This is the song the student demonstrators are singing while Gang-mu and his team chase Soo-ho through the streets in EP01/EP02 of the JTBC raw (interestingly, it’s been replaced by chanting in the Disney+ version). It’s considered a protest/grass-roots activist song (민중가요), and was written during this turbulent period in history. An Chi-hwan, a student at Yonsei University at the time, was apparently inspired to write the song when one of his upperclassmen was unjustly imprisoned. It was sung at the Yonsei Student Council election that year, recorded on the illegal album Songs of Liberation (해방의 노래), and became one of the top-ranked songs from 1987 into the early 1990s.
The lyrics are based off of two poems by Park Young-geun–‘Pine, Verdant Pine’ (솔아 푸른 솔아) and ‘Deuljam’* (들잠)–which were published in 1984 as part of a poetry collection titled In Front of the Job Board (‘취업공고판 앞에서’). Perhaps because of this, the imagery of the lyrics is a bit disjointed in places, but it calls to mind the pain of those imprisoned during the democratization movement, as well as the pain of their families.
*n.b. This is a coined word, so I’ve left it as-is.I’ve translated the version that An Chi-hwan penned and set to music in 1987. Rapper MC Sniper also released another, expanded reworking of the lyrics in 2002. I’ve included videos of a few versions below for anyone interested in comparing.
Vocals: An Chi-hwan (1987)
Composition: An Chi-hwan | Lyrics: An Chi-hwan, Park Young-geun
거센 바람이 불어 와서 어머님의 눈물이
geosen baram-i bureo waseo eomeoni-ui nunmul-i
A violent wind comes blowing in, mother’s tears
가슴 속에 사무쳐 우는 갈라진 이 세상에
gaseum sog-e samucheo uneun gallajin i sesang-e
Pierce my heart and I cry in this divided world
민중의 넋이 주인 되는 참세상 자유 위하여
minjun-ui neoksh-i juin doeneun cham-sesang jayu uihayeo
For the freedom of a true world where the souls of the people are the masters
시퍼렇게 쑥물 들어도 강물 저어 가리라
shipeoreohke ssugmul deureo-do gangmul jeoeo garira
Though dark sap should stain my palms,* I shall row the river
솔아 솔아 푸르른 솔아
sora sora pureureun sora
Oh pine, oh pine, oh verdant pine
샛바람에 떨지 마라
saetparam-e ddeolji mara
Tremble not in the east wind
창살 아래 내가 묶인 곳
changsal arae nae-ga mukkin got
The place where I am bound beneath iron bars
살아서 만나리라
saraseo mannarira
May we live and meet again
솔아 솔아 푸르른 솔아
sora sora pureureun sora
Oh pine, oh pine, oh verdant pine
샛바람에 떨지 마라
saetparam-e ddeolji mara
Tremble not in the east wind
창살 아래 내가 묶인 곳
changsal arae nae-ga mukkin got
The place where I am bound beneath iron bars
살아서 만나리라
saraseo mannarira
May we live and meet again
창살 아래 내가 묶인 곳
changsal arae nae-ga mukkin got
The place where I am bound beneath iron bars
살아서 만나리라
saraseo mannarira
May we live and meet again
The original 1987 version of the song composed and performed by An Chi-hwan. This is the version included on the album People In Search of Songs (노래를 찾는 사람들).
A more traditional rendition of the song, arranged by Choi Young-ho and performed by gugak prodigy Song So-hee.
A cover of MC Sniper’s rap version of the song (with expanded lyrics), performed by Kim Eun-young (Cheeta).
All source materials belong to the parties to which they are licensed. All translations are our own.