The Answer is Love by Cho Yong-pil "The song of the Wind"

Bright Wisdom
Oct 8
2 min read

If the Answer Is Love, I Will Love Everything in This World

The line is simple, yet overwhelming in its finality: "Now, if that answer is love, I will love everything in this world."

This is the climactic thought from "The Song of the Wind" (바람의 노래), sung by South Korea's living legend, Cho Yong-pil (조용필).

For Koreans, Cho Yong-pil isn't just a singer; he's the Music Emperor—a title earned over an astonishing career that began in the late 1960s. That’s nearly six decades of performing. To put his status in perspective, his recent televised concert proves that his reign is far from over.

The Emperor's Unbroken Reign

Just this past week, on Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving), a three-hour Cho Yong-pil concert aired on national Korean TV. It wasn't just a holiday treat; it was programmed to celebrate the 80th anniversary of Korea’s liberation.

The viewership was staggering. In a time when everyone streams on YouTube, this three-hour live performance commanded the highest ratings on national television. What’s even more amazing? Cho Yong-pil, now in his mid-70s, sang the entire concert live. That kind of power and dedication is just awe-inspiring.

I stumbled upon a concert clip, and the poetry of the lyrics immediately seized my attention—so much so that I shared them with my morning meditation class. It’s a profound reflection on life, loss, and wisdom.

The Song of the Wind: A Reflection on Life

Here are the lyrics that captured my heart:

Original Korean	English Translation
살면서 듣게 될까 언젠가는 바람의 노래를	Will I, while living, someday hear the wind's song?
세월가면 그때는 알게될까 꽃이 지는 이유를	When time passes, will I then know the reason why flowers fall?
(Chorus) 나를 떠난 사람들과 만나게될 또 다른 사람들	(Chorus) The people who left me, and the other people I will meet again—
스쳐가는 인연과 그리움은 어느곳으로 가는가	Where do the fleeting connections and the longings go?
나의 작은 지혜로는 알수가 없네	With my small wisdom, I cannot know.
내가 아는건 살아가는 방법뿐이야.	All I know is just the way to live.
보다많은 실패와 고뇌의 시간이 비켜갈수 없다는걸	That more failure and time of agony are unavoidable—
우린 깨달아야되.	We must realize this.
이제 그 해답이 사랑이라면	Now, if that answer is love,
나는 이세상 모든것들을 사랑하겠네	I will love everything in this world.

The Universal Answer

When I heard that final part—"If the answer is love, I will love everything in this world"—it resonated deeply with my recent experience at the main meditation center in Korea, where I truly felt the boundless love of the universe.

It made me realize that the universe isn't subtle; it's constantly sending us the message of love through music, books, art, and even simple gestures, like the quiet smile of a passerby.

Indeed, the answer is love.

I’m so grateful to have confirmed that truth in my heart and to recognize the signs the universe is sending out all the time. I hope you enjoy the song and its lyrics, and may your own day be filled with that same universal love!