A Million Roses🌹 🌹 : A Melody from My Seoul Days (2002-2005) | #kcontest

A Million Roses🌹 🌹 : A Melody from My Seoul Days (2002-2005) | #kcontest

Hello Hive Community!

This week, I came across the Korean Hive Village contest with the prompt "Sharing K-Culture." While looking through the categories, I felt a strong pull towards K-Pop (Music) and K-Language (Language). This contest triggered a beautiful memory, making me revisit a song that was a significant part of my life during my stay in Seoul from 2002 to 2005.

The song is "백만송이 장미" (One Million Roses) by the legendary Shim Soo-bong.

🎵 A Journey Back to Seoul
Between 2002 and 2005, I lived in Seoul while teaching Spanish and learning a bit the Korean language. It was a transformative period in my life. Beyond the textbooks and grammar lessons, music was one of my greatest teachers for understanding the Korean heart and emotions.

During that time, "One Million Roses" was everywhere. It wasn't just a song; it was a cultural lesson about 사랑 (Sarangs - Love) and sacrifice. This week, listening to it again for this contest, I was transported back to those streets of Seoul, the smell of rain on asphalt, and the feeling of trying to speak a new language in a bustling city.

The Deep Emotion of the Melody
What strikes me most this time, just as it did back then, is the emotional depth of the introduction and the ending.

🎧 The First Minute:
When the piano and orchestra begin, before the first verse is sung, there is a profound sense of longing. It feels like a quiet promise being made. In those first 60 seconds, I feel a deep calmness mixed with nostalgia. It sets the stage for a story about giving love without expecting anything in return.

🎧 The Ending:
As the song fades out, repeating the message about returning to the "beautiful star country," I feel a sense of completion and peace. It reminds me that love is not just about the present moment, but about a journey that transcends time.

🇰🇷 Cultural Reflection
This song falls under the genre of Trot/Ballad, which is deeply rooted in Korean culture. Unlike modern K-Pop idol tracks, this song focuses on Agape (unconditional love). The lyrics speak about hearing a voice from a distant star saying "Give love," and that only when you love truly do a million roses bloom.

Through this experience this week, I was reminded that Korean culture isn't just about the new trends we see today. It's also about these enduring melodies that have comforted people for decades. Learning Korean wasn't just about memorizing words; it was about understanding these emotions embedded in the music.

Final Thoughts
Participating in this #kcontest gave me the excuse to press "play" again after so long. It reminded me that some songs are not just entertainment; they are time machines. They take us back to who we were when we first heard them.

If you ever feel nostalgic or want to understand the deeper side of Korean emotions, I highly recommend listening to "One Million Roses." Let the first minute and the ending speak to your heart.

And here you have the Korean transcription of the song:
옛날 어느 별에서
Meon yet-nal eo-neu byeol-e-seo

내가 세상에 나올 때
Nae-ga se-sang-e na-ol ttae

사랑을 주고 오라는
Sa-rang-eul ju-go o-ra-neun

작은 음성 하나 들었지
Jak-eun eum-seong ha-na deul-eot-ji

사랑을 할 때만 피는 꽃
Sa-rang-eul hal ttae-man pi-neun kkot

백만 송이 피어오라는
Baeng-man so-ngi pi-eo-o-ra-neun

진실한 사랑을 할 때만
Jin-sil-han sa-rang-eul hal ttae-man

피어나는 사랑의 장미
Pi-eo-na-neun sa-rang-ui jang-mi

미워하는 미워하는 미워하는 마음없이
Mi-wo-ha-neun mi-wo-ha-neun mi-wo-ha-neun ma-eum-eop-si

아낌없이 아낌없이 사랑을 주기만 할 때
A-kkim-eop-si a-kkim-eop-si sa-rang-eul ju-gi-man hal ttae

수백만송이 백만송이 백만송이 꽃은 피고
Su-baeng-man-so-ngi baeng-man-so-ngi baeng-man-so-ngi kko-cheun pi-go

그립고 아름다운 내 별 나라로
Geu-rip-go a-reum-da-un nae byeol na-ra-ro

갈 수 있다네
Gal su it-da-ne

진실한 사랑은 뭔가
Jin-sil-han sa-rang-eun mwon-ga

괴로운 눈물 흘렸네
Goe-ro-un nun-mul heul-lyeot-ne

냉정한 사람 많았던
Naeng-jeong-han sa-ram man-at-deon

너무나 슬픈 세상이었기에
Neo-mu-na seul-peun se-sang-i-eot-gi-e

수 많은 세월 흐른 뒤
Su man-eun se-wol heu-reun dwi

자기의 생명까지 모두 다 준
Ja-gi-ui saeng-myeong-kka-ji mo-du da jun

빛처럼 홀연히 나타난
Bit-cheo-reom hol-yeon-hi na-ta-nan

그런 사랑 나를 안았네
Geu-reon sa-rang na-reul an-at-ne

[Coro se repite]

이젠 모두가 떠날지라도
I-jen mo-du-ga tteo-nal-ji-ra-do

그러나 사랑은 계속될거야
Geu-reo-na sa-rang-eun gye-sok-doel-geo-ya

저 별에서 나를 찾아온
Jeo byeol-e-seo na-reul cha-ja-on

그토록 기다리던 이인데
Geu-to-rok gi-da-ri-deon i-in-de

그대와 나 함께라면
Geu-dae-wa na ham-kke-ra-myeon

더욱 더 많은 꽃을 피우고
Deo-uk deo man-eun kko-cheul pi-u-go

하나가 되어 우리는
Ha-na-ga doee-o u-ri-neun

영원한 저 별로 돌아가리라
Yeong-won-han jeo byeol-lo dol-a-ga-ri-ra

[Coro final se repite]

🎤 3 Friends I Want to Sponsor:
Hive account@pedrobrito2004
Hive account@davidpena21
Hive account@solorzanot

🔗 Contest Details:
Community: Korean Hive Village
Tag: #kcontest #koreanhivevillage #kpop #klanguage #seoul
Period: Until 2026.4.3

Thank you for reading my story! 🌹🌹
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