The story behind Jindo Arirang
Jeolla Province is famous for its singing style, called 남도 (Namdo) singing, with deep vibrato and sliding notes. Jindo Arirang is the best-known song in this style. The refrain starts with "ari arirang, seuri seurirang", sounds that have no meaning but give the song its bouncy rhythm.
The "eung eung eung" in the second line is a humming sound singers add for feeling. In a group, one person sings a verse and everyone answers with the refrain, so the song can go on for as long as people keep inventing verses about love, hardship, gossip and the sea.
The verse below mentions Mungyeong Saejae, a famous mountain pass in the middle of Korea that travellers had to cross on foot to reach Seoul. Its winding road became a symbol of a hard life.
Words to learn from the song
| Korean | Romanization | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 나다 | nada | to come out, to start (here: the song has started) |
| 웬 | wen | what kind of, what sort of |
| 구비 | gubi | a bend in a road or river |
| 눈물 | nunmul | tears |
| 해 | hae | the sun |
| 지다 | jida | to set (sun), to fall |
Singing tip
났네 is pronounced nan-ne: the ㅆ at the end of 났 turns into an n sound before the ㄴ of 네. This is one of the most common sound changes in Korean.
The romanization follows the official Revised Romanization, which shows sound changes inside a word but not between words, so the tip above matters when you sing. Paste any line into the romanizer to see which sound rule is at work, or learn the letters themselves with the Hangul chart.
Questions
What does Jindo Arirang mean?
Jindo Arirang comes from Jindo, an island off the south-west tip of Korea. It is faster and more cheerful than the standard Arirang, and people often make up new funny verses on the spot.
How do you sing the first line of Jindo Arirang?
The first line is 아리아리랑 스리스리랑 아라리가 났네, sung "ariarirang seuriseurirang arariga nanne". It means "Ari arirang, seuri seurirang, arari has started".
Is Jindo Arirang copyrighted?
No. Jindo Arirang is a traditional folk song with no known author, so its words are in the public domain. Modern recordings and arrangements can still be copyrighted.
More Korean folk songs
- Arirang (아리랑): slow and longing, from All of Korea (the standard Seoul version)
- Miryang Arirang (밀양아리랑): bright and bold, from Miryang
- Jeongseon Arirang (정선아리랑): slow and sorrowful, from Jeongseon
- Doraji Taryeong (도라지 타령): light and cheerful, from Gyeonggi Province
- Saeya Saeya Parangsaeya (새야 새야 파랑새야): quiet and mournful, from Jeolla Province
Want to sing a K-pop song instead? Paste its Korean lyrics into the lyrics romanizer and print your own sing-along sheet.