Bona fide True Symbols: BTS as Purveyors of Authentic Koreanness

Heather A Willoughby 이화여자대학교 음악연구소 2022 이화음악논집 Vol.26 No.1

Bona fide True Symbols: BTS as Purveyors of Authentic Koreanness In one sense, the Hallyu phenomenon is a contemporary iteration of a long-standing nationalistic trend wherein Korea distinguishes its culture and traditions from its East Asian neighbors as well as that of the world as a whole. In terms of Korean popular music (K-pop) questions arise as to what makes that genre particularly “Korean,” as opposed to pop music from any other country or culture. In other words, what is the “K” in K-pop? From its birth, K-pop - especially the music of idol groups - has been a contested genre in which Koreanness or Korean identity has been challenged. In this paper, I examine some of the ways in which Koreanness is expressed in the music video “IDOL” by the seven-member boy band BTS (a.k.a. Bangtan Sonyeondan | Bangtan Boys | Bulletproof Boy Scouts | Beyond The Scene) emphasizing visual and aural icons portraying the bandmembers as being “authentically” Korean.

A Deeply Rooted Tree Grows in Manhattan : Issues of Identity in New York City’s 1990s Folk Scenes

Heather A. Willoughby 이화여자대학교 음악연구소 2016 이화음악논집 Vol.20 No.3

In the Spring 2016, Volume 20, Number 1 issue of the Journal of Ewha Music Research Institute, I published an article entitled, “Digging up the Roots: Understanding what is meant by the term ‘Folk Music.’” In that article, I elucidated various opinions and arguments regarding the question “What is Folk Music?” This article further investigates that question by comparing and contrasting the dynamics of two starkly different folk music scenes (Fast Folk and the Anti-Folk) in New York City in the mid-1990s. This article will look more closely at the ideological and sonic divide between these two groups beginning with a brief history of each in order to understand their existence and the distinction/similarities between them. The second section deals with the identity of the groups and how their identity and image is perpetuated by the physical location and décor of the venues, the differences generated by a folk vs. a punk heritage, and the demographics of the performers and audience members. 나는 『이화음악논집』 20집 1호(2016년 봄)에 “뿌리를 찾아서: ‘포크 뮤직’의 의미 이해하기”라는 제목의 글을 게재한 바 있다. 그 글에서는, “포크 뮤직이란 무엇인가?”라는 질문을 둘러싼 다양한 견해와 논의들을 소개했다. 이 글에서는, 1990년대 중반 뉴욕 포크 뮤직 씬에 공존했던 두 개의 전혀 다른 포크 뮤직(패스트 포크와 안티 포크) 사이의 역학을 비교･대조함으로써 이 문제를 보다 깊이 고찰한다. 먼저 이 두 그룹의 존재양태와 둘 사이의 차이점/공통점을 이해하기 위해 짧은 역사를 돌아봄으로써, 두 그룹 사이의 이데올로기적･음향적 구분을 좀 더 세밀하게 살펴볼 것이다. 다음으로는, 이 그룹들의 정체성을 다루고, 그들의 정체성과 이미지가 장소라는 물리적 위치와 환경에 의해 어떻게 영속되는지를 살펴보고, 포크에 기반한 그룹과 펑크에 기반한 그룹 간의 차이, 그리고 각 그룹의 연주자와 청중의 구성을 살펴볼 것이다.

