The American Kim Geon Mo

The window to the free talk class was open this morning, and the music from the restaurant opening across the street drifted in. My student is sometimes a bit daft: I once asked her, "What kind of gift do you like the most?" expecting something like "day spa pass" or "jewelry" or "gift certificates" or "brand names." Instead, she said, "A son."
To which her classmate, being very serious, replied, "There are some other things that have to happen before you can get a son, you know,". . .
and to which I, being a wise-ass, replied, "How much are baby boys going for on the market these days, anyway?"

She, uh, really wants to get married. I have to keep the topics far from anything family related, to keep that desperate, hungry look out of her eyes.


Anyway, today, this certain student heard the music, and said, "Is this Kim Geon Mo?" 김건모 is a very popular singer here in Korea (he peaked in the '90s) -- I mentioned him in my Harry Connick Jr. review, and saw him live once. He's a good entertainer, a good enough singer, and altogether puts on a pretty great show.

Anyway, here's the artist she thought it was:

Your Apartment by Kim Geon Mo
(images from this video are based on my favourite Korean folk tale: Hungbu and Nolbu)

And here's the song it actually was.

This Love by Maroon 5:


not far off, eh?
(warning to bloggers: always watch music videos from beginning to end before you post them. The original version of this video had boobies, which I'll link to (perv) but won't post here, because my grandma reads this blog to know how I'm doing. Love you Oma!)

Maroon 5 made their debut in 2002, while Kim Geon Mo has been around since 1992, and since Kim Geon Mo was around first, it's official:

Maroon 5 is the American Kim Geon Mo.

Nice.


Speaking of equivalent artists, how about comparing these two singing styles:

JuJu Club


열여섯 스물 (which means Sixteen/Twenty)

And, from Canada. . .

You Oughta Know who this is.