Seoul Sings Her Heart Out
By Shim Hyun-chul
Staff Reporter
``The river flowers, underneath the 3rd Han River Bridge,'' Hye Eun-ee croons in her hit track, ``3rd Han River Bridge.'' The 1970s music video, featuring the namesake river as the backdrop, can also be seen.
The sight of old LCD records and yellowed music sheets, chronologically ordered, evokes nostalgia and instantly takes you back to the past.
A special exhibition, ``Seoul: Popular Songs,'' continues through May 23 at Cheong Gye Cheon Museum, Majang-dong, near Cheonggye Stream.
The exhibition took over a year in the making to compile 1,141 popular songs about Seoul by over 700 artists. The items on display belong to popular music critic Choi Gyu-seong. His personal collection of records and music-related documents span from the Japanese Colonial Period (1910-45) to the present, and include over 300 music sheets, album jackets, photo albums of artists and music award trophies.
Among the featured songs about the city, the late songwriter Park Chun-seok, who recently passed away, has contributed the most with 22 tracks, followed by veteran singers Na Hoon-a and Lee Mi-ja, who each sang 14.
A corner of the exhibition hall features a model of a retro music caf?, which played a large role in the distribution of pop songs during the 1960s and '70s.
``Most of our visitors come during the weekend. You can easily spot people carrying guitars, and visitors particularly appreciate how you can choose and play your own record at the caf?,''
Jin Ha-jung, a staff of the exhibition.
Pop music serves as a barometer for its times, and just looking at the lyrics provides insight to the past. The exhibition, moreover, offers a sketch of Seoul's transformation.
The earliest song about Seoul is Lang So-heui's ``Seoul March.'' Before Liberation in 1945, most of the songs hum about Jongno and the Han River; afterward Hyeon In's ``Lucky Seoul'' evoke a festive sense of freedom. There is also more diversity in the theme ― such as Jang Se-jeong's ``Cry Silver Bell'' ― as well as geography, and other parts of town are mentioned including Myeong-dong, Sogong-dong, Gwanghwamun, Namdaeun and Mapo.
``I didn't tune into pop music that much back in the days, but the exhibition is making me feel nostalgic. It's great to see old albums. My husband used to be a fan of Bae Ho, so I think he'll like it if I send him a picture of the album with my cell phone. I think the older generation would really appreciate this event,'' Sin In-ho, 69, a visitor, said.
Another elderly passerby, Chang Hyun-joo, 65, recalled the past. ``This reminds me of the old days, to see songs my parents used to listen to all the way to '60s music. I remember there used to music shows at theaters, and I remember sneaking into one as a student wearing my father's hat. I like old songs because the lyrics are poetic and straightforward.''
``Most people download mp3 files rather than purchase albums, so there is lesser emphasis on collectible albums. I wonder if it'd be possible to put together an exhibition about contemporary pop music like this one in the future,'' said 31-year-old Lee Sung-gi.
Entrance to the exhibition is free of charge. It runs through May 23 and is closed on Mondays. Visit www.cgcm.go.kr or call (02) 2286-3410.