Reviving Questions of Authenticity (I) : The Case of American Folk Musician Gillian Welch

Heather A. Willoughby 한국국악학회 2010 한국음악연구 Vol.47 No.-

과거 혹은 현대의 포크 음악(folk music)에 관한 연구는 대부분 어떤 식으로든 진정성(authenticity)의 문제를 다루고 있다. 다시 말해서, 특정 장르의 특징을 직접적으로든 무심코든 설명하려는 시도를 발견할 수 있다. 미국의 경우, 포크 음악과 포크 음악에서 파생된 컨트리(country)와 블루그래스(bluegrass)와 관련된 학계에서는 과연 ‘진정성’이란 무엇인가라는 주제를 놓고 오랫동안 논쟁을 벌여왔다. 오늘날 이 담론은 비단 학계뿐 아니라 마케팅과 소비자중심주의(consumerism)라는 측면에서도 중요한 가치를 지닌다. 본고는 포크 음악의 개념을 정의하고 특징을 분석한 기존의 연구를 간략하게 검토하고, ‘만들어진 전통(invented tradition)’이라는 문제도 논의하고자 한다. 이어서 ‘진정성 있는’ 음악가로 평가 받은 여러 음악가들의 커리어와 음악 스타일을, 삶과 음악 모두가 커다란 반향을 불러일으킨 한 여성, 질리안 웰치의 삶과 음악과 비교하고 분석할 것이다. 마지막으로 질리안 웰치가 가사, 선율, 시각적 연출 면에서 진정성을 확립하기 위해 어떤 시도를 했는지 알아보려 한다. Most analyses of historical or contemporary folk music, at one level address issues of authenticity, directly or indirectly. Having studied and written about Korean music for more than a decade now, I find that whether researching traditional or newly created (changjak) pansori, traditional or fusion gugak, or the globalization of sound and identity, a consistent underlying question is that of “what is authentic Korean music?” With the recent trend among many traditional Korean musicians to experiment with instrumentation, harmonization, and presentation of gugak for contemporary audiences, this topic takes on an even deeper, more profound meaning. My point has never been to dismiss that which is may be deemed by some as “inauthentic,” but rather to questions the very labels, categorizations, and presumptions that accompany the concept of authenticity. In order to better understand my interest in a so-called "authentic" sound, presentation and experience of Korean music, I propose a two-part article. Here, I wish to address the issue of authenticity not directly in Korean music, but as I was first confronted with the idea some fifteen years ago while concentrating my studieson contemporary American folk music. The reason for doing so is that in the United States, and the United Kingdom as well, this is a highly contestable subject that has been bitterly debated for nearly a hundred years; as such there is a great deal of relevant research and writing that can be referenced. Building on this foundation, I will subsequently present a second article that will turn the lens of authenticity onto the subject of contemporary Korean folk music performances. In order to best understand the issue of authenticity as it relates to folk music, however, we must first begin with an even more basic question, at least as it applies to the American folk scene.

Lightning Splits the Tree: Further Issues of Identity in New York City’s 1990 Folk Scenes

Heather A Willoughby 이화여자대학교 음악연구소 2017 이화음악논집 Vol.21 No.1

This is the third in a series of three articles dealing with folk music and the various means by which the genre has been perpetuated. The first article explicated the breadth of definitions and parameters of the term “folk music” as used by both scholars and performers. The second article explored more deeply two distinct folk music scenes in New York City in the mid-1990s, namely Fast Folk and the Anti-Folk. This article is a continuation of both, with an emphasis on the ways in which issues of identity and authenticity were promulgated through open stage performances and song at the Fast Folk Café and The Fort, the respective performance venues of the above mentioned groups. Whether directly related to the folk music of the past or not, scenes that people labeled as “folk” were vibrant in the 1990s in the West and East Villages. Although there is only a weak, invisible barrier between those two parts of the City few ever crossed the line. On the West Side folk music remained melodic, and the performers relatively placid. In the East Village the performers constantly vied for new ways to express themselves and were ever challenging the face of folk. But together, the venues and the scenes encompassed all who desired to enter the stage as a folk musician.

