Han Kyung-rok, the bassist of the band Crying Nut, shared his thoughts on the state of emergency and the impeachment crisis.
On the 10th, Han Kyung-rok posted on social media, "On the night of December 3rd, a Tuesday, I received a text from a friend saying, 'The president is declaring a state of emergency?' I thought to myself, 'What nonsense is this for 2024?'" reflecting on the shock of that moment.
He continued, "I live at the northern end of the Seogang Bridge, so I can see the National Assembly building small across the river. When I really saw the news that a state of emergency had been declared, just a few minutes later, I heard the sound of helicopters shattering the peaceful December night sky." He conveyed the atmosphere of that day, saying, "I didn't want to believe it, but helicopters were indeed flying over Yeouido. And on the news, armed soldiers were blocking citizens in front of the National Assembly. I was worried about my family, friends, and colleagues. It was a chaotic night."
He added, "Since then, for a week, no matter what I did, there was a nagging feeling in my heart. Like the lyrics of a song, it really felt like 'my smile is not a smile.' Now, I have picked up my pen to regain my laughter and freedom."
Han Kyung-rok reminisced, "When I was young, whenever I felt the world was going crazy, I would charge in without thinking and sing, 'Let's all die!' But as I grew older and my perspective widened a bit, I realized that the world is not that simple and that there are many stories to tell."
He continued, "But today, I want to say this: 'Let's not pretend we don't know! Life will eventually turn to dust anyway. Let's resist injustice!' Like Kim Soo-young's poem, 'Let's cough. Young poet, let's cough. While looking into each other's eyes, let's spit out the phlegm that has been stuck in our hearts all night long.'"
At the end of his message, Han Kyung-rok added, "This is not a politically divisive message. Let's reclaim the laughter and freedom that were taken from us that night! Let's all sing and dance. We are alive."
The band Crying Nut is a first-generation indie band in South Korea, known for numerous hit songs such as 'Let's Run a Horse,' 'The Night is Deep,' and 'Isn't It Good.'
