His songs often carry a political message and discuss racism and prejudice.
So Far Away
Mike Park Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And this is my special friend
We'd meet secretly in the park
And wonder why?
We couldn't share ourselves
Korea is so far away
My culture would not bring it out
The old ways in doubt
Korea is so far away
Korea is so
It's so far away
And I want to share
This round eyed devil with you
And she's not
So different from you
Mike Park's song "Korea Is So Far Away" is a deeply introspective reflection on his experiences growing up as a Korean American in the United States. Throughout the lyrics, Park grapples with feelings of disconnection and isolation, both from his cultural heritage and from the people around him. He describes his "special friend," whom he meets secretly in the park, as someone with whom he cannot fully connect or share himself, in part because of the distance between the two cultures.
Park specifically references the geographical distance between Korea and the United States, but he also hints at deeper cultural and emotional divides that make it difficult for him to connect both with his Korean heritage and with the people around him. He describes his family as clinging to "the old ways in doubt," suggesting that even within the Korean American community, there is a tension between assimilation to American culture and holding onto traditional Korean customs.
Overall, "Korea Is So Far Away" is a poignant reflection on the challenges of reconciling different aspects of one's identity and finding a sense of belonging in a society that can often feel isolating and alienating.
Line by Line Meaning
Korea is so far away
Distance separates me from my Korean heritage
And this is my special friend
I have a close friend who is not from the same culture as me
We'd meet secretly in the park
We had to hide our friendship from others who may not approve
And wonder why?
We questioned why our cultural differences should matter in our friendship
We couldn't share ourselves
We felt like we had to hide who we truly are from our families and society
My culture would not bring it out
My upbringing discouraged me from exploring my Korean identity
My family insists on
My family enforced traditional ways of living
The old ways in doubt
I question the value of maintaining traditional cultural practices in modern times
Korea is so
Korea feels like a distant place I may never truly understand
It's so far away
Korea feels out of reach
And I want to share
I want to introduce my friend to my culture and vice versa
This round eyed devil with you
The term 'round eyed devil' refers to my non-Korean friend, who is not truly a devil but different in appearance and culture
And she's not
Despite our differences, my friend is similar to those in my own culture
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: MICHAEL PARK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind