Top 3: 사랑할수록 (The More I Love)

사랑할수록 (Saranghalsurok) is one of Boohwal’s most legendary song. I personally didn’t like this song at first, maybe because of the extreme sadness that this song delivers. And in the original version, released in Boohwal 3rd album in 1993, sang by Kim Jegi (김재기), this song is sung in such… I dunno, it’s just very slow I didn’t feel any power in it. I liked it though when I heard Jeong Dong-Ha’s version of the song. The song is written by Kim Jegi and composed by Kim Tae-Won.

Enough about me though. This song marked the rebirth of Boohwal after being left by their first vocal after their debut. Kim Tae-Won went through extremely tough time after being left by Lee Seung-Cheol, especially because the latter gained even more fame that Kim Tae-Won himself who was the motor behind Boohwal.

Boohwal’s first album was released in 1986, the second followed in 1987. There was a six years dormant period until the 3rd album was released in 1993. Behind that album was Kim Jegi, Boohwal’s third vocalist who only stick with the team for a very short period of time. He passed away in a traffic accident just after recording several songs with Boohwal as demo tape. Kim Jegi’s voice was, however, very remarkable that the demo tape was eventually released to be in Boohwal’s third album. Kim Tae-Won personally have a soft spot on Kim Jegi that he once said if he could think of anyone he’d wish to live again, that person is Kim Jegi. Kim Jegi is always referred in many occasions by Kim Tae-Won, as the song “The More I Love” is referred many times by the other Boohwal members to be a song that they think made Boohwal the legend it is. Kim Tae-Won himself said that the 3rd album wouldn’t have existed had he not meet Kim Jegi.

So happens to be Kim Jegi’s younger brother, Kim Jae-Hee (김재희), was also a singer and he was also gifted with the wonderful voice his brother had. So Kim Jae-Hee recorded the rest of the songs in the 3rd album. The version of 사랑할수록 you heard(and saw) above was sung by Kim Jegi. You can also find a Kim Jae-Hee version of this song in the “Best 이솝의 붓” album released in 1996.

The one below is by Jeong Dong-Ha. This song was also remade and inserted in Boohwal’s latest album, Retrospect II, released this year. (Check out “How to get Boohwal’s CDs abroad” on top right)

사랑할수록
(The More I Love)

한참동안을 찾아가지 않은 저 언덕 너머 거리엔
(In the street over the hill I haven’t been to in a while)

오래전 그 모습 그대로 넌 서있을 것 같아
(It felt that you’ll be standing exactly as you stood there a long time ago)

.

내 기억 보다는 오래되버린 얘기지
(A story that is older than my memory)

널 보던 나의 그 모습
(The way I looked when staring at you)

이제는 내가 널 피하려고 하나 언젠가의 너처럼~

(Am I now trying to avoid you, as you did then)

이제 너에게 난 아픔이란걸 너를 사랑하면 할수록

(Now for you, that I am hurting, the more I love you)

멀리 떠나가도록 스치듯 시간의 흐름속에

(To go far away, into the flow of time as if only brushing by)

.

이제 지나간 기억이라고 떠나며 말하던 너에게

(Leaving me, you said it is a memory of the past, to you)

시간이 흘러 지날수록 너를 사랑하면 할수록…

(As the time flows by, the more that I love you)

너에게 난 아픔이었다는 걸 너를 사랑하면 할수록

(That I was hurting for you, the more that I love you)