Yesterday I posted about dodree’s debut song and mentioned ADG7 and Leenalchi, which made me want to post this song from Leenalchi today.
Who are Leenalchi? They are a band made up of currently six members which blend Pansori, Rock / Punk, and traditional Korean music. And in their music, they go further than, e.g. dodree. While with dodree, you can distinctly hear the Pansori influence in their singing, with Leenalchi, it is full-on Pansori vocal style. And their music isn’t so much pop-influenced; it is more raw and radical.
Still, I hope that some of you might like this or at least be open to taking a listen.
The song I chose is from their latest album, released last November: ‘나가 살아봐라’ (Go Forth and Learn to Live). Let’s take a look at the hook:
나가 살아봐라 이놈
잘 가거라!
“Get out there and live, you punk!
Go on—farewell!”
1. 나가
naga
- Imperative form of 나가다 (“to go out”)
- Short, blunt, commanding
→ Feels less like advice, more like a push out the door.
2. 살아봐라
sarabwara
- From 살다 (“to live”) + –아/어 보다 (“to try”) + –라 (imperative)
- Means “try living” → experiential, almost challenging
→ Not survive, but really live.
3. 이놈
inom
- Literally “this guy,” but used as a scolding term
- Can sound harsh or affectionate depending on tone
→ In traditional / pansori-influenced delivery, it’s theatrical, not insulting.
4. 잘 가거라!
jal gageora
- 잘 가다 = “to go well / farewell”
- –거라 = old-fashioned imperative ending
→ Sounds archaic, authoritative, perfectly matching Leenalchi’s traditional-modern fusion.
So? What’s your take on Leenalchi’s blending of traditional Korean music and Rock? Too much for your ears, or are you intrigued by this very different sound?
