Should lyrics be alcohol-free for youth?

[ashiva.livejournal.com]

Fresh public debates have been ignited over songs labeled by censors as “harmful to youth” due to the mention of alcohol-related phrases in the lyrics.

Some popular K-pop songs like “Day When It Rains” by boy band Beast and “You Can Eat Well” by the male duo Homme have been banned for those under 19 by the Youth Protection Committee (YPC) under the Ministry of Gender Equality & Family for containing lyrics about alcohol.

Among the lyrics of “Day When It Rains” is the line, “I should stop drinking as I’m drunk.” The song “You Can Eat Well” contains the lines,“I’ll drink heavily with my friends to forget everything” and “Blub, blub, blub after I drank heavily yesterday.”

The YPC monitors all newly released albums and rates songs according to their use of profane language, references to drugs or sexual references.

Last year, 490 songs were labeled as detrimental to youth. In the first half of this year, 310 songs have already received the rating.

In its latest rating decision, the YPC slapped the “harmful to youth” ruling on popular boy band 2PM’s song “Hands Up” on Sunday.

In protest of the YPC’s adoption of tougher rules on song ratings, some netizens have launched an online campaign to collect signatures to abolish the “19-year-old ban” rating system.

Albums with the rating have a cover sticker prohibiting its sale to those under 19, and labeled songs are not allowed to be broadcast on television or radio between 1 p.m. and 10 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. and 10 p.m. on weekends.

Such decisions are made by a nine-member committee consisting of journalists, civic group members, professionals in the music industry and album critics. The YPC refuses to make public the list of committee members.

Court ruling on Thursday

In response music fans and experts in the music industry claim the labeling is conducted in an arbitrary manner and argue that it is almost impossible to fairly review 30,000 songs annually.

SM Entertainment [Shouldn't this be Cube?], the agency representing Beast, has filed a suit in an administrative court to nullify the “harmful to youth” rating, with the ruling scheduled for Thursday.

Under mounting criticism, the ministry held a discussion session last week that included professors, songwriters and youth consultants.

Professor Park Byung-sik from Dongguk University said the labeling is necessary because lyrics can have a great influence on the young, who listen to music repeatedly.

“One of the reasons young people are now more violent than in the past is because of the music they listen to, and that’s why other countries also have a reviewing committee,” he said.

But given the claims that the labeling is too arbitrary here, he suggested more detailed guidelines are necessary to properly monitor songs and regulate harmful music.

Songwriter Yoo Yoo-jin said the current monitoring and labeling system is outdated and often makes false accusations.

“Sometimes the YPC’s decision discourages people from the music industry as they are labeled creators of harmful content and isolates them from possible fans,” Yoo said. “It’s not right to label music as harmful just because lyrics have such key words as ’ or ‘drinking.’”

He admitted the necessity of monitoring songs by the YPC but said that additional measures are required.

“I think the current committee should maintain its job, but a second round of reviews is necessary by ordinary people such as parents and teachers. I think their opinions should also be reflected,” Yoo said.

Kim Se-joong, from the National Institute of the Korean Language, suggested that a volunteer monitoring body comprising industry professionals could be a good alternative.

In her defense, Lee Young-hee, a member of the YPC, said strict monitoring is necessary as some lyrics can encourage young people to drink or give the impression that drinking can be a solution to any problem.

“I think young people can be easily influenced by what they listen to. They may justify the drinking or violence described in lyrics in their favorite songs,” she said.

After the discussion session, the ministry said it plans to hold more discussion sessions and come up with supplementary measures to current labeling by the end of this year.

Source: Kim Tae-jong @ The Korea Times

Video source: KikiBigBangVIP

Comments

[askbask.livejournal.com]

“One of the reasons young people are now more violent than in the past is because of the music they listen to, and that’s why other countries also have a reviewing committee,”

That's certainly not the case, but it's a convenient lie.

