How Two European Melodies Inspired Despairing Korean Lyrics and Became Hits
The two songs, sung by iconic female singers, have a similar sentiment coming from their minor-key melody combined with profoundly pessimistic lyrics.
So, this is the lighthearted article I promised, but the sentiment might not be that light. It's about two songs that originated in Europe and were given Korean lyrics with a despairing tone.
“Praise of Death” with the Melody of “Waves of the Danube”
The first song is “Praise of Death (사의 찬미),” recorded by Yun Sim-deok. Yun was one of the first recording artists in South Korea, as well as one of the first Koreans to study Western music abroad. In the early 1920s, Yun received support from the colonial government to study in Japan, as the government expanded opportunities for Korean students to study there. When she returned to Korea in 1923 and began performing, she became a sensation. The public became enamored with her talent, looks, and personality. Newspapers sexualized her and followed her every move in a gossipy manner.
“Praise of Death” was recorded in Japan in 1926 and released after the singer's mysterious death. She is known to have committed suicide with her lover while on the boat returning to Korea from Japan after recording the song. With the mysterious suicide publicized, “Praise of Death” became the first known hit record in Korea. It is estimated that more than 100,000 copies of the record were sold, and it is said to have precipitated the distribution of phonographs in Korea.
The above is the original recording of “Praise of Death.” You might have noticed that the melody is "The Waves of the Danube" by Iosif Ivanovici (1845-1902). Although it is not known for sure, it is thought that Yun herself or her lover wrote the lyrics.
In the lyrics, the narrator expresses the belief that everything is futile and suggests that her death will put an end to the sadness and pain. It seems as though she does not even desire to die as the idea of death has been an integral part of her for a long time.
“One Million Roses” with the Melody of “Dāvāja Māriņa”
The next song is "One Million Roses (백만송이 장미)" by Sim Soo-bong. This is a remake of the Latvian song "Dāvāja Māriņa," originally recorded by Aija Kukule and Līga Kreicberga in 1981. The song has been recorded in many different languages, and Sim's version is one of them. One common thread across all versions is that they are heartbreakingly despairing.
The original Latvian lyrics are about Māra, a goddess in Latvian mythology. Māra gave life to her daughter but forgot to give her happiness. The Russian lyrics are about a poor painter who sold everything to buy a million roses for an actress he loved. The actress leaves with the memory of the roses, and the painter is left alone for the rest of his life.
Sim's Korean version has the same title as the Russian version, but the lyrics are different. The chorus goes something like below.
Without resentment, resentment, resentment
When you only give love, generously, generously
Millions, millions, millions of flowers will bloom
And I will be able to go back to the beautiful star that I miss
In the second verse, the narrator says that she has found true love. In the third verse, she says that they will bloom more flowers together and go back to their star as one, suggesting a happy ending. However, I still sense deep despair and profound helplessness in the lyrics that I can't quite explain. Although the narrator is trying to convey an extremely selfless form of love, she also establishes that she does not belong to this planet. Perhaps it's the implication that beautiful things do not belong in the world we currently live in. Ironically, while the song speaks of agape, it carries an unbelievably pessimistic undertone.
Sim is a rare female singer-songwriter of her generation who is considered a legend by many Koreans, myself included. She is also known for being present at the scene where former president Park Chung-hee was assassinated in 1979. Sim's version of "One Million Roses" has been covered by countless Korean singers, including a recent performance by Sim's great nephew who won a trot competition earlier this month.
It is intriguing to contemplate how these European melodies triggered such intense despair in Korean musicians. Through the use of expressive and melancholic melodies, both of which are in Aeolian mode, the Korean public was able to resonate with the profound pessimism conveyed by the iconic female voices.