“The First R&B of K-pop: Lee Mi-ja’s Rainy Yangsando”
“The First R&B of K-pop: Lee Mi-ja’s Rainy Yangsando”
When the world hears “K-pop,” most imagine idol groups, colorful stages, and international fandoms. Yet the story of K-pop begins much earlier—with trot, Korea’s first form of popular music. And at the heart of trot is Lee Mi-ja, a legendary singer whose song “Rainy Yangsando” has been described as “the very first R&B of K-pop.”
Lee Mi-ja – The Queen of Elegy
Born in 1941, Lee Mi-ja debuted in 1959 and quickly rose to prominence. She released more than 500 albums throughout her career and became an icon of Korean music. Her 1964 mega-hit “Camellia Girl” stayed at number one for 35 consecutive weeks, selling over 100,000 copies.
In 2023, she received the Geumgwan Order of Cultural Merit, Korea’s highest cultural honor, and in 2025, she concluded her 66-year career with a farewell concert in Seoul.
“Rainy Yangsando” – The Emotional R&B of Korea
Among her many works, “Rainy Yangsando (비오는 양산도)” remains unforgettable. The song paints an image of rain falling along the old Yangsando road, evoking themes of longing and solitude. Musical director Park Kal-lin once praised it as “true R&B”, admiring its soulful quality.
🎵 Listen now:
Why It Still Matters
“Rainy Yangsando” shows that the roots of K-pop are soulful and emotional, long before today’s idol culture. It is a reminder that K-pop has always been more than pop—it is history, culture, and spirit.
Conclusion
For anyone exploring Korean music beyond modern idols, Lee Mi-ja’s “Rainy Yangsando” is the perfect starting point. It is not just trot—it is the first R&B of K-pop history, a timeless piece still inspiring artists and audiences today.
🎵 이미자 – 비오는 양산도 (Rainy Yangsando)
가사 (한글 원문)
궂은 비 나려 나려 기러기떼 날으는
양산도 칠십리 적막한 칠십리
님을 두고 가는 내 마음 음음음음음
가슴 속에 스며드는 가슴 속에 스며드는
첫 사랑이 애달퍼
가랑비 소리 없이 낙엽 위에 나리는
양산도 칠십리 외로운 칠십리
님을 두고 가는 내 마음 음음음음음
소매 끝에 스며드는 소매 끝에 스며드는
찬바람이 차가워
Lyrics (English Translation)
Persistent rain keeps falling, falling, while flocks of wild geese fly by
Along the seventy-ri of Yangsando (ri: old Korean unit ≈ 0.4 km; 70 ri ≈ 27–28 km), a silent stretch
My heart, leaving my nim (beloved; honorific), hums—(wordless hum)
Seeping into my chest, seeping deeper into my chest,
My first love aches (piercingly, with longing)
A fine drizzle falls without a sound upon the fallen leaves
Along the seventy-ri of Yangsando, a lonely stretch
My heart, leaving my nim (beloved), hums—(wordless hum)
The cold wind seeps into the edge of my sleeve, seeping in,
And that chill is bitterly cold
