Roy Kim for slow night listening: 5 songs from the Bukduchilseong album

The first song on his third studio album overlays the feeling of memories you thought had washed away coming back with the movement of the sea. The arrangement, blending the sound of waves with acoustic guitar, strings and brass, is also worth listening for. The metaphor in the title may feel close when a person or scene you thought you’d forgotten suddenly comes to mind. Its English name is ‘The Wave’. At the start of this record released in winter 2015, you meet a mood different from his bright early love songs. Even without scenery before your eyes, picturing the sea the music paints will naturally draw you into the emotion that leads to the title track, ‘Bukduchilseong’.

The title track of his third studio album, released on December 4, 2015. Using the Big Dipper, a guide for navigation, as its motif, it carries the wish to light up the side of someone you miss. You can listen with attention to the gentle progression and the lingering feeling the strings leave. Pick it for a late-night walk or a moment spent looking up at the sky. If you met it first through the ‘ja, daumm’ live, here you return to the voice and sound of the original album. It’s fine to simply stay with the flow of the song without the familiar concert scenes. It’s the central track for getting to know the songs of parting and longing on the album of the same name.

The fourth song on his third studio album captures a moment, in the face of a breakup, when what you say out loud doesn’t match what you feel inside. Listen for how it moves from the initial attitude to finally hoping the other person won’t leave. If you assumed from the title alone that it would carry the same feeling from start to finish, it’s fun to follow the change within the song. Its English track name is the short ‘Stay’. If ‘Bukduchilseong’ is about wanting to light up the other person’s side, this song is closer to asking them to stay by yours. It’s a ballad worth finding on the third album on days when you recall true feelings you couldn’t say or a request left too late.

‘Nado Saranghago Sipda’ is the fifth track of his third studio album. Placed alongside songs about an ex, it shows that the loneliness of waiting for someone to love is a different feeling altogether. You can listen with attention to the wistfulness conveyed by the lyrics and piano. Pick it on a day when you’re looking for a song that understands your current mood rather than overly cheerful comfort. Its English title is ‘I Want To Love You’. It sits right after ‘Tteonaji Mara’ on the original album too, making it easy to compare the feelings of the two songs. It makes you see the time spent missing someone and the time spent waiting for someone you haven’t met yet in different lights.

‘The Lullaby’ is the ninth and final track of his third studio album. With Roy Kim playing guitar himself and singing a lullaby, it quietly closes a record that has passed through love and parting. Instead of chasing strong emotions to the very last song, let your ears rest as you set the day down. It also works as music for winding down when the previous songs linger long in your heart. Pick it at night when starting a long playlist feels like too much and you just want one more song. If you’re curious about what voice ends the album whose scenery ‘Pado’ opened, it’s nice to pair it with the first track.