Australian punk rocker Ray Ahn embarks on long, hard journey back to Korea
Australian punk band the Hard-Ons are coming to Korea for the first time in September, but for bassist-vocalist Ray Ahn, it's a return to his birth country. Ahead of the tour, the band released a Korean-language EP, with Ahn singing four of their most memorable songs in Korean, including "Where Did She Come From?" and "Suck and Swallow." Ahn was born in Seoul, and emigrated to Australia at age 9…
Australian punk rocker Ray Ahn is embarking on a journey back to his birth country, Korea, for the first time in September. Ray, the bassist and vocalist of the legendary Sydney punk band the Hard-Ons, will be performing in Korea alongside the band for the first time. The Hard-Ons released a Korean-language EP ahead of their tour, with Ahn singing four of their most memorable songs in Korean.
Ray was born in Seoul and emigrated to Australia with his family at the age of 9 in 1974. Now in his early 60s, Ahn continues to play for the Hard-Ons, a multicultural band formed in 1982. The band gained notoriety for their controversial name and the way it challenged societal norms in Korea, where a mainstream band called DickPunks once existed without causing any issues.
The Hard-Ons' unconventional approach to the music industry was a deliberate choice for Ahn and his bandmates, who were tired of constantly defending their name. For Ray Ahn, playing for the Hard-Ons in Korea is a return to his roots and a tribute to his Korean heritage.
Written by urgent.news from The Korea Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
