[mixtape liner notes] 빛과 용기를. Light, Courage.

빛과 용기를. listen to it here. 

It's been a while since the Sewol Ferry sank, yet there are still families still waiting for their loved ones to return to them.

"제가 제 딸을 이렇게 억울하게 잃었는데 어떻게 견딥니까, 어떻게 잊습니까. 이겨낼 수 있겠습니까? 이겨낼 수 없습니다. 적응해야죠. 제 딸이 없는 세상을 살아갈 수 있도록 스스로 적응하고 최면을 걸어야 합니다. 어떤 말도 위로가 될 수 없습니다. 다만 이렇게 이야기해주십시오. 

“한 달 뒤에도 잊지 않겠습니다. 1년 뒤에도, 10년 뒤에도, 평생 잊지 않겠습니다.” 

그것이 저희에게는 가장 큰 힘이 됩니다. 저희가 가장 두려워하는 것은 잊혀지는 것입니다. 우리 아이들이 잊혀지고 우리가 잊혀지는 것입니다. 그러면 대한민국이 잊혀질 수밖에 없기 때문입니다. 잊지 않겠다고 위로해주십시오."

"I lost my daughter like this, how am I supposed to endure, how am I supposed to forget. Will I be able to win over it? I can't. I need to adapt. I must adapt, and tell myself to go on living in a world without my daughter. No words can comfort us. But please, say these words. 

"I won't forget after a month. After a year, after 10 years, I won't ever forget."  

That will be the biggest support for us. Our biggest fear is being forgotten. Our children being forgotten, us being forgotten. Because then, Korea will be forgotten. Comfort us by telling us you will not forget." 

- Yoo Kyung Geun, Father of Yoo Ye Eun & Spokesperson of the families of the deceased 

This is a reminder for those whose duty is to remember. To remember to always have hope, and to move forward for a brighter world.

01) "Try" - Zitten

The pestering gestures of desire / the voice of oppression forcing you to bow down / they could not close your shining eyes / you held my key / oh, try

02) "See The Light" - Dear Cloud 

The times of sadness, and the times of happiness / revolve around you, shining / I can see the light 

03) "The Song Being Sung By The World" - Daybreak

This beautiful chorus / the song created by the world / chorus 

04) "Healing Song" - Casker

My path will always / my heart will always / my life will always / my dream will always / be the power that will lead me to walk forward 

05) "Different Sky (Follow)" - The Ratios

 Father, all the truth / follow, the path you take / Mother, all the love / follow, like your wish
Love is just another sky / tough, but brilliantly / it shines, like that star / it shines brilliantly

06) "Tree of Life" - Park Ji Yoon

The songs we have build up / grow into a forest / they will build a life of peace, and sing 

07) "To Me, All Your Burden" - Toy feat. Yoonsang 

 The weight of the world / A harsh world / I'm here so / your heavy burden / ...to me
Give all of them to me

08)  "Going Home" - Kim Yoon Ah

To you and me / this world is a cruel and a scary place / so come back to this place any time / you have a home, you have me. / I really hope tomorrow / something good is waiting for us / that a new sun will rise / that the thing we want the most will happen / I pray. 

09) "Way To The Light" - TwoMyung feat. Siwa 

 God, guide us to the light 

10)  "Mother's Sea" - Yoo Hee Yeol feat. Kim Yoon Ah

Piece written by Yoo Hee Yeol in tribute to the lives lost in the Sewol Ferry Incident. 

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Some songs on this mixtape are from the playlists I've played on my internet radio show after the accident.Others were largely inspired by the May 23, 2014 broadcast of Yoo Hee Yeol's Sketchbook, which can be streamed here in North America. Kim Yoon Ah performed "Going Home" on the show, and Yoo Hee Yeol performed "Mother's Sea" as well. This mix took months for me to compile, mainly because I was very uncertain about posting it. But on the other side of the globe, there wasn't much for me to do, and this was one of the few things I could do. So here it is.

Half-way Check Point: 2014 in Korean Music So Far.

I wasn't planning on writing this post, but since a commentor asked for it in my previous update post and I was in a blogging mood lately, I thought I would give it a go. But first! I've been posting a lot over at my new film blog Cinematriarchy, so if you are into movies at all, please do check it out, and if you've seen the movies I've talked about, please do let me know what you thought about them, I'd love to hear.

This is going to be a simple, but messy post because I usually don't keep a good track of all the music I check out during the first half of the year. But I do keep a general annual 'liked tracks' playlist on iTunes. And although I really slacked off on it in 2013, I've been better with it so far in 2014. I'll base this post off of that playlist, and just kind of freestyle my way through some notable songs and albums that caught my attention, along with debuts, comebacks, etc.

Then, just some music and musicians of January - May 2014 I want to talk about!