Sound of Seoul (#23)

::S o u n d o f S e o u l:: (^_^)
by Bethany P. Tweeten

Listen to Bethany's Playlist!

1. “Party Rock Anthem”
I will forever think of Korea when I hear this song. I’ve probably heard it every day since I’ve been here. It can be heard in the streets blaring from speakers outside makeup and cell phone stores, choreographed into countless Taekwondo routines, even used as businesses strategy, such as the “Party Rock Hotel” on the outskirts of town. I will walk through the halls of my elementary school and often hear students singing “everyday I’m shufflin…” and breaking out into dance. It still hasn’t gotten old for me yet...

2. “Headlines” ~Drake
I’ve gone through a major Drizzy phase since being here…for a while I couldn’t handle listening to anything remotely slow/sad and therefore had hiphop on lock. (Also had Jay-Z and Kanye’s “Watch the Throne on heavy rotation.)

3. “Bad Boy”~Big Bang
This wouldn’t be a “Sound of Seoul” without some Kpop up in here! (Korean pop= Kpop) This one is by my personal favorite Kpop boy-band: Big Bang! Many of their choruses are English words mixed with Korean and then verses in Korean. There are 5 members and each have their own lil personality...The most famous is probably GD (G-Dragon) who has taken on sort of a Lady-Gaga-esque weird-outfit image thing. To me, he is quite feminine. But anyway what am I talking about, check out their videos on youtube for more!

4. "I AM THE BEST" (내가제일잘나가) by 2NE1
It’s only fair to showcase the ladies of Kpop as well. While I find most female Kpop to be incredibly annoying, I do like me some 2NE1 :) Although it could be mostly because of one particular night where I found myself surrounded by sparklers (lit for someone’s birthday) INSIDE a bar with everyone dancing around and singing this at the top of their lungs..obvs only the Koreans could say most of it, but we (foreigners) caught on to the chorus by the end and now I can say “I am the best” in Korean. Useful.

5. So Good to Me ~Cory Asbury
This is my new favorite worship song. I recently found this amazing church, New Philadelphia, and I’ve been attending their new church-plant in Busan. I recently went on a retreat with all their church campuses and everyone sang and danced to this song...one of those awesome moments.

6. “Your Faithfulness” ~Jon Thurlow
I also heard this on the retreat with New Philly. First they sang the song how it is, then changed the names to the names of leaders in their church…really powerful. I immediately looked it up on my phone and it’s been on nonstop since :)

I remember your faithfulness to Noah


I remember your faithfulness to Moses


I remember your faithfulness to David

I remember your faithfulness to me

7. “Thinking about You” ~Frank Ocean
Love his falsetto. His voice is smooth like butta. I listened to this about a million times on repeat. Also pretty much anything by Miguel… But for realz, “I been thinkin boutchu.” Boutchu all!

8. “Midnight City” ~M83
Korea is a midnight city if I’ve ever seen one. People are so incredibly hardworking here...morning till night. High school students stay at school until 10PM then go to after-school academies. Even many of my elementary students go to academies until 12AM. On the weekends, the clubs don’t get hoppin until at least 1AM. I don’t think people ever sleep here. So Midnight City it is!

Waiting in the car

Waiting for a ride in the dark

Drinking in the lights

Following the neon signs…

9. “Lighthouse” ~Patrick Watson
This is a recent discovery and wowzers! His album, “Adventures in your own backyard.” SO good. This song is gorge. Listen to it on headphones. Loud. Just wait for that trumpet…mindblown. Also love that we don’t have to go far to find adventure!

Leave a lighthouse in the wild,
Cause I'm coming in a little blind
 Dreamer of a lighthouse in the woods


Shining a little light to bring us back home

Or to help us get back into the world

Won’t you shine the light in your own backyard….

10. “I Love You Always Forever” ~Donna Lewis
I like to listen to this on the bus and pretend I’m in the last scene of a 90’s movie as the credits start to roll….don’t judge me! Try it sometime :) Also, Korea is a country of and for couples. Wearing matching clothes. And I like it.

11. “The Reeling” ~Passion Pit
Also a great cruisin on the bus on the way downtown song  So city.

And all at once I feel this

Oh, how it clings to me

It reels and calls me towards some

Confounding destiny…

And I can feel the madness inch by inch

The more I run, the more I am convinced

I’ve coloured all these like the branches twist

Just like we settle in the frothy mist...

Korea is built on Confucianism. Respect for elders is built into their language and shapes everyday life. The streets are full of ajummas (technically means ‘married woman’, but especially refers to a certain style of grandma.) They are literally bent over and usually carrying bundles of plants, vegetables, etc…and they WILL run you over.

And with that, 안녕히 계세요! Goodbye and thanks for listening!! Miss you all and I’ll be back in the land of lakes soon!!