Hey, silent reader till now. hehe. Loving your insights.
Totally agree with you that there aren't many entertainers out there that are willing or even have the talent to go beyond the "norm" and make music like Epik High's; theirs makes you question, think, and ultimately inspire.
It's just unfortunate that although some would say they are quite popular (and not that I'm arguing because I do believe they are), given their talent and unique composition of sounds, they're still quite underrated.

I have not listened to much of Epik High's songs, but while watching Tablo in Nonstop 5, I just couldn't help but love the guy. Most rappers have this macho, ultra-masculine image that solidifies the type of music they put out, but Tablo is able to be geeky and still put out that image of a rapper. At the same time, his character on Nonstop 5 is convincing and funny. reminds me of a cute little mouse, in a very good way.

Epik High is awesome! They have great musicality and they write their own songs and they're not about being all cutesy and gangsta at the same time. *cough*bigbang*cough ~hehe.
I saw their story on cable and I didnt knew they were underground at first and when they went mainstream they were called sell-outs :(
but U gotta give them credit, they're really awesome!

"It’s not every day you get musical artists making music that’s fun and popular; that the artists write themselves; that actually talks about thought-provoking issues other than love and honeys, and tragic ends to love and honeys; that references James freakin’ Joyce; whose wordplays work in more than one language; and that is smart AND listenable."

You know rap started off as a mode of unique expression that really dealt with the issues and with the flow of the lyrics the rapper would talk about key societal problems (apart from some solely for entertainment value)...like Tupac or Left Eye and other names I can't remember right now....but all I hear nowadays is the same repetitive crap about sex and drugs and getting down and what not. Its frustrating and sad that every rapper who has any talent raps literally rubbish 95% of the time, few exceptions here and there by Kanye. Discovering Epik High...I think they were one of the first K-musicians I started listening to...was freakin' amazing. That the rappers of Epik High are one of the most creative, intelligent, thought-provoking, justifiably controversial and also entertaining artists out there wouldn't begin to cover it. Tablo's english lyrics blow me away sometimes...I find myself smiling in irony because he's so right and powerful in his words (and as a literature buff i find his references truly awesome...i mean, you hear rappers call themselves pimps and trash...and you immediately know its the richest quality when you're listening to the "rap's James Joyce"!). And after several translations I have equal admiration for Mithra too, and their collaboration...DJ Tukutz gives their music the best rhythms and beats (not to mention the freakin' awesome collaborations with groups like Nell)...which makes for an intelligent music lover's golden experience. And the range of themes...from the real rawness of heartbreak to the underage sex business to war to politics and also some light entertaining songs...sometimes I really wish Tablo would write for some English rappers and create some stir because thats what I'd really like people to listen to, y'know?
And I really like Tablo too...I know he's a smart kid from a wealthy family and all, but he has a pretty inspiring story too, and its neat that he took the risk and went into music. Also his darker songs are very honest and provocative about depression, emotional issues and there are not many male rappers who're courageous enough to do that.
Anyway, that was my fan girl rave about Epik High, sorry for the excessive writing, I just really really love Epik High :)!! I wish the press would talk more about the story too or give an excerpt or something. Thanks for the news...and also for the translation...Scapegoat is a big favorite.

Okay double post...anonymous above was me :)

I agree! Epik High is definitely one of my favorite korean groups - they're are amazingly talented and I loved how you mentioned James Joyce - I LOVE that line in 'follow the flow'! I don't really totally understand the Korean lyrics but just the english ones carry so much meaning...I love Tablo haha.

ok i thought only few people really liked epik high and tablo, but ah big mistake.
i like Tablo. Epik High is really cool. I like Dj Tukutz a lot also. Im impressed that Tablo is fluent in two languages also that a celeb has a degree in a major that's not just lib arts or something from a reputable university and acutally finished school. plus he can act i think in NN5. he has made something more than just being a good family and all, he didnt just use that as his catalyst. he is a good writer judging fromt he lyrics u posted. i dont think its anti god also, i think at some point people come to think of more than them but mankind and humanity.
moving on, i really think epik high's got talent. they are really good with words, their rhymes. they are not the typical rappers (all the sex, money, girls lyrics too, aside from the cutesy cutesy ones). i wish they'd do a Screening Humanity on them too. like they did with SG wannabe. that would be awesome.

Hello~

I have dicovered your website couple days ago and Im very impressed!!
I really enjoy reading your posts. They acctcualy have some message and are funny at the same time! Well Done!!
Thanks for giving us- kdramas addicts - some good stuff ~!
And by the way ... Im learning Korean language and your lyrics help me a lot. So thank you again.
Take Care!!

i love tablo so much

he is truly amazing. hes smart, nice, great looking, bilingual, and an amzing writer.

i love his songs that he writes, i love this song "scapegoat" that u posted, ide never heard it before but now i love it.

his songs really do inspire people...thanks for translating the song,
sometimes i think ide be lost without you...lol

My guess is that Tablo must have attended one of Prof. Wolff's creative writing courses or workshops. The praise could have been in an academic context while he was a student there. I agree that the Korean press failed to notice its significance. Kudos to musicians (cerebral or not) who utilize their art as platforms to incite social awareness and affect positive changes. It's unfortunate and sad that these artists often belong in the minority population.
Side note: This Boy's Life's screen adaptation is perhaps more underappreciated than it deserved to be (even if it starred many of today's most celebrated actors). Its author is just simply one splendid human being.

