Korean Parents Subject of Intl Ridicule for Education Zeal
By Bae Ji-sook
Staff Reporter
Korean parents' enthusiasm for the education of their children has become the subject of ridicule in a song of a world-renowned American songwriter.
Randy Newman recently released the satiric song about the phenomenon which also suggests that Koreans' overheated enthusiasm is influencing other ethnic groups in the United States.
In his latest album ``Harps and Angels,'' the one time Oscar and four-time Grammy winner ridiculed Korean parents for focusing on the academic records of their children alone
He pokes fun at them, suggesting that other ethnic groups buy Korean parents' services to whip their kids into shape.
``Korean parents for sale/ You say you need a little discipline/ Someone to whip you into shape/ They'll be strict but they'll be fair/ Look at the numbers/ That's all I ask/ Who's at the head of every class?/ You really think / They're smarter than you are/ They just work their asses off/ Their parents make them do it…'' were some of the words in his song ``Korean Parents.''
He even featured a Korean woman saying ``Oh, learn to play the violin/ Oh, to turn your homework/ In right on time.''
After being criticized by Koreans for being racist or expressing distorted opinions, Newman recently posted an apology article about the song saying he only meant it to be humorous ― not mocking.
However, others say though Newman's song might have been inappropriate, it was not necessarily wrong. ``It's true that many parents say and do so. The difference from the song is that they are saying it out of love,'' office worker Song Hee-youn said.