이날치 – Byeoljubu Cried and Said

Welcome to another exciting Korean learning journey with Leenalchi, one of the most innovative bands in contemporary Korean music! Today we’re diving into “별주부가 울며 여쫘오되” (Byeoljubu Cried and Said), a captivating track that brings ancient Korean storytelling into the modern age through their signature fusion of traditional pansori and alternative pop.

This song is perfect for advanced Korean learners who want to challenge themselves with classical Korean expressions and experience the rich linguistic heritage of pansori. The lyrics contain archaic vocabulary and dramatic speech patterns that were used in traditional Korean storytelling, offering you a unique window into how the Korean language has evolved over centuries. While these expressions aren’t commonly used in everyday conversation today, understanding them will deepen your appreciation of Korean literature, history, and cultural arts.

The track comes from Leenalchi’s debut studio album “수궁가” (Sugungga), released in May 2020. It dramatizes one of the most tension-filled moments from the classic pansori tale, where the clever rabbit tries to escape from the Dragon King’s underwater palace while the loyal turtle minister desperately pleads with the king not to let him go. Get ready for an intense listening experience!

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Lyrics Preview

Note: The lyrics for this song contain classical Korean expressions from traditional pansori. Due to the archaic and specialized nature of this vocabulary, we recommend listening to the song while following along with the official lyrics to fully appreciate its unique linguistic character.

Want to see the full lyrics? Check them out on Bugs!

Key Expressions

Here are the must-know expressions from this song!

여쫘오되 yeo-jjwa-o-doe
This is an archaic humble expression meaning “to speak/report to a superior.” It combines the humble verb 여쭈다 (to humbly tell) with the classical connective ending -오되 (and said/saying). This formal, humble speech style was used when addressing royalty or high-ranking officials in traditional Korea.

신하가 임금께 여쫘오되 나라에 큰 일이 있사옵니다.
The minister humbly reported to the king that there was a great matter in the kingdom.

충정 chung-jeong
This Sino-Korean word (忠情) means “loyal heart” or “devotion.” It combines 충 (loyalty) and 정 (heart/feelings). While formal, this word still appears in modern Korean when discussing themes of loyalty and dedication.

그의 충정은 누구도 의심하지 않았다.
No one doubted his loyal devotion.

허사 heo-sa
Meaning “in vain” or “futile effort,” 허사 (虛事) literally translates to “empty matter.” It’s used to describe efforts or actions that amount to nothing. This word is still used in modern Korean, particularly in formal or literary contexts.

그 모든 노력이 허사가 되었다.
All that effort was in vain.

소토 so-to
This is an extremely humble way for the rabbit to refer to itself, combining 소 (small/humble) with 토 (rabbit). In traditional Korean, speakers would use such humble self-references when addressing superiors. This practice of humble self-deprecation reflects Confucian values of hierarchy and respect.

소인이 감히 말씀 올리옵니다.
This humble person dares to speak to you.

-로소이다 -ro-so-i-da
This is a classical sentence ending used in formal, respectful speech to royalty. It’s the archaic equivalent of modern polite endings like -입니다. You’ll encounter this pattern frequently in historical dramas (사극) and classical literature.

이것이 진실이로소이다.
This is the truth (speaking humbly to a superior).

Grammar Points

-오되 (Classical Connective Ending)

The ending -오되 is an archaic connective form that combines a statement with “and” or “saying that.” It was commonly used in classical Korean texts and pansori to connect reported speech or to transition between narrative descriptions and quoted speech. In modern Korean, this has been replaced by forms like -고, -며, or direct quotation patterns. Understanding -오되 is essential for reading classical Korean literature and appreciating traditional performing arts.

-(으)시면 (Conditional “If”)

The pattern -(으)시면 combines the honorific marker -시- with the conditional ending -(으)면, creating a respectful way to express “if you do something.” This grammar point is still actively used in modern Korean and is essential for polite requests, warnings, and hypothetical situations. When the verb stem ends in a vowel, use -시면; when it ends in a consonant, use -으시면.

Culture Note

Leenalchi takes their name from Yi Nal-chi (1820-1892), one of the eight master pansori singers of the late Joseon Dynasty. This choice reflects the band’s deep respect for Korean traditional arts while pursuing innovation. Pansori is a traditional Korean narrative singing art form where a single vocalist performs dramatic stories accompanied only by a drummer. The band modernizes this by replacing the traditional drum with a double bass and adding contemporary rhythms, while maintaining the essential element of multiple vocalists (four singers) who trade off singing parts, much like the call-and-response patterns in traditional pansori.

The song comes from “Sugungga” (The Palace Under the Sea), one of the five surviving pansori repertoires. This tale tells of a Dragon King who falls ill and needs a rabbit’s liver to cure himself. He sends his loyal minister, a turtle named Byeoljubu, to the land to trick a rabbit into coming to the underwater palace. The story is beloved for its wit, social commentary, and the clever rabbit who outsmarts even royalty through quick thinking and eloquent speech.

Fun fact! Leenalchi became a global sensation through their collaboration with the Korea Tourism Organization on the “Feel the Rhythm of Korea” promotional video series. Their song “범 내려온다” (Tiger is Coming) from the same album went viral, accumulating over 300 million views worldwide and introducing Korean traditional music to international audiences in an entirely new way. Their music has also been featured in Samsung mobile phone commercials, and “별주부가 울며 여쫘오되” has been performed on major Korean broadcast programs including KBS’s “국악한마당” (Gugak Hanmadang) and “You Hee-yeol’s Sketchbook.”

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