[Korean Culture & Language] Traffic Light

Hello, this is Uptempo Marketers!


"신호등(Traffic Light)" is a song by 이무진(Lee Mujin) that illustrates how young generations feel about becoming ‘grown-ups’. It expresses the concerns of 20-somethings who are just entering the “real world” and is confused and overwhelmed by the new social concepts and rules like human relations, flexibility, and finance.

The song metaphorically illustrates ‘people’ as ‘cars,’ ‘society’ as ‘roads,’ and ‘traffic lights’ as the ‘rules’. 

Here are a few lines from the lyrics:

It reads:
이제야 목적지를 정했지만
I have just decided where to go

가려한 날 막아서네
But it stops me

난 갈 길이 먼데
I’ve got a long way to go

새빨간 얼굴로 화를 냈던
…who went off on me as his face turn red

친구가 생각나네
I remember a friend…

이미 난 발걸음을 떼었지만

I have already taken a step forward

가려 한 날 재촉하네
But they rush me

걷기도 힘든데
It’s hard to even walk

새파랗게 겁에 질려 도망간
…whose face turned blue with fear and ran away

친구가 뇌에 맴도네
It reminds me of a friend…

건반처럼 생긴 도로 위

The road that looks like piano keys

수많은 동그라미들 모두가

All the circles

멈췄다 굴렀다 말은 잘 들어

stop and roll. They all follow the rules.

그건 나도 문제가 아냐
It‘s not a problem for me, either.

그 사이 3초 그 짧은 시간

Three seconds, in that short time,

노란색 빛을 내는
…that flashes yellow light

저기 저 신호등이

The traffic light…
내 머릿속을 텅 비워버려

makes my head feel empty
내가 빠른 지도

I’m not sure if I’m fast
느린지도 모르겠어

or slow
그저 눈앞이 샛노랄 뿐이야

It’s just that I feel yellow.

 

Photo by Kai Pilger on Unsplash

While the writer knows where he wants to go, the traffic lights stop him. What’s interesting is that the red friend makes him go, and the blue one runs away.

By saying “It’s not a problem for me either,” he indicates that it isn’t hard for a recent graduate to follow the ‘real world’ rules. However, some rules can be confusing, much like the yellow light.

The yellow light typically only gives about three seconds for drivers to decide whether to go or to stop. Three seconds may not be enough time for a novice driver to make a good decision. Because they are inexperienced, making any quick decision can cause them to regret it (make them feel empty and ‘yellow’). 

 

Do you remember how you felt when you first stepped into the "real world"? Are the lyrics something you can relate to?

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