[Opinion] Children’s Songs

“One, can’t stand one minute of not seeing you, two, two minutes are too much, three, how then can I wait for three minutes, four, for you I care,….” This is the song called “Number Song” that won first place in the comic song category by listeners’ votes among all the children’s songs introduced at Junior Naver. There are, of course, categories for conventional forms of children songs called elementary songs and children’s song village. However, the participation in popularity voting for those categories does not compare to the contest for the comic songs. Anther popular song called “Veggie Song” sings about how our skin can shine with radiance and how our body can be slim if we eat a lot of vegetables. There is no rule that children cannot pay attention to their appearances, and it is right that the song reflects children’s thinking. Still, it makes us, the grownups, feel uncomfortable. It is fun and sensual, but shallow. Of course, it is better than children’s going crazy over a sexy pop song.

That is why the children’s songs of Seokdong Yoon Suk-jung, who entered an endless dream of pure children’s minds, mean a lot more to us now. They are sunny and bright, full of liveliness, and deep as one’s heart. “A grass hut family by the train rail, the baby sleeps well tonight.” This song is full of hope for children who grow well like corn grows in a tough environment. “Jjak Jjakoong in front of Mama” is not a simple kiddy song. “Mama’s sigh will go to sleep, and Papa’s wrinkles will get smoothed.” The song sings about the meaningfulness of the parent-child relationship in an easy and brief way that is better than any complicated song could. There are even middle-aged people who shed tears over this song, thinking about their old mothers.

He lived a quite happy life, spending his whole life around children until his death at the age of 92 after resolving to become a writer of children’s literature. We assume that he could not be an exception and had difficulties in life just like anybody else, but we hear from one of his acquaintances, “He had a positive attitude just like a child, and things worked out easily because of that.” Yoon’s remark that he could stay healthy without doing any physical exercise because he was carrying out a “movement for children” sounds like a good lesson to learn from. If everyone can live their life just like the child they once were, the difficult problems of this chaotic world might easily be resolved. When he received a Magsaysay Award in 1978, he said that the child’s mind is the original mind and conscience of every human.

Instead of blaming children for neglecting children’s songs these days, I wish that the grownups would first pay attention to the songs. Yoon’s song “Who’s Taller” sings, “Let’s measure for once who’s taller…. No stepping up. No lifting your feet,” clarifying the rules. It is a sharp criticism in this world where corruption and illegality prevail. What if the measurements are the same? The teacher says, “We’ll do it again tomorrow.” That is a simple solution, but grownups act as if everything is a life or death decision, thinking that they will fall down if it is not resolved immediately. Yoon is awakening us to the fact that it is the grownups, not the children, who should return to the children’s songs.

Editorial Writer Kim Sun-duk, yuri@donga.com