Rapper Psy and adults-only songs

“The grass is greener and girls are prettier on the other side/Whatever I do is somewhat awkward/I can neither die nor live like this /Over the 63 Building and above/I’m gonna run! Right now!/Not funny, not funny at all/I’m making a big fuss around alone/My entire life or my life/I don’t feel small. I don’t give in. It’s cool.” These are lyrics from rapper Psy’s song “Right Now,” the title of his fifth album released in 2010.

Rising to global stardom with his hit “Gangnam Style,” Psy was never a model student. He sang many songs for adults that cannot be heard on the Internet without age verification. Even I cannot write down most of them. Psy writes most of his songs, and did all of his adult-only tunes by himself. The controversial part in “Right Now” –- “Not funny, not funny at all/I’m making a big fuss around alone” –- is the mildest among his other adult songs. His lyrics are rough and frank.

The Gender Equality and Family Ministry is retracting its decision to ban “Right Now,” saying, “We will take some 300 songs out of the adult-only song list if they simply include words such as alcohol or cigarettes or use few slang words.” Such tunes include three of Psy’s songs including "Right Now." Removal from the adults-only list requires a claim filed by related parties such as the producers and distributors of the album, music file, and music video in question. Though “Right Now” has no claim filed, the ministry is considering removing the song from the list on its own.

In Korea, many youths use foul language, often uttering four-letter words in conversations. So do young and pretty middle and high school girls. Is my child an exception? "Hell no," as Psy said. If the ministry bans “Right Now” for being an adult song, youths will laugh at the decision. Of course, it is hard to deny the need to purify language among youths. Instead of just accepting what it is, it is necessary to set a standard of saying, “No is no.” The ministry should come up with objective rather than subjective standards.

Editorial Writer Heo Seung-ho (tigera@donga.com)