이별하러 가는 길 – Bilingual Lyrics Korean/English

• By: 임한별

Lyrics & Translation

Learning Korean through 'The Road to Say Goodbye' allows you to master emotive vocabulary related to relationships and heartbreak. The song is special for its clear enunciation of painful sentiments, making it an excellent study piece for intermediate learners wanting to grasp the nuances of Korean ballad lyrics.

[English]

Afraid that someone might see the turmoil in my heart

I try my best to pretend I'm smiling, but actually

I'm hurting more than anyone else

As many days pass, I suppose it'll all fade and I'll be numb

As I go on living my life again

As I fall in love with someone else, just like that

The road to our breakup is far too clear and bright

The road to letting you go, without any warning

Facing this sudden farewell

I know it'll be hard for you, I'm sorry

Behind the lie that I'll never love again

I leave you coldly, leaving you behind in tears

It's goodbye to us now, goodbye

I'd rather you just hate me

To you, who couldn't even get angry

The words I threw out so easily, those words

They really linger in my heart

I regret not being able to say I'm sorry

The road to our breakup is far too clear and bright

The road to letting you go, without any warning

Facing this sudden farewell

I know it'll be hard for you, I'm sorry

Behind the lie that I'll never love again

I leave you coldly, leaving you behind in tears

It's goodbye to us now, goodbye

Please forget everything, and live your best life just to show me

The words I couldn't bring myself to say—the words asking you to hold onto me

It hurts as much as the love we shared, just that much

My love, whom I'll miss like crazy

This is the kind of man I am; flawed and cowardly

Making you cry, yet wishing for your happiness

It's goodbye to us now, goodbye, goodbye

...

[Korean]

소란한 내 맘을 누군가 볼까봐

애써 웃는 척 해 사실 나는

누구보다 아픈 중인데

많은 날이 지나면 덤덤하게 잊혀지겠지

다시 또 살아가면서

누군갈 사랑하면서 그렇게

이별하러 가는 길 참 맑기도 하다

널 떼러 가는 길 아무 예고 없이

갑자기 맞이할 이별에

많이 힘들지 몰라 미안해

다신 사랑 안 한단 거짓말 뒤로

우는 널 남긴 채 나 차갑게 떠난다

우리 이제는 안녕 안녕

차라리 나를 미워해

화도 못 내는 네게

너무 쉽게 던진 말 그 말

그게 참 가슴에 남아

미안하단 말 못한 게 후회돼

이별하러 가는 길 참 맑기도 하다

널 떼러 가는 길 아무 예고 없이

갑자기 맞이할 이별에

많이 힘들지 몰라 미안해

다신 사랑 안 한단 거짓말 뒤로

우는 널 남긴 채 나 차갑게 떠난다

우리 이제는 안녕 안녕

다 잊어줘 보란듯이 더 잘 살아가줘

차마 하지 못한 말 붙잡아달란 말

우리 사랑한 그 만큼 그 만큼 아파

미치도록 그리울 사랑아

이게 나란 남자야 못 되고 비겁해

널 울게 만들고 또 니 행복을 빌어

우리 이제는 안녕 안녕 안녕

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
소란하다 soranhada Level 4	adjective - noisy, boisterous, clamorous
이별 ibyeol Level 2	noun - parting, farewell
덤덤하다 deomdeomhada Level 4	adjective - calm, indifferent, unconcerned
잊혀지다 ichyeojida Level 3	verb - to be forgotten
예고 yego Level 3	noun - advance notice, warning
거짓말 geojitmal Level 1	noun - lie
차갑다 chagapda Level 2	adjective - cold, chilly, icy
미워하다 miwohada Level 2	verb - to hate
가슴 gaseum Level 2	noun - chest, heart
후회하다 huhoehada Level 3	verb - to regret
붙잡다 butjapda Level 3	verb - to hold, to grasp, to detain
그리워하다 geuriwohada Level 3	verb - to long for, to miss
비겁하다 bigeophada Level 4	adjective - cowardly
행복 haengbok Level 2	noun - happiness
빌다 bilda Level 3	verb - to wish, to pray, to beg

Key Grammar Structures

• 소란한 내 맘을 누군가 볼까봐

  ➔ -ㄹ까봐 (fear/worry that)

  ➔ Used to express worry or apprehension that the action in "볼" (see) might happen.

• 많은 날이 지나면 덤덤하게 잊혀지겠지

  ➔ -아/어지다 (passive voice marker)

  ➔ Combines with '잊다' (to forget) to form '잊혀지다' (to be forgotten), indicating a passive state.

• 많이 힘들지 몰라 미안해

  ➔ -ㄹ지 몰라 (might/it is possible that)

  ➔ Suggests a possibility or uncertainty about the future state of being "힘들다" (difficult/hard).

• 다신 사랑 안 한단 거짓말 뒤로

  ➔ -ㄴ단 (shortened form of -ㄴ다고 하는)

  ➔ A colloquial contraction of an indirect quotation indicating what is being said: "(I say I will) not love again".

• 차라리 나를 미워해

  ➔ 차라리 (rather/preferably)

  ➔ Used to express a preference for a difficult choice ("hate me") over the current painful situation.

• 미안하단 말 못한 게 후회돼

  ➔ -ㄴ/은/는 게 (fact/action as a noun phrase)

  ➔ Nominalizes the phrase "미안하단 말 못한" (not being able to say sorry) to become the subject of "후회돼" (I regret).

• 다 잊어줘 보란듯이 더 잘 살아가줘

  ➔ -아/어 주다 (do a favor for someone)

  ➔ Indicates the action of 'forgetting' and 'living well' is requested as a favor for the speaker.

• 차마 하지 못한 말

  ➔ 차마 (cannot bear to/cannot bring oneself to)

  ➔ Used with negative verbs to express that it is too emotionally difficult to perform the action.