[mao246.livejournal.com]

I wonder what they'll do with 2 PM's put your hand up then ._.

[ashiva.livejournal.com]

In its latest rating decision, the YPC slapped the “harmful to youth” ruling on popular boy band 2PM’s song “Hands Up” on Sunday.

[hellicoptajuuce.livejournal.com]

again, look at your drinking culture Korea, whether your teens drink now doesn't even matter once they start working and those weekly(monthly?) office parties start rolling in.

Ministry of Gender Equality or whatever should back the fuck up and fix that "sexy dance" double-standard

[hellicoptajuuce.livejournal.com]

is this even talking about the Ministry? I just skimmed through this

[iznanassi.livejournal.com]

I thought that drinking alcohol in asian cultures can also be used as a social thing...I'm really confused now.

And in most cultures as long as you don't abuse alcohol, it's generally accepted.

[grapewhine.livejournal.com]

It is a heavily social thing in Korea. My friend keeps complaining about how often she has to go out to drink just to maintain relations with people/have a social life.

[aeshinya-tati.livejournal.com]

well, i particulary also don't appreciate the theme very much, but idk it sounds too drastic.

if they'll be influenced by a song, then parents shouldn't be allowed to drink in front of their kids too, but we know that it happens all the time (at least where i live). and i think see your parents drinking seems more harmful then listen to a song about it.

[unreal.livejournal.com]

IA. But then again people are also still arguing about the influence of violent games and manga's/anime on violence. So I guess it will never stop.

[icedevil0289.livejournal.com]

lmao irl.

[brianathebard.livejournal.com]

because they /totally/ don't see their parents drinking or any commercials featuring beer, and children are completely ignorant of the intense drinking society in SK ._.

[jela-ow.livejournal.com]

huhhh there's a drinking scene in every single drama I have watched. also, has this ministry done anything for gender equality?

[nomdeplumejam.livejournal.com]

LOL, agrees to both of your statements!

[http://users.livejournal.com/psychedelico_/]

“I think young people can be easily influenced by what they listen to. They may justify the drinking or violence described in lyrics in their favorite songs,” she said.

I think that if children were brought up right (by this I mean to have firm values and a clear idea of what they want), they wouldn't be easily influenced to copy what they see in the media at all. I'm pretty sure people don't listen to the radio and think "Oh I'm going to start drinking now because the word "alcohol" appears in these songs."

[black-silver.livejournal.com]

this, seriously

[l0ck0n.livejournal.com]

“Blub, blub, blub after I drank heavily yesterday.”

BLUB BLUB BLUB

omg didnt know my catchphrase was in there

new fav song~

[l0ck0n.livejournal.com]

oh and obligatory comment that korea censors are stupid and should go drinking a lot or s/t

[black-silver.livejournal.com]

lol out of all the things that harm youth in this world i really don't think lyrics belong that high up on the list

also i wasn't aware lyricists had a responsibility to be educational/instructional/"wholesome~"

but what do i know i'm not a parent

[mouthwash.livejournal.com]

i'm not a parent either but i have a young sister and we talk to her about drugs/drinking/sex/etc without any taboos, which in my opinion is much more effective than to just ban it.

idk should some ministry really be saying what we can or cannot say in song lyrics? i'm not too comfortable with that idea.

[tippani.livejournal.com]

is the ministry basically the korean version of the parents-television council

[ballad.livejournal.com]

I wonder why they banning this and that while drinking in Korea kind of already become culture...I mean, one of my close friend study there and she said to me she bit avoid something like get-together event since it will be end by everyone drinking and the one who not drinking will be the awkward one...

[livvyxo.livejournal.com]

I can't even

[kimiko1387.livejournal.com]

Please do something about gender equality, I think the children will be alright. Plus constantly banning these songs (especially when it's weeks after their promotion and relevance) takes away from your credibility.

PLEASE!

