article analysis

In this article, “Korea Rediscovers It’s Rock ‘N’ Roll Soul,” by Mark Russell, is about South Korea’s rock and roll popularity. This article was published on October 20, 2011, in the New York Times. In the beginning of this article, it tells a story of Shin Joong-hyun, a 73 year old rock and roller, who auditioned for the U.S. Eighth Army and was chosen to play American hits for the soldiers. Over 55 years ago, he began playing for the American troops. He was explained to have played the majority of months all over South Korea. He played songs such as “Guitar Boogie Shuffle,” “40 Miles of Bad Road” and “Rock Around the Clock.” After leaving his stage in the U.S. army bases, he applied himself to the mainstream South Korean music. “He has been called the godfather of South Korean rock.”

The government became stricter in the 1970s on rock music, marijuana and etc. This caused many rock and rollers to lose their jobs. After decades of being mostly forgotten due to this government intervention and the change in music taste, South Korean Rock ‘N’ Roll has become more popular now, “more than ever.”