Signs worthy of a sigh!

Although it has gotten better in recent weeks, I sometimes find myself wistfully in thought, reminiscing about experiences during my year spent in Korea. I miss a lot of things about my time there... the convenience, the friend the independence... But more than anything, I miss the randomness.

Yes, randomness. This was mostly reflected in the many signs found all around Korea. I've talked to some of my friends about the funny signs I came across in menus, on the street, on doors, and even on the subway. But I was recently told that my words would be better supported by pictures. And I wholeheartedly agree.

You have to understand that a lot of these signs have been translated according to sound. That is, they were originally written in Korean, until someone came along and told them how to pronounce the words in English... which later resulted in English signs surfacing, with the words spelled according to sound.

Well, either that, or we can thank Google Translate for these gems. Or... maybe they actually mean what they say. You be the judge.

Most of these photos come from other blogs, and I've gathered them as I've seen fit. I've also included a couple that I took. It's obvious others shared my sentiments, but were smart enough to take photos as evidence.

Enjoy!

xo

Images courtesy of Google Images and StraightFromTheCurls

Sound Pundits: Fusing Music into an Experience

T.S. Eliot once said, “You are the music while the music lasts.” And for two Toronto-based deejays, this is a statement to live by.

Sound Pundits is the brainchild of two friends from Toronto, who hope to change the face of Bollywood music one listener at a time, with a keen interest on entertaining and engaging local Torontonians. Each month Ahmed Hashim and Ketan Chhatwani release a podcast online, which they describe as “an hour and a half long musical experience.”

“It has a clear beginning, middle and end,” says Hashim, who also likens the experience to “riding a musical wave”.

In a world where tracks are released by the second, and podcasts are available for every music enthusiast, from classical concertos to spoken-word poetry, Sound Pundits are quite likely to stand out.

Their goal is to make music that’s appropriate for any setting. “We want people to turn to the Sound Pundits when they’re working out, or if they’re preparing for a night on the town,” Hashim says. “Music is a movement, and we’re sure people will be moving as they listen to what we put together.”

Chhatwani and Hashim meticulously choose the music for each episode. They spend the month doing research and testing tracks. House, progressive and electronic beats are then blended with the latest from Bollywood, in what sounds like a musical fusion that captures the romance of the east and combines it with the pulse of the west.

“We credit all the deejays used in our podcast, and we let our listeners know what they’re listening to,” says Chhatwani, who hopes this project will change the way people listen to Bollywood music across the planet.

“We’re just two guys who want to bring you good music,” he explains. “Bollywood music is appreciated across the planet and by all cultures, but we want to let people know there’s more than just the basic banghra beats that seem so popular in the club scenes.”

When asked about the difference between Bollywood and bhangra music, the friends were quick to explain.

“Bhangra music energizes people from start to finish,” Chhatwani says. “It’s upbeat, and you know it will charge you up. Bollywood music is calmer and it has a definite story.”

So why mix beats into a calm story? Well, the two friends say this is the best way inject Bollywood into mainstream music.

“The electronic scene is huge in India,” Hashim says. “These tracks (mostly from movies) are already mixed by local deejays, but they rarely ever leave India. That’s where we come in.”

The two admit the name of their venture defines their vision. According to them “Every musician, every deejay is a Sound Pundit. They create the music, and we combine it together in a way that’s fun and easy to listen to.”

The two friends credit deejays on both sides of the planet for inspiring them into this craft. “We feature everyone from DJ Anoop, DJ Dev and DJ NYK — who just so happens to be the biggest deejay in India — to Canada’s very own Deadmau5,” Chhatwani says. “We’re actually in contact with some of the big names in the Indian club scene.”

They taught themselves everything from the art of mixing music, to creating a podcast online. And their hard work is definitely showing, with listeners tuning in every month from over 80 countries.

“People anticipate our episodes,” Hashim says. “We get messages asking when then next one will be available for download… it’s pretty exciting.”

