Flower (Poem by Kim Chun Su) Read by Soo Ae in 1000 Days’ Promise

In episode 8 of A Thousand Days’ Promise, Lee Seo Yeon (played by Soo Ae) is training her gradually losing memory to memorize and remember. And one of her exercise shown in the drama is reciting the poem by Kim Ch’un-su / Kim Chun Su (김춘수), a leading South Korean poet of late twentieth century who lived from November 25, 1922 – November 29, 2004.

The poet used by Seo Yeon for exercising the memory is known with the title of “Flower” (꽃), which was first published in 1959. The drama only showed the poem been read by Seo Yeon on line 7 onwards though.

Here’s the complete poem of Flower poem by Kim Chun Su, together with English translation.

Flower (꽃) – Poem by Kim Chun Su

내가 그의 이름이 불러 주기 전에는
그는 다만
하나의 몸짓에 지나지 않았다.

내가 그의 이름이 불러 주었을 때
그는 나에게로 와서
꽃이 되었다.

내가 그의 이름을 불러 준 것처럼
나의 이 빛깔과 향기에 알맞은
누가 나의 이름을 불러다오.
그에게로 가서 나도
그의 꽃이 되고 싶다.

우리들은 모두
무엇이 되고 싶다
나는 너에게 너는 나에게
잊혀지지 않는 하나의 눈짓이 되고 싶다

Flower (꽃) English Translation

Until I spoke his name,
he had been
no more than a mere gesture.

When I spoke his name,
he came to me
and became a flower.

Now speak my name,
one fitting this color and scent of mine,
as I spoke his name,
so that I may go to him
and become his flower.

We all wish
to become something.
You to me and I to you
wish to become an unforgettable gaze.