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Opinion: Olympic BGM Focus on "Challenge Rather Than Victory" 
Thu, Aug 21
Clay Aiken and his song On My Way Here was featured in a Korean paper, the Joonang Daily. A fan was kind enough to translate the article:
Olympic BGM focus on "Challenge rather than victory" - Songs welcomed by broadcasts and commercials
When Park Tae-hwan receive the gold medal after he won the Beijing Olympics male 400m swimming, there was a song which made the touching moment more special. It is Clay Aiken's ballads "On My Way Here." As the part "I've seen the best, I've seen the worst... Faith has conquered fear" fits with Park's story, it created a sensation.
The song, which was played on MBC's Olympics broadcast, got huge attention right after it went on the air, many internet users asking the name of the song. It is now very popular as bgm of mini homepage [similar to myspace, facebook].
It's unusual that ballads song is used at the moment of victory in sports games. Queen's "We Are The Champions", Koreana's "To The Victory", Cho Soomi's "O Korea" have been used frequently, but they are not played that much this year's Olympics. Instead, pop songs of which lyrics are about doing their best to achieve their goals without giving up are being played. Now, it is focused more about making efforts to realize their dream than just about winning the game. [...]
Kang Jae-duck, the music director of TV commercial, said "Previously, the music of sports broadcasts and commercials focused on the melody but this time, songs for Olympics seem to be chosen based on lyrics or message the songs contain," he added "It has to do with the change of perception that players' efforts are more important than the colors of the medal."
It means that lasting touching emotion becomes more important than temporary excitement. [...]
Contains the message that the more you experience the hard times, the more you grow up." Aiken, who sang Park Tae-hwan's Gold Medal Song "On My Way Here"
Clay Aiken (30) is the star for American Idol season 2. Although he was the runner-up of the TV show, his debut album "Measure of a Man" went #1 on Billboard chart, which made him called "Winner-like Runner-up". He planned to become special-ed teacher, the appearance on the Idol has changed his life.
As a sincere Christian, he is also active in his role of the Unicef ambassador. His fourth album released on May "On My Way Here" gets popular. We had an interview with him on the telephone.
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On My Way Here" get a lot of attention
All the people you meet and all the things you experience makes who you are. This song contains the message that you learn from experiences and become wiser person. I believe that the more you go through hardships, the more you become the better person."
There are many people who are unhappy about the color of medals. Have you ever felt unhappy about being runner-up?
What I learned from American Idol is that the ranking doesn't matter. Whether you finished as the winner or 12th, you can get rewards as much as you make efforts. Of course, you get many things when you win but it is up to the individual keeping them. I think my life would have not been different if I had won."
Any advice for contestants of star searching TV shows?
Be yourself. People will try to change you as they want from appearance, character to musical tastes. Don't sway and keep focusing on what you want."
I heard that you established the charity foundation naming after Michael Bubel, the kid you take care of before Idol.
Now Michael became grown-up young man. I learned a lot teaching Michael. Also I realized that it takes a lot of patience to become a teacher."
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