I'm completely fascinated by Tablo. I love the fact that he has a degree in English Literature. Honestly, this is probably the main reason behind my fascination. I am not Korean, half of my understanding of Korean is from watching Kdramas or obnoxiously bugging my Korean pals for translations and I am completely captivated by Epik High's music. It's additive intelligent hip pop (for me Epik High is neither Hip Hop or Pop but a smart combination of both) that surpasses any language barrier. Before I start to sound like a total fangirl, crap too late as I fully am, my point is...
I, too, wish they'd publish Tablo's story as well. I'm thoroughly intrigued and now will spend hours searching the vast corners of the internet for it...

was the title of what he wrote andante??
the cover(pics):

http://tvzonedoc5.media.daum.net/pcp_download.php?fhandle=NXE2dnNAdHZ6b25lZG9jNS5tZWRpYS5kYXVtLm5ldDovQTAwMDAwOS80LzQzNi5qcGc=&filename=%5BMBC-2007-1007-1735-고화질%5D
http://tvzonedoc5.media.daum.net/pcp_download.php?fhandle=NXE2dnNAdHZ6b25lZG9jNS5tZWRpYS5kYXVtLm5ldDovQTAwMDAwOS80LzQzNy5qcGc=&filename=%5BMBC-2007-1007-1735-고화질%5D
http://tvzonedoc5.media.daum.net/pcp_download.php?fhandle=NXE2dnNAdHZ6b25lZG9jNS5tZWRpYS5kYXVtLm5ldDovQTAwMDAwOS80LzQzOC5qcGc=&filename=%5BMBC-2007-1007-1735-고화질%5D
http://tvzonedoc5.media.daum.net/pcp_download.php?fhandle=NXE2dnNAdHZ6b25lZG9jNS5tZWRpYS5kYXVtLm5ldDovQTAwMDAwOS80LzQzOS5qcGc=&filename=%5BMBC-2007-1007-1735-고화질%5D

tobias wolff's comment?:
http://tvzonedoc5.media.daum.net/pcp_download.php?fhandle=NXE2dnNAdHZ6b25lZG9jNS5tZWRpYS5kYXVtLm5ldDovQTAwMDAwOS80LzQ0NC5qcGc=&filename=%5BMBC-2007-1007-1735-고화질%5D

its for an MBC show, i forgot the title i think it was LineUp or something
yah i think that was the program

the title was andante
http://tvzonedoc5.media.daum.net/pcp_download.php?fhandle=NXE2dnNAdHZ6b25lZG9jNS5tZWRpYS5kYXVtLm5ldDovQTAwMDAwOS80LzQzNi5qcGc=&filename=%5BMBC-2007-1007-1735-고화질%5D
http://tvzonedoc5.media.daum.net/pcp_download.php?fhandle=NXE2dnNAdHZ6b25lZG9jNS5tZWRpYS5kYXVtLm5ldDovQTAwMDAwOS80LzQzNy5qcGc=&filename=%5BMBC-2007-1007-1735-고화질

tobais wolff's witten comment?

http://tvzonedoc5.media.daum.net/pcp_download.php?fhandle=NXE2dnNAdHZ6b25lZG9jNS5tZWRpYS5kYXVtLm5ldDovQTAwMDAwOS80LzQ0NC5qcGc=&filename=%5BMBC-2007-1007-1735-고화질%5D

Dramabeans, dya mind sharing the 희생양's 가사 as well. hangul ones.
much thnx! loving scapegoat now, thanks to u!

i knew there was something meaningful in what they sang, even though it was korean when i listen to their songs. I find that something many artists are pulling away from the meaningful lyrics of human life, but going towards what ever sells sells...

Supreme T & Street T I LUV U 4 EVER!!!!!!!

thank you for the Air City OST - “Learning to Fly, i love it, was looking for it everywhere

hi, i know it's kinda late to post a comment here, just out of curiousity though...was it a joke when u said Tobias effing Wolff is his fullname?? if it is a joke, then ok, i'm too serious hhahahaha....but if it's not, i thought his name is Tobias Jonathan Ansell Wolff, non?
anyway, love reading your posts, and do you, by any chance know where to get kmovies scripts?
thanks a gaz!!! keep up d good work ^ ^
아자!아자!화이팅!!!!

(late reply)

"...cloudin’ the vision like nuclear mushrooms
to see who gets to put which book in our hotel rooms
Is it the military or the oedipus complex
which kills the holy father for industrial contracts?"

Jesus, that's really deep. From hotel room bibles to Oedipus complex, Tablo's a friggin genius! I have never heard this song before, and I'm glad I did - thanks so much for posting it up :)

So how do you feel now that Tablo is going to publish ten short stories of one which garnered an award from Wolfe?

It's going to be in Korean but I hope he publishes the original English one too.

I seriously agree xDDD

They put a lot of thought into their songs and they have a lot of meaning, more so than other typical songs.

I loved Scapegoat and FAQ xDD FAQ, mainly because it's one of the few songs that talk about their own anti-fans XDDD And Scapegoat, well, it caught my attention cause I kept hearing religion-related words and I'm religious and when I heard it I was like woah *blink blink* XDDD

And Tablo is just GENIUS. XDDD

love tablo!
hes so talented..
and im...just me...
ANYWAYS i wish i can get my hands on the english version of his book!!

I am also totally loving Epik High, specifically Tablo at the moment. But I can't help it! He's a lyrical genius, is he not? I love how their music is real and that they have their own UNIQUE style. They're amazing artists and they have managed to attract people who don't even like hip-hop, that's talent.
Mithra Jin's an awesome rapper too, let's not forget him.
And Tukutz, on top of being an AMAZING DJ, sings too!
They're amazing.

Can't wait to read that book, if I ever do get it. =D