키네틱 플로우 (Kinetic Flow) – 4월부터 8월까지 feat. AG (From April to August feat. AG)

 

It’s hard for me to understate the significance of having finally translated this song. I have been listening to this song pretty much since I got into Korean music. It’s been so long I don’t even remember how I first encountered it, and I certainly had absolutely no chance of understanding it. A few years back, I tried to transcribe and translate it, but I only made it through a few verses before giving up. This time, I could actually understand when transcribing and translating wasn’t too challenging, either. To me, this song marks the massive progress I’ve made over the years – while still highlighting how much I have left to learn.

 

Just a quick note, I change back and forth between second and third person pronouns for the girl because that’s what the Korean lyrics do, but the whole song is all about one person.

 

 

한국어:

 

미끈하게 뻗은 두 팔과 다리

가녀린 어깨와 목선 사이로

흘러내린 머릿결은

봄바람을 타고 나풀거림에

 

난 신호등이 바뀌는 찰나

너무나 찬란한 그녀 옆으로 다가가

뻔히 아는 길을 물었네

 

그러자 그녀는 미소로 길을 설명해

도무지 닿지를 안아 그녀의 말들이 나의 귓가에

부드런 턱선을 따라

열리는 입술은 마치 꽃봉우리

 

그녀 깊은 눈망울이 알려주는 우리 갈 길은

바로 사랑이라고 맑은 날씨만큼이나 선명한

당신의 콧날이 나를 가르키지만 (하지만)

한 발짝 두 발짝 다가가면

가슴은 발작하듯 뛰어대도

 

마치 군대 있었을 적 은근슬쩍 고참 몰래 먹는

라면보다 떨려서 치약향기마저 감미로워

감히 내게 말을 걸기도 너무나 힘들어

나 홀로 속앓이 이런 못난이

중얼대는 옹알이 그래도 한마디 건넬 때쯤

 

건너버린 건널목 앞에서 그녀를 추월해

수줍게 건낸 영화나 보자는 나의 말 한마디에

그녀는 미소로 대답해 (기적처럼 시작돼)

사랑은 4월의 향기보다 더 진하네

 

그래서 지난 아픔 따위는 오늘까지만

그래도 다만 흐르다만 당신의 눈물이

흐를 일은 앞으로 두가지 뿐이야

첫번째는 슬픈 영화를 볼 때

마지막 두번째는 결혼식 날 당신이 흘릴 눈물

 

그대 떠난 날 눈물처럼 흩날리던

비가 내리면 함께 거릴 걷던 날들

4월에 봄비가 내리면 끝이 없을 것만 같지만

사랑도 꽃도 시들어 사라지는 기억

 

사건 시각은 2002년 꽤나 더웠던 8월

오후 5시 장소는 서울시

용의자가 가진 흉기는 나를 힘껏 당기는 맑은 눈빛

내 맘을 훔친 범인

 

생각해보니 그땐 어린 나이 고1

허나 성숙한 너의 맘은 왜 이리도 곱니

우리가 만날 때마다 버스를 타고 1시간 반을

혼자였던 널 생각하면 지금도 미안한

 

맘이 앞서 너는 항상 앞서 나를 배려했지

내 지갑이 빈 날이면 뺏어 화장실로가

데이트 비용을 채워 넣고는 “오빠 나 배고파” 하며

두둑해진 지갑을 내 주머니에 넣고는

 

평소처럼 행동하며 당당한 내가 좋다며

넌 조심스레 말을 꺼냈지

그런 네게 난 어울리지 않는 놈이라며

혼자만의 생각에 오히려

화를 내고 짜증내고 바보처럼 널 울리고

 

우리가 만난 반년이란 시간의 반은 반쪽이 난 사랑을 하며 지냈지

어리석은 나 때문에 결국 지칠대로 지친 넌

이야기 속 선녀처럼 바람처럼 사라졌네 불꽃처럼

 

지금 후회 짙은 노래를 부르는 나는

이제 나를 보면 웃으며 인사할 너를

잊지 못해 난 웃지 못해

미련이란 놈 때문에 언제나 늘 그렇게

 

그대 떠난 날 눈물처럼 흩날리던

비가 내리면 함께 거릴 걷던 날들

4월에 봄비가 내리면 끝이 없을 것만 같지만

사랑도 꽃도 시들어 사라지는 기억

 

 

English:

 

Your arms and legs went on forever

Between your slender shoulders and the nape of your neck,

your hair flowed down

and was blown about by the spring wind

 

The instant the traffic light changed,

she was so bright as I approached her side

I asked her for directions that were completely obvious

 

She told me the way with a smile

but her words didn’t reach my ears at all

I just followed the gentle line of her chin

Her parted lips looked like flower buds

 

Looking in her eyes as she gave me directions,

it was immediately as clear as the sunny weather that it was love

The bridge of your nose pointed to me but (but)

when I approached one step, two steps,

my heart raced like it was having a seizure…

 

…like when I was in the army and would secretly eat ramen without my superiors knowing

Just the smell of your toothpaste is even sweeter than the smell of that ramen

Just daring to say anything to you is incredibly difficult

I’m just an ugly dude sick of being single,

but about the time I managed to mumble out some nonsense…

 

…she passed in front of me going the opposite way on the crosswalk

When I shyly asked her if she wanted to see a movie or something,

she answered with a smile (and that’s how the miracle started)

Love is stronger than the scent of April

 

So all your past pains, etc. stop here and now

[But still, in the future there will be

exactly two reasons and two reasons only for you to cry:]

The first is when you watch a sad movie

and the second and last is when you cry on your wedding day

 

On the day you left, rain fell like tears

Now when it falls, it’s like the days we used to walk together

When the April rain fell, it seemed like we would never end but

love and flowers both wilt, and memories fade

 

Time of incident: the particularly hot August of 2002

Hour: 5 PM, Location: Seoul

Murder weapon: the bright look in her eyes that pulled me with all its might

That was the culprit that stole my heart

 

Now that I think about it, I was a young sophomore at the time

so why was your mature heart so attractive?

Every time we met, you would ride the bus for an hour and a half

I feel bad even know when I think about you being alone all that time

 

You put heart first, so considerate and thoughtful

When my wallet was empty, you’d steal it and run into the bathroom

You’d fill it with enough money to cover the date then say, “Oppa, I’m hungry,”

as you shoved my suddenly thicker wallet back in my pocket

 

“I like you when you’re being your usual stubborn self,”

you said, ever so carefully

“A guy like that doesn’t suit you,”

is what I thought to myself instead,

which made me angry and annoyed so I stupidly made you cry

 

I spent half of the six months we dated half in love

Because I was idiotic, ultimately you grew so sick of it

The magical woman in this tale disappeared like the wind, like fireworks

 

I’m singing this song, heavy with regret

When you see me know, you smile as you greet me

but I can’t forget you, I can’t smile

I’ll always have feelings for you like this

 

On the day you left, rain fell like tears

Now when it falls, it’s like the days we used to walk together

When the April rain fell, it seemed like we would never end but

love and flowers both wilt, and memories fade