A 2007 K-pop debut track has unexpectedly resurfaced as a powerful rallying cry for political change in South Korea. Into the New World, the first single from Girls’ Generation, is now being sung at protests against President Yoon Suk Yeol following his controversial martial law declaration earlier this week.
The song reverberated through candlelit rallies outside the National Assembly in Seoul, where demonstrators, waving flags and holding candles, called for the president’s resignation. The song was later heard on the campus of Seoul National University, as students joined in protests demanding Yoon’s ouster.
Originally written to inspire hope and perseverance, the song’s lyrics have taken on a new political significance. Phrases like “Our rough road is before our eyes. Unknown future and walls. I won’t change, I can’t give up,” and “I say goodbye to sadness that is repeated in our world” now resonate deeply with movements demanding justice and reform.
This isn’t the first time Into the New World has become a symbol of protest. During the 2016 demonstrations at Ewha Womans University, students used the song to rally against a controversial government-sponsored degree program. A viral video of students singing the song united them in a message of resistance, cementing the track as a symbol of solidarity.
Girls’ Generation’s Yuri, reflecting on the song’s role in activism, expressed her emotional reaction. “I watched the video several times, and I was so moved that I cried,” she said. “It was one of the most fulfilling moments of my career.”
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