As some may know, “Bi” or “Rain” — the popular Korean singer — has had to postpone his American tour because another band — whose name is “Rain” — has taken him to court for trademark infringement. Well, fortunately “Rain” (the singer) does not use a logo that looks like like a Starbucks logo but the very odd thing is that the American band “Rain” is a “tribute” band that plays nothing but Beatles ™ songs.
WTF?
During the course of events, some netizens were angry, in fact so angry that they searched the web and found another band named “Rain” in Kansas and hosed their guestbook with mean, nasty thoughts:
You guys are pathetic. If you want to become ‘big time musicians’ why don’t you worry about yourselves, instead of suing an already successful Korean star. Is this some ditch effort to become known? Sure your getting attention now, but it’s not the kind that’ll make you famous. Keep hurting your reputation with this lawsuit, see if any of us care.
Saturday, June 09, 2007 - Russia
to which these gentlemen in Kansas replied:
We are not sueing anyone. We are a different band named Rain. Please leave us alone. We just play in our area of the USA and we know there are other bands named Rain. That’s fine with us.
So, to summerize, an American “cover” band that only plays the music of another famous band is suing against a Korean singer who just happens to have the same stage name as they use for their group and, in reaction to such crassness, the singer’s fans go online to lavish insults and complaints upon yet another band that has the same name as the singer and the cover band that they have mistaken for the pseudo-Beatles band.
Now, even as I write, the monsoon is coming and I know I will never name a child of mine “Rain” due to some nameless fear that may never have a trademark.
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64 Comments
The Beatles tribute band used to perform in L.A. all the time — they’ve been around since before “Pee” was even born (and yet I somehow managed to miss all their concerts).
Those comments by the rabid fans are too funny.
Michael, what really got me laughing was after every other mean comment or so, a band member would reply to the rant, in small purple letters, “That’s not us. We are a different band.”
If the rain comes they run and hide their heads.
They might as well be dead.
If the rain comes, if the rain comes.
When the sun shines they slip into the shade
(When the sun shines down.)
And sip their lemonade.
(When the sun shines down.)
When the sun shines, when the sun shines.
Rain, I don’t mind.
Shine, the weather’s fine.
I can show you that when it starts to rain,
(When the Rain comes down.)
Everything’s the same.
(When the Rain comes down.)
I can show you, I can show you.
Rain, I don’t mind.
Shine, the weather’s fine.
Can you hear me, that when it rains and shines,
(When it Rains and shines.)
It’s just a state of mind?
(When it rains and shines.)
Can you hear me, can you hear me?
If the rain comes they run and hide their heads.
sdaeh rieht edih dna nur yeht semoc niar eht fI.
(Rain)
naiR.
(Rain)
enihsnuS.
Those guys must feel a little “Spinal Tap” about now. “It’s such a fine line between stupid, and clever.”
I think the Kansas band Rain handled the haters with class and dignity — traits of which the “Bi Nation” seems not to comprehend the benefit. By the way, Rain is from freakin’ Korea. KOREA! Did ya know that? Huh? Huh? How dare you fuckin’ Kansas shitkickers look down on mighty Korea.
Dust in the wind, all we are is dust in the wind.
Wow,
Rain’sBi’s paying all this money to his shrewd manager to develop the Rain brand across the world whilst the manager has plenty of time to address Harvard about the over-hyped Korean wave but has no time to google the brand name? Hmmm…I can think of a better name for him.Sure this ain’t an episode of Punk’d?
And why isn’t it Cansas?
The love and kindness of Korean netizens is ubiquitous.
Dear Jesus,
Please let the fans of Se7en bring the fury and thunder of their internet wrath down upon David Fincher for his sin of making a film of the same name in 1995. And also on Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman, Kevin Spacey, and Gwyneth Paltrow for daring to contribute their big-nose talents to such a blasphemous production which hath dealt a permanent and severe injury to the pride of Se7en fans everywhere.
Amen.
A little more respect for the World’s Most Influential Person, please.
Pee who?
Brendon at al,
schadenfreudistic wishing that Korean netizens are perfectly representative of Korea does not make it so.
In other words, don’t confuse the actions of few people with poor judgement and little taste with Korean general sentiment.
People keep saying “few”, yet they seem multitudinous. There are certainly enough to stage DOS attacks, skew meaningless online polls, and spread venom on several continents.
And I notice the trend of Korean newspapers to print verbatim the comments of anonymous “netizens” in serious news articles. Now, if they have little taste for “Korean general sentiment”, why would newspapers continue to quote them?
Maybe you should tell us stupid noobs the way it really is then.
Are the majority of Bi fans posting in English at this Kansas site “Koreans”? I’d think they’d be a mixture of a wide variety of mostly American people- kyopo, Chinese, black and white.
Judging by the guestbook, some of these fans are posting from Russia and Europe.
