Table of Contents
🎶 Kim
Kwang-seok - “Too Painful a Love Was Not Love”: Music Video
🎯 Key
Takeaways
🎶 Kim
Kwang-seok - “Too Painful a Love Was Not Love”: Lyrics Summary
🎶 Kim
Kwang-seok - “Too Painful a Love Was Not Love”: Additional Information
🎶 Kim
Kwang-seok - “Too Painful a Love Was Not Love”: Introduction
🎶 Kim Kwang-seok - “Too Painful a Love Was Not Love”: Music Video
🎯 Key
Takeaways
1. "그대 보내고"
"After letting you go"
- "보내고":
connective form of the verb "보내다 (to send, to let
go)," used to indicate that one action happens after another
📌 Example Usage
"그대 보내고 한참을 울었다."
"After letting you go, I cried for a long
time."
2. "멀리"
"Far away, into the distance"
- "멀리":
adverb indicating physical or emotional distance, often used to suggest
separation or longing
📌 Example Usage
"그는 멀리 떠나버렸다."
"He left far away."
3. "가을새"
"Autumn bird"
- "가을새":
compound noun from "가을 (autumn)" + "새 (bird)," often symbolic of seasonal change or loneliness in
Korean poetry
📌 Example Usage
"가을새가 울고 있었다."
"An autumn bird was crying."
4. "작별하듯 / 작별하다"
"As if saying goodbye / To say
farewell"
- "작별하듯":
expression using "-듯 (as if)" to suggest that
someone acted in a way that resembles parting
- "작별하다":
verb meaning "to say goodbye" or "to bid farewell"
📌 Example Usage
"그는 작별하듯 손을 흔들었다."
"He waved his hand as if saying
goodbye."
5. "떠나보내고 / 떠나보내다"
"After sending (someone) away / To let
someone go"
- "떠나보내고":
connective form of "떠나보내다 (to let someone leave,
to send off)," used when one action follows another
- "떠나보내다":
compound verb from "떠나다 (to leave)" + "보내다 (to send)"
📌 Example Usage
"그녀를 떠나보내고 멍하니 앉아 있었다."
"After sending her away, I sat
blankly."
6. "돌아와 / 돌아오다"
"Returning / To return"
- "돌아와":
informal present form of "돌아오다 (to return, to come
back)" used in conversational or lyrical context
- "돌아오다":
compound verb from "돌다 (to turn)" + "오다 (to come)," meaning to return from somewhere
📌 Example Usage
"그는 다시 돌아와 내 앞에 섰다."
"He returned and stood before me
again."
7. "술잔 앞에 앉으면 / 술잔 앞에 앉다"
"When I sit in front of the glass / To sit
before a glass of alcohol"
- "술잔 앞에 앉으면":
conditional structure using "-면 (if/when)"
after "앉다 (to sit)"
- "술잔 앞에 앉다":
literal expression for sitting at a table with a drink, often evoking
introspection or sadness
📌 Example Usage
"술잔 앞에 앉으면 옛 생각이 난다."
"When I sit in front of a drink, old
memories come back."
8. "눈물 나누나 / 눈물 나다"
"Tears fall / To shed tears"
- "눈물 나누나":
poetic interrogative form implying the speaker wonders if tears fall
- "눈물 나다":
phrase using "나다 (to come out, to happen)"
with "눈물 (tears)," meaning "to cry"
📌 Example Usage
"그 노래를 들으면 눈물 나누나."
"When I hear that song, do tears
fall?"
9. "아주"
"Very, completely"
- "아주":
adverb meaning "very," "completely," or
"entirely," often used for emphasis
📌 Example Usage
"아주 조용한 밤이었다."
"It was a very quiet night."
10. "지는 별빛"
"Fading starlight"
- "지는":
attributive form of "지다 (to set, to fade),"
modifying "별빛 (starlight)"
- "별빛":
compound noun from "별 (star)" + "빛 (light)," meaning starlight
📌 Example Usage
"나는 지는 별빛을 바라보았다."
