Kimchi Mamas

Happy Omma's Daze!

Just a little Mother's Day fun from our K-boy, Mike Song, and his ever-faithful and good humoured Omma, Laura.

Thanks to iamkoream.com for the head's up . . .




--Angie in Texas is now planning a dubstep inspired dance.

Mother Father Gentle-Wha?

Have you seen the new PSY music video? 

 

You might be thinking: What in the world?  Mother Father Gentlemen?  What the heck is that?  Because that’s what I thought the first time through.  But I did have to admit it was catchy.  So I watched it again….and I think I get it.  At least what it means to me.

Kimchi Mama Honor Roll: Luna Lee covers Jimi Hendrix

Luna Lee, a fine and funky gayageum player, was featured on Boing Boing earlier today with her rendition of Jimi Hendrix's "Voodoo Chile."  Here is a playlist of that and other pieces:

Shakespeare, Gangnam Style

I was spending my lunch hour watching "Gangnam Style" for the hundredth time, and PSY's lyrics, in their brevity and cleverness, really reminded me of the Bard himself.  

So...since there is every other sort of "Gangnam Style" mash-up out there, why not "Gangnam Style in the form of a Shakespearean Sonnet"?

By day, a girl whose warmth and care inspire,
Whilst holding coffee cup, relaxing grace,
When night, it cometh, feels her heart a-fire,
This contradict'ry woman, I will chase.

Tho virile male, I'm no fortune's fool.
My warmth, it matcheth yours during the day.
My coffee, chuggeth all before it cools,
My heart, it bursts, when night her charms display.

Your love'ble beauty earneth fair remark,
Oh you, yes you, doth make this life worthwhile;
Together, 'til the bitter end, and hark!
Hey Sexy Lady, Oppa's Gangnam Style.

Above the runners soar the men who fly.
A man who knows a thing or two, am I.

Exeunt Julie, PSY, and Billy Shakespeare.

Gangnam Style by Psy

 

So... this video has gone viral. I even saw a short clip of it being talked about on CNN. CNN!!! Anyway, I'm not a huge fan of Psy or anything but I think the video is hilarious. I laughed out loud when the camera zooped out to reveal him sitting on a toilet. What is it with Koreans and the toilet? I remember the guy in the Wonder Girls video of Nobody being on a toilet too. On a side note, my boys are 3 and 5 and talk about poop non stop. They think it's the most hiLARious thing. I guess I'll have many more years of that?

Anyway, if you haven't seen it yet, enjoy!

- Mary

Hump Day Links

Kristen Chase over at Motherhood Uncensored gives some perspective to the perception of Dads and our roles as Moms. (Did you know she's a Kimchi Mama? Probably explains her HAWTNESS.)

 

Speaking of sexy: I guess women of colour aren't sexy anymore? According to VS we're not . . . When I grow up I want to be Jen and Diane at Disgraisan.

 

Is the kid in this video Kimchi? Someone help me out here.

I *heart* this video because:

1. I love Green Day - don't care what you say, takes me back to high school and college

2. I love that this kids gets to play on stage with the band

3. I wish I had muscical skillz...

 

--Angie in Texas is going to practice her trumpet now. (Because trying to learn a new instrument at 30-something is FUN and not TOTALLY FRUSTRATING, okay?!

 

 

 

Heejun's Rise to Stardom

American Idol's Heejun Han is the Korean American zeitgeist.  He is showing the world how funny, charming, thoughtful, and kind our boys can be, and why we love them so much.  He is goofy, but with a palpable gravity that shows incredible character and depth.  And his voice?  He can do soulful, he can do gravelly, he can keep up with the smooth R&B operators.  Most of all, he sings like a red-blooded male.  He sings with REAL BALLZ.  Yes, with a Z!  Check it out:

I honestly couldn't contain myself while watching that clip.  I squealed like a schoolgirl seeing him laughing and dancing with those special needs children.  And when he told the audience how he fell into a deep depression, and those kids helped him recover, my heart shattered into a million pieces, and I turned into a puddle of goo.  A big pile of LOVE GOO!  OPPAAAAA!!!

Ahem, sorry.

It also broke my heart when he kept dogging on his looks.  I'm all for self-deprecating humor, but I think he really believes he's not good-looking, which is total BS. Just look at this screenshot:

He looks like any Korean actor in a Maxim coffee commercial!  Heejun, this ajumma gives you the Kimchi Cougar Sleazy Eyebrow Raise of Approval!

Sorry, Jeremy Lin, but Heejun has stolen my heart.  I hope this doesn't go down as another turnover.  Hoo-ah!  

(Jeremy, I'm actually just kidding about the turnover thingy.  I still love you.  Call me!)

--Julie

Kimchi Mama Honor Roll: Hee Jun Han on "American Idol"

"American Idol" featured a Korean American contestant yesterday named Hee Jun Han.  With the goofy music playing in the background, the extended interview, and the overenthusiasm, I didn't know what to expect.  But Hee Jun, who hails from Flushing, NY, definitely gave "American Idol" some motherland flavor, from complimenting Ryan Seacrest on his small face (even comparing his face to his fist, which is SO KOREAN!) to his insistent self-deprecation.  He was super-endearing and gracious to the judges, and I think he's destined to become a fan favorite!

I'll be rooting for him! Hee Jun-ah FIGHTING!!!

--Julie

Milestone Birthdays

There seems to be a lot of milestone birthdays in Korean culture.

There's baek il or 100 days.

There's dol, the 1st birthday.

If I recall correctly, there's something when you turn 20 or somewhere around there, where you are officially an "adult."

There's hwan gap or 60.

There's chil soon or 70.

There's pal soon or 80.

So, traditionally, hwan gap or the 60th birthday used to be celebrated elaborately. My grandmother had a huge 60th birthday party in Korea. It's kind of like a "Yay, you made it to old age!" kind of thing... but since people are living longer and longer, I hear that pal soon is the new hwan gap. You heard it here first ladies and gents. My grandmother had another huge 80th birthday party in the USA. Good thing she had it for her 80th... she's now 92 and has major dementia.

Arirang

Just read The Korean's post about how Arirang belongs to Korea (sorry, the post seems to be down at the moment), in response to Roboseyo's post about how nobody owns Arirang.

Roboseyo posted this on his blog and I found it so moving, I had to share with you. The New York Philharmonic performs Arirang in North Korea.

 

Thank you for sharing that Roboseyo.

In regard to whether or not Arirang is Korean, I don't even know why this is a question. It seems to be more about whether a national entity can claim to own a culture, than about if Ariring is really Korean. The former issue seems, to me, to be a bit silly. I mean, if the Korean government is spending money to promote Korean food, doesn't that, in some sense, mean that the culture is inextricably linked to the country? Culture is ever changing in this age of globalization, but just because cultures are being combined and spreading outside the national borders, doesn't mean that all of a sudden, it's not the originating nationality's culture.

Arirang is Korean. Period. Does Korea "own" Arirang? I guess not, since anyone who wants to can sing it and play it and perform it, but no doubt about it, it's Korean.

- Mary