KOREAN SHOWS: Infinite's Sunggyu Wins on KBS's "Immortal Songs" Part One

The singers on today's "Immortal Songs" (8/18/2012) paid tribute to the 70’s legendary folk singer and songwriter Lee Janghee.  Lee had to write songs using three different pseudonyms such as Kim Yihwan, Lee Kyung-ae, and Lee Wonho during the 70's and 80's as most of his songs and himself were banned by military censorship authorities (1963~1987).  Lee is best known for his straightforward yet poetic lyrics, eloquent simplicity, and understated tone and I think Hong Kyungmin and Sunggyu (of Infinite), among all other singers, performed true to the spirit of his original versions.

Sunggyu chose to sing Na geudae-ege modu deuriri (나 그대에게 모두 드리리, “I Will Give You Everything”) from the soundtrack of the 1974 Korean film, Byeoldeure gohyang (별들의 고향, “The Stars’ Heavenly Home”), which was made based on the renowned Korean novelist Choi Inho's newspaper novel of the same title (published daily from1972 through 1973).

Sunggyu: I Will Give You Everything (1974)

on KBS's "The Immortal Songs" (8/18/2012)

English Lyrics:  I Will Give You Everything

My dear, I have something to tell you.

Tonight, suddenly, I want to tell you something:

I will give you everything -

This love of mine that is bursting.

For you, there's nothing I can't do.

I can even bring to you two handful of stars.

My dear, I have something to give you.

Tonight, suddenly, I want to give you something.

For you, there's nothing I can't do.

I can even bring to you two handful of stars.

My dear, I will give you everything -

This love of mine that is bursting.
============================
Written by Lee Janghee
Translated by ONSEMIRO

Choi Inho later revealed that the title of his newspaper novel was originally Byeoldeure mudeom (별들의 무덤, “The Stars’ Graves”); but the editor wasn't happy with it because the newspaper was delivered in the morning and he was afraid the title might offend its readers at the start of the day. This novel (and also the movie) is about an innocent middle-class woman whose life was ruined by men, representing male chauvinism and the old beliefs about female premarital virginity that had been portrayed, either overtly or tacitly, as ideal in Korea until the end of the 20th century.  Those beliefs are labeled as Sungyeol ideologi (순결 이데올로기 , which literally means “(female) virginity ideology”).

Original Version: Lee Janghee (English Subtitles)

Na geudae-ege modu deuriri "I Will Give You Everything " (1974)

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