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Music producer 250 (BANA) |
It all began from a question about what makes Koreans dance, music producer 250 said about his sensational first album "Ppong."
"When you think about the music that all Koreans know, there's not so many genres. In the case of ppongjjak, however, from the teenagers to our parents in their 50s and 60s, we all recognize ppongjjak when we hear it," 250, whose real name is Lee Ho-hyeong, said during an interview with The Korea Herald in Seoul last month.
Ppongjjak among us
Ppongjjak music, also referred to as “trot,” may be the longest-running pop genre in Korean music history.
Even if it weren't for the phenomenal "trot syndrome" that has taken over the nation in the last few years, the genre's boisterous beats and emotive melodies have existed among the people all along.
The veteran electronic music producer and DJ -- who has worked with numerous hit singers and rappers such as E-Sense, NCT 127, BoA, Itzy and NewJeans -- seems far from ppongjjak on the surface.
But venturing forth on his journey to discover "South Koreans’ music" in 2015, he acknowledged the prevalence of ppongjjak in Korean society. The producer said it was like air -- always there, but not seen.
"We all recognize it, but we don't remember exactly when we first heard it. Every South Korean knows ppongjjak, and I thought this in essence makes it the country's most popular music," he said in the interview on March 27.
The producer says it was natural for him to make his first full-length album about ppongjjak. However, never did he imagine that the project would take as long as seven years to complete.
"I never learned ppongjjak, but it was always inside me. I had been compiling music that I thought was nice or modish over it. What I needed to do first was to get rid of them."
There was no shortcut, 250 said. For about two full years, the musician went on what he called a “music diet” and listened to only trot music.
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Cover image of producer 250's album "Ppong" (BANA) |
Pponjjak and lingering sadness
The essence of ppongjjak music lies in its embodiment of life's sorrow, the producer said.
"There's always a lingering sadness in this genre. We have to dance boisterously even when we're still in grief. I think that this is the defining character of ppongjjak music," said 250.
The 11-song album's track list order reflects this narrative.
Opening the album is "It Was All A Dream," which mourns the passing of life. The song is by veteran keyboardist Kim Soo-il, a longtime accompanist to trot icon Epaksa.
"It's an old man's remorse about life on his deathbed. Looking back on his time, it all feels like a dream, the old man sings," 250 said, adding the song reminds him of the famous poem "Return to Heaven" by Cheon Sang-byeong, which also reminisces about life.
The album then jumps straight into "Bang Bus," which shakes listeners awake from their woes with its catchy and raucous beat.
The music video for "Bang Bus" starts with a man who is caught in a motel bed with a woman and follows him in a daylong slapstick chase. The fast-paced song's pounding beats are a fitting accompaniment to the man's escape as he clambers through the motel window in his underwear, and runs through the streets until he reaches the wilderness at night.
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Cover image of producer 250's song "Bang Bus" of album "Ppong" (BANA) |
"Even if you're sad or troubled, life doesn't let you stop. You have to keep on going, and that is the spirit of ppongjjak. With no time to be woeful, the song is like a relentless race."
The album is an ebb and flow of dance music, incorporating elements that 250 believes define his sound. From jazz, blues and swing to electronic and synth-pop, ppongjjak has been dressed in different genres and reborn in the hands of the producer.
Closing out the album is "Finale," which 250 says brings closure to his own grief.
"As someone born in the 1980s, one of my most nostalgic moments in childhood was when I watched TV animation shows. I loved that time of the day so much that I'd watch the show until the very end, when the credits went up. It felt like the show was still not over," he said.
Vocalist Oh Seung-won of the iconic soundtrack of the beloved 1990s cartoon series "Little Dinosaur Dooly" is featured on the song.
"It was Oh Seung-won who had made me sad (with the ending songs), so I'm making her end my sorrow," he said.
Album of the year, artist of the year
The producer’s seven-year journey to discover South Koreans’ musical spirit was rewarded the instant "Ppong" was released in March 2022.
At this year's edition of Korean Music Awards -- one of the nation's biggest annual music awards -- 250 grabbed a total of four prizes, including the highly coveted album of the year award. The producer also won best electronics album, best electronics song -- with "Bang Bus" -- and the artist of the year. He was the biggest winner of this year's KMA.
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Producer 250 receives an award at the 20th Korean Music Awards ceremony held in Seoul on March. (KMA) |
"Above all, I was gratified that the album was categorized as electronic music. It doesn't really follow the familiar pattern of what we define as electronic music, so it would have required a very open mind to understand it as such," he said.
Last year was especially significant for the 41-year-old musician, as he also made a name for himself as the producer of rookie girl group NewJeans' megahit debut songs, "Attention" and "Hype Boy." He also produced "Ditto" from the band's latest album "OMG."
"I don't think I'll ever forget 2022. It couldn't have been more special," he said.
Music was his best friend growing up, as he spent a lot of time alone at home, waiting for his parents to return from work.
It was in his last year of high school that he came across a music editing program on the computer. Playing music on it, he would cut and trim the sound bars, move them around and piece them together as he wanted. He would pull all-nighters playing around with the program, he said.
"I remember feeling excited realizing the fun of making music with my own hands. I thought then that I could do this forever, even if no one paid me. And that kid has stayed inside me, even until now," the producer said.
250 said it was luck that he had such a breakout year. Music trends come and go, and the cycle just happened to coincide with his style.
After stripping away what he used to believe was sophisticated and pleasing, 250 said he came closer to his true identity. From that point, he began an authentic journey of making his own music.
250 is set to spend this year performing at live concerts. For now, he plans to hold a five-city tour in Japan in June.
He also recently heralded the release of a new album called "America."
Just as he had discovered the ppongjjak inside him and turned it into "Ppong," 250 said he will make music through being his authentic self.
"It's like food. Recipes that have been around for a long time are usually simple ones that bring the best out of the ingredients, without being peppered by too much seasoning," 250 said.
"My music may sound tacky or bland to some, but still I'm showing myself through music. If it clicks with others, it will trend. If not, at least it would inspire some to believe that it's OK to be oneself."
