Hahn Dae-soo
Encyclopedia
Hahn Dae-soo is a South Korea
n folk and rock singer-songwriter. He led the Korean modern folk era of the 1960s and 1970s, and released some experimental albums in the 1990s and 2000s.
In 1966 he was admitted to the University of New Hampshire to study veterinary medicine, but transferred after a year to the New York Institute of Photography
.
In the meantime, he continued to develop his musical talent and, in 1968, began performing in South Korea's burgeoning folk scene. He was particularly active in 1969, performing a number of concerts on the college circuit, before being conscripted to join Korea's armed forces. He spent the next three years as a gunner on board a Korean warship. He returned to music in 1974, releasing his first album. During the intervening years, a number of artists, including Yang Hee-eun and Kim Min-ki
, covered his songs on their own releases.
Drawing on influences from John Lennon
, Leonard Cohen
and Bob Dylan
, his first two albums, Long-long road (1974) and Rubber Shoes (Gomusin
, 1975) were not overtly anti-government, but sufficiently so to draw attention from the Park Chung Hee government. The two albums were subsequently banned, forcing Han Dae-soo into exile in New York City. These two albums became masterpieces in K-pop
history. "Give me some water" ("물 좀 주소") and "The nation of Happiness" ("행복의 나라") became youth anthems.
In New York, he formed a post-punk rock band called Genghis Khan. Although they never released an album, some of their recordings are included in the thirteenth CD of The Box(2005). With gigs CBGB
and Trude Heller, they got a little popularity but soon disbanded. Hahn continued his career as a photographer until 1989.
In 1989 the producer from his first album contacted him and they began work on "Infinity" (1989). It was critically well-received, but didn't produce a hit on the Korean charts. In 1990 he joined with jazz guitarist Jack Lee and released his fourth album Loss of Memory. Its A side was a sound collage of free music
. He returned to his political folk roots on side B. With pianist Lee Woo-chang, younger brother of Jack Lee, Hahn released his 5th album Angels' Talkinin 1991.
During the more liberal political climate of the 1990s he re-emerged as a veteran of Korean folk music. His early recordings were re-issued on CD and he performed live. His 1997 performance in Fukuoka
, Japan
was released as his 6th CD. His 7th album Age of Reason, Age of Treason was recorded in New York in 1999.
In 2000 he formed a band with Lee Woo-chang & Kim Do-gyun,a leading guitarist in the Korean metal scene, and released the albums Eternal Sorrow (2000), Source of Trouble (2002) and The Hurt (2004).
His musical style stresses simple but powerful lyrics, with themes ranging from love for his wife to trouble with government, and reflects a global outlook gained from growing up in two countries. He is often referred to as "the Korean John Lennon".
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
n folk and rock singer-songwriter. He led the Korean modern folk era of the 1960s and 1970s, and released some experimental albums in the 1990s and 2000s.
Biography
Han Dae-soo was born in Pusan and attended elementary school there until he was ten years old. In 1958, his family moved to New York City and he spent the next four years at P.S. 125 Elementary School in Harlem. He returned to Pusan for three years of junior high school and the first year of high school before returning to the US, where he eventually graduated from A.G. Berner high school in Long Island.In 1966 he was admitted to the University of New Hampshire to study veterinary medicine, but transferred after a year to the New York Institute of Photography
New York Institute of Photography
The New York Institute of Photography is a for-profit distance education school based out of New York City, offering different courses in photography to students all over the world...
.
In the meantime, he continued to develop his musical talent and, in 1968, began performing in South Korea's burgeoning folk scene. He was particularly active in 1969, performing a number of concerts on the college circuit, before being conscripted to join Korea's armed forces. He spent the next three years as a gunner on board a Korean warship. He returned to music in 1974, releasing his first album. During the intervening years, a number of artists, including Yang Hee-eun and Kim Min-ki
Kim Min-ki
Kim Min-ki is a South Korean singer, songwriter, playwright, and composer.Min-ki was educated at Seoul National University. He first came to prominence as the composer of the tune "Achim Isul" , which was written in 1970 and performed by Korean folk singer Yang Hee-eun...
, covered his songs on their own releases.
Drawing on influences from John Lennon
John Lennon
John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
, Leonard Cohen
Leonard Cohen
Leonard Norman Cohen, is a Canadian singer-songwriter, musician, poet and novelist. Cohen published his first book of poetry in Montreal in 1956 and his first novel in 1963. His work often explores religion, isolation, sexuality and interpersonal relationships...
and Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
, his first two albums, Long-long road (1974) and Rubber Shoes (Gomusin
Gomusin
Gomusin refers to shoes made of rubber in a form of Korean traditional shoes. The shoes are wide, with low heels. Gomusin for men were modeled after "gatsin" , and ones for women were danghye . Gomusin first appeared in the early 20th century. They were much easier to keep clean than danghye and...
