Table of Contents
윤동주 “서시”
Thematic
Analysis
Key
Takeaways
Grammatical
Analysis of the Poem
Introduction
to the Poet
✒️ 윤동주 “서시”
죽는 날까지 하늘을 우러러
한 점 부끄럼이 없기를,
잎새에 이는 바람에도
나는 괴로워했다.
별을 노래하는 마음으로
모든 죽어 가는 것을 사랑해야지.
그리고 나한테 주어진 길을
걸어가야겠다.
오늘 밤에도 별이 바람에 스치운다.
Yun Dong-ju’s “서시” (Prologue), written in 1941, is the opening piece of his posthumous poetry collection “하늘과 바람과 별과 시” (The Sky, the Wind, the Stars, and Poetry). It is one of his most representative works, capturing the poet’s deep introspection and unwavering commitment to moral purity. Composed during the oppressive era of Japanese colonial rule, the poem expresses the speaker’s pledge to live without shame—a life guided by conscience, even in the darkest times.
🎙️ Recitation
[Source] Youtube, TOMM Creative Labs
✒️ Thematic Analysis
Through
self-reflection and inner contemplation, the speaker in this poem expresses a
solemn resolve to live without a single blemish of shame until the day he dies.
Despite facing hardship and inner turmoil (“Even at the rustle of a leaf, I was
in pain, 잎새에 이는 바람에도 나는 괴로워했다”), he vows to love all
dying beings with a heart that sings of stars—symbols of ideals and hope—and to
silently walk the path given to him, symbolizing duty and destiny.
- Stanza 1
“죽는
날까지 하늘을 우러러 / 한 점 부끄럼이 없기를, / 잎새에
이는 바람에도 / 나는 괴로워했다.”
→ This
stanza reveals a yearning to live a morally upright until death, with a
hypersensitive conscience that suffers even from the slightest temptation or
conflict. The “sky” (하늘) represents absolute morality
and ideals, while the “wind” (바람) symbolizes internal
conflict or external trials.
- Stanza 2
“별을
노래하는 마음으로 / 모든 죽어 가는 것을 사랑해야지.”
→ The
“stars” (별) embody pure ideals and hope, and “all dying
things” (모든 죽어가는 것) symbolize compassion and love for
life and existence. The speaker expresses an attitude of embracing all beings with sincerity and love.
- Stanza 3
“그리고
나한테 주어진 길을 / 걸어가야겠다.”
→ This
line conveys the poet’s silent acceptance of his fate or mission and his
unwavering resolve to continue walking it with a sense of responsibility.
- Stanza 4
“오늘
밤에도 별이 바람에 스치운다.”
→ The
imagery of “stars” (별, ideals and hope) being brushed
by the “wind” (바람, hardship and reality) symbolizes the
speaker’s struggle and determination to uphold his ideals despite life’s harsh
realities. The night represents a dark reality, the stars signify aspiration,
and the wind stands for adversity.
Although
brief, this poem contains profound self-examination, a resolute pursuit of
moral ideals, and an acute awareness of reality. For its restrained yet
powerful expression, it is considered a cornerstone of modern Korean poetry.
🎯 Key Takeaways
1: 죽는 날까지
Expresses
a firm commitment or resolution that lasts until the end of one’s life.
📌
Example Usage
"죽는
날까지 부끄럽지 않게 살고 싶다."
"I
want to live without shame until the day I die."
🌀
Similar Expressions
숨이 멎을 때까지 – Indicates doing something until one’s last breath.
📌
Example Usage
"숨이
멎을 때까지 너를 사랑할 거야."
"I’ll
love you until my last breath."
2: 하늘을 우러러보다
Represents
reverence, reflection, or moral introspection often directed toward something
higher.
📌
Example Usage
"하늘을
우러러 한 점 부끄럼 없이 살고 싶다."
"I
want to live without shame, looking up to the sky."
🎨 Additional
Expressions
고개를 들다 –
Symbolizes confidence or living with dignity.
📌
Example Usage
"이제는
고개를 들고 살 수 있을 것 같아."
"I
think I can now live with my head held high."
3: 한 점 부끄럼이 없다
Indicates
a state of complete moral integrity without even the slightest shame.
📌
Example Usage
"그는
한 점 부끄럼 없는 삶을 살았다."
"He
lived a life without a speck of shame."
🌀
Similar Expressions
떳떳하게 살다
– Living honorably without guilt or shame.
📌
Example Usage
"나는
언제나 떳떳하게 살고자 했다."
"I’ve
always tried to live with integrity."
4: 잎 / 잎새
Used to
evoke delicate natural imagery and often reflects emotional sensitivity.
📌
Example Usage
"잎새에
이는 바람에도 괴로워했다."
