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www.groovekorea.com / March 2014 42 MuSIC & ARTS Edited by Elaine Ramirez (elaine@groovekorea.com) It wasn’t too long ago when xenophobia, particularly against Americans, was rampant. But Korea is slowly but surely growing, developing and becoming better for non-Ko- reans, says Pinnacle. And that’s one reason he keeps com- ing back. He sees it at every show — people from near and far, with different tastes, experiences and cultures, coming together to enjoy the same music. Koreans and foreigners alike have shown him the kind of support he couldn’t expect in the U.S. or other big markets. “Throughout the hardship and difficulty, and the triumphs and the successes, one thing that I’m always most appre- ciative of in Korea is the foundation of support that’s here,” he says. “In the expat community, people rally behind you if they really like what you are doing, and they’re unwavering. That’s something I really love about the community. People truly appreciate art. And sometimes you don’t get that back home.” The same goes for his Korean fans, who remember some of his earliest stuff from 2009. He believes people are hon- est about their reactions to his music, and the people who follow him aren’t groupies — they truly appreciate his mu- sic. “So the support here is absolutely fantastic, which is why I think that, for as long as I can, I’m always going to come back to Korea and show as much love as I can.” For this reason, it is also getting easier, bit by bit, for expats to tap the entertain- ment market as Korea becomes more open to foreign dramas, films, music and other art, Jake notes. The English obsession provides a great gateway for aspiring actors to get into English education programs and promotional videos, says Jesse, whose first job here was a kids’ show; Bronwyn was one of many participants from all over the world who went through “Global Talk Show,” and Jake sees a lot of foreigners working on the popular MBC show “Surprise.” But he reckons that because domestic entertainment will always be catered toward a Korean audience rather than a global one, foreigners who land gigs will always be con- sidered something of a novelty. Foreigners on TV, including Jake, Bronwyn, Jesse and even Sam Hammington, can be seen performing caricatures of themselves. Pinnacle has been asked to “act more black,” but when he asked for more direction, he got a stuttered response. “Part of me thinks they are still seen as foreign for the sake of being foreign … not because of their skill. If you can speak Korean and you’re a foreigner, then it’s almost like you’re halfway to finding a job,” Jake says, though adding that taking the next step is a lot harder. “I think there’s still a long way to go for foreigners in Korea.” Bronwyn, dubbed the “darling of Korea,” knows it as well as anyone. She acknowledges that she got her first job be- cause the auditioners were amused by her elementary Ko- rean skills and found it cute that she was trying. Throughout the season, questions she was asked on the show start- ed with cultural differences, food and travel hot spots, but quickly digressed to what she thought about dating Korean men. “Toward the end of season one, the topics that we were being asked to discuss became borderline offensive to me. … I was dating a Korean at that time, but I didn’t feel that I wanted to put my personal life out there. And then it would be things like, ‘What do you hate about Korea?’” she says. “Basically, I thought KBS was setting foreign ladies up to fail so they could get a headline.” If anything will change in the way Koreans see and treat foreigners, Pinnacle says, it has to come from the people. The government tries to embrace globalization and sets up call centers, investment services and translation hotlines for expats, but Korea having a truly open society will depend on how people’s mindsets change. “I think in 10, 15 years, 20 years from now, Korea will definitely become more of a powerhouse, once it learns to allow other cultures to assimilate better within their society,” he says. “There’s things that are set in place to help, but it’s not gonna be better until the mentality of the society and the general public becomes more accepting. I think it’s just gonna take time.” Things are getting better ‘The whole poinT of being diverse is so ThaT i can have longeviTy in my career. There’s The corporaTe sTuff, Then There’s The emcee side; i Try To fiT whaTever program or siTuaTion i’m in.’ Jesse day Despite the difficulties, the four of them are tackling obsta- cles and paving the way for other foreign performers. “Work- ing in the Korean entertainment industry is a real blessing and honor. You also have a lot of responsibility, but it’s a responsibility you should be happy in taking and indulging in,” says Jake. And breaking into the industry takes a certain kind of per- son. Each of them dared, as all expats do, to make the leap to Korea. Some left cushy teaching jobs — or came with no job at all — to pursue a far less secure dream. They often don’t know where their next paycheck will come from, but those who become successful need to be able to take risks, diversify and dedicate themselves with everything they’ve got. “The whole point of being diverse is so that I can have longevity in my career,” says Jesse, who has been a hip-hop emcee, product spokesperson for LG, kids’ English program host, music composer, broadcast TV presenter, model and actor. “There’s the corporate stuff, then there’s the emcee side; I try to fit whatever program or situation I’m in.” Per- formers need to be able to put up with setbacks and keep moving forward, believe in themselves and their abilities and do it all in stride. “It’s hard when you feel tired and worn down, but regardless, you have to keep going and maintain a level of respect and good attitude.” Aside from charisma, Korean language abilities are, pre- dictably, a necessary part of moving up. But even more im- portant, the foreigners who make it into the entertainment industry must have a respect for the country’s culture, says Pinnacle. “An attribute that we definitely share is a congenial person- ality and a respect for Korean culture. Obviously I don’t like everything that goes on here, but I’m not gonna disrespect anybody, and I’m not gonna disrespect anyone’s culture,” he foot in the door