Even those who are not interested in poetry would know a couple of poems by heart if they were education in Korea. One such poem is Kim So-wol’s “Azalea Flowers,” often cited as one of the most beloved poems by Korean people, together with “Prologue” by Yun Dong-ju.

When you hate to see me and decide to leave,
I’ll quietly let you go.

I’ll pluck an armful of azaleas
In the Yaksan hills at Yeongbyeon
To strew over your path.
Tread softly on the flowers,
Each step soft and silent.

When you hate to see me and decide to leave,
I’ll never, never shed tears.

This short poem, absent of any difficult words or complicated ideas, has resonated deeply in the hearts of Korean people for many decades.
Music 1: Azalea Flowers/ Sung by Kang Kwon-sun
Kim So-wol’s “Azalea Flowers” has been turned into songs by several composers. The version you just enjoyed was composed by Kim Dae-seong김대성 and sung by Kang Kwon-sun. “Azalea Flowers” is applauded as one of the best parting songs in Korean history, together with “Gasiri가시리” from the Goryeo Dynasty and Korea’s iconic folk song “Arirang.” It’s assumed that “Azalea Flowers” was first published in a magazine named “Gaebyeok개벽” in 1922. Three years later, a slightly revised version of “Azaleas Flowers” was included in Kim’s only collection of poems under the same title. The revision indicated how he re-wrote the poem repeatedly until the nuance was just right. Yaksan Hills mentioned in the poem are located in Yeongbyeon in North Korea’s northwestern region. This area is known for its medicinal herbs and clean, sparkling water. The mountains were so steep and rugged that, according to some old records, it was thought to be the only place in Pyeongan-do Province that can withstand enemy invasion. But Yaksan Hills were also considered one of the most beautiful mountains in Korea, for azalea flowers blanketed the entire mountain in deep pink in the springtime.
Music 2: Yeongbyeonga/ Performed by Oh Bok-nyeo, Shin Jeong-ae and Yu Ji-sook
That was “Yeongbyeonga” or “Song of Yeongbyeon” sung by Oh Bok-nyeo, Shin Jeong-ae and Yu Ji-sook. It was Kim So-wol who revived the azaleas depicted in this provincial folk song into a modern poem. Kim’s only collection of poems was first published on December 26th, 1925. Four remaining copies of that first edition were registered as cultural assets, but one of them was put up for auction in 2015. The bid started at roughly 90,000 US dollars and the volume was auctioned off at a record 130,000 dollars, the highest sum for a piece of modern Korean literary. This anecdote indicates how much Korean people love Kim So-wol’s poems. At the end of 2015, one publishing company marketed the exact replicas of the first edition, down to its original font, earning rave reactions from Korean poetry lovers. This week’s Sounds of Korea will conclude with “Azaleas” composed by Lee Jun-ho and the haegeum played by Jeong Soo-nyun.
Music 3: Azaleas/ Haegeum by Jeong Soo-nyun