Epaksa
Epaksa 이박사 (李博士) | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Lee Yong-Seok |
| Also known as | Monkey Magic |
| Born | October 5, 1954 |
| Origin | Gyeonggi-do, South Korea |
| Genres | Techno-trot (fusion genre) |
| Occupation(s) | Singer |
| Years active | 1969–present |
| Korean name | |
| Hangul | 이박사 |
|---|---|
| Hanja | 李博士 |
| Revised Romanization | I Bak-sa |
| McCune–Reischauer | Yi Pak-sa |
Epaksa (Korean: 이박사, 李博士) is a South Korean Techno-trot singer. Born October 5, 1954 in Gyeonggi-do, his birth name is Lee Yong-Seok (Korean: 이용석). "Techno-trot" (Korean: 테크노 뽕짝) is a fusion genre of music which was popular in 1990s and early 2000s, and was well known as speedy tempo.[1][2][3]
History
While growing up, his parents taught him pansori, which he has contemporized by incorporating modern, often Western, pop hooks. His reputation started to build based on his unique way of entertaining. While singing, he would imitate the sound of all of the instruments used in the prelude and interlude, and even the sound of the whistle used to gather the tourists.
After almost 20 years of performing on a tour bus, in 1989, the owner of a renowned nightclub who was also a producer offered him a deal with total creative control. His first album, Sinbaram Epaksa Vol. 1, (the Elation of Epaksa) was an instant hit. Over 1,000,000 cassettes were sold and Epaksa became a hot new sensation for the Korean middle class. His fame earned him a spot on a popular program at the time, Ingan Shidae (인간 시대) on MBC. Following various guest spots on talk shows, he served for one whole year as co-host on an MBC daytime program, Nae Gohyang Sohshic (내 고향 소식) (“News from my hometown”). Fueled by the heat of his first album’s success, he released 19 more cassettes in the same year selling millions of copies. To this date he has released 25 albums.
In the Spring of 1996 Encyclopedia of Pon-Chak Party 1 & 2 was released. Here his music style changed, singing words and lyrics as opposed to just sounds and vocalizations. Released later that same year was 2002 E-Pak-Sa’s Space Odyssey and 5 cm Higher and Rising!. Sales were initially slow, but steady.
Discography
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- Sinbaram Epaksa Vol. 1 (1989)
- Encyclopedia of Pon-Chak Party 1 & 2 (1996)
- 2002 E-Pak-Sa's Space Odyssey (1996)
- 5 cm Higher and Rising! (1996)
- Space Fantasy 2000 (1999)
- Pon-Chak Revolution (2001)
- Pak Sa Revolution (2001)
- Pak Sa Emotion (2001)
- Winter Techno-Pon (2001)
Trivia
- His nickname, Dr. E, came from his broad knowledge of various styles of songs.
- His music is featured in the rhythm video game series Pump It Up.
- The song "Young Man" off his album Encyclopedia of Pon-Chak is a cover of the song YMCA by The Village People
References
External links
- Magazine article on Epaksa in English
- Fan site in Japanese