"I
was distressed even by the wind blowing through the leaves."
🌀
Similar Expressions
풀잎 –
Symbolizes purity or fragility in nature.
📌
Example Usage
"그는
풀잎처럼 순한 사람이었다."
"He
was as gentle as a blade of grass."
5: 바람이 일다 / 이는 바람
Symbolizes
emotional unrest or change stirred by subtle forces.
📌
Example Usage
"그는
잎새에 이는 바람에도 괴로워했다."
"He
was tormented even by the breeze in the leaves."
“갑자기 거센 바람이 일면서 나뭇가지들이 심하게 흔들렸다.”
“Suddenly, a
strong wind blew up, causing the tree branches to sway violently.”
🌀
Similar Expressions
바람이 불다 –
Can reflect both literal wind and metaphorical changes.
📌
Example Usage
"바람이
불 때마다 그가 생각난다."
"I
think of him every time the wind blows."
6: 괴로워하다 / 괴로워했다 (past
tense)
Describes
suffering from inner turmoil, emotional pain, or distress.
📌
Example Usage
"나는
사소한 일에도 괴로워했다."
"I
was distressed even by small things."
🎨 Additional
Expressions
마음이 아프다
– Expresses emotional pain in a softer tone.
📌
Example Usage
"그
말을 듣고 마음이 너무 아팠다."
"My
heart hurt so much after hearing that."
7: 별을 노래하다
Poetically
expresses a longing for ideals, dreams, or hope.
📌
Example Usage
"나는
별을 노래하는 마음으로 살고 싶다."
"I
want to live with a heart that sings of stars."
🎨 Additional
Expressions
꿈을 이야기하다
– Reflects one’s aspirations and desires.
📌
Example Usage
"그는
밤마다 꿈을 이야기하곤 했다."
"He
used to talk about his dreams every night."
8: 죽어가는 것
Refers
to fading or dying life, often used to evoke sympathy or compassion.
🐾 “죽어가는 것”: Paradoxically, it refers to all
living beings.
📌
Example Usage
"죽어가는
생명도 소중히 여겨야 한다."
"Even
a dying life should be cherished."
🎨 Additional
Expressions
사라져가는 존재
– Suggests people or things gradually fading from existence.
📌
Example Usage
"사라져가는
것들에 대한 애착이 커진다."
"I
grow more attached to things that are fading away."
9: 사랑하다
Represents
the fundamental emotion of love, often with sincerity and depth.
📌
Example Usage
"모든
죽어가는 것을 사랑해야 한다."
"We
should love all dying things."
🎨 Additional
Expressions
아끼다 – To
cherish or treat something with deep care.
📌
Example Usage
"그는
모든 생명을 아끼는 마음을 가졌다."
"He
had a heart that cherished all life."
10: 주어진 길을 걸어가다
Conveys
faithfully walking the path given by fate or purpose.
📌
Example Usage
"나는
내게 주어진 길을 묵묵히 걸어가겠다."
"I
will quietly walk the path given to me."
🌀
Similar Expressions
운명을 따르다
– To accept and follow one’s destiny.
📌
Example Usage
"그는
자신의 운명을 담담히 따랐다."
"He
calmly followed his fate."
11: 오늘 밤에도
It
implies the continuation of a feeling or action tonight as well.
📌
Example Usage
"오늘
밤에도 별을 바라보며 잠을 청했다."
"Tonight
too, I fell asleep looking at the stars."
🎨 Additional
Expressions
여전히 오늘 밤
– Suggests that the emotional state remains unchanged tonight.
📌
Example Usage
"여전히
오늘 밤도 그 생각에 잠 못 든다."
"Tonight
again, I can’t sleep because of those thoughts."
12: 바람에 스치운다
Evokes
the image of being gently touched or stirred by the wind, often symbolizing
fleeting memories or feelings.
📌
Example Usage
"그의
기억이 바람에 스치운 듯 떠올랐다."
"His
memory came back to me like a breeze brushing past."
🎨 Additional
Expressions
바람결에 실리다
– Suggests something carried gently by the wind, like news or emotion.
📌
Example Usage
"그
소식은 바람결에 들려왔다."
"The
news came to me carried by the wind."