But I especially like this comment (apparently from Korea):
which I’m guessing came from a class-act over here.
Riiiiiiiiiiiiiight….because this is obviously an issue most (non-hyphenated) Americans are aware of and hold dear to their hearts.
[snort]
“People keep saying “few”, yet they seem multitudinous. There are certainly enough to stage DOS attacks, skew meaningless online polls, and spread venom on several continents.”
Thanks to the wonderful (and sometimes terrifying) technological advancement, “enough to stage DOS attacks…” can be any number.
“And I notice the trend of Korean newspapers to print verbatim the comments of anonymous “netizens” in serious news articles. Now, if they have little taste for “Korean general sentiment”, why would newspapers continue to quote them?”
Despite the netizens being more… ‘aggressive’ (gross euphemism, I know) than the societal norm (mostly due to their anonymity), it is still a sampling of the population (albeit a rather poor one), so newspapers use them. Of course, everyone can agree at least that Korean journalism still has a long way to go.
In fact, these comments can’t even be seen as the works of the netizens, but the works of rabid Rain fans considering the circumstances. And we all know how people can be when they are infatuated with celebrities.
abcdefg is partially right, I think. I don’t think Rain is famous enough to be the issue for the Americans (come on…), but for Korean Americans, he could have been a relevant issue. Considering the context of many of these comments on the guestbook (”I bought the ticket for… you suck!”), they’re most likely be Korean American fans who eagerly waited for the concert tour to start.
So all those articles I’ve read in the Korean media about what a worldwide “Internet Powerhouse” the country has become were lies? Those statistics about the world-best broadband penetration, the 90% of young Koreans having mini-hompies, and the “participatory netizen revolution” of OhMyNews were just bullshit bluster?
Having cake, eating it, you know the rest.
“Bi fans…mostly American people…black…” Come on, stop it!
Korean-Americans? Theodore Roosevelt advocated against hyphenated Americanism. Of course, he was talking about Italians, Germans, and Irish etc, but all have since gone on to become regular Americans.
No doubt these Rain fans are almost entirely ethnic Koreans, and in addition to their monomania about their homeland (Korea), no doubt pay a “mischievous part in the life of our body politic” as evidenced by lobbying for the US to demand apologies for comfort women, ect. What is the chance of these “Korean Americans” becoming “Americans”?
“So all those articles I’ve read in the Korean media about what a worldwide “Internet Powerhouse” the country has become were lies? Those statistics about the world-best broadband penetration, the 90% of young Koreans having mini-hompies, and the “participatory netizen revolution” of OhMyNews were just bullshit bluster?”
I have to point out several holes here… (because they seem to be constant)
Claim 1: Korean newspapers are unreliable, irresponsible, illogical, etc., etc.
Claim 2: Korean newspaper said this… so it must be true, and Koreans should take responsibility to the truth.
Either claim 1 is true, or claim 2 is true. One cannot claim both as they contradict each other. Borrowing your words, “Having cake, eating it, you know the rest”.
http://www.nationmaster.com/gr.....per-capita
So it’s true.
In addition, comparing internet persona to the actual one itself is problematic. Because of the inherent anonymity that exists with netizens in Korea, their statements becomes bolder, more aggressive, and hardly civilized. But that shouldn’t be the judge of character for the person (let alone the entire population).
@ Shakuhachi
If I understand correctly, many of the ethnic groups that has integrated into United States had their moment of racial/cultural separation (Irish, Italian, German, Polish, Eastern Europe.. and in modern day, African-Americans (to an extent), Arabic, Chinese, and, of course, Korean). Considering the Korean migration started in the late 40’s and really started in (what, 70’s or 90’s?), charging the Koreans of refusing to integrate to American society seems a bit premature.
Also, isn’t the Comfort Women the first national lobbying activity Koreans have initiated (and therefore a hopeful sign towards integration)?
It’s perhaps not as anonymous as you think.
Naver, most newspaper sites, etc. require registration using one’s real name and citizenship ID number.
If their “heart allegiance” is to their ancestral homeland then there’s no chance.
A few years ago I watched a 4th of July parade; plenty of hyphenated groups, comprised of only themselves, marching down the avenue waving their ancestral lands’ flags.
Shak, questioning a Korean American’s loyalty purely on the basis his or her liking Bi is a stretch. I would seriously question that person’s judgement and fundamental sense of taste, though. He or she should be listening to Tae Jin-a or Hyeon Cheol.