본격적인 분화: 1990년대 뉴욕 포크 씬에서 나타난 정체성의 문제

( Heather A. Willoughby ) 이화여자대학교 음악연구소 2017 이화음악논집 Vol.21 No.1

이 글은 포크 음악과 그 장르가 파생시킨 다양한 의미를 다룬 일련의 논문 중 세 번째 결과물이다. 첫 번째 논문에서는 학자나 연주자들이 “포크 음악”이라는 용어를 사용할 때 나타나는 다양한 정의와 기준들을 살펴보았다. 두 번째 논문에서는 1990년대 중반 뉴욕 시에서 발흥한 두 가지 포크 음악 씬, 즉 패스트포크와 안티포크에 대해 살펴보았다. 이번 논문에서는 앞서 소개한 두 가지 연구의 연장선에서, 오픈 스테이지를 제공하는 패스트포크 카페와 더 포트에서 연주하는 그룹들을 중심으로 정체성과 진정성의 문제를 중심으로 살펴보았다. 과거의 포크 음악과 직접적인 연관성을 가지던 아니던, “포크 음악”이라고 불리는 씬은 1990년대 웨스트사이드와 이스트 빌리지에서 활발하게 이루어졌다. 뉴욕 시에서 형성된 이 두 가지 포크 씬을 구분하는 경계는 희미하고 비가시적인 것이었지만, 이 경계를 넘어서는 경우는 드물었다. 웨스트사이드의 포크 음악은 선율적이고 연주자들 역시 상대적으로 차분했다. 이스트 빌리지의 경우에는, 연주자들은 스스로를 표현할 새로운 방식을 끊임없이 모색했고 포크 음악의 정의 자체에 도전하기도 했다. 그러나 이 두 가지 포크 씬은 포크 뮤지션으로서 무대에 서고자 하는 모든 이들을 포용했다. This is the third in a series of three articles dealing with folk music and the various means by which the genre has been perpetuated. The first article explicated the breadth of definitions and parameters of the term “folk music” as used by both scholars and performers. The second article explored more deeply two distinct folk music scenes in New York City in the mid-1990s, namely Fast Folk and the Anti-Folk. This article is a continuation of both, with an emphasis on the ways in which issues of identity and authenticity were promulgated through open stage performances and song at the Fast Folk Cafe and The Fort, the respective performance venues of the above mentioned groups. Whether directly related to the folk music of the past or not, scenes that people labeled as “folk” were vibrant in the 1990s in the West and East Villages. Although there is only a weak, invisible barrier between those two parts of the City few ever crossed the line. On the West Side folk music remained melodic, and the performers relatively placid. In the East Village the performers constantly vied for new ways to express themselves and were ever challenging the face of folk. But together, the venues and the scenes encompassed all who desired to enter the stage as a folk musician.

Digging up the Roots : Understanding What is Meant by the Term “Folk Music”

Heather A.Willoughby 이화여자대학교 음악연구소 2016 이화음악논집 Vol.20 No.1

Unlike many of my contemporaries who were listening to the latest pop music in the 1970s and 1980s, I had always been drawn to what was labeled as “folk music,” through the sounds of the Weavers, Pete Seeger, Woody Guthrie, the Limelighters, Joan Baez, Judy Collins, Joni Mitchell, among others. As a graduate student in New York City in the mid-1990s, that fascination grew stronger as I was surrounded by a vibrant folk scene, and even participated in open mike performances. But I quickly became aware of distinct, and oft times opposing groups of musicians, who loosely aligned themselves with one of two musical movements, namely Fast Folk and the Anti-Folk. This article is the first of two that will explore the NYC folk scene of that era, and how it got that way. Here, I will explore what is meant by the nebulous, and sometimes contentious term “folk music.” The second, forthcoming article will more fully address the Folk and the Anti-Folk. 필자는 1970년대와 1980년대 당시 인기 있던 최신 팝 대신, “포크 뮤직”이라 불렸던 더 위버스(the Weavers), 피트 시거(Pete Seeger), 우디 거스리(Woody Guthrie), 라임라이터즈(the Limelighters), 존 바에즈(Joan Baez), 쥬디 콜린스(Judy Collins), 조니 미첼(Joni Mitchell) 등의 음악에 관심이 있었다. 뉴욕에서 대학원생이던 1990년대 중반, 나를 둘러싸고 있던 생기 넘치는 포크뮤직 씬에 점차 매료되었고 오픈 마이크 공연에 참여하기도 했다. 그러나 곧 포크뮤직 씬 안에 두 개의 음악적 움직임—패스트포크(Fast Folk)와 안티포크(Anti-Folk)—이 존재한다는 것과 그 움직임들의 차이와 대립적인 관계를 인지하게 되었다. 본 저자는 그 당시 뉴욕의 포크뮤직 씬과 그 안에서 대립하는 움직임이 일어난 이유에 대해 연속하는 두 개의 논문을 통해 연구를 지속할 것이다. 이 논문은 그 중 첫 번째에 해당하며, “포크 뮤직”이라는 모호하고 논쟁의 여지가 있는 용어에 대해, 두 번째 논문에서는 포크(Folk)와 안티포크(Anti-Folk)에 관해 심도 있게 연구할 예정이다.

