Okay, we know this is asking for trouble, but then even Chuck Norris apologizes to Master Lee, so I guess he doesn’t need to care… Now, what is a self-orientalising song? And why does Master Lee like to discuss them? Well, it seems that ever since a recording industry developed in Korea, Koreans have sometimes tried to sell their uniqueness by singing in a specific way and using specific words in order to make the performer and the culture he/she represents come across as cute and/or sensual, as emotional and spiritual – rather than rational – and exotic. It is a way of appealing to those who like to generalize one’s culture, and often in ways that are not particularly positive, but emphasize (unrealistically) unique “qualities”: the image created has little to do with the culture of the performer at all, and may connote that of a vaguely related culture instead. Self-orientalism is usually a way of selling oneself or one’s products to those who would otherwise O/orientalise (the smaller “o” having been introduced by Jennifer Robertson in her wonderful study Takarazuka: Sexual Politics and Popular Culture in Modern Japan (1998) as a form of Orientalism practiced by Japan – often considered a 1st-world nation – towards other Asian cultures) and it has particularly suited acts that catered to majorities of non-Koreans, such as the Kim Sisters. Interesting is that although they may have represented a form of positivist occidentalism to Koreans, they probably catered to the romantic Orientalism of their non-Korean audiences. Fortunately, there are not many such songs Master Lee can think of, though the Kim Sisters’ single ‘Ching Chang’ (Epic 5-9312, composed by E. Shuman and M. Garson) is a great example. What were they thinking…?

Other songs by the Kim Sisters that ought to feature on one such list are ‘China Nights/Shina no yoru‘ (Eisenburg, Leeds Music ASCAP) and ‘Chinese Lullaby’ (Helen Sapolin, Combine Music BMI). These two songs were included on the Kim Sisters’ album The Kim Sisters: Their First Album (Monument MLP 8022). Master Lee would like to hear your comments and would really appreciate your suggestions! Please? (NB: Master Lee rarely says “please”…)