a reflection based on a Korean song “Melted” by 악동뮤지션
Hello there again.
Lately, I have been hypnotized by AKMU ‘s (Akdong Musician) songs.
They are a band from South Korea, as maybe some of you have known that I like Korean songs since 2008. The very first korean song I heard was “Love Like Oxygen” by SHINee as it was also one of their debuted song. Long-short story, for a few years, I was like those fans girl who looked like a die hard fans which if I think about it again, it sounds rather scary.
But then again, those are the past and I still like Korean songs up until now but the attention might be a little different *cough* EXO’s boys are bias ruiners *cough*. These days though, it seems like Korean Indies songs have caught more of my attention and one of them is Akdong Musician.
I N T R O D U C T I O N
Akdong Musician consisted of two people who are siblings. The older one, whose name is Lee Chan Hyuk, is the one who usually plays the guitar along with his deep voice while his little sister, Lee Soo Hyun, sings as beautifully as angel does. No kidding, they were just that good.
Offical AKMU Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/officialAKMU
Alright, so there is just this one song that I like SO much. It may sound creepy at first, but as I listened it again, I really love the melody and how it was really melted my heart. Yes, the title is “Melted”.
M E L T E D
Akdong Musician
Korean Lyrics
붉은 해가 세수하던 파란 바다 검게 물들고
구름 비바람 오가던 하얀 하늘 회색 빛들고
맘속에 찾아온 어둠을 그대로 두고
밤을 덮은 차가운 그림자마냥 굳어간다
얼음들이 녹아지면
조금 더 따뜻한 노래가 나올텐데
얼음들은 왜 그렇게 차가울까
차가울까요
Why are they so cold
Why are they so cold
붉은 해가 세수하던 파란 바다
그 깊이 묻힌 옛 온기를 바라본다
too late get it out
어른들 세상 추위도 풀렸으면 해
얼었던 사랑이 이젠 주위로 흘렀으면 해
맘속에 찾아온 어둠을 그대로 두고
밤을 덮은 차가운 그림자마냥 굳어간다
얼음들이 녹아지면
조금 더 따뜻한 노래가 나올텐데
얼음들은 왜 그렇게 차가울까
차가울까요
얼음들이 녹아지면
조금 더 따뜻한 노래가 나올텐데
얼음들은 왜 그렇게 차가울까
차가울까요
Why are they so cold
Why are they so cold
English Translation
The blue ocean the red sun used to wash its face with has turned black
The white sky, the clouds, the rain, and the wind turn gray
I leave behind the darkness that found its way to my heart
Even the cold shadow that the night is covered with has started to harden
If the ice melted, a warmer song would have been brought about
But why is this ice so cold? Why is it so cold?
Why are they so cold
Why are they so cold
The blue ocean the red sun used to wash its face with
I look at its past warmth that has been buried deeply (too late to get it out)
I wish this coldness in the world of adults would subside as well
I wish the frozen love will melt away now
I leave behind the darkness that found its way to my heart
Even the cold shadow that the night is covered with has started to harden
If the ice melted, a warmer song would have been brought about
But why is this ice so cold? Why is it so cold?
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If the ice melted, a warmer song would have been brought about
But why is this ice so cold? Why is it so cold?
Why are they so cold
Why are they so cold
“Why are they so cold”
So what makes this song so special to me?
Because the lyrics speaks about what’s going on in the real world right now and the melodies support it very much.
If you watch the video of “Melted”, as I quoted this from a review in the internet, the plot will go like this:
A boy, soon to become an adult, sets off on a journey. During this trip, he documents everything he sees with his vintage camera. All he sees, however, is pain and hardship. He realizes that the adults present in this world are all trying to make a living, but suffer because of it. It is a world of greed and self-interest. The boy’s vision of life is clouded by darkness, especially after being beaten by an adult working at a club. All hope for human sensibility is lost until the end of the video, where our main protagonist is sheltered and fed by a rather distinct, outcast adult. (source: http://www.kpopstarz.com/articles/88041/20140417/akdong-musician-releases-story-like-mv-for-melted.htm)
The adults present in this world are all trying to make a living, but suffer because of it. It is a world of greed and self-interest.
Such an irony.
