with reconnection
THE STORY
The story starts with seven-year-old me begging my mom to turn off the TV playing the Korean boy groups performing their new song. The intense smokey eye makeup and edgy outfits embarrassed me as a Korean-American. I was ashamed of my culture, mainly as a result of growing up in a predominately white neighborhood and school, and wanted to get away from it at all costs. From then on, I paused my relationship with Korean music, going a good 6–7 years without listening to it.
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/38mihethar38gXWpb7XepG?si=0a5bf002630e4255
Fast forward a few months into my freshman year of high school. On FaceTime with my friend Ariana, we watched the livestream of the American Music Awards together and saw a group named “BTS” perform. Having only seeing the same, repetitive stage presences from artists performing, I was immediately drawn to BTS’s performance. They were singing and dancing. That’s not something you see often, especially with complex choreography like theirs. I was immediately drawn, ultimately becoming a fan of them myself for years to come.
That performance rekindled my connection to my Korean culture. Wanting to know what the lyrics meant, as the song fostered such an emotive tone, I began enrolling in Korean lessons. This not only advanced my linguistic ability in Korean, but it also allowed me to converse more with my grandparents in South Korea. Being able to hold a conversation with my family made me feel proud for the effort I put into my lessons. In addition, it made the time I spent with my grandparents all the more valuable. Being able to converse in your mother tongue is something that is greatly unspoken about. Prior to learning Korean, I often felt frustrated and ashamed of myself for not being able to speak my ethnic language unlike many Korean Americans my age. Discovering BTS helped me overcome this personal and cultural obstacle of mine, ultimately contributing to my self-esteem and view of myself.
Along with Korean lessons, I branched out to watch K-dramas. Now updated with unique storylines and modernized cameras, I became fairly intrigued with the shows I was watching. My basic (but growing) Korean knowledge aided me in keeping up with the shows while learning more about Korean culture. All in all, it was BTS who helped me reconnect back to my Korean heritage. Though it was a long journey, I ultimately found myself back at my cultural roots.
An article about a Trojan who underwent a similar experience in reconnection back to his Korean identity.
https://dailytrojan.com/2018/01/18/song-last-bts-helped-embrace-korean-american-identity/
This ultimately made me reflect on how people can find various ways to reconnect back to their culture. Some people find it through tangible things, such as food or dress, while other times it can be reached through intangible means, such as music or values. I was grateful for even being able to still have the opportunity to connect to my heritage, as many individuals are unable to or don’t have the means to.
THE PLAYLIST
with reconnection starts with the first ever song I heard from BTS, DNA, which is what initiated my reconnection to my Korean culture. The playlist later progresses into different niches in Korean music I grew to love, such as R&B and K-pop. I also reconnect with some throwback Korean songs that had been locked deep down into my memory, such as IU’s Good Day, Girls’ Generation Gee, and T-ARA’s, Roly-Poly. Those songs evoke specific memories from my childhood and serve as a source of nostalgia for me. In addition, you can see my expansion in music taste, ranging from R&B to rap to cutesy Korean pop songs. This playlist, in a way, audibly demonstrates my journey with Korean music and how just one single performance I watched transformed the rest of my life.
MY SUGGESTIONS:
For the R&B lover: I highly suggest some R&B classics (at least in my opinion), which is Sam Kim’s Like A Fool or Loco’s Don’t. You can give them a listen below.
https://open.spotify.com/track/1E8Cztx0OIj4zm1IZh2XXj?si=301e2b32a07841e4
https://open.spotify.com/track/4MidkNeonif4PcWSjkwOb7?si=b35a884c67fa4c28
For the classic: In my personal opinion, the early 2010s K-pop era was highly underrated. There were hit songs from Bad Girl Good Girl to Heart to Heart, all of which exude a reminiscent type of nostalgia from me whenever I listen to these songs. The themes from these girl groups ranged from the “bad girl” to “innocent, cutesy” character. Though the audio quality is not as advanced as today’s music, I’m sure anyone who listens to these songs will understand what the “classic” K-pop song sounds like, and maybe fall in love!
https://open.spotify.com/track/7kTKAdVVlDxve6Qr7Hm7Qc?si=29aab46fb8204f99
https://open.spotify.com/track/2Vs5y1cLMIbZHUy3E3dhS9?si=acc45692a61c46bd
For the modernist: If you’re more into pop, or just what’s trending right now, I recommend Left & Right and After School. These are definitely some of my favorite K-pop songs right now (though they were released in 2020), but nonetheless still capture that same current K-pop-feel.
https://open.spotify.com/track/66orj0qtDgnU6DlmllAxbq?si=c44e63a46fef4049
https://open.spotify.com/track/52CBUrIdyf8tbZaUY9iawE?si=1caff6f6e03b4a05
next chapter: replay