"Yearning for Kumgangsan"
그리운 금강산 in English, a popular Korean art song
I’m going to quote something directly from Wikipedia.
A “lied” (German word) is a term for setting poetry to classical music to create a piece of polyphonic music. … But among English speakers, lied is often used interchangeably with “art song.”
Think of it as a standalone aria without the whole opera. We call that type of a song as ga-gok (가곡, 歌曲) in Korea. And I wanted to introduce one particular ga-gok song today.
It is called “그리운 금강산” (guh-rih-woon geum-gang-san). The word “그리운” looks easy enough but it is a very tricky word to translate.
This is probably the most popular ga-gok among Koreans (including the North, believe it or not, and there is a story with this). But more importantly, the lyrics most accurately depicts of any songs I know how the South Koreans feel about their country that’s been divided for over 70 years now.
Writing about Kumgangsan itself is going to make this posting way too long. Suffice it to say that it is revered by all Koreans to be a sacred and beautiful wonder of nature, and it stands as a symbol of what we have lost. (I guess it is analogous to how the Japanese revere their Mt. Fuji.)
Getting back to the song itself, I need to set this up a little bit.
These are my own translations—please allow for any unintended errors or mistakes.
I tried to stay with literal translation as much as I can, but there are 2 phrases where I took a bit of liberty, in order to more accurately transpose the deeper meaning.
The “san” of Kumgangsan is “mountain.” So, you might see the name as Mt. Kumgang or Kumgang Mountain (or even “Diamond Mountain”).
The performers are Paul Potts (of all people) of the Britain’s Got Talent fame, a known Korea-phile, and a Korean pop singer named Ali.
This song stokes a lot of emotion among Koreans, even for the younger generations. More stories below the YouTube video and the lyrics…
누구의 주재런가 맑고 고운 산 / 그리운 만이천봉 말은 없어도
이제야 자유만민 옷깃 여미며 / 그 이름 다시 부를 우리 금강산
수수만년 아름다운 산 / 못 가본지 몇몇 해
오늘에야 찾을 날 왔다 / 금강산은 부른다.
Whose creation might this be? These mountains of such purity and grace.
Although those 12,000 peaks that we all yearn for haven’t spoken…
At last, we the free people stand with our clothes straightened out,
That name we shall call upon again, our Kumgangsan.
For tens of thousands of years, such beautiful mountains have stood there,
Not being able to visit for years,
The day has finally come for us to reclaim it.
Kumgangsan is calling to us.
비로봉 그 봉우리 예대로인가 / 흰 구름 솔바람도 무심히 가나
발 아래 산해 만 리 보이지 마라 / 우리 다 맺힌 슬픔 풀릴 때까지
수수만년 아름다운 산 / 더럽힌지 몇몇 해
오늘에야 찾을 날 왔다 / 금강산은 부른다.
Birobong, that highest peak, are you still as majestic as ever?
Do those white clouds and winds through the pine trees still float about aimlessly?
Miles upon miles of land and sea under our feet better not show themselves,
Until all of our pain and sorrow wash away.
For tens of thousands of years, such beautiful mountains have stood there,
Having been tarnished for years,
The day has finally come for us to reclaim it.
Kumgangsan is calling to us.
* Notes:
The song was written in 1961 under the very anti-communist South Korean government. Therefore, there are elements in the lyrics that are not-so-subtle digs at the North Koreans.
Placido Domingo and other famous foreign singers have performed the song, but I just happen to like this version the most.
Also, the lyrics have gone through a few changes over the years because there was a time when the icy relations between the two Koreas started getting warmer, and the North Koreans made a point of asking some parts of the song changed.
The parts that North Koreans are particularly sensitive about:
The third line in the first stanza: We the free people (자유만민)
The first line in the second stanza: the original version said, “Birobong, that peak being trampled…”
And of course the seventh line in both stanzas: The day has finally come for us to reclaim it. (I have to admit, that’s pretty provocative.)
Apparently, this used to be a favorite of the North Korean people despite its origin. When a South Korean soprano performed this song in Pyongyang in 1985, it was greeted with a standing ovation. The North Korean leaders actually used this song as a part of its propaganda, claiming that the lyrics show how much South Koreans want to be a part of North Korea.
North Koreans opened Kumgangsan for South Korean tourists on and off for a few years, charging exorbitant amount, but has been permanently shut down by them after one of its soldiers shot and killed a South Korean tourist in 2008. The song has been banned in North Korea.
North Koreans have desecrated the mountain, to be sure. Check this shit out.
It says, “Let’s be proud, fellow Koreans. For the opportunity to have served the greatest leader of our 5000-year history Kim Il-sung.”
Oh boy, where is my handkerchief? Ali and Paul Potts hit it out of the park.