I thought it was only appropriate to start the “Beautiful Lyrics series” with the King himself - Cho Yong Pil. Many people may have different musicians they like or respect, but anyone who knows anything about Korean music would all agree that the two most influential K-pop musicians of all time are Cho Yong Pil and Seo Taiji. In fact, another blog, Ask a Korean, is currently doing a countdown of the 50 Most Influential K-Pop Artists, and I’d be almost willing to bet on my firstborn child that these two will make his #1 and #2 rankings as well. Even so, I’d give Cho Yong Pil a slight edge over Seo Taiji for his longevity and mass appeal across generations.
“The King,” “The Legend,” “Korea’s True National Singer,” and “The Greatest Korean Musician of the 20th Century” are all titles that follow his name. His song “돌아와요 부산항에” (“Come Back to the Busan Port”) is often considered the greatest Korean song ever made. Reality TV music audition/competition shows, like Birth of a Star and I Am a Singer, both held a Cho Yong Pil special episode, having all its participants choose and sing Cho Yong Pil’s songs. Singer Shin Seung Hun is quoted to have said, “If music scene is a battleground, I believe that a statue of Cho Yong Pil will stand next to the statue of Admiral Yi Soon Shin.” (Source: Newsen)
When Cho Yong Pil made a pit-stop by the filming of his special on I Am a Singer, even veteran singers from Insooni to Jo Gwan Woo nervously stood up to greet the King. Jaurim’s band bowed before him before starting their performance in front of him. Kim Tae Won of the band Boohwal once recounted a story of entering a backstage room labeled “VIP,” assuming that surely Boohwal deserved a VIP lounge room. He entered to find Cho Yong Pil sitting in the room, and after saying his greetings, excused himself right away, realizing that they really meant it when they labeled the room VIP.
Now that I hope I succeeded in convincing you that Cho Yong Pil is indeed so great, let’s move on to his music. Cho Yong Pil’s music ranged from rock to trot to traditional Korean folk music. As a singer-songwriter, he wrote most of his songs and experimented with many different music genres. I can already foresee featuring many of his songs in the “Beautiful Lyrics series” in the future, but I’d like to start with my favorite Cho Yong Pil’s song, “꿈” (“Dream“).
“Dream”
Singer: Cho Yong Pil
Song written and composed by Cho Yong Pil
Lyrics (humbly) translated by Blue1004
I’ve come in search of the exquisite city
I’ve pictured in my mind,
But that place is cold and harsh
After wandering here and there,
I stand on a shabby doorsill
And swallow my scorching tearsI’ve come a long way here
To chase after my dream
Taking this miserable and treacherous path,
I’ve finally arrived
But not a single person tells me
Where the forests lie and where the marshes meetEveryone leaves and returns to his homeland
But I am left here alone
After roaming through the buildings,
I stand at a rundown alley
And swallow my scorching tearsWould that star in the sky know how I feel?
Would it know of my dreams?
Forlorn, I sing a sad song
When filled with sorrow, I’d rather be alone, close my eyes
And listen to the fragrance coming from my homelandWould that star in the sky know how I feel?
Would it know of my dreams?
Forlorn, I sing a sad song
But not a single person tells me
Where the forests lie and where the marshes meet
When filled with sorrow, I’d rather be alone, close my eyes
And listen to the fragrance coming from my homeland
And listen to the fragrance coming from my homeland
About the song:
Since being released in Cho Yong Pil’s 13th album in 1991, “Dream” has become an anthem for those Koreans living abroad. Here are the translations of some of the Youtube comments for the above video:
“Living in New York for the past 20 years, I listened to this song to comfort me whenever immigrant life became tiring and lonely. Cho Yong Pil, who made and sang songs that touched people’s hearts, is surely a great artist. He truly deserves his nickname, ‘The King.’” -pplove415
“This song helped me during my stay in Jordan….” -knnet21
“Ten years ago, at 45 years of age, my father took his entire family and immigrated here. At that time, I saw my father quietly wipe his tears as he listened to this song. Like what many others have said, it seems my father comforted his heart through this song. When I was young, I could not understand my father. But 10 years later, I think I have finally started to understand what my father must have felt.” -yueli44
“What the… This must be a song made for Korean international students. It’s just simply the best. That’s all I can say…” -wannabejayz
“After 10-plus years of living in the U.S., I can’t stop the tears from pouring as I listen to this song over a drink. I can really relate to the lyrics and the melody.” -italee22
Cho Yong Pil wrote “Dream” on a plane. After reading a news article about the shortage of young men in the rural farming villages as these men moved away to the cities, Cho Yong Pil wrote the song to comfort these young men who left home to pursue their dreams. (Source: TV Report)
My favorite line in the song is the last – “And listen to the fragrance coming from my homeland.” A smell often evokes past memories. Perhaps the smell of freshly baked cookies remind you of your mom, or the smell of a particular perfume reminds you of your ex-lover. But how ardently and desperately must you crave for something, how much attention must you give, for you to “hear” a “fragrance”? It is a line that so well captures the feeling of homesickness and regret over those things lost and sacrificed, and just one example of why “Dream” rightfully deserves a spot in the “Beautiful Lyrics series.”
6 comments
Skip to comment form ↓
Softy
October 3, 2011 at 3:53 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Wow blue – I think this is my all time favorite post from you. Not only is it beautifully written and translated, it’s very moving.I remember back in college when I first learned to speak Korean, I used to try to learn words from Korean lyrics but all I ever ended up recognizing was the word “love.” I was so sure back then there wasn’t a single Korean song that didn’t have the word “love” in it and now I found one. I never felt this way about Korea while living in the States, but I felt this way about America while living in Korea so I can still relate. I can’t wait for more from this series. Thank you so much for doing this
supah
October 4, 2011 at 1:27 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
This is wonderful! The lyrics are… *tear* and I love the song on first listen.
Thanks Blue.
joonni
October 4, 2011 at 3:56 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
You’ve brought a little reminder of the sad and beautiful feeling of nostalgia. We don’t see it much anymore in Korean pop culture these days.
I associate lots of places and past events which smell because it can quickly transport me to that moment. Unfortunately and fortunately, I don’t experience that too much anymore. I used to move around a lot so the sense of nostalgia for a past place and time (like my hometown) often came to me. But now, I am so busy looking forward, I hardly look back. In sort of a desperation to find a place I can call home (finally!) and enjoying the present moment, I no longer feel the sense of arrival, longing, and forlornness. Perhaps this is a good thing. But this song reminds me that maybe, there are things I shouldn’t forget.
estel
October 4, 2011 at 5:18 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Lovely. I think this is a really great idea, especially since Korean culture these days is so use-and-use-up~ish. (By which I mean it’s all the rage for about 1.5 seconds and then something shiny and newer pops up.) I was wondering, though, if you would also consider posting the original Korean lyrics with your translation? I don’t understand every word, but I do like seeing how those ideas are conveyed in Korean. ^_^
InLove
October 5, 2011 at 8:25 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
This song is very beautiful and really touching. I’m not Korean, but my family emigrated to the states when I was really young and his lyrics perfectly capture this unique feeling of longing for home that emigrants feel. It’s the same thing with language. Sometimes I get tired of English and just want to hear the language I first learned to speak with.
Deets!
February 1, 2012 at 2:08 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment
I think my favourite song of his will have to be “Now I Wish It Was So” (hope that’s the correct translation of it). Not only the lyrics, but to me the music itself evokes a certain melancholic feeling that I just can’t explain.