Table of Contents
🎶 Kim
Hyun-sik - “My Love By My Side”: Music Video
🎯 Key
Takeaways
🎶 Kim
Hyun-sik - “My Love By My Side”: Lyrics Summary
🎶 Kim
Hyun-sik - “My Love By My Side”: Additional Information
“My Love By My Side” (내 사랑 내 곁에) is one of Kim Hyun-sik’s most iconic
and emotionally stirring ballads. Released in 1991 as part of his sixth and
final album, the song captures the raw depth of longing and vulnerability just
before his untimely passing. Revered for his gritty, soulful voice and poignant
lyrics, Kim Hyun-sik became a voice for those navigating heartbreak, regret,
and quiet yearning.
This song, often regarded as a farewell
letter to love and life itself, resonates deeply with listeners due to its
emotional sincerity. Its haunting melody and restrained arrangement allow the
lyrics to take center stage, making it a timeless elegy for lost love and the
ache of solitude.
Let me introduce this to you in memory
of a young musician who passed away.
🎶 Kim Hyun-sik - “My Love By My Side”: Music Video
🎯 Key
Takeaways
1. "나의 모든 사랑"
"나의 모든 사랑"
means "all of my love." It emphasizes the entirety of one’s affection
or emotional dedication toward someone.
📌 Example Usage
"나의 모든 사랑을 너에게 줄게."
"I will give you all of my love."
2. "떠나가는 날"
"떠나가는 날"
means "the day (someone) leaves" or "the day of parting."
- "떠나가는 날":
"떠나다 (to leave, depart)" + connector "-아" + auxiliary verb "-가다"
(progressive) + attributive "-는" + “날 (day)”
📌 Example Usage
"그의 떠나가는 날, 나는
눈물을 참을 수 없었다."
"On the day he left, I couldn’t hold back
my tears."
🌀 Similar Expressions
이별의 날 – "day of farewell"
📌 Example Usage
"이별의 날이 이렇게 빨리 올 줄 몰랐다."
"I didn’t expect the farewell day to come
so soon."
3. "당신의 웃음"
"당신의 웃음"
means "your smile" or "your laughter," often referring to a
cherished or emotionally resonant image of someone.
- "당신의 웃음":
"당신 (you)" + possessive particle "-의" + "웃음 (smile)"
📌 Example Usage
"당신의 웃음이 아직도 기억에 남아요."
"Your smile still lingers in my
memory."
🌀 Similar Expressions
네 미소 – "your smile" (more casual)
📌 Example Usage
"네 미소를 보면 나도 모르게 웃게 돼."
"Seeing your smile makes me smile without
realizing it."
4. "뒤에서"
"뒤에서" means
"from behind" or "behind someone/something."
- "뒤에서":
"뒤 (behind)" + locative particle "-에서"
📌 Example Usage
"누군가 뒤에서 나를 부르고 있었다."
"Someone was calling me from behind."
🎨 Additional Expressions
등 뒤에서 – "from behind one’s back"
📌 Example Usage
"등 뒤에서 따뜻한 손길이 느껴졌다."
"I felt a warm touch on my back."
5. "함께 하는데 / 함께 하다"
"함께 하다" means
"to be together" or "to share time." "함께 하는데" (since, because, while, but) implies a contrast or condition
while being together.
- "함께":
together
- "하는데":
"하다 (to do)" + connector "-는데" (contrast/background info)
📌 Example Usage
"함께 하는데도 외롭다고 느꼈다."
"Even though we were together, I felt
lonely."
🌀 Similar Expressions
같이 지내다 – "to spend time together"
📌 Example Usage
"우리는 방학 내내 같이 지냈다."
"We spent the whole vacation
together."
6. "철이 없는 욕심"
"철이 없는 욕심"
means "immature greed" or "childish desire." It refers to
selfish wants that show a lack of maturity.
- "철이 없는":
"철 (maturity, sense)" subject marker “-이” + negation "없다" + attributive
"-는"
"욕심": greed,
desire
📌 Example Usage
"그때는 철이 없는 욕심에 그녀를 힘들게 했다."
"Back then, I hurt her with my immature
greed."
🎨 Additional Expressions
어린 마음의 욕심 – "desires of a childish
heart"
📌 Example Usage
"어린 마음의 욕심이 모든 걸 망쳐놨다."
"The desires of a childish heart ruined
everything."
7. "많은 미련"
"많은 미련" means
"much lingering attachment" or "a lot of regret."
