I discovered sunwashere through the music video of her 2019 single “춤 Dance.” A young boy, who is bullied by his peers, rejoices through dancing. He dances during a soccer game. His peers verbally and physically push him. He’s kicked out of the gym into a parking lot where he dances. He dances like a butterfly. It’s quite beautiful witnessing his movements. I’m reminded of a short film called Yuwol, the name of the protagonist who is infected by a dance virus and spreads it throughout his school. The two videos mesh as one narrative in my head; the two boys dancing in one moment.
sunwashere, or Lee Sun Eun, first came into the radar as the guest vocalist for Peppertone’s 3rd album from 2009. After the release of a single as part of an emerging artist collaborative album in 2014, she went on a long hiatus. [Sun Was Here] is an announcement of her new start. With her smoky voice ringing through the mellow saxophone sounds, sunwashere taps into the everyday moment that never feels ordinary at the moment. The rain unexpectedly pouring through the clear sky on your only day off. The gloom approaching the white clouds while you stand motionless from the final goodbye. The swoosh of cool breeze on your face as you bike through the blazing sun. Written by sunwashere, all five of the songs in the album sings those moments and leaves behind a presence – sun was here.
페이즐리 Paisley
매일 눈을 뜨면 나는
바람에 흔들려 가요
처음 본 날들은 여전히
익숙하지 않아 그래
사람들은 너무나 당연한 듯
누구도 아무에게도 묻지 않아
뭔가 잊은 것 같은데
왜 모든 게 어려운지
아무도 가르쳐주지 않은 걸요
이 모든 게 처음인데
너무 복잡한 얘기들뿐인 걸
when i open my eyes everyday
i’m being shaken by the wind
the days i’ve witnessed for the first time
remain unfamiliar
people don’t ask anything
as if that’s the obvious thing to do
i think they forgot something
why is everything so difficult
nobody teaches you how
even if all of this is new
they only tell complicated stories
춤 Dance
모두가 잠든 새벽 몸을 낮추고 일어나
아무도 알 수 없는 그만의 몸짓으로
조용히 떠다니는 어둠 속에
춤추네 어디로든 가
아직까진 아무도 깨어나질 않고
홀로 위로 아래로 태양을 기다리며
아득히 멀어지는 기억들에
작별의 노래 부르네
he wakes up in the dawn when everyone is asleep
with his movements that nobody will know
quietly floating in the darkness
he dances to somewhere
nobody has awaken yet
waiting above and below the sun by himself
memories disappearing into distance
he sings a farewell song
밤과 낮 Night and Day, with eAeon
우리 아무 말 없이
스러져가는 해를 보며
어디로 가나 해지면은
해 지고 달 뜨면
어둠 속으로 몸을 숨겨
언제나 올까 아침은
let’s stay silent
and watch the sun disappear
where should we go when the sun sets
when the sun sets and the moon rises
hide your body into darkness
when will the morning come
아무도 받지 않는 전화 Melancholy Call
왠지 허전한 맘에 잠든 전화기를 깨워
낯익은 이름 나즈막히 불러
메마른 손끝에 먼지 쌓인 번호 하나씩 누르며
너에게 전활 걸어
가끔 이런 맘 하필 그런 날에 누구라도
괜찮다는 말 뻔한 안부라도 너와 나누고 싶은데
거리에 수많은 사람들 속에
잊혀진 낡은 기억 하나둘씩 아련히
스며든 손끝에 그리운 목소리
아무도 받지 않는 전화
feeling hollow, i wake up the sleeping phone
i call the familiar name with a low voice,
pressing the dusty numbers with parched fingertips
i call you
sometimes i wish somebody will tell me it’s okay
call me to check in, i want to share it with you
amongst the crowd on the street
i faintly remember the worn out memories
with my fingertips, i call out the voice i miss
a call that nobody picks up
Last Song
이 마지막 노래를 다 부르고 나면
난 새로운 계절이 되어
이 외로운 무대를 떠나 너에게로
갈 거야 아무 말 없이
빙빙 도는 시간을 벗어나고서
버리고서 다시
우리 둘만 아는 곳으로 떠나자
꼭 그러자 우리
when i finish singing this last song
i will become a new season
i will leave this lonely stage to you
i’m gonna go, without a word
i’m going to escape the time spinning round and round
throw it away and start again
let’s go somewhere only we know
let’s do it
Like those moments that move on and life that keeps giving more, sunwashere’s songs continue as soundtracks, and I can’t wait for her next step.
Our JxMs 