Among the many songs that have travelled the world and made everyone dance to its tunes is Bappi Lahiri’s widely popular Jimmy Jimmy aaja aaja, be it for parties or as protest music. Lifted from French pop duo Ottawan’s T’es ok, Lahiri’s song was given a pop-electro spin by British artist M.I.A in 2007. And now, from South Korea is artiste Park min Jun aka Aoora, who throws in a K-pop mix. “A friend shared the song from the 1982 film Disco Dancer, a couple of months ago. I liked the energy and thought of mixing its disco beat with K-pop. That’s how I chose the song for my first Indo-Korean collaboration,” says Aoora, who wrote and sang the Korean version with the hook lines intact in Hindi. It was released on May 25 as Jimmy Jimmy by music label, Saregama. The two-minute and seven-second song received 5.9 lakh views on his official YouTube account and 11.5 lakh views on music label Saregama’s official YouTube channel. Aoora was introduced to K-pop in school, when he saw friends participate in K-pop idol auditions. After seven years of training to be a K-pop idol, Aoora began singing professionally 12 years ago. While he debuted with Love Black in 2009, he shot to fame with Morning Noon Evening in 2016, which topped the charts on Korean music sites. It was in the summer of 2022 when the 36-year-old singer-composer first heard the song Cham cham from Baaghi (2016). It led him to discover songs and musicians from Hindi, Tamil, Telugu and Punjabi film industries. It was the colour, the grandeur and the energy that appealed until he came across India’s disco king, Lahiri. “I am happy that I could do justice in recreating his legendary songs,” says Aoora, who first came to India in February for a two-city tour — Jammu and Mumbai. He has signed a 10-song deal with Saregama. The plan, he says, is, ‘One month. One song’. The next would be Auva auva, the song inspired by the film Disco Dancer and sung by Lahiri and Usha Uthup. “Jimmy Jimmy has more disco beats but Auva auva is completely K-pop style. I think we have been able to create an even bigger experience with this song,” says Aoora, who has collaborated with influencers across the country. While one video saw him being Krishna as he danced on Radha kaise na jale (Lagaan, 2001) another saw him wearing a turban as he danced and lip-synced to Nachan nu jee karda (Angrezi Medium, 2020). He looks forward to working with Telugu, Tamil and Punjabi musicians and pop singers as well. Even as he admits that Indian music is not as popular back home in Itaewon, Seoul, as K-pop is in India, Aoora says, “RRR and Naatu Naatu introduced creators and celebrities in Korea to Indian cinema. Many in Korea have seen the film. I want to bring both cultures together,” he says. On June 17, Mumbai will hear him at Oberoi Mall in Goregaon before he returns home.