- "많은":
"많다 (many)" + attributive "-은"
- "미련에":
"미련 (regret, lingering attachment)" +
locative "-에"
📌 Example Usage
"많은 미련이 남아서 잊지 못했다."
"I couldn’t forget because I had so much
lingering attachment."
🎨 Additional Expressions
아쉬움 – "regret" or "sense of
loss"
📌 Example Usage
"아쉬움만 가득한 이별이었다."
"It was a farewell filled only with
regret."
8. "당신이 있는 건 아닌지"
"당신이 있는 건 아닌지"
means "could it be that you are there?" or "I wonder if you are
there." It shows uncertainty or hope.
- "당신이":
"당신 (you)" + subject particle "-이"
- "있는":
"있다 (to exist, to be)" + attributive "-는"
- "건":
contraction of "것이 (thing that is)"
- "아닌지":
"아니다 (to not be)" + question/uncertainty
ending "-ㄴ지"
📌 Example Usage
"저 길 끝에 당신이 있는 건 아닌지 자꾸 돌아보게 된다."
"I keep looking back, wondering if you
might be at the end of that road."
🎨 Additional Expressions
당신이 있을지도 몰라 – "maybe you’re there"
📌 Example Usage
"어쩌면 아직도 그곳에 당신이 있을지도 몰라."
"Maybe you’re still there."
9. "아니겠지요 / 아니다"
"아니겠지요" is a
polite assumption meaning "I suppose not" or "It probably
isn’t." "아니다" means "not to
be."
- “아니다 (not to be)” +
future/assumption marker “겠 (I suppose, probably)” +
soft assertion/question particle “-지요 (isn’t it? right?
Don’t you think?)” (polite, question)
📌 Example Usage
"그 사람이 너일 리는 없겠지요?"
"It probably isn’t you, right?"
🎨 Additional Expressions
그럴 리 없다 – "that can’t be"
📌 Example Usage
"그 사람이 그럴 리 없어요."
"There’s no way he’d do that."
10. "시간은 멀어"
"시간은 멀어"
literally means "time is far," conveying emotional or temporal
distance.
- "시간은":
"시간 (time)" + topic particle "-은"
- "멀어":
"멀다 (to be distant)" + connective form
"-어"
📌 Example Usage
"그날은 벌써 시간이 멀어져버렸다."
"That day feels so distant in time
now."
🎨 Additional Expressions
기억에서 멀어지다 – "to fade from memory"
📌 Example Usage
"그날의 기억은 점점 멀어지고 있다."
"The memory of that day is gradually
fading away."
11. "집으로 향해가는데 / 집으로 향해가다"
"집으로 향해가다"
means "to head home." "향해가는데" adds
a contrast or narrative continuation.
- "향해가다":
"향하다 (to head toward)" + connector “-아/어” + auxiliary verb "가다 (to go)"
- "-는데":
connective "-는데"
📌 Example Usage
"집으로 향해가는데 자꾸 그 얼굴이 떠올랐다."
"While heading home, your face kept coming
to mind."
🎨 Additional Expressions
귀가하다 – "to return home"
📌 Example Usage
"그는 늦게 귀가했다."
"He returned home late."
12. "약속했던 그대만은"
"약속했던 그대만은"
means "only you, the one I promised." It emphasizes exclusivity and a
remembered promise.
- "약속했던":
"약속하다 (to promise)" → “약속했다” (past tense) + attributive "-던"
(recollecting past)
- "그대만은":
"그대 (you, poetic)" + particle "-만은" (emphatic contrast, ‘at least only you’)
📌 Example Usage
"약속했던 그대만은 꼭 다시 만나고 싶어요."
"I want to see only you, the one I made a
promise with."
🎨 Additional Expressions
기다리던 사람 – "the person I was waiting
for"
📌 Example Usage
"기다리던 사람은 결국 오지 않았다."
"The person I had been waiting for never
came."
13. "올 줄 모르고 / 올 줄 모르다"
"올 줄 모르고"
means "without knowing (someone) would come."
- "오다 (to
come)" + nounizing "-(으)ㄹ 줄" (expectation/possibility) + "모르다
(not to know)" + connector “-고”
📌 Example Usage
"그가 올 줄 모르고 자리를 비웠다."
"I stepped away without knowing he would
come."
🌀 Similar Expressions
올 거라고 생각 못 했다 – "didn’t think (someone)
would come"
📌 Example Usage
"너무 놀랐어. 네가
올 거라고 생각 못 했어."
"I was so surprised. I didn’t think you’d
come."
14. "애써 웃음 지으며 / 애써 웃음 짓다"
"애써 웃음 지으며"
means "forcing a smile" or "smiling with effort."
