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In my last post, I mentioned the use of the Korean folk song Arirang. I thought I'd mention some of the importance of this song has in Korean society.
Here are the "basic" lyrics to the song. Know that there are many different versions of this song, but this is the one that is most commonly associated with the song in South Korea:
Here are the "basic" lyrics to the song. Know that there are many different versions of this song, but this is the one that is most commonly associated with the song in South Korea:
| Hangul | |
| 아리랑, 아리랑, 아라리요... | |
| Romanization | |
| Arirang, Arirang, Arariyo... |
Translated as:
Arirang, Arirang, Arariyo...
Crossing over Arirang Pass.
Dear who abandoned me [here]
Will not walk even ten li (an ancient Chinese form of measurement, now standardized to 500 meters) before his/her feet hurt.
I myself had to learn this song and sing it in front of my school during the school festival last year. Kids like it when the foreigner makes a fool of himself in front of everyone. A similar experience occurred to my friend in Jecheon, who also had to sing Arirang in the school festival.
Picture of me in a traditional hanbok at the school festival, about to sing for everyone.
Arirang, Arirang, Arariyo...
Crossing over Arirang Pass.
Dear who abandoned me [here]
Will not walk even ten li (an ancient Chinese form of measurement, now standardized to 500 meters) before his/her feet hurt.
I myself had to learn this song and sing it in front of my school during the school festival last year. Kids like it when the foreigner makes a fool of himself in front of everyone. A similar experience occurred to my friend in Jecheon, who also had to sing Arirang in the school festival.
Picture of me in a traditional hanbok at the school festival, about to sing for everyone.
So now I've established that Arirang is a popular song in getting foreigners to sing. Next we move on to the World Cup in 2002, co-hosted by Korea and Japan. Here is an example of the song being sung by passionate Korean fans.
In another soccer/Arirang reference, recently, North Korea had it's World Cup qualifier against South Korea changed to China. See this article, taken from CNNSI:
Now what brought about these thoughts about the song Arirang? This post at the Marmot's hole did. Read it, and you will learn about Tak Kyung-hyun, also known as Fumihiro Mitsuyama, a Korean Kamikaze pilot during World War II. Intrigued, I followed a link to Japan Probe, which contained a short Japanese documentary about the doomed pilot, found here. Please take a few minutes to watch the documentary. I'll wait.
I personally found this documentary very moving. However, the two things that stood out the most for me were that: 1) When Tome Torihama first met Tak, he seemed very depressed, and introduced himself as a Josen-jin, or a Korean (Korean under Japanese rule was called Josen or Chosen) opening himself up to descrimination and, more importantly, 2) upon learning that he had been assigned to be a Kamikaze pilot, right before he left, he sang Arirang to Tome Torihama, a song she and her daughters continued to sing the rest of their lives. Specifically, Torihome felt a deep sadness for the fate of Tak and her inability to contact her parents. I think the strongest scene for me was having Torihama's daughter and Tak's cousin walking in Tak's hometown together singing Arirang through the fields.
Obviously, I have no idea what was going through Tak's mind when he decided to serve the imperial army. In fact, today many Koreans consider Tak a traitor. What I feel, though, is that Tak had very conflicting thoughts about what he was doing. But despite his decision, he felt a very strong connection with his homeland, made evident though his singing of the song Arirang. If the monument to Tak Kyung-hyun is ever unveiled, I will definitely try to go and see it.
In another soccer/Arirang reference, recently, North Korea had it's World Cup qualifier against South Korea changed to China. See this article, taken from CNNSI:
"The two Koreas have agreed to play their World Cup qualifier in China this month under the mediation of soccer's world governing body.The transfer of the match from the North Korean capital Pyongyang came after South Korea last month asked FIFA to mediate a dispute over North Korea's refusal to let the South play its national anthem and fly its flag before the match...In recent years, the two Koreas have displayed the blue and white "unification flag" and used the traditional song "Arirang" at exhibition sports events. Both sides marched together under the unification flag at several major international sports events following the 2000 Sydney Olympics.The North had insisted the sides do the same in Pyongyang, while the South argued a FIFA rule stipulates national anthems and flags should be used at international matches." (Emphasis mine.)
Now what brought about these thoughts about the song Arirang? This post at the Marmot's hole did. Read it, and you will learn about Tak Kyung-hyun, also known as Fumihiro Mitsuyama, a Korean Kamikaze pilot during World War II. Intrigued, I followed a link to Japan Probe, which contained a short Japanese documentary about the doomed pilot, found here. Please take a few minutes to watch the documentary. I'll wait.
I personally found this documentary very moving. However, the two things that stood out the most for me were that: 1) When Tome Torihama first met Tak, he seemed very depressed, and introduced himself as a Josen-jin, or a Korean (Korean under Japanese rule was called Josen or Chosen) opening himself up to descrimination and, more importantly, 2) upon learning that he had been assigned to be a Kamikaze pilot, right before he left, he sang Arirang to Tome Torihama, a song she and her daughters continued to sing the rest of their lives. Specifically, Torihome felt a deep sadness for the fate of Tak and her inability to contact her parents. I think the strongest scene for me was having Torihama's daughter and Tak's cousin walking in Tak's hometown together singing Arirang through the fields.
Obviously, I have no idea what was going through Tak's mind when he decided to serve the imperial army. In fact, today many Koreans consider Tak a traitor. What I feel, though, is that Tak had very conflicting thoughts about what he was doing. But despite his decision, he felt a very strong connection with his homeland, made evident though his singing of the song Arirang. If the monument to Tak Kyung-hyun is ever unveiled, I will definitely try to go and see it.
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