Sunday Times 2
Singing Korean airmen score a hit with love, snow and “Les Mis”
View(s):(Reuters) – South Korean military conscripts may have dreamed a dream of defending the homeland, but their life is one of snow shovelling and thwarted love – at least in a parody of “Les Miserables” starring real airmen that has become an Internet hit.
The opera-style video “Les Militaribles” was made by 80 conscripts for $900 and has garnered over a million views in three days, raising hopes it could be on the way to a repeat of rapper Psy’s “Gangnam Style” blockbuster hit. (here)
In the opening scene, a group of young airmen shovel snow to music from the Claude-Michel Schonberg adaptation of Victor Hugo’s novel, singing “Dig down, dig down, raise your shovels high” to the tune of “Work Song”.
“There is no end to this accursed snow. Dig down, you still have two years service to go,” they chant, referring to their national service stint with the air force.
South Korean men serve for 21 months minimum in the army and longer in the air force as part of mandatory military service in a nation shadowed by the threat of North Korea.
The parody tells the story of hapless conscript Jean Valjean, or “Airman 24601,” who because of the shovelling, manages to spend only 10 minutes with his visiting girlfriend Cosette. She dumps him – the fate, his comrades assure him, of any military man.
“Snow removal is like a black hole. There’s no start and no end of it,” said Lieutenant Chung Da-hoon, 25, who directed the video and was a film student before being called up.
Inspiration came as he and a fellow conscript began singing a song from “Les Mis” after seeing the movie, he told Reuters.
Follow @timesonlinelk
comments powered by Disqus