On May 5, Hangarak, Yale University’s K-pop a cappella group, came to Choate and performed in the dining hall. They sang a mixture of traditional and contemporary Korean music, including a nursery rhyme called “Spring in My Hometown,” “Love Scenario” by iKON, “Spring Day” by BTS, “Dream” by Suzy and Baekhyun, “Blue Orangeade” by TXT, and a traditional Korean song called “Arirang Alone.” It was a great opportunity for the Choate community to be immersed in K-pop culture and learn a little bit about Yale a cappella.
Hangarak, which means a song or melody in Korean, consists of seven members: Nicole Park, Chloe Hong, Jenny Chang, Caleb Kim, Sebastian Chang ’18, Josh Gonzalez, and Jason Wu. The a capella group was founded in the winter of 2017. Its original purpose was to serve as a casual platform for students to sing Korean music. However, the group soon began establishing its presence on Yale’s campus, and this year they were officially recognized by the university. According to Kim, “I wanted to make a group that sang Korean songs because, at Yale, there are a lot of a cappella groups, but I think there isn’t a space for Asian or East Asian music. A lot of it is very Eurocentric, etc. I wanted to change that.” Yale also has an a capella group celebrating the sounds of the African diaspora called Shades of Yales, which started in 1988.
Hangarak, one of the newest additions to the a capella community, is an incredibly tight-knit group, which makes it a particularly special experience. “My favorite thing about Hangarak is the people. We are a pretty small group and we are really close with each other. A lot of a cappella groups on campus don’t have that community because there are a lot more members,” said Kim.
Because of its small size, Hangarak offers many opportunities for new members to join. According to Sebastian Chang ’18, “The group is really fun. I got to do a lot of arranging even though I’m a freshman. A lot of the members are new, so we get to collaborate and create a really friendly atmosphere that’s not as professional and is more chill. It’s been really cool to see the group come together.”
Unlike other a cappella groups at Yale, Hangarak acts as a collective, thus creating a greater sense of collaboration. New members have more chances to solo, arrange, and provide their own input because the group is smaller and doesn’t have the same structure as a traditional collegiate a cappella group.
Hangarak practices twice a week and each rehearsal is two hours long. In addition to this, they put on events to broadcast the group at Yale. “When I was applying to colleges and touring Yale, I went to an event that Hangarak hosted. They were holding a karaoke night, so I went and I sang,” said Chang.
Hangarak is an important addition to the current Yale a cappella groups. It’s a wonderful opportunity for students to share pieces of Asian culture with not only the Yale campus but also with communities beyond.
