I think it the Misaeng OST when I was first introduced to Rosy-Cheeked Adolescence. They recently released a mini album and I’m loving all the songs on it. The hard part was figuring out which of their tracks to feature and if I had more time I’d probably translate all 5.
Rosy-Cheeked Adolescence is made up of two members, Lead Singer Ahn Ji Young and Woo Ji Yoon who plays the bass, guitar, back-up vocals and rap. Together, they write and compose most of their own music and “Half Album ‘RED ICKLE’ is their debut album. Their style of music is alternative, indie pop-rock and acoustic. I admit that I was taken by Ahn Ji Young’s refreshing voice, that’s somewhat husky like Jung In and adorably rascally like AOA’s Jimin.
The first song on their album is “초콜릿 (Chocolate)”. I mean, who doesn’t love chocolate? Okay, I did know some people who don’t like chocolate. And that’s probably the reason we’re no longer friends. I kid. However, chocolate, and dark chocolate to be exact, is just a metaphor for the bittersweet-ness of crushing on someone. It’s just a sweet song that’ll put you in a good mood, just like eating chocolate.
Rosy-Cheeked Adolescence – 초콜릿 (Chocolate)
초콜릿
왠지 쌉쌀해 근데 또 달콤해
내가 지금 다크초콜릿을 먹고 있는지
곁에 있으면 녹잖아
말 한마디에 흐르잖아
난 네가 참 좋아
넌 나의 초콜릿 초콜릿 초콜릿
달콤한 나의 초콜릿 초콜릿 초콜릿
눈을 뗄 수가 없어
나만 가지고 싶어
웃는 네 얼굴 그 앞에 날들
넌 나의 초콜릿 초콜릿 초콜릿
달콤한 나의 초콜릿 초콜릿 초콜릿
하루 24시간 내겐 널 위한 시간
기다린 만큼 너로 채워줘
넌 나의 초콜릿 그대
꿈처럼 사라 질려 해
날 보고 웃어 눈 웃음은
녹아 녹아 녹잖아
너에게 닿을래 하는 것도 잠시
보면 볼수록 어찌나 아픈지
Do you feel now?
오늘도 나 만나 만나
하고 싶던 게 할 수 없는 것이 돼버려
중독된 것처럼 자꾸 널 찾아
맘이 계속 그리 가잖아
왠지 쌉쌀해 근데 또 달콤해
내가 지금 다크초콜릿을 먹고 있는지
곁에 있으면 녹잖아
말 한마디에 흐르잖아
난 네가 참 좋아
넌 나의 초콜릿 초콜릿 초콜릿
달콤한 나의 초콜릿 초콜릿 초콜릿
눈을 뗄 수가 없어
나만 가지고 싶어
웃는 네 얼굴 그 앞에 날들
넌 나의 초콜릿 초콜릿 초콜릿
자꾸 바라보게 되는 너의 눈빛은
초콜릿 초콜릿 초콜릿
마치 손에 잡힐듯한 네 목소리
넌 나의 초콜릿
넌 나의 초콜릿 초콜릿 초콜릿
달콤한 나의 초콜릿 초콜릿 초콜릿
굳이 안 보려 해도
자꾸 손이 가고
다 필요 없고 그냥 자꾸만 찾게 돼
넌 나의 초콜릿 초콜릿 초콜릿
달콤한 나의 초콜릿 초콜릿 초콜릿
가까이 손에 닿을듯해
심장이 쿵 해
중독된 것처럼 자꾸 널 찾아
맘이 계속 그리 가잖아
넌 나의 초콜릿
Chocolate
Somehow bitter then again, sweet
Am I eating some dark chocolate
If you’re beside me, I melt
With just one word, I trickle down
I really like you
You are my chocolate, chocolate, chocolate
Sweet, my chocolate, chocolate, chocolate
Can’t take my eyes off you,
just want to have you for myself
Your smiling face, the days ahead
You are my chocolate, chocolate, chocolate
Sweet, my chocolate, chocolate, chocolate
24 hours a day, to me, the time is meant for you
As much as I’ve waited, fill it with you
You are my chocolate, dear
Like a dream, want to disappear
Look at me and laugh, your smiling eyes
Melt, melt, it melts
Wanting to reach you, just briefly
The more I see you, how is it so painful
Do you feel now?
