When window-shopping Korean music I usually turn to Oi or Hyang. Every now and then I like to try a couple of stores more, but I can never remember the address to Purple Record (I know it’s simple, but there’s still enough confusing elements in it for me to consider myself lucky every time I manage to get there – from now on I’ll just follow the link from here). Though by some lucky coincidence I did end up there yesterday, and not only did I learn about the upcoming Rainy Sun release I posted on below (that one would’ve probably showed up at any of my regular places in a few days anyway) but I learned that on January 9 “Korea’s Avril Lavigne” released her debut EP! (I know I’m too old, but I still get a kick out of such music…)
Turns out that the name of the Korean Avril Lavigne is Rika, and the title of the EP is Evelution (as in Eve and Revolution – “to signify the revolution of women”). Google brought me to LaLa Melodies where there was more info to find than that quote: The six track EP features Crash guitarist Ha Yae Jong, Funky Brown vocalist&guitarist Uhm Joo Hyuk and Dr.Core 911 drummer Juny. Also on the EP isd Mary Story vocalist&guitarist Park Gun Joon.
That’s nice but I rather hear the introduction of Rika as Rika, not as Korea’s Avril Lavigne. To me, Rika is trying to rip off Avril Lavigne and that’s not good. I don’t like the idea of using worldwide famous person or event and incorporate as Korea’s (something such as Korea’s Madonna, Korea’s Jim Carey, or Korea’s 9/11 and now Korea’s Avril.
Kobe Bryant hate hearing people saying that he’s next Michael Jordan. I agree with him because he wants to be Kobe and leave his legacy as Kobe Bryant. I want to see the same thing for Korean musicians or actors or artists.
I’ll check Rika out. I’ll make a judgment if she is Korea’s Avril Lavigne.
Hello!
I get your point and admit that it can get quite silly at times. Not that I have the faintest clue who’s been called Korea’s Madonna or Jim Carey, but I do recall “Korea’s 9/11”.
Though in some kind of defense of Rika’s label (I have yet to hear her myself, so I can’t take any credit for naming her “Korea’s Avril”) I think this kind of comparisons can actually be of help to the uninitiated – had it not been for the CD info text starting with ‘한국의 에이브릴 라빈‘ I probably would’ve just skipped it and had a look at the next CD instead. There might be nothing more to it than a (clever and/or questionable) marketing tactic, but just the suspicion that there might be some substance behind the claim got me interested ^^