- "애써":
"애쓰다 (to make an effort)" in adverbial form
- "웃음 짓다":
"웃음 (smile)" + "짓다 (to make, to form)"
- "지으며": “짓다” + "-으며 (while doing)"
📌 Example Usage
"애써 웃음 지으며 괜찮은 척했다."
"I forced a smile and pretended I was
okay."
🎨 Additional Expressions
억지로 웃다 – "to smile against one’s
will"
📌 Example Usage
"그는 억지로 웃으며 인사했다."
"He greeted with a forced smile."
15. "돌아오는 길"
"돌아오는 길"
means "the way back" or "on the way returning."
- "돌아오다 (to
return, to come back)" + attributive "-는"
+ "길 (road, way)"
📌 Example Usage
"돌아오는 길에 옛 추억이 떠올랐다."
"On the way back, old memories came to
mind."
🎨 Additional Expressions
귀가길 – "on the way home"
📌 Example Usage
"귀가길이 이상하게 길게 느껴졌다."
"The way home strangely felt long."
16. "왜 그리도 낮설고"
"왜 그리도 낮설고"
means "why is it so unfamiliar."
- "왜": why
- "그리도": so
much, so
- "낯설다": “낮설다 (to be unfamiliar)” + connector “-고”
📌 Example Usage
"돌아온 집이 왜 그리도 낯설고 쓸쓸하게 느껴질까."
"Why does the house I returned to feel so
unfamiliar and lonely?"
🎨 Additional Expressions
익숙하지 않다 – "to not be familiar"
📌 Example Usage
"아직은 이 환경이 익숙하지 않다."
"I'm still not used to this
environment."
17. "멀기만 하다"
"멀기만 하다"
means "only feels far" or "is just distant."
- "멀다 (to be
far)" + intensifier "-기만 하다" (only,
just)
📌 Example Usage
"가까워질 줄 알았는데 멀기만 했다."
"I thought we’d get closer, but we only
grew distant."
🌀 Similar Expressions
가닿을 수 없다 – "can’t reach"
📌 Example Usage
"그의 마음은 아무리 다가가도 가닿을 수 없었다."
"No matter how I approached, I couldn’t
reach his heart."
18. "여린 가지"
"여린 가지" means
"a tender branch" and often symbolizes fragility or youth.
- "여리다 (to be
soft/tender)" + attributive "-ㄴ" +
"가지 (branch)"
📌 Example Usage
"바람에 흔들리는 여린 가지처럼 불안했다."
"I felt uneasy, like a tender branch
swaying in the wind."
19. "사이로"
"사이로" means
"between" or "through the space of."
- "사이 (gap, space,
between)" + particle "-로" (through)
📌 Example Usage
"창문 사이로 빛이 들어왔다."
"Light came in through the window
gap."
🌀 Similar Expressions
틈으로 – "through the crack"
📌 Example Usage
"문 틈으로 바람이 들어온다."
"The wind blows in through the crack in
the door."
20. "혼자인 날 / 혼자인 나를"
"혼자인 나를" is
"me, being alone."
- "혼자
(alone)" + copular "-이다" + attributive
"-ㄴ"
- “나 (I, me)” + object
particle “-를” → “나를” → “날” (contraction)
📌 Example Usage
"혼자인 날엔 늘 그 사람이 생각난다."
"On days I’m alone, I always think of that
person."
🌀 Similar Expressions
외로운 날 – "I, who is lonely."
📌 Example Usage
"외로운 날 그 사람이 위로했다."
"That person comforted me when I was
lonely."
21. "느낄 / 느끼다"
"느낄" is the
noun-modifying form of "느끼다 (to feel)."
- "느끼다" +
"-ㄹ" (attributive for future or possibility)
📌 Example Usage
"그때의 공기를 다시 느낄 수 있을까?"
"Could I feel that atmosphere again?"
🎨 Additional Expressions
감지하다 – "to sense"
📌 Example Usage
"그녀는 분위기 변화를 빠르게 감지했다."
"She quickly sensed the change in
mood."
22. "때"
"때" means
"time" or "moment."
📌 Example Usage
"가장 행복했던 때는 언제였나요?"
"When was your happiest moment?"
🌀 Similar Expressions
순간 – "moment"
📌 Example Usage
"그 순간을 나는 평생 잊지 못할 거야."
"I’ll never forget that moment for the
rest of my life."
23. "이렇게"
"이렇게" means
"like this" or "in this way."
📌 Example Usage
"이렇게 끝날 줄 몰랐어."
