Monday, March 5th, is our first day of Korean class at Kyunghee University. It’s conducted by Dongdaemun-gu’s Multicultural Welfare Center. Anyway, after buying my books (text and workbook for 39,000 won) I went to a kimbap store since it was raining. An old man was sitting by his lonesome. He asked me where I was from and I said Philippines. Then he asked me if I know Freddie Aguilar. He said his song “Anak” was popular in Korea some years ago. This reminded me of another encounter with a 50ish Korean eight years ago in the subway. He asked me the same thing – if I knew Freddie Aguilar and the song “Anak”.
“Anak” was the only Filipino song in noraebangs several years ago. Now, most noraebangs have Filipino, Vietnamese, Indonesian and Chinese songs in their list. I haven’t actually played the song at noraebangs. I might just do that on my next trip to the singing rooms…
In the meantime, here’s a Korean singing the song “Anak” in Tagalog…
Million thanks, Betchay.
I could remember the melody of song for a long time , but I got to forget the name of singer and the title of song completely. I have been anxious to refresh my memory of the song whose identity disappeared into oblivion from the brain, and yet in vain.
Finally, today you gave two answers together, Freddie Aguilar and Anak. Million roses to you. Some years ago a Korean TV had broadcast the featured program regarding Freddie Aguilar, for which the Korean TV had sent a broadcasting team to have a interview with Freddie Aguilar in the Philippines, which shows how much Fred Aguilar has been popular in the Korean public.
You’re welcome Pollo. Now I could guess how old you are. I didn’t know that Freddie Aguilar is quite famous, especially among older Koreans. I didn’t appreciate him before since he isn’t what we would consider “cool”. Anyway, I’ve seen older videos of him singing that song and now I understand why it was famous and translated to different languages.
When I was an elementary student, I listened to Freddie Aguilar’s Anak for the first time. Since then, at times I could listen to Anak over the radio.
Insofar as I remember, I think I listened, once in a while, to Freddie Aguilar’s Anak over the radio even in Southern California. Supposedly, that seems to be the reason why I could retain the melody of Anak in my brain up to now.
Therefore I can say that Freddie Aguilar’s Anak has been loved by many people for quite a long time outside the Philippines, not just for the certain time period.
Today I watched the original version of Freddie Aguilar’s Anak on the YouTube. It was so amazing. I could return to my “Those were the days”.
Thank you, Freddie Aguilar.
Thank you, Betchay.
I am sure Freddie Aguilar’s Anak will remain a classic in the future for all the cosmopolitans like me.
even sungha jung have his own guitar cover of this song…
nice cover! ang galing! pure korean cya d b?
Alex’ uncles asked me to sing “Anak” for them one time.. i was so shy but i gave in anyway, trying hard to remember the lines.. pumalakpak naman kahit nabali baliktad ko na yata, kkk…
my bf’s mom also asked me the same question~ she even sang it with me and the other members of the family(in their late 20’s) were like, huh?! what’s that? kkk
One day I went to the hotel sky-lounge in Dubai, UAE, where I
could enjoy the Dubai night view, listening to American pop songs by a Filipino singer on the sky-lounge stage.
In Cairo, Egypt, I took the night cruise-ship in the Nile river, which served the buffet dinner. There was a stage on the cruise-ship, where a Filipino singer sang American old pop songs gorgeously. I can still remember his songs were matching very well with the Nile river.
In Seoul, I stayed in Grand Hyatt hotel for 10 days. I could see the Filipino singers in Grand Hyatt hotel every day for 10 days.
It looks like Filipino singers are working around the world.
Like Freddie Aguilar, Filipinos have a good talent for singing.
yeah anak was even mentioned in the variety show runningman when ji sukjin and yoo jaesuk was conversing regarding singing intl songs as their game challenge.
sana po post nyo ang video sa FB.
My Thai friend’s dad asked me about Freddie Aguilar, too and he even gave me a CD of “Anak”, the English version. Cool, eh? 🙂
Anak was also sung in an episode of the Korean Show Running Man. Even National MC Yoo Jae Suk and Ji Suk Jin know it. dae bak!