[Dong.Com ] Meet
Again Seotaiji..!
Reporter: Hwang Tae Hoon
#1. An unexpected interview
On April 3rd, there was a phone call from the manager of Yanggoon
Management. "Tomorrow 4pm is scheduled for Taiji interview
in the office." It is the first encounter in 7 months after
the interview on September 29th of last year. Although unexpected,
it was to be a pleasant occasion. What would be his present state
of mind after rising high as a hardcore pimp rock musician? Having
gone through the intense music activities, what would be the future
plans? It was the day of the interview, the 4th. I organized the
questions I prepared since February: few words about setting the
first precedent in the broadcasting history of a musician who filmed
and produced the concert himself, about the 11 world tour concerts
and 6th album that sold 1.3 million copies. I was also curious about
how he thought of the mass media that dealt with the partners of
6th album activities, the ultra manias, and 'visible but unable
to meet' Taiji himself. Now, let's go meet Seo Taiji.
#2. It's refreshing to undo
the reggae perm
In Seoul, Mapo-gue Hapjung-dong Yanggoon Management basement, Seo
Taiji, wearing a black jacket, baggy pants, khaki hat, and thick-framed
glasses with pink straight hair, appeared with his peculiar smile.
"It's so refreshing to undo the reggae perm." -How is
your recent condition? : I finished the live album. Album jacket
has been sent and now all I have to do is to be prepared to leave.
The video will come out soon, but the DVDs will come out 2 months
later. The know-how of surrounding the music and audience response
is yet insufficient in Korea, so I think I will need to finish it
in America. -Were you ever stressed? : After I returned home, I
had no time to even look back. But I was barely stressed or tired.
It's a lot of fun to work with new things like DVD.
#3. Hardcore was accepted
-What are your achievements in the mean time? : The biggest achievement
is that 'hardcore music gets by too". I saw the possibilities
of rock performance culture and set a precedent of being successful
without depending on TV. It was nice to meet the fans I missed and
to enjoy together. -Wasn't it a success possible only for Seo Taiji?
: I partly admit. But if it were some absurd music, people would
have thrown stones at me. I was encouraged by the fact that the
music that reflected global trend was well accepted among the fans.
What made you pursue hardcore? : From old time, enjoying listening
to trash metal and funk music, I have been wanting to make young
and powerful music that has raps in it. I've contemplated how to
add rock into my music since the 2nd album, Hayuga, and I've added
my color starting from the 3rd album, 'Classroom Idea'. I've tried
various genres like hip hop and dance, but my center was always
rock. Hardcore is along the same lines.
#4. 'Tank' is my favorite
-At first I liked 'Ultra Mania'. Lately I like 'Dae Kyung Sung (Metropolis)'.
'Dae Kyung Sung' is the song my manias like. So, I have sung it
in one of my performances as an intro. -Your favorite song? : Since
I made the songs, I like them all, but I am most attached to 'Tank'.
-Why didn't you put photographs in your live album? : Spot photos
are too common. So, I put abstract and graphical pictures instead.
Because I wanted to leave suggestiveness through the pictures that
incorporated some message, I thought of various images. -What do
you think of the favorable criticism of the foreign music webzines?
: I am thankful because it was an outcome brought by my fans' help.
When I find my way into the states, they will be good materials.
#5. Broadcasting station trusted
a musician
-A program self-produced by a musician was broadcasted: Because
this was the first attempt, it was hard to persuade the broadcasting
stations. It seemed impossible at first, but we could do what we
wanted to do in the end. I sold the copyright of the Encore Live
Concert for three hundred million won. In the future, musicians'
images and sounds of good quality will be able to be delivered.
This is normal. -Wasn't it difficult? : During when I was self-producing,
I was like a man in a trance. After setting the stage, checking
the sound and lightings, opening the stage, and working on the editing,
time went quickly. -You seem like a perfectionist: I never thought
of me that way. Since I can't be satisfied by someone else's work,
I take action. -Hardcore pimp rock is music of a 'band', but you
did it all alone. In the future? : When I find likeminded performer
who can digest my music, it is a possibility to make a band, but
it has been hard to meet people like that. Even if I try hard on
my own, I think I can produce good music.
#6. You have gained manias?
-About the evaluation that you have lost the populace? Before, even
aged women and men liked me. But I gave up the popular appeal this
time. Even in foreign countries, there is no singer that appeals
to everyone. That is abnormal. I don't want to make music that everyone
likes. -What are ultra manias to Taiji? They are firm supporters
who give me confidence. Being a singer for nearly 10 years, wide
range of manias have been produced from teenage high school students
to professors who are in their forties. I am proud that they love,
critique and discuss my music. -There are indi-bands who cry out
'Anti-Seo Taiji': I don¡¯t want to mention it. I don't have any
particular thoughts about them. -What do you think of news reports
about Seo Taiji? : It's unfortunate that they deal with personal
life or gossip items. It's to the extent that I want them to report
about the plagiarism almost. I want my music to be properly evaluated.
I was never concretely suggested of such things as 'joint concert
with Gley' nor 'Korean, Japanese, and Chinese performance to prevent
yellow dust'.
