ACH뉴스레터-See, Listen, Drink

See, Listen, Drink

STORY

See, Listen, Drink
The novel pairing of Southeast Asian pop and beer.
by Yunbeom Jung Producer, EBS

Images of summer make us feel better simply by envisioning them: youth, energy, swimming, the color green, vacation, naengmyeon (traditional Korean buckwheat noodles), the ocean. This year, however, Korea’s summer was hot to an extreme; it’s still hot even now, in September! High temperatures bring to mind one thing: ice-cold beer. One example is Thai beer, which is actually served with ice. (Iced beer is said to be popular in Viet Nam as well, though the Thai version is more internationally famous!) I had a lot of initial reservations about adding ice to my beer, mainly for fear of watering it down. To ensure a fuller sensory experience of Southeast Asian beer and the music of each country, I chose songs that have a companion music video. Try bidding farewell to summer as you watch and listen to Southeast Asian pop songs while enjoying a chilled beer. Even if, of course, we’ll soon regret that summer ended!

Thai indie pop band YONLAPA’s EP ‘First Trip’,
featuring their single “Let Me Go”
©Warner Music

THAILAND
YONLAPA - “Let Me Go”

This song is characterized by an upbeat, snazzy sound that often comes to mind when we think of Thailand. The depth of the song’s tones are better felt if you watch the music video, which features YONLAPA, a four-person mixed Thai band that was formed in 2018 in Chiang Mai. One listen to YONLAPA’s music will keep you thinking about the band’s clear guitar tones. They do a very good job of applying a retro vibe to pop. I’m certain we’ll need them to perform in Korea once the COVID-19 pandemic is over!!
https://youtu.be/56bK56eiaDY

인도네시아 Indonesia

INDONESIA
Payung Teduh - “Berdua Saja”

There’s a big difference between Indonesia’s cities and its resort towns. This song takes on the mood of the palm trees and shaded areas of the latter. Familiar music is nice, but it’s sometimes better to go on the journey offered by songs, such as this one, that whisk us away to a new and faraway place. Payung Teduh is a band that’s best known for “Akad,” a song that has over 120 million views on YouTube. Personally, I feel that Indonesian musicians are the cream of the crop in music that blends dulcet sounds with a medium tempo.
https://youtu.be/56bK56eiaDY

싱가포르 Singapore

SINGAPORE
iNCH - “Simple Kind Of Life””

Singapore has a vibe that is unique even among ASEAN countries. The strength of the fragmentary view of Singapore as a city-state can be extreme, but one excuse for the prevalence of this image is that it’s almost universally recognized. “Simple Kind of Life” is a song that goes very well with the city-state image and, unlike the songs above, has a cool, elegant, crisp feel that is faithful to the characteristics of Western pop. The first thought that came to mind when I heard it for the first time was of a musician starting a career in a place that certainly doesn’t lack for capital. This is simply because it sounds very much like songs that are internationally popular. A visit to iNCH’s YouTube channel revealed many videos from 11 years ago of the singer practicing by herself in a room. I was moved by the fact that “Simple Kind Of Life” was born from such long years of introspection and hard work.
https://youtu.be/sdFJbDInACg

THE PHILIPPINES
IV OF SPADES - “Come Inside Of My Heart”

Seeing the Asian tour schedules of American and UK musicians is usually a bit disheartening for a Korean person because big-name rock bands often skip over Korea. On the other hand, ASEAN countries are always included due to the much more far-reaching impact of the rock band scene in the area. One good example of this phenomenon is IV of SPADES, a four-member group from the Philippines whose funky sounds and witty, lively vocals make you want to stand up and dance the longer you listen.
https://youtu.be/HxwokFPIguU

Article may not reflect the opinion of the editorial board of the ASEAN Culture House Monthly.