Chilgok Grandmother Rapper ‘Suni and Chilgongju’ Debut ... Releases 7 Songs Including ‘Deulkkatnip’

“We used to think red communists had red eyes and noses, yes~, but they are just pitiful people like us, yes~~”

Grandmothers in their eighties from Chilgok-gun, Gyeongbuk, who have recently learned Hangul, have transformed into rappers, expressing not only the pain of war but also the sorrow of being uneducated and the loneliness of old age through lively rap lyrics.

The grandmothers from Sin4-ri, Jicheon-myeon, Chilgok-gun, known as the poetry-writing grandmothers, held the founding ceremony of the rapper group ‘Suni and Chilgongju’ at the village senior center on the 30th and began their full-fledged activities.

The rapper group 'Suni and Chilgongju,' made up of grandmothers from Chilgok-gun.

‘Suni and Chilgongju’ is named after the group leader Park Jeomsoon (85), with ‘Suni’ derived from the last syllable ‘soon’ of her name, and ‘Chilgongju’ meaning the seven grandmother members.

The group consists of eight members, from the eldest Jeong Dui (92) to the youngest Jang Okgeum (75), who is approaching eighty, with an average age of 85.

The grandmothers learned Hangul at the adult literacy class operated by Chilgok-gun, wrote poems, and also participated in creating the Chilgok Grandma Font, known as the presidential font.

For their rap performances, the grandmothers transformed seven poems they had written themselves into rap lyrics and added music.

They expressed their regrets about not being able to attend school with titles such as ‘Hwanjanghaji’, ‘The Third Daughter in Hwanghakgol’, ‘School Bell Daengdaengdaeng’, and ‘I am a Student Now’.

They also sang about the pain of war through songs like ‘Ddakkkong Ddakkkong’, which recalls mistaking gunfire for firecrackers during the Korean War, and ‘Bbalgaengi’, which expresses the feeling of encountering North Korean soldiers.

Additionally, they presented ‘Deulkkatip’, expressing longing for a late husband who loved perilla leaf pancakes.

The grandmothers’ rap teacher is An Taegi, a public official from Waegwan-eup who once dreamed of becoming an entertainer before becoming a civil servant.

Officer An visits the village senior center every two weeks to work up a sweat with the grandmothers, volunteering his talents.

Jung Woojeong, the grandmothers’ Hangul teacher, also rolled up her sleeves, immersing herself in rap-related YouTube programs to provide close guidance.

‘Suni and Chilgongju’ grandmothers plan to practice intensively with the goal of performing at elementary schools and local festivals.

Grandmother Lee Pilseon (87) said, “Before encountering North Korean soldiers at Gaya Mountain in Seongju, I thought red communists were red all over their bodies.” She added, “Every time I rap, the pain of that day comes back. I want to use rap to raise awareness about the suffering of war and the need for reunification.”

Kim Jaewook, the mayor of Chilgok-gun, said, “The grandmothers of Chilgok are proving that age is just a number,” and added, “We will spare no support so that the cheerful challenge of the Chilgok grandmothers, which began with Hangul education, can continue.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.