I'm quite a fan of them and I've recently got hold of 4 of their albums.

However, I am not very sure if they are underground and if they were, to what extent, or if they are mainstream "K-Indie"?

On a different note, any fans of them among soompiers?

When they started they were the main groundbreaking band for all underground music in Korea. Since then they got pretty big and are controlled by kind of a lame manager. Sometimes they play huge stadium shows, and sometimes they play unadvertised shows to a small crowd in the new Drug. They're not what they used to be, and they've lost their edge (we'll see if the new album proves me wrong). But they're still nice guys and are friendly every time I see them.

While they are technically "indie," being on Drug Records which is itself an indie label, their sole reason for existence is to make money. Considering the scope of their career before they joined the army, and the widespread name recognition they enjoy across the country, I'd have to say they're mainstream, but not pop. Kind of like the Korean Green Day. If it were possible for a rock band to not be "indie" and "underground" in Korea, then they wouldn't be.

A few weeks ago their accordion player joined the skinhead band Dirty Small Town on stage for some songs. I dubbed them "Dirty Small Nut."

Thanks for the info, that gave me a bit of a feel for Crying Nut's background.

It is worth noting that the genre "Indie" in Korea is used to classify any band or musical act that sounds rock-ish and alternative. So it's basically either Underground or "Indie" if one were to apply the term within the context of the Korean music scene.

http://www.lkf.cne-uk.com/2006/

they are playing in the UK this weekend
Saturday 20th May at the Mean Fiddler Club, Tottenham Court Road. LONDON
18.00 – 22.00.

The best punk-rock band in Korea? I don't think so. I didn't even know they still claimed to be punk.

Yeah, "best" is a little too strong. Maybe one of the best.

They might make my top ten list. Maybe.

However, I would accept "classic" or "legendary" or even "first."

first/legendary/classic punk rock band of korea? But I thought you said they weren't punk...

ah whatever.

At present, they are definitely not a punk band. They used to be, but then commercial appeal dragged them down.

well the gig they played yesterday at Mean Fiddler, London was really good. I didn't really know what to expect, but i liked it alot - lots of energy and really able to engage the crowd .

Oh my god i didnt know Crying Nut came to europe to play in London!!AHH i think i've missed the only opportunity to see they play live ...i want to die!!Do anybody knows if they will do some other concert around Europe ?!Thanxx

You can see clips from the show and an interview in Korean here:

http://www.lkf.cne-uk.com/2006/rock-01.php

Were they first? I don't really know because I'm a novice in the punk-rock scene.

But I think the term that best fits them is "influential."

They were the first punk band to rise above the herd. I can't say for sure they were the first period.

They aren't particularly influential today. They have virtually no contact with today's punk scene (at least as a band) and most of the Korean punks ignore them. I don't know who they'd be influential over.

Well I didn't mean influential as in today. I meant they were influential several years ago. Most mainstream punk bands (or any mainstream artist for that matter) don't have contact with underground scene anyway, so I'm not surprised they don't have any contact with the punk scene.

Isn't it kind of contrary for a punk band to turn mainstream? I mean, isn't the punk scene defined by their underground roots? yeah I'm not very familiar with the punk scene, but that is my assumption.

Definitely, which is why there's a bit of distance in there. I remember the lead singer of Couch telling me last year that those guys are his friends, but being on TV ruined them. Another annoying thing is they have a manager who stops them from playing as many shows as they could.

Yeah. I feel that. The media can ruin you in so many ways. There are countless cats that cross over only to find out that they become controlled by managers and labels. And punk music is not popular in the Korean mainstream music industry, so I'm guessing that Crying Nut must have had to have some sort of pop-ish influence in their music in order to please the mainstream.

Come to think of it... I don't think there are any mainstream "punk" bands even in America that remain loyal to their roots. If there is one in Korea (or even America), please enlighten me.

The Korean punk scene is very concerned with the roots of punk. They usually ignore the roots of underground music in their own country. And sometimes they place a little too much importance on mainstream American bands, such as Rancid and ska-punk. But most of the bands here hold true to the original spirit of punk and DIY. Basically the scene is too small for poseurs.

I post information about some of these bands on here now and then. The top band right now in this country is probably Suck Stuff. They'll be releasing a new full-length CD soon and the advanced copies of the songs I've heard were amazing.

