🌿 Return On Wings – Inspired by Kim Jung-ho’s “작은 새”

Korean Songs with English Lyrics - "Return On Wings"

When a small bird loses its way in the vast sky, what does it follow to find its home? In his beloved 1974 song “작은 새,” Korean folk singer Kim Jung-ho painted a moving picture of a fragile bird searching for home beneath the southern skies. The song captures solitude, longing, and the pull of something far away yet deeply familiar.

Inspired by the emotion and symbolism of the original, we present a newly written English lyric, titled “Return On Wings.”
It is not a translation, but a creative reinterpretation that keeps the spirit of the song while offering a version that English speakers can sing naturally.

🎶 If you know the melody of “작은 새,” try singing along with the English lyrics below — you’ll feel the same gentle sorrow and hope in a new way.

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🌄 How to Enjoy This Song

🎧 Play the original song: [작은 새]
🎤 Follow along with the English lyrics above.
🕊️ Try singing it aloud with the melody—it’s gentle, emotional, and timeless.

 

A tiny sparrow glides quietly over the golden harbor, its wings fully open and its gaze set forward. As the sun sets in the distance, the bird's gentle arc across the sky evokes a sense of longing, solitude, and hope.

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🎵 Return On Wings

English Lyrics Inspired by Kim Jung-ho’s “작은 새”

Verse
A silent breeze above carries dreams that drift and sigh
It floats beyond the stars where the restless spirits fly
A bird alone seeks the place where hearts don’t cry

Verse
The morning pulls the night, while the silver moon retreats
Across a thousand miles, chasing hopes it longs to meet
That fragile bird follows warmth and steady beat
Where its longing soul and distant home unite

Chorus
Ooh—

(Repeat Verse)
A bird alone seeks the place where hearts don’t cry
The morning pulls the night, while the silver moon retreats
Across a thousand miles, chasing hopes it longs to meet
That fragile bird follows warmth and steady beat
Where its longing soul and distant home unite

Final Chorus
Ooh—

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✨ About the Original Song – “작은 새” and Its Legacy

“작은 새” is one of the most tender and beloved Korean folk ballads, originally written and performed by Kim Jung-ho in the 1970s. While it appears to describe a small bird lost in the sky, the metaphor runs deeper: it reflects the loneliness and determination of a soul searching for a place to rest—perhaps a home, a purpose, or a lost innocence.

In a time of uncertainty, many Koreans connected deeply with this song’s quiet longing and resilience. The image of a bird flying south, far from its roots but drawn to something familiar, struck a chord across generations.

Though subtle and poetic, the song speaks of exile, endurance, and an inner compass that pulls us through the unknown. That timeless feeling is what we aimed to recreate through Return On Wings.

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🔗 Related Posts

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▶ Tidying Up My Heart – Inspired by Na Hoon-a's "갈무리"

▶ Lonely Soul – Inspired by Nam Jin's "가슴 아프게"

▶ Morning Whisper – Inspired by Kim Min-ki's "아침 이슬"

✨ About This Project

This English version is not a direct translation, but a creative adaptation that captures the emotional core of 작은 새. The goal of this project is to help global audiences connect with Korean songs—not just through subtitles or explanations, but by singing them in English and feeling the message firsthand.
Music transcends borders, and every voice can carry its meaning further.

Written by Kyungsik Song on July 3, 2025

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📚 Image source: 

 Image created with ChatGPT’s image generation feature (© OpenAI, 2025)  

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🏷️ Tags

#LittleBird #KimJungHo #KoreanFolk #KoreanSong #EnglishLyrics #SingableLyrics #SingKoreanSongs #Return On Wings #Longing #Homecoming #FolkBallad #SouthboundSky