Today Mr Gwon recommends a song called ‘The Private’s Letter’. All South Korean men have to do about 2 years of military service. This song is older and doesn’t have an proper video so here are two versions of it:

An original version with a video someone has made:

And a version Junsu did:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JGBd69BLRk

Here are the song lyrics:

집 떠나와 열차 타고 훈련소로 가는 날

Leaving on a train, reporting for duty

부모님께 큰 절하고 대문 밖을 나설때

As I walk out the door, parting with the parents

가슴 속엔 무엇인가 아쉬움이 남지만

In my heart remains a sentiment I cannot describe

풀한포기, 친구얼굴, 모든것이 새롭다.

A fistful of grass, a friend’s face, everything feels different

이제 다시 시작이다. 젊은 날의 생이여

It’s a new start, the days of my youth

친구들아 군대가면 편지 꼭 해다오

Friends, do write me in the army

그대들과 즐거웠던 날들을 잊지않게

So that I’ll remember our times together

열차시간 다가올때 두손잡던 뜨거움

Warmth, holding hands as the train nears

기적소리 멀어지면 작아지는 모습들

You grow smaller as the whistles fade

이제다시 시작이다 젊은날의 꿈이여

It’s a new start, the dreams of my youth

짧게잘린 내머리가 처음에는 우습다가

My shortened hair, silly at first

거울속에 비친 내모습이 굳어진다 마음까지

My reflection in the mirror, hardens with my mind

뒷동산에 올라서면 우리마을 보일런지

Atop that hill, would I see home

나팔소리 고요하게 밤하늘에 퍼지면

As the horn spreads quietly in the night

이등병의 편지 한장 고의접어 보내오

Writing a private’s letter and sending it

이제다시 시작이다 젊은날의 꿈이여

It’s a new start, the dreams of my youth

Mr Gwon says:

This song is a really sad song and almost all Korean guys have done military service so will understand what I’m going to talk about.

When people are going to do their military service they go to karaoke with friends and drink and they sing this song. Some people cry and they are really serious. Before I did my military service it was really sad. People don’t want to go to military service because they know it’s really hard and Korean guys sacrifice 2 years of their life for our country, every Korean guy. If they want to live in Korea they have to do military service.

The song is about the man who is going to do his military service and talking about when, thinking about his friends and family and how important they are but now he has new life in the military without family and friends. It made the person get stronger. It’s quite sad because if we didn’t have the Korean War, we are still united and we wouldn’t have to do military service, we would be one country. But because of that, we have national duty. We have to do this but it’s really sad.

I’m in Australia now, but I can’t see my friends in Korea, I can’t see my family. I finished my national duty already but when I listen to this song I’m thinking about my family and friends and thinking about when I was in the Navy and before I went to military service. I listen to this song and feel sad, it’s not bad sad, it’s also good memories too.

And when I was in the Navy, I worked in a Navy hospital and Korean marines, they come to our hospital to do their health check, and they are sitting on the ground and waiting for their turn. So I put the song over the speakers because I was working at reception and everyone could listen to it. And when I saw their faces, they looked so sad and wanted to go home. I played it because I was sentimental.

I recommend this song, it’s an old song. The guy who originally sang this song committed suicide but we don’t know why.

Korean military service is quite different from being in Australian military. It’s not our job, it’s our duty. We are not really paid. I was paid $10 or $20 a month and we have to always obey our seniors, if we don’t, they beat us. It’s really hard, physically and mentally. So many Korean guys, one of their worst dreams is going back to military service. I’ve had that dream before, and when I wake up I realise I’ve already finished and feel relieved and safe. Korean guys who have a rich family, they don’t want to go to military service, that’s why they try to go to another country and get citizenship. If you live in Korea and you are a man you have to do it. But there are many problems in Korea because when we finish our service and we come back to university, lots of our female friends have finished university and have got a job, we are still a university student but our age is quite old.

A lot of guys form really strong friendships with those the guys they did military service with and are still friends even when they are out of the military. When there is a Korean guy that didn’t do his military service they don’t understand what all the other guys are talking about, because they didn’t go through it.

Some people complain, and I also complain, but when I was in the military, I had many experiences, I got three certificates (licenses). When we get higher we have time to learn things and get certificates. I lost almost 20 kilos when I did my military service. I feel like I was a better person after I did my service.

 

(What is different about the picture above?)