And as they approach the one-year anniversary of their venture, their momentum simply continues to grow.
According to the duo, deejays send them samples of their work with hopes of being featured on an episode.

However, they’re also constantly on the lookout for new and emerging artists to feature as well. “We’re moving full speed ahead in 2011,” they say. “We have a lot of surprises in store for our listeners in the coming months, so we’re asking you to tune in… and stay tuned.”

You can check out their Facebook fan page for more booking information and latest news, or visit their SoundCloud page for all the latest releases.

Image courtesy of the Sound Pundits

Note: AdornedMagazine.com featured this article in their Entertainment section in Jan/2011.

K-pop in the ROK

Working at an all-girls middle school can be quite exhausting. The daily dose of confusion and mood shifts caused by changing hormones and estrogen, can take a toll on the teacher at the end of the day. However, there's also many perks that come with this situation. For one thing, I'm always in the know, when it comes to music and entertainment.

My students' lives pretty much revolve around the latest Korean pop bands and their members. Their unwavering dedication to the boys and girls who sing some of their favourite songs is something not to be messed with... though I sometimes wish they'd put a little of that dedication towards my classes.

In any case, some of you have asked me what the music scene is like, here, in Korea. Well, let's just say that it's an ongoing stream of pop, pop, love songs, ballads, and more pop.

There's a few entertainment companies here, that literally manufacture boy/girl bands, almost every week. Sometimes, they even go to other parts of the world to scout for talent, who they then bring back to Korea; putting them through an intensive program involving music training and dance. The end result? A cookie-cutter, practically perfect in every way, pop band.

The songs are sung in Korean for the most part, save for a few English words thrown here and there for kicks.

To fully understand what I'm taking about, I ask that you check out the next series of videos in this blog. I asked my students for help with this, and they came up with some 'must sees'.

1. Run Devil Run by Girls' Generation
This all-female group consists of nine members; some from Korea, some brought in from the States. They're one of the leading female groups in the country, with a new hit surfacing every couple of months or so. They also appear on various TV shows and at events. The song is about a guy who's a 'super playboy'. The women have had enough of him, and are pretty much telling him to hit the road.



2. Hip Song by Rain
This is the latest song by one of Korea's most famous artists. Rain has been around for a few years and has released tracks that have gone on to achieve worldwide success. Earlier this year, he starred in Ninja Assassin -- a movie that secured his place in the entertainment industry as a double threat. I must admit I enjoy the beat on this one.



3. I did wrong by 2AM
A lot of K-pop music videos tend to take on the same format as that of a Korean drama. There's always a story that goes along with the song. 2AM were introduced to me by a student who has now graduated and gone on to high school. She gave me their album of love ballads as a parting gift, earlier this year. In her letter she said, "Teacher, I think they are your style. I have watched you, and out of all the singers, my thoughts are you will like them." Go figure, I find myself absolutely enjoying their songs, music videos and way-too-metro outfits! This song is about four friends falling for the same girl... and the girl playing all of them like a violin. It's a two part video/drama. You can find part two on YouTube.



4. Follow Me by 2NE1
I must start of by admitting I really enjoy this group. The all-female group consisting of four members is spunky, edgy and a lot of fun to watch. They have a style that parallels that of other female groups in Korea, where they choose Converse sneakers and baggy pants, to heels and mini skirts. And the best part is that every member has a distinct personality, making them easy to pick out. This is their latest single and music video.



5. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang by Hyori
Hyori is a solo artist who just released her latest single last month. I don't completely understand the music video, but it seems like there's something to do with aliens and UFOs. Regardless, it's a fun video, and she's also pretty edgy. My students all know the dance to this song. I remember the first time they asked me to play Chitty Chitty Bang Bang... I thought they were referring to the old Dick Van Dyke movie, and was so thrilled they knew of it. My mistake.



So there you have it. Five artists who are hot in the ROK right now. What do you think?

xo
SC

C is for Couples... I mean, Christmas... I mean...

Merry Christmas! ...but only if you're a couple. Screw you, if you're solo (or single).


