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| Classroom and Seo Taiji (AI generated) |
1. A Singer Who Appeared on the 9 PM News
When Seo Taiji released "Classroom Idea," a rock-metal track screaming "College isn't everything in life!", parents were horrified, but students felt liberated. He became the voice of a suppressed generation.
Then came the legendary track, "Come Back Home."
In the mid-90s, runaway teenagers were a serious social issue. Seo Taiji released this G-Funk style hip-hop track telling kids, "You must come back home." The result? Actual runaway teens started returning to their families. The news reported on this phenomenon daily.
📺 👉 Watch 'Come Back Home' Performance on YouTube 📺
2. The Fashion Icon
He didn't just change music; he changed how Korea looked.
- Tags on Hats: He wore hats with the price tags still attached. Suddenly, every kid in Seoul was doing it.
- Snowboard Look: He wore snowboard gear as daily street fashion. It became a nationwide craze.
3. Fighting the Law: The End of Censorship
But his greatest legacy isn't fashion. It's Freedom of Speech.
Back then, the Korean government censored lyrics before a song could be released. If they didn't like it, you had to change it. When the government demanded Seo Taiji change the lyrics of his song "Regret of the Times," he did something radical.
He deleted the lyrics entirely and released it as an instrumental track in protest.
This silent anger sparked a massive movement. Fans petitioned, critics argued, and eventually, the Pre-censorship Law was abolished in 1996. The freedom that BTS and Blackpink enjoy today? Seo Taiji fought for it.
FAQ
Q: What is the "Snowboard Look"?
Wearing oversized snowboard jackets and pants as casual streetwear. Seo Taiji popularized this in the "Come Back Home" era.