Even today, meet, meet me
The things I wanted to do become the things I can’t do
Like I’m addicted, I keep searching for you
My heart keeps being directed towards you
Somehow bitter then again, sweet
Am I eating some dark chocolate
If you’re beside me, I melt
With just one word, I trickle down
I really like you
You are my chocolate, chocolate, chocolate
Sweet, my chocolate, chocolate, chocolate
Can’t take my eyes off you,
just want to have you for myself
Your smiling face, the days ahead
You are my chocolate, chocolate, chocolate
Keep looking at your eyes that’s
Chocolate, chocolate, chocolate
Like I’m about to catch it with my hands, your voice
You are my chocolate
You are my chocolate, chocolate, chocolate
Sweet, my chocolate, chocolate, chocolate
Though I try not to look
My hand keep going there
Don’t need it at all, I just keep searching it
You are my chocolate, chocolate, chocolate
Sweet, my chocolate, chocolate, chocolate
It’s like my hand will reach close
My heart thumps
Like I’m addicted, I keep searching for you
My heart keeps being directed towards you
You are my chocolate
“싸운날 (The Day We Fought)” is one of the title songs on the album and obviously it’s about fighting and breaking up with your significant. What first struck me about this song is that it’s quite an upbeat song even though it’s about heartbreak. However, if you keep on listening to the song you realize that it’s more than just about a breakup.
Rather, it talks about the ups and downs of a relationship. Fighting, breaking up and getting back together with flowers and forgiveness. However, the cycle starts all over again and you’d like to go back to the beginning when everything in the relationship was exciting and sweet, like the song above. Ahn Ji Young sounds so matter-of-fact but I think the song seems to indicate that the there’s no love lost.
싸운날
햇빛이 쨍쨍한 맑은 날 또 싸워
이젠 더는 참지 못해 지겨워
결국 네 손을 뿌리쳐 돌아선 나
(혹시나 하는 마음에 천천히 걸어)
조금씩 주변을 서성거려 but finally
눈치 없이 벌써 집으로 돌아 간 너
너와 같이 맞췄던 내 폰을 들어
네게 전화를 걸어
(이젠 너랑은) 진짜 끝이야
너도 다른 남자들이랑 똑같아
못된 말만 골라 네게 전송해
사실은 나 지금 너네 집 앞이야
(2 hours later)
넌 전화를 받지 않아
(3 hours later)
나를 붙잡아 줬으면 해
(결국 5 minutes later)
눈물 뚝뚝 흘리며 네게 전화를 걸어
We fight and scream
Break up and leave
늦은 밤 날 위해 꽃을 사다 온
로맨틱한 너도
한여름 밤에 설렘도
처음으로 돌릴 순 없어
자존심 버리고 벨을 눌러 but finally
눈치 없이 벌써 단잠에 빠져든 너
너와 같이 맞췄던 목걸일 뜯어
잠든 네 얼굴에 던져
(이젠 너랑은) 진짜 끝이야
너도 다른 남자들이랑 똑같아
못된 말만 골라 네게 전송해
사실은 나 지금 너네 집 앞이야
(2 hours later)
넌 전화를 받지 않아
(3 hours later)
나를 붙잡아 줬으면 해
(결국 5 minutes later)
눈물 뚝뚝 흘리며 네게 전화를 걸어
We fight and scream
Break up and leave
늦은 밤 날 위해 꽃을 사다 온
로맨틱한 너도
한여름 밤에 설렘도
처음으로 돌릴 순 없어
되돌릴 순 없어
2 days later
3 days later
결국 5 days later
눈물 뚝뚝 흘리며
다시 돌아와 줬으면 해
We fight and scream
Break up and leave
늦은 밤 날 위해 꽃을 사다 온
로맨틱한 너도
한여름 밤에 설렘도
처음으로 돌리고 싶어
The Day We Fought
On the day the sun shone brightly, fight again
Now, I can’t stand it anymore, it’s tiring
Eventually, reject your hand and I turn around
(With feelings of what ifs, walk slowly)
Hang around a little nearby but finally
Without care, you’ve already gone home
Pick up the same phone that we’ve bought together
And call you
(With you now) this is really the end
You’re the same as all those other guys
Picking nasty remarks to send to you
Truthfully, I am in front of your house right now
(2 hours later)
You don’t pick up the phone
(3 hours later)
I wish you’d hang on to me
(Eventually 5 minutes later)
As tears drip down, I call you on the phone
We fight and scream
Break up and leave
For the late night, bringing flowers you bought
Even the romantic you,
even the summer night excitement
You can’t go back to the beginning
Throw away our pride and ring the bell but finally
Without care, you’ve already in a deep sleep
Rip off the same necklace that we’ve bought together
Throw it at your sleeping face
(With you now) this is really the end
You’re the same as all those other guys
Picking nasty remarks to send to you
Truthfully, I am in front of your house right now
(2 hours later)
You don’t pick up the phone
(3 hours later)
I wish you’d hang on to me
(Eventually 5 minutes later)
As tears drip down, I call you on the phone
We fight and scream
Break up and leave
For the late night, bringing flowers you bought
Even the romantic you,
even the summer night excitement
Can’t go back to the beginning
You can’t go back
2 days later
3 days later
Eventually, 5 days later
As tears drip down
I wish you’d come back again
We fight and scream
Break up and leave
For the late night, bringing flowers you bought
Even the romantic you,
even the summer night excitement
Want to go back to the beginning
The last song I want to feature is “심술 (Cranky)”. I think what I enjoy about their songs is first reading the title and then listening to the song and its lyrics and finding that the song wasn’t something I expected. “심술 (Cranky)” is actually a cute song and I could almost imagine seeing a girl pouting because she’s not getting the attention that she wants from the guy that she likes.