We, human, are full of greed. If I connected it to an indifference curve in economy, this greediness is actually going up and never had its turning point to go down. The satisfaction of having greediness are limitless. The growth might be different for every individual as not all of us will actually listen to our greediness, but, it’s a nature that we still have greediness. As I have said it before, even with a pure feeling like “love”, there is also this greediness as I happened to have said it in different words; “passion”.
(might also could read my other journal titled “What is Love”)
If I see it in the Korean’s entertainment world as I have been following the news since 2008, the companies there are definitely greed of money. Well, again, I didn’t say it applies to all of the entertainment companies in South Korea, but I could say that Korean Pop Industry has been a gold site for most entertainment companies.
Being a K-Pop fans for years made me learn about a lot of things, especially about human nature. The idea about Korean Wave had been planned by the government in South Korea for so they hope it could conquer a little bit of world’s economy and if they are lucky enough, it will flight into a new trend for the world.
Well, they did it.
As you might have already known, Korean Wave has been a seriously dangerous poison for teenagers especially girls. They tend to obsessed TOO MUCH about most boys idols that South Korean’s made which seems to look like the ideal type of girls’ dream when it comes to boys’ perfect appearance. The hypnotize worked for some years.
But what I want to say is, to ‘produce’ the ideal type of boys or girls that the teenagers dreamed of, the company or agencies are working their butts off to make those idols appear in real life. Or maybe should I say, its the idols that twice working their butts off to satisfied the agency they are signed to.
One of the easiest way to grant that is by plastic surgery.
It’s not that Korean people are ugly, no. I think everyone have their rights to be called unique and it is not acceptable to be called as ugly which seems most people have opinions for that to Koreans (which refers mostly to South Korean ones). But, does not it feel like they are willing to sacrifice their body, which in essence is the creation from God, with the never ending pursuit called money?
I’m not going to blame this to all the greedy South Korean people out there, it’s just happened that I’m currently in love with Akdong Musician which is from South Korea. But, most people in this world are looking for that materialistic things that will never, ever, satisfied us. Maybe if I want to speculate things, the real reason is not money. It is the perfection that we aimed for. The perfection that exists only to Him. Well if that’s the case, of course, we will never be satisfiy with what we already have. No matter how much money they get or how beautiful and handsome they are, they will not even reach the word “satisfied”.
It is sad that even me are also looking for perfection and strive-forcing my body to work until the result satisfied me. I might not pursuing for money (yet, hope not) but I do pursue for something that’s better than others. If it could be the best, then why not?
This. This statement I just made. It actually kind of agreeing that I’m also as greedy as those people I’m kinda hated of, right?
Well, this is the example of imperfection. The beauty of being human. We are imperfect and we are as we are. We don’t need to pursue for what the wise words expect you to become. It could change you to something good of course and that’s a good thing. Wise words also could become a reminder of what is the right path for you to choose so the life that you are living now. But, you don’t have to be perfect in every situation.
I’m still saying that the greediness that those companies in South Korea are bad. Of course, I mean come on, they are like slaving their own children! I’m just saying that in business, you could be greedy, of course, that’s the intention of doing a business right, to reach the maximum profit. But, you could be blind and being more greedy.
And that is bad.
Being greedy is a human nature but you also need to control when it turned you into someone that are evil. Evil as in you don’t even think that greed is greed anymore. You’ll think that greed is okay because it’s human nature. That is so wrong, buddy.
Yin and Yang.
In life, there is always yin and yang. “Yin” is for the good and “Yang” is for the bad. There is “Yin” in “Yang” and there is “Yang” in “Ying”. They are called life. We are melted in this battle that we must fight for the “Yin” and trying to learn the lesson from the “Yang”. “Yang” makes you know what’s “Yin” and “Yin” makes you know what’s “Yang”.
As simple as that.
So, never underestimate life.
Life could bring you so much happiness, laughs, and joy when you know that sometimes, to reach that, you need some sacrifices which is still in the length of the-bad-that-makes-you-good.
In the middle of the night when Mom was upset because I did not give her an answer of what she asked for,
Jakarta
2014.
PS. hey, I was not wrong right. It’s my right to hide some things from my parents :p they will know when the time comes. I promise, mom ☺
