Table of Contents

🎶 Byun Jin -seop - “To a Lady”: Music Video

🎯 Key Takeaways

🎶 Byun Jin -seop - “To a Lady”: Lyrics Summary

🎶 Byun Jin -seop - “To a Lady”: Additional Information

title-To-a-Lady-by-Byun-Jin-seop-Classic-Korean-Ballad-for-Korean-Language-Practice


🎶 Byun Jin -seop - “To a Lady (숙녀에게)”: Music Video

[Source] YouTube, pops8090

 

🎯 Key Takeaways


1. "
어쩌면"

"Maybe, perhaps"

"어쩌면": an adverb used to indicate uncertainty or speculation


📌 Example Usage

"어쩌면 우리는 다시 만날 수 있을지도 몰라요."

"Maybe we might meet again."


2. "
처음"

"First, the beginning"

"처음": noun meaning "first time" or "beginning"


📌 Example Usage

"그 사람을 처음 만났던 날이 생각나요."

"I remember the day I first met that person."


3. "
그땐"

"At that time"

"그땐": contraction of "그때는 (at that time + topic particle -)"


📌 Example Usage

"그땐 정말 행복했어요."

"I was very happy at that time."


4. "
시간이 멈춘듯이 / 시간이 멈추다"

"As if time stopped / Time stops"

"시간이 멈춘듯이": expression with "-듯이 (as if)" modifying "멈추다 (to stop)"


📌 Example Usage

"그 순간, 시간이 멈춘듯이 느껴졌어요."

"In that moment, it felt as if time had stopped."


5. "
미지의 나라"

"Unknown land"

"미지의": attributive form of "미지 (unknown)"


📌 Example Usage

"그곳은 마치 미지의 나라 같았어요."

"It felt like an unknown land."


6. "
그곳에서"

"From that place / In that place"

"그곳에서": noun "그곳 (that place)" + location particle "-에서"


📌 Example Usage

"그곳에서 우리는 다시 시작했어요."

"We started over in that place."


7. "
걸어온 것처럼 / 걸어오다"

"As if (you) walked / To walk (toward here)"

"걸어온 것처럼": expression using "-것처럼 (as if)" to describe an imagined past


📌 Example Usage

"당신은 오랜 길을 걸어온 것처럼 보였어요."

"You looked as if you'd walked a long way."


8. "
가을"

"Autumn, fall"

"가을": noun meaning the autumn season


📌 Example Usage

"가을 냄새가 공기 속에 가득했어요."

"The scent of autumn filled the air."


9. "
서둘러온 / 서둘러오다"

"Rushed over / To hurry and come"

"서둘러온": past attributive form of "서둘러오다 (to rush over)"


📌 Example Usage

"그는 숨을 헐떡이며 서둘러온 것 같았어요."

"He seemed to have rushed over, out of breath."


10. "
초겨울"

"Early winter"

"초겨울": compound noun from " (beginning)" + "겨울 (winter)"


📌 Example Usage

"초겨울 바람이 생각보다 차갑네요."

"The early winter wind is colder than expected."



11. "
새벽녘"

"At dawn"

"새벽녘": noun meaning the break of dawn


📌 Example Usage

"새벽녘에 그녀의 전화가 울렸어요."

"Her call came at dawn."


12. "
반가운"

"Glad, welcome."

"반가운": attributive form of "반갑다 (to be glad, to be pleased to see someone)"


📌 Example Usage

"반가운 얼굴을 오랜만에 봤어요."

"I saw a familiar, welcome face after a long time."


13. "
눈처럼"

"Like snow"

"눈처럼": " (snow)" + particle "-처럼 (like)"


📌 Example Usage

"그녀는 눈처럼 조용히 다가왔어요."

"She came quietly, like snow."


14. "
그댄 / 그대는"

"You (poetic/formal)"

"그댄": contraction of "그대는" used in a lyrical or poetic tone


📌 Example Usage

"그댄 나의 운명이었어요."

"You were my destiny."


15. "
내게로"

"Toward me"

"내게로": " (me)" + particle "-에게로 (toward)"

• “나에게로” → “내게로” (contraction)


📌 Example Usage

"그대는 조용히 내게로 다가왔어요."

"You quietly approached me."


16. "
다가왔죠 / 다가오다"

"You came close / To come near"

"다가왔죠": past polite form of "다가오다 (to approach)" with ending "- (isn't it?)"


📌 Example Usage

"어느새 그대가 내게 다가왔죠."

"Before I knew it, you came close to me."


17. "
맑은 미소"

"Clear smile / Bright smile"

"맑은": attributive form of "맑다 (to be clear, pure)" modifying "미소 (smile)"


📌 Example Usage

"그녀의 맑은 미소가 마음을 따뜻하게 했어요."

"Her bright smile warmed my heart."


18. "
"

"Certainly, for sure, tightly"

"": adverb used for emphasis, meaning "definitely," "firmly," or "tightly" depending on context


📌 Example Usage

"꼭 다시 만나고 싶어요."

"I really want to meet again."


19. "
내 맘에 들지만 / 내 맘에 들다"

"I like it, but / to suit my taste"

"내 맘에 들지만": concessive form using "-지만 (but)" after "들다 (to suit)"


📌 Example Usage

"그 옷이 내 맘에 들지만 조금 비싸요."

"I like that outfit, but it’s a bit expensive."


20. "
가끔씩"

"From time to time"

"가끔씩": adverb meaning "occasionally," "sometimes"


📌 Example Usage

"가끔씩 그 사람 생각이 나요."

"Sometimes I think of that person."