On the flip side, I have to admit that’s as much as what I understand about the song’s lyrics. From the first verse, she seems to have a rascally type of personality but yet she sings the song with this sweetness in her voice. And then, it strikes me that she’s arguing with other females over her guy. And then it makes her crankiness totally justifiable. Just saying.
Rosy-Cheeked Adolescence – 심술 (Cranky)
신발 꺾어 신고* – This is a phrase that doesn’t really have a good English equivalent. It probably extends from the differences between Western and Asian culture over whether shoes are worn in the house. The phrase literally translates as “break the shoes and wear them,” which really doesn’t make sense. Since shoes are worn only when we’re ready to leave the house, if we are in a rush, there may not be time to put them on properly and you’d bend the back heel in order to slip the shoe on.
심술
노란 머리 볼에 빨간 홍조
빼빼 묶은 머리
but a girl with bobbed hair
나 신발 꺾어 신고 돌아다녀*
Cuz I’m lonely
내가 좋아하는 건
제일 잘하는 건
물어뜯기, 꼬집기, 깨물기
and 몰래 따라 걷기
with red sunglass
Hey, Miss short skirt lady
손때 묻은 손수건은 좀 떼줄래
Hey, 뭐야 긴 생머리 언니
헐 아이 컨택은 그만 부리고 그 손 떼
헝클어진 머리칼을 흩날리며
네게 건네
조금은 녹아 흘러내린 아이스크림
좀 따가운 시선 받으면 어때
네게 주려고 진득해진 손바닥으로
달려온 나야
너 진짜 귀여워 진짜 잘생겼어
그러니까 여자들이 자꾸 들러붙어
이거 뭐예요? 저거 뭐예요?
Or you have a girl friend?
Hey, Miss short skirt lady
손때 묻은 손수건은 좀 떼줄래?
Hey, 뭐야 긴 생머리 언니
헐 아이 컨택은 그만 부리고 그 손 떼
(U know what I’m saying?)
헝클어진 머리칼을 흩날리며
네게 건네
조금은 녹아 흘러내린 아이스크림
좀 따가운 시선 받으면 어때
네게 줄려고
진득해진 손바닥으로 달려 온 나야
Woo Yeah
나는 싫어 네가 볼 꼬집는 거
빨갛게 익은 내 맘 놀리는 것도
싫어 이렇게 심술 부리는 거야
Cranky
Blonde hair, rosy-cheeked blush
Tightly pulled-back hair
but a girl with bobbed hair
Go around wearing shoes with the heel folded*
Cuz I’m lonely
The thing that I like
The thing that I do well
Gnaw, pinch, bite
and discreetly follow
with red sunglass
Hey, Miss short skirt lady
Remove that hand-stained handkerchief
Hey, what’s it to you, long-haired sister
Geez, stop with the eye contact and hands off
Waving disheveled hair
Take it to you
Melts a bit, the dripping ice cream
So what if I get some offended looks
In order to give it to you, with my patient palms
I’m the one that races over
You’re really cute, really good-looking
That’s why girls keep flock towards you
What is this? What is that?
Or you have a girl friend?
Hey, Miss short skirt lady
Remove that hand-stained handkerchief
Hey, what’s it to you, long-haired sister
Geez, stop with the eye contact and hands off
(U know what I’m saying?)
Waving disheveled hair
Take it to you
Melts a bit, the dripping ice cream
So what if I get some offended looks
In order to give it to you,
with my patient palms, I’m the one that races over
Woo Yeah
I hate it, you pinching my cheeks
Scorching and well-done, playing with my heart
I hate it, that’s why I’m being cranky
Musings of a Chunkeemonkeeato 