"I gazed at the fading starlight."
11. "바라볼 / 바라보다"
"To gaze at / To look at intently"
- "바라볼":
future or attributive form of "바라보다 (to gaze, to
look longingly at)"
- "바라보다":
verb expressing emotional or deep visual focus, often poetic
📌 Example Usage
"그녀는 하늘을 바라보며 눈물을 흘렸다."
"She gazed at the sky and shed
tears."
12. "때"
"Time, moment"
- "때": noun
meaning a specific time, moment, or occasion; often used in temporal
expressions
📌 Example Usage
"그때 아무 말도 하지 못했다."
"At that moment, I couldn't say
anything."
13. "눈에 흘러내리는 / 눈에 흘러내리다"
"Flowing down the eyes / To stream down
(the eyes)"
- "눈에 흘러내리는":
attributive form of "흘러내리다 (to flow down)"
modifying something flowing over "눈 (eyes)"
📌 Example Usage
"눈에 흘러내리는 눈물을 감출 수 없었다."
"I couldn't hide the tears streaming down
my eyes."
14. "못다한 말 / 못다한 사랑"
"Unspoken words / Unfulfilled love"
- "못다한": past
attributive form of "다하지 못한 (not completed,
unfinished)," modifying "말" or "사랑"
📌 Example Usage
"못다한 말을 전하지 못해 후회했다."
"I regretted not conveying the unspoken
words."
15. "너무 아픈 사랑"
"A love that hurts too much"
- "너무 아픈":
adjective phrase meaning "too painful," modifying "사랑 (love)"
📌 Example Usage
"그건 너무 아픈 사랑이었다."
"That was a love that hurt too much."
16. "지울 수 있을까 / 지울 수 있다"
"Can I erase it? / To be able to
erase"
- "지울 수 있을까":
interrogative conditional form of "지우다 (to
erase)" + "-ㄹ 수 있다 (can)"
📌 Example Usage
"이 기억을 지울 수 있을까?"
"Can I erase this memory?"
17. "어느 하루"
"One day, some day"
- "어느":
determiner meaning "some, a certain"
- "하루": noun
meaning "one day"
📌 Example Usage
"어느 하루 그를 다시 만날 수 있을까?"
"Will I meet him again someday?"
18. "비"
"Rain"
- "비": noun
meaning "rain," often symbolizing sadness or longing
📌 Example Usage
"비가 조용히 내리고 있었다."
"The rain was falling quietly."
19. "추억처럼"
"Like a memory"
- "추억": noun
meaning "memory"
- "-처럼":
particle meaning "like, as if"
📌 Example Usage
"그날의 장면이 추억처럼 떠올랐다."
"The scene from that day came to mind like
a memory."
20. "흩날리는 / 흩날리다"
"Scattering, fluttering / To scatter, to
blow away"
- "흩날리는":
attributive form of "흩날리다 (to be scattered, blown
by wind)"
📌 Example Usage
"낙엽이 바람에 흩날리는 모습이 아름다웠다."
"The leaves scattering in the wind were
beautiful."
21. "거리에서"
"On the street"
- "거리": noun
meaning "street, road"
- "-에서":
location particle meaning "at, on, in"
📌 Example Usage
"우연히 거리에서 그를 마주쳤다."
"I ran into him by chance on the
street."
22. "쓸쓸한 사람"
"A lonely person"
- "쓸쓸한":
adjective form of "쓸쓸하다 (to be lonely,
desolate)" modifying "사람 (person)"
📌 Example Usage
"그는 쓸쓸한 사람처럼 보였다."
"He looked like a lonely person."
23. "고개 숙이면 / 고개 숙이다"
"When you lower your head / To lower one’s
head"
- "고개 숙이면":
conditional form using "-면" after "숙이다 (to bow/lower the head)"
📌 Example Usage
"고개 숙이면 눈물이 떨어진다."
"When you lower your head, the tears
fall."
24. "목소리"
"Voice"
- "목소리": noun
meaning "voice," often used poetically to suggest memory or emotion
📌 Example Usage
"그녀의 목소리가 아직도 귓가에 맴돈다."