[bishieaddict.livejournal.com]

... don't blame the music for youth violence. Blame internet and gaming...

[rosamajalis.livejournal.com]

What.

[rosamajalis.livejournal.com]

Or you could, you know, just raise your kids right.

[mizukigirl.livejournal.com]

The banning of these songs is really stupid. The thing that makes me laugh is that they do it weeks after the promotion ends. Their not going to try to ban SJ's new song until later. I can't believe TVXQ's Mirotic is still banned.

[ghost-whisper.livejournal.com]

I distrust anyone who says that
a) kids nowadays are more violent/more rude/whatever now than they were before.
b) these problems are the direct cause of music/tv/games/whatever

Because you know? They said that 50 years ago. They said that 100 years ago. They said that 150 years ago. The past always seems to have this golden glow on it where apparently kids used to be sunshine and roses. But there have always *been* kids who cause disturbances/violence/etc with the only change being *what* is considered a problem, how it's monitored and what aspect of pop culture is being blamed.

And, while I do see the point that music or TV etc might lead some kids to certain decisions, it won't reprogram them all, particularly not if parents actually sit down and work at being parents. Parents might not always be able to help, but neither will blocking words out of the media *particularly* since the banning standards of the YPC seem to be so half-hazard. They *themselves* don't seem to have a clear idea on what constitutes harmful.

Anyway, if it were true that kids would emulate everything they saw in music videos, they'd probably have to bad 75% of MVs. I mean aren't you worried that kids will become vandals focused on grafitti and blowing shit up after watching a 2NE1 vid? Or they're gonna want to break into a clothes store in the middle of the night after watching a SNSD vid! Think of the children!!1!

[fallingstarryuu.livejournal.com]

ridiculous. stop wasting your time nitpicking over every line in every god damn song to find a reason to ban it and maybe actually do what your ministry is supposed to do.

[hellicoptajuuce.livejournal.com]

also why haven't they banned Teen Top's Perfume song WTF DUDE LIKE REALLY?! *shakes head* do your job bitches

[opal.livejournal.com]

ikr? they'll get to it two months later since these people are always late with the banhammer.

[orenji13.livejournal.com]

This ministry is a bunch of lazy adults.
Instead of explaining and educating, they are banning. Kids will never learn why...

makes me remember a parents who just say "NO, You can't" without explanation and expect the kids to just follow their order. That's not how it's work. As soon as you take away your eyes off of them, they will do exactly what you told them not to.

[hyde-my-dreams.livejournal.com]

“One of the reasons young people are now more violent than in the past is because of the music they listen to, and that’s why other countries also have a reviewing committee,” he said.

I don't think young people are that stupid.

“I think the current committee should maintain its job, but a second round of reviews is necessary by ordinary people such as parents and teachers. I think their opinions should also be reflected,” Yoo said.

Hey, that actually sounds like a good idea. Get people who actually are involved with the youth.

[boxingclever.livejournal.com]

my students are 7 and they know what 맥주 and 소주 are. and they sure didn't learn it from pop songs. they learned it from seeing their dad come home piss drunk/the 아저씨 passed out on the corner. get a hold of yourself, korea.

[jaded-skys.livejournal.com]

exactly what I said. I see 아저씨들 around my subway stop on the way to work, at 8 am, 3 bottles of soju in. Because that'll give them a wholesome view of how to drink. Urg.

[laeryn.livejournal.com]

Do they really think that avoiding drinking references and talking about alcohol is the way to stop their teenagers from drinking? Really?

South Korea needs to realize that Parents are there for a reason, normally educate their children in things like this, just sayin'.

(And now that we're on it, I think Spanish drinking culture has done more for my drinking habits this sounds horrible lol than any song I've ever listened.)

[jaded-skys.livejournal.com]

Unfortunately, from what I've experienced, anything that happens to their children is not their fault or their kids fault. Popular blame is on teachers, other kids, and the media. Because that's tooootally productive. :|