Ruins of Hwangseong

(황성의 적〉(荒城의 跡), 또는 〈황성옛터〉Hwangseong Ruins

현재 가사

황성옛터에 밤이 되니 월색만 고요해 At Hwangseong ruins, as night turns, only the silence of moonlight

폐허에 서린 회포를 말하여 주노나 The limned ruins unburdened tell me

아 외로운 저 나그네 홀로 잠 못 이뤄 Ah, solitary traveler, here one cannot sleep.

구슬픈 벌레 소리에 말없이 눈물져요 At the mournful insect sounds, tears well without a word

성은 허물어져 빈터인데 방초만 푸르러 The walls demolished an empty place, only the fragrant green grass

세상의 허무한 것을 말하여 주노나 The world is a futile thing, it tells

아 가엾다 이 내 몸은 그 무엇 찾으려 Ah, pitiful, my heart what does it seek

덧없는 꿈의 거리를 헤매고 있노라 In a fleeting dream, wandering the streets


나는 가리라 끝이 없이 이 발길 닿는 곳 I'm taken without end by my steps to the place

산을 넘고 물을 건너 정처가 없이도 Over mountains and across streams without stopping

아 한없는 이 심사를 가슴속 깊이 품고 Ah, without bounds, this thought i embrace deep within my chest

이 몸은 흘러서 가노니 옛터야 잘 있거라 As I travel onward, old ruins fare-thee-well!

This song was written in 1928. Hwangseong, literally means emperor's castle. The lyrics were inspired by ruins of Manwoltae in Kaseong, Korea. The lyricist Hwang Peong was part of a traveling theatrical group. The melody was composed by Jeon Su Rin. Lee Ae-ri was the singer. The popular hit was among those first recorded in Korean to be played on gramophone. It's said that 50,000 records were produced beginning in 1932. The song was banned by the Japanese and suppressed because it was believed to express resistance to Japanese colonial rule. If anything the repressed song became more popular. The song appeared in many guises over the years as it was performed by multiple artists. The elegy was felt to express the heated spirit in the hearts of the Korean people. There are two versions of the lyrics, modern (above) which I have attempted to interpret here, and the contemporary version at the Korean wikipedia source below.

https://ko.wikipedia.org/wiki/%ED%99%A9%EC%84%B1%EC%98%9B%ED%84%B0

[강릉선교장] 황성옛터 - 이정표(Jungpyo Lee)
Here is a link to Jungpyo Lee's beautiful rendition of Hwangseong Ruins:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvUkRa6_Zbo