"... and here I thought being single in Toronto was bad," I said to S, as we walked through the sea of tinsel and bows that flooded the newly built shopping mall by her house. "But this is just taking it to a whole new level. We've been here since September and there's been not one but two, TWO holidays dedicated to couples!"

S stifled a laugh. She's become used to this, I think. I've started to just blurt things out as I see and observe. Nothing is filtered anymore. It can't be helped. This country is just... random.

"I mean, look at this! Who gives out cards with big, red hearts on them, for Christmas??" I asked, while picking up and analyzing an over-sized package that looked more fitting for a valentine's special.

"What happened to 'Christmas is for families'... what about baby Jesus?" I didn't understand why I was becoming so irritated. Then, words I didn't realize I'd said out loud, flew past my lips.

"Thank you baby Jesus for being born, so that I can ____ a ______!!"

As I said this, I felt a sharp pain on my shoulder. S was hitting me. Repeatedly.

"Why are you doing that?" I asked, even more annoyed now.

"It was either roll on the floor, laughing at what you just said, or hit you."

Fair enough, I suppose.

But truly, for the first time in years, I find myself willing the holiday season to be over and done with. The concept's all wrong here. Sure there's twinkly lights galore, and Christmas songs blasting from almost every corner in the city... but something's off.

In the weeks leading up to Christmas, I asked some of my coworkers what their plans were for the holidays. "Will you be making dinner?" I asked Mrs. P, over lunch in the cafeteria.

She nonchalantly bobbed her head and continued to munch on her kimchi... she was thinking.

"Christmas is a big deal for you," she said... it was more a statement than a question. "But in Korea, Christmas is for lovers."

What? I couldn't have heard that correctly.

"Don't you mean Valentine's day?" I asked, still not sure we were on the same page.

"That one also, plus Pepero day... White day too," she said.

So she was essentially telling me that even though this country had not one, but THREE days dedicated to couples and coupledome... they were now also designating Christmas as a "holiday for lovers."

... I had no words.

I was flabbergasted, as I dug into my rice and breaded fish.

"S, you're solo. Aren't you going to be lonely for Christmas?" said a new voice.

I looked up to see one of the other teachers had decided to join the conversation. Mrs. P had quickly managed to translate what we were talking about, and now it seemed as though everyone at the table was intrigued.

"Why would I be lonely?" I asked. "I mean, it's my first Christmas away from my family, but I'm not lonely. I have my friends who are like family to me over here."

I was fuming at this point. What was wrong with them? Had they not watched Christmas movies or specials on TV? My brain went through the mental archives to try and find one example of a movie that designated Christmas as a "lovers holiday". Not one. I mean, of course there's the sentimental ones that deal with love as part of the holidays... but definitely none that make it centre focus.

"But don't you want a namja-chingu?" asked Mrs. S. That was the Korean equivalent of 'boyfriend'.

What I wanted to say was, "No, I'm actually in the running to become the Slut from Seoul, you know?"

But what came out was, "Actually, yes... but definitely not from Korea. The men here are too... needy. I could never walk out in a matching couple's outfit and be serious. Sorry!"

This drew a mixed reaction from the table, which consisted of mostly older Korean teachers.

I had to have some sense of honesty here. Otherwise they would spend all day debating the fact that baby Jesus WAS in fact born so that I could ____ a _____!

Not in my mind.

Anyway, that being said, MERRY CHRISTMAS, dear readers! I love you all very much and hope you have a safe and fabulous week ahead. Sending warm wishes and beautiful thoughts to you and yours!

xo
SC

SPAMsgiving

It's almost Chuseok weekend here in Korea. Which means families across the country are getting ready to celebrate their thanksgiving by preparing hearty, homemade meals and practicing centuries-old traditions.

One of the traditions, I've learned, is that families give each other gifts of food during Chuseok. These gifts are either homemade or purchased at local stores... and they come in a variety of styles and packages.

