisand of Korea. (Which shouldn't be a good thing, but I think it was more in terms of popularity and era rathar than musical sound.)
The good thing is that best of albums of oldie pop ARE in print. (They have more, I just don't know WHO's who, etc.) Recently I bought a "old song collection" by her and it's one of the best purchases I've made. She debuted in 1959, and while it doesn't have any of the songs that the Korean Wikipedia lists on their website, there are some really good songs, and the surrounding songs are REALLY growing on me. Like the time period, I think she sounds a lot like the Peanuts and Misora Hibari mixed together. Most songs are slow (kinda to be expected, as it is Korea) but this one "빨간 구두 아가씨" is LOVELY and "아리랑 목동" is happening. The two standout tracks so far, but there are 26 other songs that are starting to sound just as nice.
She's placed in the "Trot" category (as opposed to "Gayo"), which is upbeat and based off of the Foxtrot, says Wikipedia. Sooo cool. I guess that was the main form of music used during the Japanese occupation and Korean War, which gives it a really interesting history.
But then, while re-watching Coffee Prince, in the 3rd episode or so, when Eunhye's over at Mr. Man's house she plays an AWESOME record that sounds like something that Megumi Asaoka or Saori Minami would sing. And it was TOTALLY 70s. It doesn't sound dated or anything. What's her name and where can I get a CD? ;__;
But what's crazy is that her vocals don't sound like the Korean that I'm used to. I'm used to stuff liker Bae Seul Ki singing about her 엉덩이. But here the only word I can really pick up is "sarang" -- a pretty often word in songs in general. Plus I don't really hear those distinctive "-l" sounds that are so prominent in Korean. But anyway, she's lovely. I totally reccomend her to any oldies fans. <3
In other news, the last weekday of the vacation has gone and the impending doom starts. Hopefully it won't be too bad. Japanese 302 with a DRAMA(!) Which I can never get enough of. And Latin with lovely amusing Catullus. I seriously haven't done much with keeping up with those languages though. I barely read anything this vacation, even though I DID get Ovid's Amores in Latin for Christmas. F. Scott Fitzgereld was only just touched 2 days ago where I read a totaly of 20 pages. REAL progress. Oh, I'm a failure. Dramas and music take over my SOUL.
And I'm planning on going to Japan this summer! To around Tokyo for Study abroad. Sooo exciting. Expensive, but exciting! It'll be my first time of going abroad too. AHHH. Hopefully the first of 1000000+++ more times. <3 <3 <3
OH OH OH, and even though it's 6+ years old, I've discovered that the Gamecube game "Star Wars: Rogue Leader" is AWESOME. I blew up the Death Star! And I took down AT-ATs with my tow cables! The 4th level is saad though. I don't even know what to do. ;__;
Really, I like Pop Culture too much. My pop music obsession, and then stuff just fanning the fire of a long burning love for Star Wars. Sorry that I don't talk about anything else. But it's not like anyone really reads this, so it's solely for my need for output anyway. YAY.
I have been able to find various oldie music from China (Zhou Xuan, everyone's go to girl for 30's Shanghai), Japan (Namiki Michiko, Misora Hibari) and America (Fred Astaire, The Andrews Sisters, Bille Holiday). The oldest I've gotten from France is Sylvie Vartan from the 60s (Chiyo Okumura was dubbed the "Sylvie of the East", but I like the latter better, because she's f'ing Chiyo, damnit.) And Spanish I've got Celia Cruz, who's FANTASTICLY awesome, but only from the early 50s at the earliest, I think.
But for Korean music, I could never get any information from people BEFORE Seo Taji/H.O.T, and I couldn't buy any CDs from anyone earlier than Baby V.O.X. (Of whom so far I could only get my hands on albums 4, 5, 5.5, and 7 out of 7) From what I've heard, Baby V.O.X was the best music wise from the 3 big girl groups, them, Fin.K.L., and S.E.S. (But I didn't get to hear much and never wanted to BECAUSE I could never buy a CD.)
So basically I was shut out of oldie Kpop. Which made me quite sad when I thought about how much there should be. Then I remembered I heard someone call this person, Lee Mi Ja, the Barbara Streisand of Korea. (Which shouldn't be a good thing, but I think it was more in terms of popularity and era rathar than musical sound.)
The good thing is that best of albums of oldie pop ARE in print. (They have more, I just don't know WHO's who, etc.) Recently I bought a "old song collection" by her and it's one of the best purchases I've made. She debuted in 1959, and while it doesn't have any of the songs that the Korean Wikipedia lists on their website, there are some really good songs, and the surrounding songs are REALLY growing on me. Like the time period, I think she sounds a lot like the Peanuts and Misora Hibari mixed together. Most songs are slow (kinda to be expected, as it is Korea) but this one "빨간 구두 아가씨" is LOVELY and "아리랑 목동" is happening. The two standout tracks so far, but there are 26 other songs that are starting to sound just as nice.
She's placed in the "Trot" category (as opposed to "Gayo"), which is upbeat and based off of the Foxtrot, says Wikipedia. Sooo cool. I guess that was the main form of music used during the Japanese occupation and Korean War, which gives it a really interesting history.
But then, while re-watching Coffee Prince, in the 3rd episode or so, when Eunhye's over at Mr. Man's house she plays an AWESOME record that sounds like something that Megumi Asaoka or Saori Minami would sing. And it was TOTALLY 70s. It doesn't sound dated or anything. What's her name and where can I get a CD? ;__;
But what's crazy is that her vocals don't sound like the Korean that I'm used to. I'm used to stuff liker Bae Seul Ki singing about her 엉덩이. But here the only word I can really pick up is "sarang" -- a pretty often word in songs in general. Plus I don't really hear those distinctive "-l" sounds that are so prominent in Korean. But anyway, she's lovely. I totally reccomend her to any oldies fans. <3
In other news, the last weekday of the vacation has gone and the impending doom starts. Hopefully it won't be too bad. Japanese 302 with a DRAMA(!) Which I can never get enough of. And Latin with lovely amusing Catullus. I seriously haven't done much with keeping up with those languages though. I barely read anything this vacation, even though I DID get Ovid's Amores in Latin for Christmas. F. Scott Fitzgereld was only just touched 2 days ago where I read a totaly of 20 pages. REAL progress. Oh, I'm a failure. Dramas and music take over my SOUL.
And I'm planning on going to Japan this summer! To around Tokyo for Study abroad. Sooo exciting. Expensive, but exciting! It'll be my first time of going abroad too. AHHH. Hopefully the first of 1000000+++ more times. <3 <3 <3
OH OH OH, and even though it's 6+ years old, I've discovered that the Gamecube game "Star Wars: Rogue Leader" is AWESOME. I blew up the Death Star! And I took down AT-ATs with my tow cables! The 4th level is saad though. I don't even know what to do. ;__;
Really, I like Pop Culture too much. My pop music obsession, and then stuff just fanning the fire of a long burning love for Star Wars. Sorry that I don't talk about anything else. But it's not like anyone really reads this, so it's solely for my need for output anyway. YAY.