21. "
보이는 / 보이다"

"Seen / To be seen, to appear"

"보이는": attributive form of "보이다 (to be visible, to seem)"


📌 Example Usage

"그의 얼굴엔 보이는 슬픔이 있었어요."

"There was visible sadness on his face."


22. "
우울한 눈빛"

"Gloomy eyes / Depressed look"

- "우울한": attributive form of "우울하다 (to be depressed, gloomy)"

- “눈빛”: the look in one’s eyes


📌 Example Usage

"그녀는 우울한 눈빛으로 나를 바라보았다."

"She looked at me with gloomy eyes."


23. "
마음에 걸려요 / 마음에 걸리다"

"It bothers me / To weigh on one's mind"

"마음에 걸려요": present polite form of "마음에 걸리다 (to feel uneasy about something)"


📌 Example Usage

"그 말이 아직도 마음에 걸려요."

"Those words still weigh on my mind."


24. "
아주 작은 일"

"A tiny matter"

"아주 작은": "아주 (very)" + attributive form "작은 (small)" modifying " (thing, matter)"


📌 Example Usage

"그건 아주 작은 일이지만 마음에 남아요."

"It was a tiny thing, but it stayed with me."


25. "
알고 싶지만 / 알고 싶다"

"I want to know, but / I want to know"

"알고 싶지만": concessive form of "알고 싶다 (to want to know)" using "-지만 (but)"


📌 Example Usage

"모든 걸 알고 싶지만 두려워요."

"I want to know everything, but I’m afraid."


26. "
어쩐지"

"Somehow, for some reason"

"어쩐지": adverb used to express a vague sense of suspicion or realization


📌 Example Usage

"어쩐지 이상하더라니, 그런 이유가 있었군요."

"No wonder it felt strange—so that was the reason."


27. "
말을 안 해요 / 말을 안 하다"

"(Someone) doesn’t speak / To not say something"

"말을 안 해요": polite negative present form of "말하다 (to speak)"


📌 Example Usage

"그는 아무 말도 안 해요."

"He doesn't say anything."


28. "
허면"

"If so, then"

"허면": archaic or poetic form of "그러면 (then, if so)"


📌 Example Usage

"허면 나도 그만둘게요."

"If so, then I’ll stop too."


29. "
잠든 밤"

"The sleeping night"

"잠든": attributive form of "잠들다 (to fall asleep)"


📌 Example Usage

"잠든 밤엔 꿈이 찾아왔어요."

"In the sleeping night, a dream visited me."


30. "
꿈속"

"In a dream"

"꿈속": compound noun from " (dream)" + " (inside)"


📌 Example Usage

"꿈속에서 당신을 만났어요."

"I met you in a dream."


31. "
찾아가다"

"To go find, to visit"

"찾아가다": verb meaning to go somewhere to see someone or something


📌 Example Usage

"그녀를 직접 찾아가서 사과했어요."

"I went to see her in person and apologized."


32. "
살며시"

"Gently, quietly"

"살며시": adverb meaning "softly" or "quietly," often with emotional nuance


📌 Example Usage

"그는 살며시 내 손을 잡았어요."

"He gently took my hand."


33. "
얘기 듣고 / 얘기 듣다"

"After hearing / To listen to a story"

"얘기 듣고": connective form of "얘기 듣다 (to hear a story)"


📌 Example Usage

"얘기 듣고 나니 이해가 됐어요."

"After hearing the story, I understood."


34. "
올래요 / 오겠다"

"Will you come? / I will come"

- "올래요": informal polite interrogative form of "오다 (to come)"

- "오겠다": future declarative of "오다" expressing intention


📌 Example Usage

"오늘 우리 집에 올래요?"

"Will you come to my place today?"

 

🎶 Byun Jin -seop - “To a Lady”: Lyrics Summary

“To a Lady (숙녀에게)” portrays the quiet emotions of a man who has been touched by the gentle presence of someone he loves, referred to only as “that lady.” From the beginning, he recalls how she appeared like an unexpected snowfall at dawn, evoking wonder and comfort. Her presence feels like something from a dream, almost like she came from another world.

Though he’s captivated by her warm smile and genuinely cares for her, he is also haunted by the sadness he occasionally sees in her eyes. Her emotional distance troubles him. Despite his desire to understand her fully, even down to the most minor things, she remains emotionally guarded, revealing very little about her inner world.

Unable to break through this emotional wall in waking life, he fantasizes about entering her dreams—quietly and tenderly—to hear what she cannot say aloud. This metaphorical journey into her dreamscape is his way of seeking connection and truth without confrontation.

The song captures the delicate tension between intimacy and distance. It reflects a love that is not dramatic or passionate but gentle, respectful, and melancholy. The narrator doesn’t demand vulnerability; instead, he yearns for it, quietly waiting for the day she might let him in.

 

🎶 Byun Jin -seop - “To a Lady”: Additional Information

Released: October 25, 1989

Album: To You Again (너에게로 또다시)

Genre: Ballad

Lyrics: Park Joo-yeon

Composer: Ha Kwang-hoon

 

Byun Jin-seop’s “To Lady” is a classic Korean ballad released in 1989 as part of his second album, “To You Again.” The song is renowned for its gentle melody and heartfelt lyrics, delicately expressing the yearning and emotional restraint of someone quietly in love. “To Lady” stands out for its soft instrumentation and Byun Jin-seop’s warm, emotive vocals, resonating with listeners for decades. The song remains a beloved staple in Korean pop music history and continues to evoke nostalgia among fans of classic ballads.

 

🌍 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.

 

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