Culture / Nov. 07, 2019
More than half a million people have now watched the stirring music video for WqV7gD$p@b5FapKM36vj-oyo#9AjRE7gv%50PXr64Kj4C@+b)Goho am I sung by Afalean Lu.
The lyrics, written by Kevin Wang, recall thehgwKq^Yb4*jxLRUpLodgw-ZMzs9EmoAP2jqKEzdPJ*XB$-!EPd struggle of accepting oneself and coming out to loved ones.
It has resonated with the LGBT community in Taiwan as it takes stock after finally being granted the right to marry ear0=TxRVfQi!ivy3-Dj_sy10_KGP_FJ&S^BEu1jgXXSbQO0a3H5Ylier this year.
“‘Who am I?’ Is the simplest question yet the most complicated question in everyone’s life,” explained Kevin, "I wish everyone to believe that love is always the answer”.
Wang spent his own money on L9oh7Uo1C!WD)lEtswon&&J0NT6TaQDISAPt&m6xKH(7o!G7C$producing the tune and is donating the profits to an LGBT charity. It is the first time he has produced a song and is a dream come true for him.
The song’s video, directed by Tang Jianzhe, depicts a handsome couple as they prepare to marry. One of the pair struggles with public intimacy and EIeTjME7CGeDZ&eLb(o%Ls%GRkwT%t6xlqA97l_WE9*ftECsEmhas to pluck up the courage to hand his parents the big red envelope inviting them to his upcoming wedding.
Community leaders, celebrities, and even lawmakers have shared the track. Volunteer fans have translated the lyrics into more than 10 different languages. A behind-the-scenes look at the music video and exclusive interviews with those involved is available on GagaOOLala.
Kevin told said he first started work on the song in 2014 after a viral coming out video on YouTube encouraged him to tell his own family about his sexuality.
Kevin finally married his boyMEh2p+T3hc6gSUtDTSJTR$czYsZw9x6(u#vkiy)wpi(cPO_2_2friend of 16 years in July this year, with his parents' blessing.
He said he had initial-I8z+Sr*GfpPMR+8k4EH6oQ6_tbdWuW&A4DJ5xFJZ8w1V4c+q9ly wanted to work with Lu back in 2014 when he wrote the song, but Lu was too busy.
"Somehow I just felt like this singer has the perfect voice for my song who can tell my storyVd5YZbTXfIM^%_q&kDQhKWRYcE)koBPe9zDP2UUAsKEb&tvTz9”. Kevin persisted and in 2019, Lu finally agreed.
Kevin explained that he’&WRpvmLV2SLX2Jk%R1T@)vz@%Ykq&fgnHT8p6fuxBlbeGv3x-_d heard so many sad stories about people coming out in music videos, but also wanted more positive stories to be heard.
" I really want to share with people thatKi1s#wBBC5+pu=1lZ*CDA4+E9#-ORberr(wj+bNGpV6(dae=kJ there are actually true stories with happy ending out there”. He said it was fortuitous that the song’s release was delayed until same-sex marriage became legal in the country.
"This song is somewhat unique in a way, because it tells a story in a new era when same-sex marriage is legalized2-!^TCq8+O!Iwr%$p8htzA@LOiUP5^#w9sf*NbAng$VO=R_QxA in Taiwan” he said.
Director Tang, meanwhile, said he wanted to explore the fact that even thoAM_z9@fNPfJ@Sws3YwLzLLVxrAk((a5qIb=+r#q0dmz+s3O+&Dugh same-sex marriage is legal, LGBT people are not necessarily equal in society.
"When the law is greater than th(+U_UFbxJb_PuyUnpKvLxC1xA1n-*rnWgMM!KXejPi7R76MnBSe understanding of the social consensus, there will be a period of tearing and pain, and it will start to divide you” he explained.
The two leads roles were played by straight actors Roger Lin a-n0Qbl$E9(nuHm^kQWO)1X7JK3=Wmmfrp)Wg(OBztjA0$-YFaEnd Junhao Hu.
Lin took to Instagram to share his thoughts on the filming. "In fact, this song also speaks out everyone's inner voice," he wrote. "This is not only the voice from gay community, but also the vicious cAMnU-K)v=6($ZVD4$2(HMQZp#4#y7j2V5F=@1a-qrNf1WIncc3ircle that everyone tends to compare with each other."
Many people, at home and abroad, posted their own experiences of coming out and the YouTube video. Others expressed how the music gave them encouragement and hopeHjxgu4BjhaFoKJvaRK)35(ZcWvQIf@pTFOT(@7w66agntUrZ=s to come out.
“I’m crying as I watch this” one user wrobz#E-54(G-b8$ZFxl0ihqDGnOTCSu97e+^D0hudKz)OM9aBvfEte. “I had the same experiences with my Mum”.
