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“The Hometown Station” (고향역) is the name of a song that struck Korea during the early 70s. It was sung by Na Hoon-a, also known as The King of Trot, one of the most influential figures of his time. As a genre, the trot began as music for the urban elite and was introduced during the Japanese occupation, however Na Hoon-a was largely responsible for its final adoption into Korean culture. The lyrics of trot music were originally refined and sophisticated, but slowly morphed to refer to the lives of ordinary people. Eventually, the pastoral trot came to evoke the hometown and old times in the minds of Koreans. During his prime in the 1970s, Na Hoon-a was often compared to his rival Nam Jin. At the time, the latter was perhaps slightly more popular, but today, there is no question that Na Hoon-a has been more influential. Nam Jin was the last bastion of the old tradition of trot singers, while Na Hoon-a signalled the genre’s future.

"'The Hometown Station' (고향역) is the name of a song that struck Korea during the early 70s. It was sung by Na Hoon-a, also known as The King of Trot, one of the most influential figures of his time"

The trot has many alternate names in Korean, such as 뽕짝, which is probably the most well-recognized in Korea. This word has the sense of banality and even vulgarity among younger generations, since the popularity of this genre has decreased since the 1980s, even if it still strongly portrays the Korean sentiment in general. However, though it touches the soul of Korean people, it remains controversial whether or not the genre represents a true Korean identity. It has been heavily criticized for its development under Japanese colonization, as it is believed that the genre derives from the Japanese enka. Also, the modern trot has elements from American music and culture. These entered the genre’s sound when American soldiers stationed in Korea during the latter half of the 20th Century and, in order to appeal to their taste, the traditional trot took on a more American flavor. Nevertheless, since the trot originates from a time when Korea was a single country, it speaks to both North and South Koreans, although both nations’ popular cultures are by now quite different.

"The lyrics of trot music were originally refined and sophisticated, but slowly morphed to refer to the lives of ordinary people"

In terms of language, “The Hometown Station” is written in rather straightforward, standard Korean. The lyrics read, “코스모스 피어있는 정든 고향역/ 달려라 고향열차 설레는 가슴 안고 / 달려라 고향열차 설레는 가슴 안고/ 눈감아도 떠오르는 그리운 나의 고향역" (My dear hometown station where cosmos flowers bloom/ All the pretty girls will come out to welcome me/ Run, the homeward train, clutching the expectant heart/ I see it even when my eyes are closed, my hometown station that I long for). One of the more interesting part of these lyrics is the line, “이뿐이 곱뿐이.” This has been translated as “All the pretty girls,” but it actually does not have a real translation, because they are not proper words. “이뿐이” seems to be derived from “이쁜이,” which literally means “pretty person.” On the other hand, “곱뿐이” might come from “고운이,” which also means “beautiful person.” So, “이뿐이 곱뿐이” can be translated as, “beauties cuties,” though there is no accurate translation of it.