"Her voice still echoes in my ears."
25. "사랑이 아니었음을"
"That it was not love"
- "사랑이":
"사랑 (love)" + subject marker "-이"
- "아니었음을":
nominalized past negation form of "아니다 (to not
be)"
• “아니다” → “아니었다”
(past tense) → “아니었음” (noun form) + object particle “-을”
📌
Example Usage
"이 모든 게 사랑이 아니었음을 깨달았다."
"I realized that none of it was
love."
26. "바람"
"Wind"
- "바람": noun
meaning "wind," often used metaphorically in Korean lyrics
📌 Example Usage
"차가운 바람이 얼굴을 스쳤다."
"A cold wind brushed my face."
27. "젖은 어깨"
"Wet shoulder"
- "젖은":
attributive form of "젖다 (to get wet)"
- "어깨": noun
meaning "shoulder"
📌 Example Usage
"비에 젖은 어깨가 무거워 보였다."
"His wet shoulder looked heavy with
sorrow."
28. "스치며 / 스치다"
"While brushing past / To brush past, to
graze"
- "스치며":
connective form of "스치다 (to brush against, to pass
by)"
📌 Example Usage
"그녀의 향기가 스치며 지나갔다."
"Her scent brushed past me."
29. "지나가고 / 지나가다"
"Passing / To pass by"
- "지나가고":
connective form of "지나가다 (to pass)"
📌 Example Usage
"모든 시간이 지나가고 평온이 찾아왔다."
"All the time passed, and peace
returned."
30. "지친 시간"
"Exhausted time"
- "지친":
attributive form of "지치다 (to be tired, to be
exhausted)"
- "시간": noun
meaning "time"
📌 Example Usage
"지친 시간 속에서도 희망을 잃지 않았다."
"Even in exhausted times, I didn't lose
hope."
31. "창에 어리면 / 창에 어리다"
"When reflected on the window / To be
reflected on the window"
- "어리면":
conditional form of "어리다 (to reflect, to appear
faintly)"
📌 Example Usage
"창에 어리면 너의 얼굴이 떠오른다."
"When your face is reflected on the
window, I think of you."
32. "미워져 / 미워지다"
"Comes to be hated / To begin to
hate"
- "미워져":
present informal form of "미워지다 (to come to
hate)"
📌 Example Usage
"사랑했는데, 이제는
미워져."
"I loved you, but now I hate you."
33. "이제"
"Now, from now on"
- "이제":
adverb meaning "now" or "from this moment"
📌 Example Usage
"이제는 아무것도 남지 않았다."
"Now, nothing is left."
34. "우리"
"We, us"
- "우리":
first-person plural pronoun meaning "we" or "our"
📌 Example Usage
"우리 함께했던 시간들이 그리워."
"I miss the time we spent together."
35. "다시는"
"Never again"
- "다시는":
adverb meaning "again" with negation, usually implying "never
again"
📌 Example Usage
"다시는 그런 사랑을 하지 않겠다."
"I’ll never love like that again."
36. "사랑으로 오지 말기"
"Do not come back as love."
- "오지 말기":
nominalized imperative form of "오다 (to come)"
with "말다 (to not)"
• “오다” + “-지” (connective
ending used to express negation or prohibition) → “오지”
• “말다” + “-기” (grammatical ending, noun form) → “말기”
📌
Example Usage
"다시 사랑으로 오지 말기."
"Don't come back as love again."
37. "세상에"
"In the world"
- "세상에": noun
"세상 (world)" + locative particle "-에"
📌 Example Usage
"세상에 너 같은 사람은 없어."
"There’s no one like you in this
world."
38. "그립던 말"
"Words I missed"
"그립던":
attributive form of "그립다 (to miss, to long
for)" modifying "말 (words)"
📌 Example Usage
"그립던 말을 끝내 듣지 못했다."
"I never got to hear the words I longed
for."