@ Dogbertt
Nevertheless, aside from few high-profile legal action by couple of celebrities, netizens are protected by their anonymity (Naver and newspapers can’t, for example, reveal personal information of the commenters)
@ Sewing
X-D awesome! I’m more into bands like YB Band and Panic though..
you guys are idiots but i’ll break it down anyway.
recall the assumption that these messages were written by “korean netizens.” this is false. locations like “CA”, “Philadelphia”, “Montreal”, “Florida”, “Russia”, and “Singapore”, written by people with names like “Aliya”, “Naomi” and “Pham”, in fluent English no less, should indicate otherwise.
secondly, american kids do attend kpop concerts in America every year and some of these people were looking forward to Bi’s. these people are not “almost entirely ethnic korean”. in fact a large portion of them are chinese, vietnamese, fillipino, and even black and white — judging by random kpop message boards i’ve visited. no, dogbert, the size of this fanbase isn’t supposed to represent “most americans”. please, you can’t be that stupid.
I do not *care* if a Americans of Korean descent is loyal to America, since neither am I. All I am saying is that many Americans of Korean descent (most?) seem rather Korea focused, as Teddy Roosevelt warned against. I am an outsider just telling it as I see it, not an insider demanding loyalty or denouncing disloyalty.
Is there any kyopo male who doesn’t have a superiority complex?
Is there any kyopo male who doesn’t have a superiority complex?
You’ve made several prejudiced comments and the above innuendo is just one example. As such, it’s easy to discard your comments as intentionally one-sided full of half-truths.
Surely, you’re not this one-sided and illogical in person. Hence, your online personality is a hyper-inflated version of your real personality.
Likewise, isn’t it possible other people’s online personalities, whether they be kyopos/gyopos, 비(Rain) fans, Korean netizens, or otherwise are as equally hyper-inflated ?
If so, how can one then claim Korean netizens are representative of Koreans in general ?
It’s true, all my non-Korean Asian friends knew about the Rain concert and some of them attended (in Sydney). This is more of an issue of select immature teeny bopper Rain fans (comprised of many nationalities) with too much time on their hands. Not an issue of the nation of Korea retaliating - which is a common misconception on this blog (or members thereof)- blaming Korea as a nation for the misdoings of some crazy persons or netizens. I admit some Koreans are crazy and unreasonable and at times damn annoying, oh hang on it’s not just Koreans who have that affect on me. oops. Did I mention Korea sucks?
Hmm…I am the one insulted and you jump on me for a “prejudiced comment”.
I daresay it’s quite simple to discard _your_ comments. Although I regrettably lapsed and failed to do so this time.
Well what are you saying? Are you saying that Koreans using the net are mostly ill-willed people? “Netizens” are just Korean folk that use the internet. Masses of postings is a good an indicator of public sentiment as anything else.
“We are not sueing anyone. We are a different band named Rain. Please leave us alone”
LOL
No, but you really don’t have to. Anyway, Korea sucks less and less with each passing day. Those of us who remember the honey truck, oilpaper floors, and kill-ya-in-your-sleep ondol heating can attest to that.
For more fun, visit http://rainvrain.blogspot.com
Once they found out it was a mistake, the above blog was started and all of the nasty comments made on the wrong band’s blog were copied over for reference.
The author of the blog’s latest post suggests the Beatles, or Apple Corp., should sue Rain The Beatles Experience for having “The Beatles” in their name.
Good times.
That guestbook for Rain (Kansas) is hella funny.
“The Beatles tribute band used to perform in L.A. all the time — they’ve been around since before “Pee” was even born (and yet I somehow managed to miss all their concerts).”
This weeks on the Korean pop music charts:
1. 비 “Singing in the Rain”
2. 푸 “Constipation Blues”
3. 비 (featuring 푸) “What a feeling.”
#35 - Honey truck?
On the South Korea-USA Issue Importance Scale; The tragic Highway 56 accident at 10.0, The FTA at 6.5, Apollo Ohno at 6.8, and the The Fat White Guy Outside The US Embassy In 2001 Screaming “Fuck You Korea” at 0.5….I’m going to have to give this a 0.10
Maybe I’m off a bit, but sorry, that’s how I see it. I mean that fat guy was screaming!
Thanks for the mis-information. The blog was started in response to Bi getting sued, apparently, days ago. I see no mention of the Kansas band at that site or any of the comments from the guestbook moved over.
I see no mention of the Kansas band at that site or any of the comments from the guestbook moved over.
Well, if abcdefg didn’t see it, then it must not exist.
(not that I really give a shit about the whole brouhaha)
I believe the blog was started because the forum of Rain: the Beatles Experience requires registration. From the forum of their website:
Imagine if the band in Kansas said “Fuck You Korea!
“I see no mention of the Kansas band at that site or any of the comments from the guestbook moved over.”
Apparently you didn’t scroll down very far. Comment #8 at the Rainvsrain website is identical to the Kansas Rain blog comment quoted in post:
The comments that follow are a mixture of original comments and more cross-posted comments from the Kansas Rain blog.
Stratman’s comment is not misinformation. Yours is, abcdefg.
