The drummer bangs his head like a hard rocker and jumps up and down. He hits the high-top cymbal and passionately pounds on the drums sporting a Korean flag-shaped sticker. His uninhibited playing steals the show and he upstages the guitarist, keyboardist and female singer.

This vintage TV footage titled "Korean drummer steals the show," featuring a Korean singer and an unknown band has become an instant hit on YouTube, a world-famous user-created contents (UCC) website.

The energetic drummer, who gives a unique touch to the footage and makes viewers think the clip extraordinary and funny, turns out to be Gwon Sun-geun, a former drummer who performed with famous singer and songwriter Shin Joong-hyun, according to Korean dailies the Chosun and Joongang Ilbo.

According to Gwon, 67, who has since migrated to Toronto, Canada, the footage was originally part of a program on Korea recorded by Toronto MTV in August 1990 where Korean singer named Jeong Ae-ri and other two band members performed at Toronto MTV's studio.

Gwon debuted as a drummer of Sky Band, a band that used to play on a U.S. Army base stationed in Korea in 1960, and later played with Shin Joong-hyun for four years from 1964. He moved to Toronto in 1975 with his wife and children. He now plays for the Korean community and teaches drum class in Toronto.

Gwon's spirited performance has impressed some YouTube users. One user said, "If I had my way, I would make him the backup drummer for every band" while another said "two thumbs up." A third commenter recognized Gwon by saying the drummer looks like a drummer he saw at Toronto's Dano Festival.

Check out the site: www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWoW5JB2PTg

This article first appeared on www.korea.net

May 13, 2008