18 TUESDAY
JUNE 17, 2008
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Beef, sweet beef
If you live or work in the
Gwanghwamun area, your life
more than likely has been domi-
nated by the Great U.S. Beef
Protests of 2008. The largest
demonstrations since the sum-
mer of 1987, when Koreans took
to the streets to bring down
Korea’s military dictatorship, the
candlelight demonstrations have
brought Lee Myung-bak’s presi-
dency to its knees, with his en-
tire cabinet offering to resign as a
result. The government is now
under intense pressure to rene-
gotiate the deal struck with the
United States in April restarting
imports of U.S. beef to Korea.
This writer has no intention of
trying to explain the motivations
of the protesters. Enough ink has
been spilled in this endeavor by
both the local and foreign press;
factors such as nationalism, frus-
tration with President Lee, and
Koreans’ fondness for World
Cup-style mass outdoor gather-
ings are all cited as factors.
The protests also make for
great photos — the Washington
Post ran a large front-page pho-
to of the protesters, under the ti-
tle, “The Fire of Anger Burns in
Seoul.” The New York Times
also ran a front-page photo of
the protests.
On Thursday morning,
Korea’s trade minister, Kim
Jong-hoon, said he would head
to the United States for addi-
tional negotiations to keep out
beef from cows over 30 months
old. The government has been
careful, however, not to call this
a “renegotiation” — something
which the United States has
been adamantly rejecting.
On a more practical note, the
protests have made getting to and
from the downtown area quite an
experience. Things reached their
peak on June 10, when police
erected a massive barrier of
shipping containers — dubbed
“the Myung-bak Fortress” by
local press — to keep protest-
ers from marching toward the
Blue House. Whether the an-
nouncement of additional talks
English radio
in Seoul, finally
By Melissa King
Until recently, the only ex-
pats who had the luxury of
English radio were those liv-
ing near Jeju-do. Jeju FM has
been managed by Arirang TV
since 2003, and, for years, the
company has been looking to
expand into Seoul.
The government had long
claimed an absence of a use-
able frequency. However, the
Korea Communications
Commission has finally re-
sponded to the lack of
English-language broadcast-
ing in the capital, which is
chasing internationalization.
The KCC has begun plans
to support nationwide pro-
gramming, giving expats all
over Korea the convenience of
hearing news, weather fore-
casts, traffic information and
music from their own vehicles
and apartments.
They would operate not for
profit, so English-speaking
FM broadcasters will be re-
cruited from other local sta-
tions via public bidding and
regional contests. Pending
successful trials over the sum-
mer, stations in Seoul, Busan
and Gwangju are set to offi-
cially launch this November.
The new broadcasting will
COMMUNITY
Exclusive with ‘DMC’ McDaniels
Darryl McDaniels, better known as DMC, will perform ‘Hip-hop is the most powerful
tomorrow night at The Hard Rock Cafe in Itaewon,
Seoul. Photo courtesy Hard Rock Cafe, Seoul
force on earth – stronger than
politics and religion combined’
Darryl McDaniels, better
known as DMC, is one third of
the legendary rap group Run-
DMC. Run-DMC pioneered
many firsts for hip-hop
artists. The most important
first was being the first rap
group to make it to superstar
status, forever changing how
both the world and the music
industry viewed hip-hop. Run-
DMC sold out international
tours, went platinum many
times over and changed the
face of the genre. DMC will
perform at the Hard Rock
Cafe in Seoul tomorrow at 11
p.m. I have been given the
chance to ask him a few ques-
tions to share with Expat
Robert Kohler’s Living readers.
Talking Points Expat Living: After going
through both personal and pro-
will have an effect on the protests, fessional challenges and
we’ll have to wait and see. changes, you’re in a new phase
of your career and working as a
Night school solo artist. How are things dif-
ferent for you in this phase of
Expat students will finally be your career?
allowed to take evening classes
at Korean graduate schools. The DMC: At this point in my ca-
government had forbidden for- reer I can be as creative as I
eigners from taking classes ex- want. I don’t have a position on
clusively at night because — a team (or) with a group. Now
with some justification — it I’m free to (discuss) what Darryl
worried that they’d use the day- wants to talk about — and mu-
light hours to seek illegal em- sically I’m not limited.
ployment. Some 12 percent of
foreign students enrolled at Expat Living: In 2006 you
Korean undergraduate schools released your first solo CD
had, in fact, ditched school to be- “Checks, Thugs and Rock n’
come illegal laborers. Roll.” On that CD you collabo-
However, for the time being, rated with Sarah McLachlan on
expats will still be barred from a track named “Just Like Me,”
enrolling in evening undergrad- which is a remake of Harry
uate classes. Chapin’s classic “Cat’s in the
Cradle.” What is the story be-
Update on the Michael hind that collaboration?