Last week I was wandering around E-Mart... which, for those of you who don't know, can be compared to Wal-Mart.... except that in Korea, E-Mart has much higher prices. Department stores here are pretty popular and, if you're not careful, they can be quite expensive.

C and I were looking for some wine, when she pointed out a bunch of young Korean women dressed in traditional hanboks, standing around a giant display of what looked like gift sets.

Question is.... what kind of gift sets are worthy enough to give to families over the holidays?

These kinds of gift sets:

The SPAM gift set
A lifetime supply of mystery meat... or the best present ever?

The Tuna Fish gift set
Tuna is used in a lot of delicious Korean snacks, like Kimbap.

These gifts are pretty practical if you really think about it, I suppose. They range from anywhere between 25,000 wons to 65,000 wons... depending on how big the packs are. The sets even come as vinegar packs and Canola oil packs.

Wonder why the west hasn't thought of this yet... ... ...

xo
SC

Photos courtesy of Journals at WorldNomads and Zen Kimchi

I like!

I stumbled across this on the WWW today, and couldn't help but smile!


Word Nerd!

If you could have a bunch of Scrabble letters as pillows, which ones would you choose and why? I know saying I want all of them is excessive, but can you imagine the messages you can embed into your decor? You can change it every time someone comes over!

Hmm... it wouldn't be so bad to have the pillow cases. Can you imagine saying "You're going to score tonight!" and meaning it literally?

I don't know how I feel about those benches though. They look pretty uncomfortable. I'd settle for the pillows for sure! I'm all about subliminal messages these days.

Read my mind.

xo
SC

Photo Credit: Geekologie

June 25 - MJ Post

• Read Roger Ebert's tribute to Michael Jackson.

• Tell me what your favourite MJ songs are. Mine were Black or White, Ben and They don't Care About Us! Absolute classics!

They were dancing in the square!

Talk about a public display of shimmies and shakes!

I spent the better part of Saturday night Salsa dancing in Dundas Square! You can read all about it in my article on Spotlight Toronto.

Need a serenade?

Everyone can use a few minutes to revel in a dreamlike state.

Thelma Houston offers the perfect croon for anyone looking for a chance to kick back and unwind after a long day. 

Here's Houston singing Moonlight Serenade. 

I hope it relaxes you as much as it did me.

xo

SC

Step One is Admitting You Have a Problem

Hi. My name is SC and I am a YouTube-a-holic.

I find myself coming into work every day, logging on to my computer, opening up my Outlook, checking my e-mail (from the boss lady and friends), opening up my Gmail, checking my e-mail (from school, friends, lovers and other strangers), opening up Facebook, etc.. etc... etc... (wash, rinse and start all over...)

*ahem*

And then...

once I'm well settled in, with Word and Excel opened up to the appropriate documents of the day, I log onto... (any guesses here??) YouTube.

This wasn't a real problem before because I never really familiarized myself with the site. I would go on to check out music videos or clips from some of my favourite shows. But lately, on my daily quests for music to help me ignore everything else around the office, I've been encountering some stuff that I'd pushed away in the filing cabinet that occupies a third of my brain, (the other two thirds have other purposes, don't worry!).

And with these songs, there are magnificent videos that capture the essence of the lyrics or scores. I spoke about "Stardust" earlier, in how it's a very visually stimulating video that you can watch as you listen to the words...

Today, I was listening to scores from The Godfather, Breakfast at Tiffany's and Love Story. The common factor? 10 points to the person who guessed, Andy Williams.

It started out with Frank Sinatra, but one thing led to another and... you know... (I know, I'm such a YouTube skank, jumping from one artist to the next without so much as a second click!).

ANYWAY, I found this video. Someone created it to go with the Piano theme of Love Story. I honestly think this should be on the Harlequin Romance website ...

The creator of this video must either be a very hopeful individual or an eternal optimist. Either that or this person is truly, madly and deeply in love...

In either case... good job. You managed to get a border-line cynic like myself to not only get all mush-yucky watching your video, but you also made me post it on my blog.

Well done. Jerk.

xo
SC