The Globalization of Sound and Identity: Korean Traditional Music in the World

WILLOUGHBY, HEATHER A. Institute for International Trade and Cooperation, 2009 Asian International Studies Review Vol.10 No.2

A systematic preservation and promotion system of Korean cultural heritage was established through the Cultural Properties Protection Law. Since 1962, the government has promulgated Korean traditional music throughout the world for entertainment purposes as well as a form of soft power. However, although successful in terms of introducing music to a broader, global audience, the underlying intention of such performances was to build an internal sense of nationalism. This article briefly reviews the establishment of the CPPL, its correlation to nationalism and the ambition of wielding soft power through global performances of Korean traditional music. It further provides two examples of performances aimed at foreign audiences and offers suggestions for the increased effectiveness of future performances abroad.

Everything I Never Told You

Heather A. Willoughby(서평자) 숙명여자대학교 아시아여성연구원 2016 Asian Women Vol.32 No.3

Under the covers : Image and imagination in Korean popular music albums

Heather A. WILLOUGHBY 이화여자대학교 아시아여성학센터 2015 Asian Journal of Women's Studies(AJWS) Vol.21 No.4

Although in-depth research on the topic is relatively rare, music and musical performances should not only be considered to be aural phenomena, but visual ones as well. This paper investigates one specific form of visuality and what can be learned about Korean culture by observing and analyzing album covers of popular female performers from the 1920s to the 1960s, including photographs, art work, and portraiture of the singers. Conclusions can be drawn about the changing society of the time, and the role that music—or more specifically musicians, producers, and the record companies who created the albums and album jackets—played in helping to solidify the notion of modernity in Korea in the first half of the twentieth century and the inextricable position of women in striking a balance between tradition and modernity. 본 주제에 대한 깊은 연구는 이제까지 별로 나온 것이 없다 할지라도, 음악과 연주를 단지 청각적으로만 들을 것이 아니라 시각적인 각도에서도 감상을 해야 한다. 본 논문은 눈으로 보는 특정한 형태에 대해 연구하고 1920년대서부터 1960년대까지 여성 대중 가수들의 앨범커버에 나타나는 사진, 예술적 표현, 가수의 인물 묘사법을 포함한 그 시대의 한국의 문화에 대해 고찰하고 분석해 봄으로서 변화하는 사회 속에서의 음악의 역할에 대해 결론을 낼 수 있다. 좀더 정확하게 말을 하자면, 앨범과 앨범 자켓을 만들어 낸 음악가, 프로듀서, 및 음반 회사들이 20세기 초반 반 세기 동안 한국에서의 현대화를 고착시키는데 있어서 어떻게 도움을 주었는지, 전통과 현대 간의 현저한 차이의 균형을 맞추는데 불가분한 여성의 지위가 어떠했는지 알 수 있다.

A Book of the Wonders and Richness of Korean Traditional Music

Heather A. Willoughby,고승원 국립국악원 2008 국악원논문집 Vol.17 No.-