39. "묻어 버리기 / 묻어 버리다"
"Burying it all / To bury it
completely"
- "묻어 버리기":
nominalized form of "묻어 버리다 (to bury and let go
completely)"
- "묻어 버리다":
"묻다 (to bury)" + auxiliary "버리다 (to finish, to throw away emotionally)"
📌 Example Usage
"이제는 모든 기억을 묻어 버리기."
"Now it's time to bury all the
memories."
🎶 Kim
Kwang-seok - “Too Painful a Love Was Not Love”: Lyrics Summary
The song tells the story of a person reflecting
on a heartbreaking farewell. The memories are vivid and bittersweet—autumn
birds in flight, the weight of silence, a lone figure at a table with a drink,
the sting of unshed words. Through rain, wind, and dim street corners, the
presence of the lost lover lingers like a shadow. The protagonist mourns the
separation and the deep emotional scars that remain.
As the song unfolds, the narrator arrives at a
solemn revelation: love that hurts too much, love that leaves only
pain, may not have been true love. This is not said in anger, but in surrender.
There is a quiet acceptance—an acknowledgment that they should not return to
such love again, no matter how nostalgic or beautiful it once seemed.
The final verses don’t offer closure so much as
resignation. The speaker vows not to love again in this life, not in the same
way, and not with the same vulnerability. The buried words and unfinished love
remain but are laid to rest alongside the painful memories. Ultimately, the
song explores the paradox of love and suffering—how intense emotion can blur
the line between devotion and self-destruction.
🎶 Kim
Kwang-seok - “Too Painful a Love Was Not Love”: Additional Information
- Released: 1994
- Album: Kim
Kwang-Seok Fourth
- Genre: Folk
Ballad / Acoustic
- Lyrics: Ryu
Geun
- Composer: Kim
Kwang-seok
📌 Cultural
Note: This song is often used in Korean dramas, movies, and variety shows
during emotional or farewell scenes. Its recurring line, “너무 아픈 사랑은 사랑이 아니었음을,” has become a well-known expression among Koreans, quoted in
literature and everyday life when reflecting on painful relationships.
📌 Legacy:
Kim Kwang-seok’s tragic death in 1996 at the age of 31 only intensified the
song’s resonance. It stands not only as a personal narrative but also as a
national elegy—a moment of collective catharsis for a generation.
🎶 Kim
Kwang-seok - “Too Painful a Love Was Not Love”: Introduction
Released in 1994, “Too Painful a Love Was
Not Love” (너무 아픈 사랑은 사랑이 아니었음을) remains one of Kim
Kwang-seok’s most iconic and emotionally resonant songs. As a revered Korean
folk rock and acoustic ballad figure, Kim Kwang-seok’s music speaks to the profoundly
personal and universal experiences of longing, love, and loss. This song,
filled with poetic imagery and quiet grief, has become a cultural touchstone in
Korea, often cited in conversations about heartbreak and memory.
Though the lyrics unfold like a private
monologue, Kim’s raw, husky voice and minimalistic instrumentation amplify the
song's emotional weight. It feels more like a confession than a
performance—deeply reflective, painfully honest, and hauntingly beautiful.
🌍 If
you’d like to read the full lyrics, please visit official music platforms such
as Melon, Genie Music, Apple Music, or Spotify!
❗The copyright belongs to the original
creators, and the management of music royalties and copyrights is handled by
the respective copyright holders and organizations such as the Korea Copyright
Commission.
❗This analysis
is intended for educational and language-learning purposes and does not replace
the official lyrics.
Not just another lyric translation—this is your
gateway to mastering Korean through K-Pop.
This blog post isn’t about simply translating
or dissecting lyrics word for word. Instead, I break down the key vocabulary
and expressions in K-Pop songs, making Korean learning fun and immersive.
By the time you reach the end, you won’t just
understand the words—you’ll feel the song the way native speakers do.
If you're serious about leveling up your
Korean, make it a daily habit: Pair this with my K-Drama
Bites series, and you’ll be picking up Korean naturally—step by step, with
excitement.
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