White case
DMC: I found out at 35 that I
Police in Gyeongsan, North was adopted. I didn’t know my
Gyeongsang Province have deter- whole life. Prior to that, I was
mined that 14-year-old Michael going through a period of alco-
White, who died at a sauna on hol abuse and depression with
May 10, drowned. Police, citing thoughts of suicide. Sarah’s
the autopsy report, cleared the record “Angel” saved my life. I
sauna staff and emergency work- had a chance to meet her. I
ers of wrongdoing. According to thought of making a record to
the report, Michael had no touch lives the way hers
signs of external injury, and his touched mine. I reached out to
heart was apparently enlarged, her and when we finished mak-
leading police to suspect that he ing the song, she revealed to me
may have suffered cardiac ar- that she was adopted too. I did
rhythmia while in a pool. not know that when I first
Michael’s funeral will be held heard her music. It was des-
on June 28. See his mother’s tined for us to hook up for this
Facebook group titled “A mother purpose.
is looking for answers about her
son” (facebook.com) for details Expat Living: Another
as they are released. question about “Checks, Thugs
& Rock n’ Roll” — I read some
of the reviews. Years after
Robert is the editor-in-chief of Run-DMC were trail blazers in
SEOUL magazine, and the ad- sampling rock and single-
ministrator of The Marmott’s handedly revived Aerosmith’s
Hole blog (www.rjkoehler.com). profile by remaking their song
— Ed. “Walk This Way” into a Top 10
hit, people still express a sense
of shock over who you choose
to work with. You’ve been in
this industry for a long time
now. Why do you think people
still want to express shock
over who you choose to collab-
orate with? I ask this because
I don’t see it happening as
much with artists in other mu-
also aim to help Koreans sic genres.
study English, and will fur-
ther work to bridge communi- DMC: I don’t think of myself
cation gaps in general be- as just a rapper. Rap is one
tween speakers of the two what I do, (but) not what I’m
languages. limited to. I write, compose and
Naturally, Arirang is not create just like any other musi-
pleased at being beaten to cian or lyricist. I can rap over
this growing market, and any type of music I please. I go
their desire to duplicate the with real musicians and song-
service could result in a waste writers because I love creating
of public funds if these com- new music.
panies cannot work together.
The KCC is planning to im- Expat Living: With Jam
plement full-scale digital Master Jay gone, my condo-
broadcasting in 2012, reorga- lences, you say that Run-DMC
nizing the radio frequencies is officially retired. However,
to avoid overlap and to offer you worked with Rev. Run on
the best and most choices to your last CD. Both you and Run
the public in radio service. are very busy, I’m sure, but how
The Korea Herald reported often are you two in touch?
last week that another 24-
hour all-English radio sta- DMC: I don’t speak with Run,
tion, to be operated by the only for Run-DMC merchandise
Traffic Broadcasting System, deals. Mostly, communication is
will begin a trial run from done through our management.
June 16-19. TBS said it plans He’s a reverend and I’m a rock-
to fully launch the station er, but, technically, we (are) still
this fall. doing the same things we’ve al-
In an interview, the TBS ways done. We’ve done what
president said that programs was supposed to be done togeth-
will include domestic and in- er.
ternational news, and shows
on the digital industry and Expat Living: In a 2005
global policies. The new sta- Rolling Stone article you wrote
tion will be broadcast on “(In) the early days of rap, con-
101.3 on the FM dial. ventional wisdom was that only
(melissamarieking@gmail.com) black people were supposed to
like hip-hop and only white peo-
Regina Walton’s
Expat Interviews
ple were supposed to like rock.”
However, we all know that rap
is loved worldwide. Last year a
Korean team won the interna-
tional b-boy dance competition.
The love of hip-hop culture is
pretty clear when you see
achievement on that level.
That’s just one example of how
hip-hop music and culture has
spread worldwide. As someone
who is still at the forefront of
hip-hop culture, how does that
make you feel?
DMC: Hip-hop is the most
powerful force on earth —
stronger than politics and reli-
gion combined. Those two
things divide. True and real hip-
hop brings people together. Hip-
hop and rock n’ roll are brothers
— just two expressions of the
same feelings.
Expat Living: What do you
say to critics who claim that
Koreans, or people from other
cultures are capturing only the
superficial aspects of hip-hop,
but that these kids do not un-
derstand the deeper issues that
flow from hip-hop?
DMC: Tell them (to) shut up.
Hip-hop is a universal medium
for communication to all races,
creeds, colors and nations. It’s
universal in its flavor and ap-
peal.
Expat Living: This is going
to be your first time performing
in Seoul. What have you heard
from other artists about per-
forming in Seoul?
DMC: It’s all good. It (doesn’t)
matter to me — five or 5,000.
I’m going to give them some-
thing they’ve never seen. Not
the corny stuff you get on radio
or MTV.
Expat Living: Will you
have some time to explore
Seoul? If so, is there anything
you would like to see or experi-
ence here?
DMC: I never have time to
sightsee, but talking, meeting
and seeing the people makes me
feel good. I love meeting new
people and representing hip-hop
culture.
Expat Living: In a Vibe
magazine interview you said
that Chuck D told you that “the
most powerful thing is the pow-
er of communication.” You have
a huge amount of communica-
tion power. What do you want to
communicate to your Korean
fans?
DMC: I want them to know
we’re all in this world together
even though I’m from Hollis,
Queens, New York. You can
check my music back in the day
and my new stuff getting ready
to come out and you’ll see and
feel everything I do, I do for you.
Hip-hop is not about me. It’s
about we or us!
For more information on
DMC you can go to his MySpace
page, www.myspace.com/dmc,
or his website, www.me-
dmc.com.
For more information on
DMC’s performance contact the
Hard Rock Cafe at 1577-ROCK.
Tickets are 30,000 won in ad-
vance and 35,000 won at the
door.
DMC is scheduled to perform
at 11 p.m. and the party starts
at 10 p.m. You can purchase
tickets at the Hard Rock Cafe
Shop, 02-547-5671. The Hard
Rock Cafe is located next to the
Hamilton Hotel by Itaewon
Subway station, Line 6, Exit 2.
You can also purchase tickets
online at tickets.interpark.com.
Regina can be reached
through her blog at
expatjane.blogspot.com — Ed.