Year’s end is the busiest season everywhere around the world. However, people in South Korea are spending a particularly chaotic year-end, due mostly to the presidential scandal. Even after impeachment, truths are still yet to be unveiled and Choi at the center of anarchy is denying all the charges against her.
While more than a million people flood the streets in front of Gwanghwamun every Saturday, demanding better answers from the government, singer-songwriter Yoon Jong-shin stood up to share empathy with them.
December issue of Yoon Jong-shin’s monthly project, “Anyway It’s Christmas (그래도 크리스마스)” sings the singer’s soothing message about recent incidents and current state. With a gentle jazz melody, the song sings for the better future following after “days we all shouted against unbearable things we can’t forgive.”
Previously, Yoon Jong-shin, who had been standing on the neutral side about political issues, clearly stood up with protesters, sharing a picture of him and his wife amongst other candlelight protesters. In the caption, he writes, “It’s not the matter of progressive or conservative, right or left. It’s about good or evil.”
The music video for “Anyway It’s Christmas” wraps up this year’s incidents that enraged people in the peninsular. From the “Comfort Women” agreement to sinking of Sewol Ferry, the Gangnam murder case, death of farmer Baek Nam-gi and finally, the whole corruption behind the presidency, this 5-minute-long video visualizes inflaming incidents that united people to stand against absurdity.
“I wish this song to remind people of this winter, the winter of 2016 when we all gathered to light up our candles and to raise our voices,” says Yoon.
By Heewon Kim