Yeah, I checked out Suck Stuff's website and looked at some of their vids. Pretty good I must say.

that's the beauty of having a small scene though, and many other places in Asia are in a similar situation right now

and if you're loyal to your roots then isn't it nearly impossible to be "mainstream"

Well. Crying Nut & Drug got good timing to be famous, at first.

When Drug (Club) was built, it's not dedicated to punk at all, kinda another (early kind of) rock bar. Later they changed as Punk, and did Nirvana tribute concert in mid 1990's. (Can't remember exactly what year it was.)

That tribute concert boombed, and it started another history in Korean rock (not just punk) scene.

Cocore started copying ALL SONGS OF NIRVANA, and Crying Nut followed it. (Cocore was senior in Drug club.) That could be categorized as 'good old days', or 'full of cheesy indie music'. I'd rather not say what side it was, even if I survived that period in front of Hong Ik University, as a local student of Hong Ik.

And there came the legendary success of [Our Nation 1]. In fact, that's not very good album, for recording - ... etc, because that's just the start of Korean Punk & Drug (record label). But IT GOT BIG HIT, REALLY BIG HIT, and gain more hype than it really was. Even plain kids got that album at then, because it's TOO FAMOUS. [Our Nation 1] was split album of Crying Nut & Yellow Kitchen, and Yellow Kitchen played Sonic Youth-ish songs at then. (Later YK changed music genre as Experimental - Techno stuff, disbanded, made another band as Bihaengsun - FTonesound - etc.)

And Our Nation series was released up to No. 6, Crying Nut released 5 albums, No Brain (They were on Our Nation 2) went out of Drug & became bigger band, ... etc etc.

At now, only Crying Nut & Rocktigers are left in Drug label, and Rocktigers is Rockabilly band not punk. Anyway Drug was big brother of the scene, and got influence, (even if I don't like them).

I'm kind of curious what you mean here.

Personally, I don't think Drug as a label has done enough for any bands other than Crying Nut. Most of the time when a band signs up on Drug, it starts to go really stale. A very good example of this was Beach Valley.

Well. That might be due to because you've not seen Drug around 10 years from their [Our Nation 1] album, and even before that.

They were kinda starter for Korean indie scene, as Club & Label, just almost every bands left. You could know easily when you check [Our Nation] series, and V/A [조선펑크] album.

Not sure why they couldn't keep all the bands with them, however.

P.S. : I don't like Drug, however.

I know, man. I was asking what your problem with them was. I'm not a huge fan because it seems they often gut a band in order to get as much money as possible out and leave them hanging. What don't you like?

You might be glad to know the owner of Drug just sold his part in Club DGBD because he only wants to focus on the record label aspect. Or you might be disappointed to hear that.

Anyone see Crying Nut in Junior.....hmm last month? It was cool seeing them in there, besides Seo Tai Ji the last rock band in Junior was Peterpan Complex I think lol

If anyone wants to see the pics I posted them here: http://www.soompi.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=82821

Hey!
so yeah, i LOVE Crying nut but i "discovered" them kinda recently so I'm just asking if they still playing shows in korea? I'm planning on going to seoul next summer & i don't wanna miss them out... O.o

I'm a member of brokeinkorea.com forum if anyone else is.

I'd say right now Korea has a smaller scene than pretty well every Asian country. It won't be long before we're passed by countries like Vietnam and Cambodia, at the rate things are going.

I'm the administrator of Broke. Show listings aren't loyally posted there, or anywhere else. Crying Nut usually fills DGBD to capacity with no advertising, so no one tries particularly hard to spread the word when they have a show coming up. But the right people to ask are all in Broke and they can tell you when Crying Nut plays if you ask.

Here are some photos from when I saw Crying Nut last month.











Plenty more here: www.daehanmindecline.com

Anyone going to the Crying Nut concert in Chicago at the 28th?

QUOTE (bebyxanna @ Nov 19 2008, 06:27 PM)

The punk rock band, Crying Nut, is performing an OST for the teledrama Heaven's Postman starring YoungWoong Jaejoong and Han Hyo Joo. (A/N: and I believe they will make their appearance in the drama(?) during the filming on the 19th. Not sure on that.. but yeah, that's basically the gist of it XD; )


credits to me for translating; HHJ thread, empas/google.

Gorrammit, I live 40 minutes from Skokie, but I can't go to the concert because my ride back to school is leaving that day. D:< D:< D:< So unhappy!

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