INTERVIEW Dutch singer-songwriter recounts memories, experiences of Korea
Dutch jazz singer-songwriter Wouter Hamel poses during an interview with The Korea Times in Yeonnam-dong, Seoul, June 12. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul
Artist discovers people's warm-hearted spirit beyond glitz and glamour of big city
By Lee Hae-rin
When Dutch jazz singer-songwriter Wouter Hamel first visited Korea 14 years ago to perform, surprisingly many Koreans were already familiar with his surname. Many thought he was a distant descendant of Hendrick Hamel, the Dutch sailor who was shipwrecked on Jeju Island in the 1600s and became the first Westerner to introduce Korea to the world.
“I had been asked about this (family lineage) so many times, so I went to the Hamel house in the Netherlands and made a documentary there,” Wouter said during a recent interview with The Korea Times in Seoul, while making his 26th visit to Korea.
Hendrick Hamel made the first Western account of Korea from his 13 years of captivity ― from 1653 to 1666. Korea had been unknown to the Western world until Hendrick gave a firsthand story about the country in his book “Hamel's Journal.”
Although Wouter cannot confirm or deny his connection with Hendrick as his lineage doesn't go back that far, Korean media and music fans have tirelessly associated him with the ancient Dutchman for over a decade. Wherever the truth may lie, the musician seems to have forged an undeniable bond with Korea as he discovers the country and introduces it to the outside world as his fellow countryman did all those years ago.
Over the last decade, Korea became his most frequently visited country in terms of work ― since 2009 ― mainly thanks to his performance at the annual Seoul Jazz Festival. His dreamy voice, easy to listen to songs with English lyrics his obvious charm on stage, have mesmerized Korean music fans and quickly shaped a solid fandom for the singer.
While building his music career in Korea, he has grown accustomed to the country, navigating via the Naver Map app instead of Google Maps, and he understands that soju is more expensive in the southern uptown area of Gangnam than north of the Han River.
Although he is aware of the darker sides of the country, such as racism, discrimination against minorities, and how rude some drivers and subway passengers can be, he says he still loves coming to Korea and tries to stay here for as long as possible.
On the occasion of his return to the Seoul Jazz Festival in May, he decided to stay for a vacation with his boyfriend and discover not only the trendiest corners of Seoul, but also the lesser-known countryside and resort island of Jeju to explore more of the “real Korea” beyond Olive Young and cute coffee shops and encounter the people.
“I wanted him to realize that Korea is not only Seongsu-dong, Gangnam and Itaewon, but people live there. Ladies on the street (are) preparing fish and peeling shrimp. All the glitz and glamour is a recent thing and I wanted him to realize the history that Korea has had. In 70 years, Korea rose from one of the poorest countries in the world to the chaebol level, so that was the balance for him to see, and see it through their eyes,” Hamel said.
Wouter Hamel poses on a street in the southern port city of Mokpo, June 5. Courtesy of Wouter Hamel
His holiday itinerary started in Gwangju, as suggested by a member of staff working at a shop in Seoul's Seongsu-dong, where he bought a nice pair of pants that he wore for the interview. As they started to chat and became friends, she told him that she was from Gwangju and gave him tips on where to go in her hometown, which he loved and found similar to Yeonnam-dong, which is charming and trendy.
Then he went hiking to Mount Yudal in Mokpo and Mount Halla on Jeju Island to discover the beautiful landscape and nature, where he experienced comradery among Korean mountain climbers.
“Fully dressed in a climbing outfit, people were so lovely and they greeted us, gave us food out of nowhere. They are so inviting,” he said.
During his visit to the Bonte Museum on Jeju Island, he appreciated Tadao Ando's architecture and an exhibition by Yayoi Kusama, as recommended by one of his followers on Instagram. There, he had a banter with a group of curious elementary school students who were on a field trip.
Some children approached him with a giggle and talked to him in English. He said, “They said 'oh, very handsome,' and started talking to us. So I just did my old trick from 10 years ago, 'Ppuying-ppuying,' (a classic Korean “aegyo” move, putting both fists next to one's cheeks) and they all started screaming and laughing.”
Riding a magical ferry from Mokpo to Jeju with a beautiful sunset, he enjoyed a “noraebang,” or singing room, on board where he sang “You're So Lovely,” in memory of singing songs with the Korean male vocal group Sweet Sorrow some years ago.
“I think that's what touches me the most about Korea, the spirit of hospitality. They can be 'Pali-pali,' (Korean for the phrase hurry hurry), and quite rude … But you start talking, sometimes with a Google Translate, and that's when you really feel the sweetness,” he said.
“It's impressive how easy it was to make friends here,” he added, “In the Netherlands, France and Belgium, people don't talk to strangers. People could be arrogant and you don't start making a conversation with strangers on the street. … Here, it's very different,” he said, recounting memories with his “friends for life,” which he made while in Korea.
The trip also gave him a chance to expand his music career.
Despite pouring rain, his presence at the Seoul Jazz Festival was avidly greeted by an enthusiastic audience after a three-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He wrote and sang “Rosy Day,” a theme song for this year's edition of the festival.
Wouter Hamel and his band perform during the 15th Seoul Jazz Festival at Olympic Park in Seoul, May 27. Courtesy of Private Curve
He continued songwriting sessions with Korean artists in Seoul while on Jeju, he was invited to a homemade dinner by a musician friend he met at the previous jazz festival, where he enjoyed the island's local specialty, mandarin makgeolli and seafood.
In memory of his trip to Korea, he is now writing songs about Jeju and island life, which he plans to unveil in the near future.
Wouter believes that the “association” between himself and the first Dutchman in Korea, still lives on because “for Koreans, there is nothing more important than to be seen.”
“I think the reason Koreans are so respectful of their (Hamel) history retelling is the fact that he (Hendrick) introduced them to the rest of the world … and I think you guys achieved that quite well, with the K-pop, with Samsung, K-drama, movies. Burning is one of my favorite movies of all time, I think it worked! Korea is being seen so much, more than ever.”
Wouter Hamel poses during an interview with The Korea Times in Yeonnam-dong, Seoul, June 12. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul
Although Wouter may not be the descendent of the 17th-century Dutch explorer, he is passionate about presenting lesser-known sides of Korea to Europe. He brings his Dutch friends to Korea and many of his Dutch friends and followers often find Wouter's Instagram and TikTok posts about Korea fresh and interesting, with someone asking back, “Is that really Korea?”
“It shouldn't be just about commerce. It's also important to retain the real soul of Korea,” he said. “Anyway, I'm very impressed with this country.”