“Mistletoe and Winter Clothes” by Jeong Jin-Kyu

정진규
Jeong Jin-Kyu (image source)

To search for my beloved mistletoe, I pull out my winter clothes, soon finding myself entering snow-covered mountain recesses where mistletoe lives clinging to the oaks, mulberries, and alders. Where mistletoe alone remains lush green, full of integrity. Please save me. She entered gingerly and settled in my home as a remarried woman. Boiling down your body, you warmed me deeply until that final moment. Together, we are still mistletoe and winter clothes, and my beloved mistletoe still doesn’t know the meaning of “until”. Still doesn’t know that love was once mistletoe and that a remarried woman was once winter clothes. O nuptials, love grown mature.


내 사랑 겨우살이 한번 풀어보려고 겨우살이 찾아, 즉효라는 그걸 찾아 눈덮인 심산 들었다 참나무 뽕나무 오리나무에 붙어살지만 겨울날 홀로 초록 잎새 싱싱한 독야청청 겨우살이, 나 좀 살려다오 내 후살이로 조심조심 들여앉혔다 네 몸 달이어 나를 깊게 뎊혔으나 아직도 여적지다 너나 나나 아직도 겨우살이다 내 사랑 겨우살이 아직도 여적지다 몰랐었구나 사랑이 본시 겨우살이인것을, 후살이가 본시 겨우살이인것을, 合歡이여, 철든 사랑아


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Phenomenal blog. Thank you for all your translations and explanations on your thought process. I’m sure it will be a terrific resource for my Korean learning. Had I discovered your site earlier, I’d probably be fluent by now!

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