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내 마음에 비친 내 모습 My Reflection In My Mind - 유재하 Yoo Jae-ha (1987) : Lyrics & English Translation

 

 



Yoo Jae-ha (유재하) is revered as the ultimate architect of modern Korean pop-balladry and the eternal "musical genius" who fundamentally changed the nation's sonic landscape. While his contemporaries relied on conventional, trot-influenced chord progressions, Yoo revolutionized the music scene by seamlessly blending classical harmony and sophisticated jazz structures with deeply introspective lyricism. His landmark 1987 track, My Reflection In My Mind (내 마음에 비친 내 모습), stands as a timeless masterpiece that defined the pure, self-reflective melancholia genre in Korea. Despite his tragic passing in a car accident in 1987 at the young age of 25, his delicate vocal delivery and flawless artistic autonomy continue to serve as a spiritual blueprint for all modern Korean singer-songwriters.


[내 마음에 비친 내 모습 가사 해석]
[My Reflection In My Mind Lyrics & English Translation]


붙들 수 없는
But-deul su eop-neun
That I cannot hold onto

꿈의 조각들은
Kkum-ui jo-gak-deul-eun
The fragments of dreams

하나 둘 사라져 가고
Ha-na dul sa-ra-jyeo ga-go
Are disappearing one by one

쳇바퀴 돌듯
Chet-ba-kwi dol-deut
Like a spinning wheel

끝이 없는 방황에
Kkeut-i eop-neun bang-hwang-e
In an endless wandering

오늘도 매달려 가네
O-neul-do mae-dal-ryeo ga-ne
I am clinging to it again today

거짓인 줄 알면서도
Geo-ji-sin jul al-myeon-seo-do
Even though I knew it was a lie

겉으론 감추며
Geo-teu-ron gam-chu-myeo
Hiding it on the outside

한숨 섞인 말 한 마디에
Han-sum seok-kin mal han-ma-di-e
At a single word mixed with a sigh

나만의 진실 담겨 있는 듯
Na-man-ui jin-sil dam-gyeo it-neun deut
As if my own truth is contained within it

이제와 뒤늦게
I-je-wa dwi-neut-ge
Now, belatedly

무엇을 더 보태려 하나
Mu-eot-eul deo bo-tae-ryeo ha-na
What more am I trying to add?

귀 기울여 듣지 않고
Gwi gi-ul-yeo deut-ji ang-go
Without listening closely

달리 보면 그만인 것을
Dal-li bo-myeon geu-man-in geos-eul
All it takes is to look at it differently

못 그린 내 빈 곳
Mot geu-rin nae bin got
The empty spaces of mine left unpainted

무엇으로 채워지려나
Mu-eot-eu-ro chae-wo-ji-ryeo-na
What will they be filled with?

차라리 내 마음에
Cha-ra-ri nae ma-eum-e
I would rather, in my mind

비친 내 모습 그려가리
Bi-chin nae mo-seup geu-ryeo-ga-ri
Paint the reflection of myself

엇갈림 속의
Eot-gal-rim sok-ui
Amidst the missed timings

긴 잠에서 깨면
Gin jam-e-seo kkae-myeon
When I wake from a long sleep

주위엔 아무도 없고
Ju-wi-en a-mu-do eop-go
There is no one around me

묻진 않아도 나는 알고 있는 곳
Mut-jin a-na-do na-neun al-go it-neun got
The place I know even without asking

그 곳에 가려고 하네
Geu go-se ga-ryeo-go ha-ne
I am trying to go to that place

근심 쌓인 순간들을
Geun-sim ssai-in sun-gan-deul-eul
Spending those moments piled with anxieties

힘겹게 보내며
Him-gyeop-ge bo-nae-myeo
With great difficulty

지워버린 그 기억들을
Ji-wo-beo-rin geu gi-eok-deul-eul
Those memories that I had erased

생각해내곤 또 잊어버리고
Saeng-gak-hae-nae-gon tto it-eo-beo-ri-go
I recall them, only to forget them again

(Repeat ×2)
이제와 뒤늦게
I-je-wa dwi-neut-ge
Now, belatedly

무엇을 더 보태려 하나
Mu-eot-eul deo bo-tae-ryeo ha-na
What more am I trying to add?

귀 기울여 듣지 않고
Gwi gi-ul-yeo deut-ji ang-go
Without listening closely

달리 보면 그만인 것을
Dal-li bo-myeon geu-man-in geos-eul
All it takes is to look at it differently

못 그린 내 빈 곳
Mot geu-rin nae bin got
The empty spaces of mine left unpainted

무엇으로 채워지려나
Mu-eot-eu-ro chae-wo-ji-ryeo-na
What will they be filled with?

차라리 내 마음에
Cha-ra-ri nae ma-eum-e
I would rather, in my mind

비친 내 모습 그려가리
Bi-chin nae mo-seup geu-ryeo-ga-ri
Paint the reflection of myself

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