✒️ Grammatical Analysis of the Poem
“죽는 날까지 하늘을 우러러”
- "죽는
날까지": "죽다 (to die)" +
nominalizing suffix "-는" + "날 (day)" + "-까지 (until)"
• ‘until the day of death’
- "하늘을": "하늘 (sky)" + object
particle "-을"
- "우러러": verb stem of "우러르다 (to look up
to, to admire)" + connective ending
→ ‘to
look up to the sky until the day I die’
📝 Meaning
A vow to
live with a clear conscience and integrity until one's final breath
“한 점 부끄럼이 없기를,”
- "한
점": "한 (one)" + "점 (spot, speck)"
• ‘even a speck’
- "부끄럼이": "부끄럼 (shame,
embarrassment)" + subject particle "-이"
- "없기를": "없다 (to not have)" +
desiderative ending "-기를" (expressing wish or
hope)
→ ‘to
not have even a speck of shame’
📝 Meaning
A moral
ideal of living a life without even the slightest sense of guilt or shame
“잎새에 이는 바람에도 나는 괴로워했다.”
- "잎새에": "잎새 (leaf)" + locative
particle "-에" (in/on)
- "이는": "일다 (to rise, to blow)" +
present attributive "-는" → ‘blowing (wind)’
- "바람에도": "바람 (wind)" + locative
particle "-에" + additive/emphatic particle
"-도" (even)
- "나는": "나 (I)" + topic particle
"-는"
- "괴로워했다": "괴로워하다 (worry about)" +
past tense "-했다"
→ ‘Even
the wind blowing on the leaves caused me suffering’
📝 Meaning
An
expression of deep emotional sensitivity, where even the gentlest touch of
nature brings anguish
“별을 노래하는 마음으로 모든 죽어 가는 것을 사랑해야지.”
- "별을": "별 (star)" + object
particle "-을"
- "노래하는": "노래하다 (to sing)" + present
attributive "-는"
- "마음으로": "마음 (heart, mind)" +
instrumental ending "-으로" (with, using)
- "모든": "all"
- "죽어
가는": "죽다 (to die)" +
connector "-어" + auxiliary verb "-가다" (progressive) + attributive "-는"
- "것을": "것 (thing, being)" +
object particle "-을"
- "사랑해야지": "사랑하다 (to love)" + moral
obligation/determination ending "-아야지"
→ ‘With
a heart that sings to the stars, I must love all dying things’
📝 Meaning
A poetic
resolve to embrace all living things with love and compassion, inspired by
ideals and hope
“그리고 나한테 주어진 길을 걸어가야겠다.”
- "그리고": and
- "나한테": "나 (me)" + dative particle
"-한테" (to me, informal)
- "주어진": "주어지다 (be given, be allowed)"
+ attributive ending "-ㄴ" → ‘that has been
given’
- "길을": "길 (path)" + object
particle "-을"
- "걸어가야겠다": "걸어가다 (walk, tread, follow)"
+ intention/determination ending "-아야겠다"
→ ‘I
must walk the path that was given to me’
📝 Meaning
A
determined acceptance of one's destiny and a vow to live it out with sincerity
“오늘 밤에도 별이 바람에 스치운다.”
- "오늘
밤에도": "오늘 (today)" +
"밤 (night)" + locative particle "-에" + additive particle "-도" →
‘even tonight’
- "별이": "별 (star)" + subject
particle "-이"
- "바람에": "바람 (wind)" +
locative/instrumental particle "-에"
- "스치운다": "스치다 (to graze, to brush
past)" + causative "-우다" + present tense
"-ㄴ다"
→ ‘Even
tonight, the stars are brushed by the wind’
📝 Meaning
A
metaphor for emotions or pain that linger unchanged through time, evoking the
delicate intersection between nature and inner feeling
✒️ Introduction to the Poet
윤동주 (Yun
Dong-ju, 尹東柱, 1917~1945)
윤동주 is
one of the most beloved poets in Korean literature, known for his introspective
and morally upright works written during the dark days of Japanese colonial
rule. His poetry reveals a profound inner conflict and an intense yearning for
integrity, purity, and justice in the face of oppression.
He was
born in Longjing, Manchuria (then part of China), and studied in Korea and
Japan. Despite colonial censorship, he composed poems that explored themes of
guilt, resistance, hope, and national identity, often wrapped in metaphors of
nature and the universe.
His
writing is admired for its lyrical beauty, philosophical depth, and unwavering
ethical stance.
Tragically,
Yun Dong-ju died at the age of 27 in a Fukuoka prison, likely due to medical
experimentation under Japanese rule. His posthumous poetry collection "Sky,
Wind, Stars and Poems (하늘과 바람과 별과 시)" was
published in 1948 and solidified his legacy.
Representative
Works
- 서시 (Prologue)
- 자화상 (Self-Portrait)
- 십자가 (The Cross)
- 별 헤는 밤 (A Night Counting Stars)
- 또 다른 고향 (Another Hometown)
Though
his life was brief, Yun Dong-ju’s poetry continues to inspire generations with
its quiet defiance and spiritual clarity, making him a timeless voice of
conscience and hope in Korean literature.
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