But there were comments that were moved over from the Kansas Rain blog. Wait…I know abcdefg is big on semantics, so let me rephrase that. There were comments on the RainVRain blog that were identical to comments on the Kansas Rain blog. One example: something referring to a bunch of middle-aged men playing ’80s covers. (Correct me if I’m wrong abcdefg, but I’m pretty sure the Beatles broke up before the ’80s.)
Oops. Sonagi beat me to it.
dogbert is going to love this page now.
abcdefg, I was wondering: Why the nick? Couldn’t spell ‘qwerty’?
I have to point out several holes here… (because they seem to be constant)
Claim 1: Korean newspapers are unreliable, irresponsible, illogical, etc., etc.
Claim 2: Korean newspaper said this… so it must be true, and Koreans should take responsibility to the truth.
Either claim 1 is true, or claim 2 is true. One cannot claim both as they contradict each other. Borrowing your words, “Having cake, eating it, you know the rest”.
Translation: those are some mighty huge blinders you have on there, Mr Expat. Mind if I knock it off your face?
Good job, bum.
Common sense tells me that gossip news about 비 should mostly be the exclusive domain of the teenage female groupie set with too many dangly thingies on their cell phones.
But…
Evidence clearly shows that Korea’s male version of Britney Spears invokes equal and opposite passions from grown, married white male expats going through mid-life crises.
What the heck is going on?
Knowing these, You are entitled to say “Korea is sucks”
“Is there any kyopo male who doesn’t have a superiority complex?”
Hello. My friends also wanted me to say hi. Now if you could stop generalizing “my kind”, that would be just super.
“Well what are you saying? Are you saying that Koreans using the net are mostly ill-willed people? “Netizens” are just Korean folk that use the internet. Masses of postings is a good an indicator of public sentiment as anything else.”
Not necessarily ill-willed, but unrestrained by anonymity discussed earlier. If one’s internet persona can’t be the judge of one’s character, how can it be the judge of an entire population?
And once again, Rain’s fan-base closely resembles that of N’Sync back in the 90’s, so it would be even more inaccurate to portrait this incident as a Korean society’s response.
So here’s the deal…
We have at least 3 bands who share the name “Rain”. How many more Rain’s are out there? Is are pseudo-Beatles now going sue all of them too?
This is about as absurd as Donald Trump’s trademark claim on “You’re Fired!”
Korea sucks less and less with each passing day. Those of us who remember the honey truck, oilpaper floors, and kill-ya-in-your-sleep ondol heating can attest to that.
Honey truck?
I believe a “honey truck” describes vehicles that used to suck out the latrines in the days before universal sewerage or flush toilets. Dunno about Korea, but rural Japan still had some in the early 1980s and you always knew when they were coming.
“Honey truck?”
They’re blue with a big tank on the back. And, as slim mentioned, you know when they’re coming. You won’t see them in newer neighborhoods, but go to a factory zone on Incheon or Bucheon…
“Evidence clearly shows that Korea’s male version of Britney Spears invokes equal and opposite passions from grown, married white male expats going through mid-life crises.”
My friends and I were just as brutal - if not more - in our assessment of New Kids on the Block and N’Sync years ago. Actually, most married white males I know here have A) never heard of 비 OR B) couldn’t give a fiddler’s fart about him. As for people back home, nobody knows or cares.
“Hello. My friends also wanted me to say hi. Now if you could stop generalizing “my kind”, that would be just super.”
Nice way of using humor to put a point across. Hats of to you.
The sarcasm in the answer though tends to undermine the point he wanted to make.
As “Netizen Kim” writes, this is the crazy idea that struck me originally about all of this fuss. The whole story is not about crazy Korean fans but about just how crazy this whole affair has become and the humour of an absurd situation where some poor guys in Kansas have to defend themselves against some fans who think that the Kansas band are the cover-band that makes a money, playing the music of a genuine, creative group.
It is such a theatre of the absurd!
#59
Indeed, though the sweeping generalizations included in your statements undermines your credibility in my eyes.
I thought it was known as the honey “wagon”. And they are still quite common, even in fancy neighborhoods, whether old or new, where there still are individual building septic tanks to be sucked out because the topography does not lend itself to the installation of modern sanitary sewers. Our house gets serviced every quarter.
Speaking of modern sanitary sewers, are there ANY in Seoul. Even in the best neighborhoods the streets on these early summer evenings still are perfumed with the same rank odor drifting up from the sewer grates that my uncles said they smelled on their troop transport five miles out from Incheon in ‘51.
The only thing remotely as bad are the heaps of rotting food garbage strewn over the collection points in the streets of Insa-dong, particularly in front of Unhyon Palace, or farther up the same street in Gahoe-dong.
bumfromkorea — I’d get used to those sweeping generalizations. They tend to get thrown around a lot down here from certain quarters. I’ve found Pepto Bismol and a sense of humor helps.
It does get messy when it rains.