, 1975) were not overtly anti-government, but sufficiently so to draw attention from the Park Chung Hee government. The two albums were subsequently banned, forcing Han Dae-soo into exile in New York City. These two albums became masterpieces in K-pop
K-pop
K-pop is a musical genre consisting of electropop, hip hop, pop, rock, and R&B music originating in South Korea...
history. "Give me some water" ("물 좀 주소") and "The nation of Happiness" ("행복의 나라") became youth anthems.
In New York, he formed a post-punk rock band called Genghis Khan. Although they never released an album, some of their recordings are included in the thirteenth CD of The Box(2005). With gigs CBGB
CBGB
CBGB was a music club at 315 Bowery at Bleecker Street in the borough of Manhattan in New York City.Founded by Hilly Kristal in 1973, it was originally intended to feature its namesake musical styles, but became a forum for American punk and New Wave bands like Ramones, Misfits, Television, the...
and Trude Heller, they got a little popularity but soon disbanded. Hahn continued his career as a photographer until 1989.
In 1989 the producer from his first album contacted him and they began work on "Infinity" (1989). It was critically well-received, but didn't produce a hit on the Korean charts. In 1990 he joined with jazz guitarist Jack Lee and released his fourth album Loss of Memory. Its A side was a sound collage of free music
Free music
Free music is music that, like free software, can freely be copied, distributed and modified for any purpose. Thus free music is either in the public domain or licensed under a free license by the artist or copyright holder themselves, often as a method of promotion. It does not mean that there...
. He returned to his political folk roots on side B. With pianist Lee Woo-chang, younger brother of Jack Lee, Hahn released his 5th album Angels' Talkinin 1991.
During the more liberal political climate of the 1990s he re-emerged as a veteran of Korean folk music. His early recordings were re-issued on CD and he performed live. His 1997 performance in Fukuoka
Fukuoka
Fukuoka most often refers to the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture.It can also refer to:-Locations:* Fukuoka, Gifu, a town in Gifu Prefecture, Japan* Fukuoka, Toyama, a town in Toyama Prefecture, Japan...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
was released as his 6th CD. His 7th album Age of Reason, Age of Treason was recorded in New York in 1999.
In 2000 he formed a band with Lee Woo-chang & Kim Do-gyun,a leading guitarist in the Korean metal scene, and released the albums Eternal Sorrow (2000), Source of Trouble (2002) and The Hurt (2004).
His musical style stresses simple but powerful lyrics, with themes ranging from love for his wife to trouble with government, and reflects a global outlook gained from growing up in two countries. He is often referred to as "the Korean John Lennon".
Discography
- Most of his classic albums reissued during 1990s but now out of stock. Until his 6th album '1975 Rubber Shoes∼1997 Fukuoka', you can find only in The Box(2005).
As Year Album Title Hahn Dae-soo 1974 멀고 먼-길(Long Long Road) Hahn Dae-soo 1975 고무신(Rubber Shoes) Hahn Dae-soo 1989 무한대(Infinity) Hahn Dae-soo with Jack Lee Band 1990 기억상실(Loss of Memory) Hahn Dae-soo with Lee Woo-chang 1991 천사들의 담화(Angel's Talkin') Hahn Dae-soo 1999 이성의 시대, 반역의 시대(Age of Reason, Age of Treason) Hahn Dae-soo 1999 1975 고무신∼1997 후쿠오카(1975 Rubber Shoes∼1997 Fukuoka) Hahn Dae-soo 2000 영원한 고독(Eternal Sorrow) Hahn Dae-soo 2002 고민(Source of Trouble) Hahn Dae-soo 2004 상처(The Hurt) Hahn Dae-soo 2005 2001 라이브(2001 Live) Hahn Dae-soo 2005 더 박스(The Box, 13CDs + 1DVD) Hahn Dae-soo 2006 욕망 (The Urge, 1CD + 1DVD) Hahn Dae-soo 2006 한대수 도올 광주라이브(Hahn Dae Soo & Doul/Kwang-ju Live, 2CDs) Hahn Dae-soo 2007 Best of Hahn Dae Soo(2CDs)
See also
- List of people of Korean descent
- List of Korean musicians
- Contemporary culture of South KoreaContemporary culture of South KoreaThe contemporary culture of South Korea developed from the traditional culture of Korea, and on its own path away from North Korean culture since the division of Korea in 1948. The industrialization and urbanization of South Korea, especially Seoul, have brought many changes to the way Korean...
- Korean folk music
External links
- Hahn Dae-soo - official site and biography, English and Korean
- maniadb.com - discography
- koreanrock.com - reviews in English