Korean Music Time! #4: 조용필 - 친구여

I thought I'd do another one of these, because, what the heck, I've translated several songs and not bothered to do a post for them. I might as well keep whatever readers I have left interested. Here's another classic from Jo Yong Pil that's was fairly straightforward to translate. This song seems to be pretty iconic in Korea, so it's only appropriate that the English-speaking world get a taste of it.

Here's a video of the legend himself performing it live, apparently in recent times. He doesn't hit the soaring high notes like he used to, but it's great nonetheless.

친구여
Oh, Friend

(Verse 1)
꿈은 하늘에서 잠자고
The dream sleeping in the sky
추억은 구름따라 흐르고
The memory flowing along the clouds
친구여 모습은 어딜 갔나
Oh friend, where did your image go?
그리운 친구여
Oh friend I long for

(Verse 2)
옛 일 생각이 날 때마다
Whenever I think of the old days
우리 잃어버린 정 찾아
I find our missing affection
친구여 꿈속에서 만날까
Oh friend, might we meet in a dream?
조용히 눈을 감네
Silently I close my eyes

(Bridge)
슬픔도 기쁨도 외로움도 함께했지
Didn’t we share sadness, happiness and loneliness?
부푼 꿈을 안고 내일을 다짐하던
Full of dreams, we used to promise each other tomorrow
우리 굳센 약속 어디에
Our firm promise wherever

When I first translated this song I assumed the friend he longed for was simply away, but after re-reading them, I've begun to wonder if his friend is supposed to be dead. The first two lines seem a bit unusual, so I wonder if they're hinting that his friend has gone to great beyond. I don't really have much else to say about this song, I just think it's very beautiful.

In other news, I'll probably be back in the U.S. by January at the latest, so I'm looking forward to that. It's no secret that my job here hasn't been working out, and that I've realized I'm not cut out to be a teacher. Hopefully I can return to a new life where I'm free to find my way as an introvert.