#7. 'Taiji's Anger' I'm satisfied
with the world tour.
Seo Taiji self-evaluated his 11 world tour concerts as "high
level concerts that created a culture of enjoying performance".
The fact that he had a chance to experience the body slamming and
the joy of standing concert was a big harvest reaped. Using the
newest sound system, 'V-dox', the highest sound of the stage was
checked, and the cheer of the audience was harmonized with the lively
sound in this concert, in which he invested 24 hundred million dollars.
-The difference between 'The Comeback Show' and 'The Encore Concert'?
: At the comeback show, many fans were quite at a loss in standing
concert. But, during the encore concert, the fans were different.
Seeing them enjoying the concert by shaking their heads and slamming
their bodies, I thought they surpassed the American music fans.
The sight of the fans enjoying with the singer is still fresh in
my memory. -This was a concert that combined from the 1st album
to the 6th: When I constructed and remade the songs released in
the past according to the latest feels, it just turned out that
way. -The most fun scene? : 'Rock & roll dance' was fun: the
part where I cried out "one more time!" showing the chicken
dance. This song, which was included in the 1st album, was the song
I made dreaming of slamming that I thought about since when I was
in Sinawe, and I think it was performed well.
#8. Bizarre stage, it incorporated
symbolism
-When singing 'Do you remember', the screen image and the stage
were bizarre: It's a set up of a scene in which a stepfather is
habitually assaulting a daughter. Many symbolisms are contained
in the set up. You can see it as an assaulter and a victim or any
other way you want. The stage settings such as the devil figure
and the bat wings represent people who gain satisfaction by harassing
someone. -What is the difficulty of concert? : There are no concert
experts in Korea. Since there were so few people who have creative
minds in the fields of lighting and sound, I had to solve the problem
on my own. I am thinking about training professional staffs in the
future.
#9. Indi-bands, the fearful
potentials
-To evaluate the indi-bands that participated in 'Taiji's Anger'?
: Underground bands I worked with like 'Rainy Sun' and 'Diablo',
all have enough potentials. Their skills are excellent. I think
they are musicians who can bring new sensations in the future music
scenes. -In the world tour, Seo Taiji band showed fantastic stage
and musical performance. Their future? : First of all, because it
is a project band made for the 6th album, it is unknown if the band
will be kept. I would like to give applause for the members who
have created the best stage both visually and musically.
#10. Japan is calling
-Plans for going to Japan?
: If things go according to the plan, it¡¯ll be in either June or
July. I don¡¯t make new songs. My songs are all new in Japan anyway.
I won¡¯t sing in Japanese. Considering the pronunciation, it does
not fit to change something that was written in Korean. As well
as the Japanese music participants evaluated ¡®Ultramania¡¯, I am
planning to prepare for my activity in Japan in America. Specific
contents are hard to tell. Seo Taiji said little about the activity
in Japan. He did not comment on the terms for contract and detail
information, which seemed as an intension that he will work carefully
and thoroughly. It is only said that he has made a formal contract
in the middle of last February regarding album and activity, and
that he will be treated as the current pop stars in Japan.
#11. Thirty years old. The
party has started.
-You became 30: It¡¯s a good age. Time has flown by, but nothing
has changed. I want to live by making better music and enjoying
it with many people. -Do you play games a lot? : I like playing
games, but I try not to play. If I start to play, I get into it
too much. -If you were to say something about Seo Taiji and Jung
Hyun Chul? : I am Jung Hyun Chul. Seo Taiji on a stage is another
me that I control.
#12. 7th album is coming out
1 or 2 years later
-What¡¯s happening to the record company, ¡°Monster Encyclopedia¡±?
: I don¡¯t know when it will be, but it could release albums of
other musicians. I am not producing them though. It will play the
role of a window by showing music the musicians made as it is. -When
is 7th album coming out? : It would probably take another 1 or 2
years. I am not sure what kind of music it will be, well¡¦. -When
are you leaving for America? : I¡¯ll leave as soon as possible.
I am going in order to work on my music freely now. I¡¯ll come to
Korea often. Before I leave, I¡¯ll leave a message in 0811 Sah-Suh-Hahm.
Periodically, I will let you know about my current situations. -Anything
you want to tell your fans? : In short, they are cool. Even if I
don¡¯t talk to them I can trust them. It feels like something among
us has thickened and that we are connected by an invisible string.
I kind of worry about their social involvement in pop music improvement,
but I see it positively. -Try giving a title to this interview:
Can I say in crude language? ¡®Was it fun? Just wait. I¡¯ll be back
soon. Coming soon. Taiji.¡¯
#13. I¡¯ll walk a thorny path
Interview ended like this. He said, ¡®just pretend that you don¡¯t
know¡¯ about his ¡°Arms Around Each Other¡± activity that is meant
to help the kids in North Korea. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you do good deeds
without letting anyone know?¡± When we were shaking hands to say
good-bye, I remembered a passage from the letter he wrote when he
left high school voluntarily. ¡°I choose a thorny path of pain that
no one has walked.¡±
Hwang Tae Hoon /beetlez@donga.com
(Trans. By Demian) |