"I didn’t expect it to end like
this."
🌀 Similar Expressions
이와 같이 – "in the same manner"
📌 Example Usage
"이와 같이 행동하면 오해를 살 수 있다."
"Acting like this could cause a misunderstanding."
24. "아픈"
"아픈" means
"painful" or "hurt" (adjective form of "아프다").
- "아프다 (to
hurt)" + attributive "-ㄴ"
📌 Example Usage
"아픈 기억은 시간이 지나도 쉽게 사라지지 않는다."
"Painful memories don’t fade easily over
time."
🎨 Additional Expressions
상처 난 – "wounded"
📌 Example Usage
"상처 난 마음을 감추려 애썼다."
"I tried to hide my wounded heart."
25. "기억이 날까 / 기억이 나다"
"기억이 날까"
means "will you remember?" or "I wonder if it will be
remembered."
- "기억
(memory)" + subject particle "-이" +
"나다 (to come up, occur)" + sentence ending “-까” (informal, question)
📌 Example Usage
"그날의 일이 아직도 기억이 날까?"
"I wonder if you still remember that
day."
🌀 Similar Expressions
생각이 날까 – "will (you) think of it"
📌 Example Usage
"그 노래를 들으면 나 생각이 날까?"
"When you hear that song, will you think
of me?"
26. "내 사랑 그대"
"내 사랑 그대"
means "you, my love." It expresses deep affection and endearment
toward someone.
- "내 사랑":
"내 (my)" + "사랑
(love)"
- "그대":
poetic/formal "you"
📌 Example Usage
"내 사랑 그대, 언제나
내 곁에 있어줘."
"My love, please always stay by my
side."
🌀 Similar Expressions
사랑하는 그대 – "my beloved"
📌 Example Usage
"사랑하는 그대에게 이 편지를 바칩니다."
"I dedicate this letter to my
beloved."
27. "내 곁에 있어줘 / 내 곁에 있다"
"내 곁에 있어줘"
means "stay by my side." It expresses a plea or emotional request.
- "내 곁":
"내 (my)" + "곁
(side)" + “-에” (location marking particle)
- "있어줘":
"있다 (to be, to stay)" + "-어 주다 (do for me)" + sentence ending “-아/어” (informal, suggestion/request/favor)
📌 Example Usage
"지금은 아무 말도 하지 말고 그냥 내 곁에 있어줘."
"Don’t say anything right now, just stay
by my side."
🎨 Additional Expressions
곁을 지켜주다 – "to stay beside someone"
📌 Example Usage
"아플 때 곁을 지켜준 네가 고마워."
"Thank you for staying by my side when I
was in pain."
28. "이 세상 하나뿐인"
"이 세상 하나뿐인"
means "the only one in this world."
- "이 세상":
"this world"
- "하나뿐인":
"하나 (one)" + "뿐이다 (only)" in attributive form
📌 Example Usage
"넌 이 세상 하나뿐인 소중한 존재야."
"You are the only precious one in this
world."
🌀 Similar Expressions
단 하나의 – "the one and only"
📌 Example Usage
"단 하나의 진실을 믿는다."
"I believe in the only truth."
29. "오직 그대만"
"오직 그대만"
means "only you." It emphasizes exclusivity and emotional focus.
- "오직":
"only, solely"
- "그대만":
"그대 (you, poetic)" + "-만 (only)"
📌 Example Usage
"오직 그대만이 내 마음을 움직일 수 있다."
"Only you can move my heart."
🌀 Similar Expressions
너 하나만 – "just you"
📌 Example Usage
"나는 너 하나만을 사랑해."
"I love only you."
30. "힘겨운 날"
"힘겨운 날" means
"a hard day" or "a difficult time."
- "힘겹다 (to be
difficult)" + attributive "-운"
- "날 (day)"
📌 Example Usage
"힘겨운 날에도 너는 내 위로였어."
"Even on hard days, you were my
comfort."
🌀 Similar Expressions
고된 하루 – "a tough day"
📌 Example Usage
"고된 하루 끝에 마시는 커피 한 잔이 위로가 된다."
"A cup of coffee at the end of a tough day
is comforting."
31. "너마저 떠나면 / 너마저 떠나다"
"너마저 떠나면"
means "if even you leave." It conveys a fear of total loss.
- "너 (you)" +
emphatic particle "-마저 (even)" + "떠나다 (to leave)" + connector “-면” (assumption
or supposition about something that is uncertain or has not yet happened)
📌 Example Usage
"너마저 떠나면 난 정말 아무것도 남지 않아."
