‘Waiting’ (기다림) is a song written and composed by Yi Sung-yol (이승열) and part of the original sound track album to the 2003 movie ‘…ing.’
Yi met the late music director Bang Jun-seok (방준석) in the US and the two of them formed the modern rock band U&Me Blue (유엔미블루) in Korea. They released their first album in 1994 but their second album in 1996 would be their last one together given the difficulty they had in breaking through commercially.
After a hiatus, Yi made his debut in 2003 as a solo act. And since then, has worked on songs for a number of recognizable Korean dramas. His name can be found as OST’s for dramas such as ‘Misaeng (2014),’ ‘Signal (2016)‘ and ‘Jirisan (2021).’
In ‘Waiting,’ Yi Sung-yol’s rugged voice is accompanied by just a piano to bring out the emotions of anxiety, loneliness, and longing for another. To me, it sounds as though that other person is someone the protagonist of the song can be vulnerable with more than anything.
Please note: The translation below is based on my own interpretation of the lyrics and is not an official English translation of the song provided by the artist.
Translated lyrics to ‘Waiting’ (기다림) by Yi Sung-yol
It’s driving me crazy
The waiting is still hard for me
I resented you for not being there
I can only bear with it
There’s no other way for me
I softly whisper your name
Wandering in the dark sea is
My small figure laying atop a broken boat
One day you
Would hold me without a word
In that embrace, for a long long time
Even if the weight of time placed on me
Builds up and becomes too hard to bear
One day you
Would hold me without a word
You would hold me without a word
In that embrace, for a long long time
