"Arirang" | frank mehl |

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"Arirang" (아리랑; [a.ɾi.ɾaŋ]) is a Korean folk song. There are about 3,600 variations of 60 different versions of the song, all of which include a refrain similar to "Arirang, arirang, arariyo (아리랑, 아리랑, 아라리요)". It is estimated the song is more than 600 years old.

"Arirang" is included twice on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list. South Korea successfully submitted the song for inclusion on the UNESCO list in 2012. North Korea also successfully submitted the song for inclusion in 2014. In 2015, the South Korean Cultural Heritage Administration added the song to its list of important intangible cultural assets.

The song is sung today in both North and South Korea, and represents the symbol of unity in the region that is divided by the Korean War.

It is believed that "Arirang" originated from Jeongseon, Gangwon Province. "Arirang" as a term today is ambiguous in meaning, but some linguists have hypothesized that "Ari" (아리) meant "beautiful" and "rang" (랑) referred to a "beloved one" or "bridegroom" in the ancient native Korean language. With the two words together, the term Arirang meant "My beloved one". This theory, supported by the scholars such as Shin Yong-ha, bears the song's legend. According to the legend, the name is derived from the story of a bachelor and a maiden who fell in love while picking Camellia blossoms near the wharf at Auraji (아우라지) — a body of water which derives its name from the Korean word "eoureojida" (어우러지다) that is closely translated to "be in harmony" or "to meet". For example, the body of water that connects the waters of Pyeongchang and Samcheok to the Han River is called Auraji. Two versions of this story exist:

In the first one, the bachelor cannot cross the Auraji to meet the maiden because the water is too high, so they sing a song to express their sorrow.
In the second version, the bachelor attempts to cross the Auraji and drowns, singing the sorrowful song after he dies.

During the Japanese occupation of Korea it became a criminal offense for anyone to sing patriotic songs, including Korea's national anthem, so Arirang became an unofficial resistance anthem against Imperial Japanese rule. Korean protesters sang "Arirang" during the March 1 Movement, a Korean demonstration against the Japanese Empire in 1919. Many of the variations of "Arirang" that were written during the occupation contain themes of injustice, the plight of labourers, and guerrilla warfare. It was also sung by the mountain guerrillas who were fighting against the fascists.

The most well-known lyrics to "Arirang" first appeared in the 1926 silent film Arirang, directed by Na Woon-gyu. Arirang is now considered a lost film but various accounts say the film was about a Korean student who became mentally ill after being imprisoned and tortured by the Japanese. The film was a hit upon its release and is considered the first Korean nationalist film.

This is my rendition.......Forgive me for my westernized musical influences :)

아리랑, 아리랑, 아라리요...
아리랑 고개로 넘어간다.

나를 버리고 가시는 님은
십리도 못가서 발병난다.

청천하늘엔 잔별도 많고,
우리네 가슴엔 희망도 많다.

저기 저 산이 백두산이라지,
동지 섣달에도 꽃만 핀다
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Arirang, Arirang, Ararayo...
Wir gehen zum Arirang-Pass.

Derjenige, der mich im Stich lässt
Ich werde krank, weil ich keine zehn Meilen gehen kann.

Es gibt viele Sterne am blauen Himmel,
und unsere Herzen sind voller Hoffnung.

Der Berg dort drüben ist der Baekdu-Berg,
Er blüht nur zur Wintersonnenwende.
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Arirang, Arirang, Ararayo...
We are going to the Arirang Pass.

The one that lets me down
I get sick because I can't walk ten miles.

There are many stars in the blue sky
and our hearts are full of hope.

That mountain over there is Baekdu Mountain,
It blooms only at the winter solstice.

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