This is the first-ever recording of the song, written by Yoon Sang-Won, who took part on the Gwangju Uprising and also died on the last day of the uprising. His song was discovered and was first recorded 2 years later in 1982 by an anonymous group. Won is now a symbol of martyrdom for the fallen of Gwangju. The song represents the grief and struggle for those who fought for democracy in Korea, ever since the Republic's inception in the 1940's it was ruled by dictators, despite of the US government's disapproval of the dictatorships. It's hypocrisy of it's horrendous human rights abuses while being anti-Communist, even if they were just as bad as to their North Korean counter-part.
After the late Park Chung Hee was assassinated in 1980, Martial law was declared. Korea was in chaos and in May 18th, a protest calling for democracy ensued. After that, shots were fired from the Korean military, massacring the protesters. The protesters retaliated with their own weapons and drove out the government out of Gwangju and resisted for 9 days. The Korean military murdered, beaten, & raped upon the civilian population and the Martial law government disregarded the uprising as just a simple riot from Communist sympathizers, while the US was silent on the matter. The authoritarian Government collapsed a year after, in 1981, and was replaced by the government that's currently in power today. May 18th is now a commemoration day in Korea to remember the fallen who fought for Korea's future
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사랑도 명예도 이름도 남김없이
한평생 나가자던 뜨거운 맹세
동지는 간데없고 깃발만 나부껴
새날이 올때까지 흔들리지 말자
세월은 흘러가도 산천은 안다
깨어나서 외치는 뜨거운 함성
앞서서 나가니 산자여 따르라
앞서서 나가니 산자여 따르라
사랑도 명예도 이름도 남김없이
한평생 나가자던 뜨거운 맹세
동지는 간데없고 깃발만 나부껴
새날이 올때까지 흔들리지 말자
세월은 흘러가도 산천은 안다
깨어나서 외치는 뜨거운 함성
앞서서 나가니 산자여 따르라
앞서서 나가니 산자여 따르라
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Sarangdo myŏngyedo irŭmdo namgimŏpshi
Hanp'yŏngsaeng nagajadŏn ttŭgŏun maengse
Tongjinŭn Kandeŏpko Kitpalman Nabukkyŏ
Saenari olttaekkaji hŭndŭlliji malcha
Sewŏrŭn hŭllŏgado sanch'ŏnŭn anda
Kkaeŏnasŏ oech'inŭn ttŭgŏun hamsŏng
Apsŏsŏ nagani sanjayŏ ttarŭra
Apsŏsŏ nagani sanjayŏ ttarŭra
Sarangdo myŏngyedo irŭmdo namgimŏpshi
Hanp'yŏngsaeng nagajadŏn ttŭgŏun maengse
Tongjinŭn Kandeŏpko Kitpalman Nabukkyŏ
Saenari olttaekkaji hŭndŭlliji malcha
Sewŏrŭn hŭllŏgado sanch'ŏnŭn anda
Kkaeŏnasŏ oech'inŭn ttŭgŏun hamsŏng
Apsŏsŏ nagani sanjayŏ ttarŭra
Apsŏsŏ nagani sanjayŏ ttarŭra
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