"If even you leave, I’ll truly have
nothing left."
🌀 Similar Expressions
너까지 없으면 – "if even you are gone"
📌 Example Usage
"너까지 없으면 나 어떻게 살아야 해?"
"If even you're gone, how can I go
on?"
32. "비틀거릴 / 비틀거리다"
"비틀거릴" is the
attributive/future form of "비틀거리다," meaning
"to stagger" or "to stumble."
- "비틀거리다": to
stagger
- "-ㄹ":
future/attributive
📌 Example Usage
"너마저 떠나면 나는 비틀거릴지도 몰라."
"If you leave, too, I might start to
stumble."
🌀 Similar Expressions
휘청거리다 – "to totter, to reel"
📌 Example Usage
"슬픔에 휘청거리며 길을 걸었다."
"I walked the path, reeling in
sorrow."
33. "안길 / 안기다"
"안길" is the
attributive form of "안기다," meaning "to
be embraced" or "to fall into (someone’s) arms."
- "안기다": to
be held, to be embraced
- "-ㄹ":
attributive/future modifier
📌 Example Usage
"따뜻하게 안길 곳이 있었으면 좋겠어."
"I wish there were a warm place to be
held."
🌀 Similar Expressions
포근히 감싸이다 – "to be warmly
wrapped/embraced"
📌 Example Usage
"포근히 감싸이는 기분이 참 오랜만이었다."
"It had been long since I felt so warmly
embraced."
34. "안길 곳"
"안길 곳" means
"a place to be embraced" or "a place to fall into someone’s
arms."
- "안기다 (to be
embraced)" + attributive "-ㄹ" (future
tense) + "곳 (place)"
📌 Example Usage
"이젠 안길 곳 하나 없는 외로운 밤이야."
"Now it’s a lonely night with nowhere to
be embraced."
🌀 Similar Expressions
기댈 곳 – "a place to lean on"
📌 Example Usage
"기댈 곳 하나 없는 세상이 너무 차가웠다."
"The world felt so cold without a place to
lean on."
35. "어디에"
"어디에" means
"where at" or "at which place."
- "어디
(where)" + particle "-에" (locative)
📌 Example Usage
"이 마음을 어디에 두어야 할지 모르겠다."
"I don’t know where to place this
heart."
🌀 Similar Expressions
어딘가에 – "somewhere"
📌 Example Usage
"어딘가에 나를 기다리는 사람이 있을 거야."
"There must be someone waiting for me
somewhere."
🎶 Kim Hyun-sik - “My Love By My Side”: Lyrics Summary
The lyrics follow the emotional journey
of someone standing at the brink of separation—either from a loved one or life
itself. The protagonist reflects on the day their love begins to slip away,
observing with quiet pain the lingering smile that masks a goodbye. There’s a
deep conflict between denial and acceptance, between the desire to hold on and
the inevitability of letting go.
As time passes, the speaker returns
alone, emotionally burdened, wondering whether the love they once knew still
exists behind the memories. Walking home, once a shared path, now feels
unfamiliar and distant. The loneliness becomes most pronounced in quiet,
delicate moments, like watching wind blow through tree branches, when the beloved's absence is keenly felt.
The chorus becomes a plea. In a world
where everything else may be uncertain, the speaker clings to the hope that
their love will stay by their side. They speak not from desperation but from
profound vulnerability, acknowledging that if even this last remaining comfort disappeared,
there would be nowhere left for them to go, no one to turn to, and no place to
rest.
There is no dramatic climax, no sudden
epiphany—only the recurring, aching wish for someone to remain near when
everything else is falling apart. It’s a quiet, dignified request for
companionship at the edge of despair, making the song not just a love ballad
but a tender reflection on human fragility.
🎶 Kim Hyun-sik - “My Love By My Side”: Additional Information
Song Title (Korean): 내 사랑 내 곁에
Released: 1991 (6th album, released shortly before
Kim Hyun-sik’s death)
Genre: Ballad / Soft Rock
Lyricist: Oh Tae-ho
Composer: Oh Tae-ho
Cultural Note:
The song is widely recognized as a
modern Korean classic. Numerous artists have covered it, and it is frequently
used in Korean dramas and films to underscore scenes of loss, remembrance, and
emotional parting.
Legacy:
Kim Hyun-sik passed away in 1990 at 32,
and this song was released posthumously. It is often seen as a haunting
reflection of his life and mortality. The lines resonate with romantic partings
and the sorrow of an artist taken too soon, adding a layer of tragic beauty to
its legacy.
🌍 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.
0 Comments