By Korea.net Honorary Reporter Alexndra Taseva from Bulgaria
Video = Bulgarian band PoRok

A rock band in Bulgaria has become the country's first to release a song, "Izmislen Svyat (Fictional World)," in both Bulgarian and Korean.

PoRok is comprised of drummer Martin Dimitrov, guitarist Kiril Milanov and lead vocalist Nikola Filchev. After a recent visit to Korea, the band decided to take on the Korean music scene as well as that of their home country.

Both the Bulgarian and Korean versions of the song are about couples living apart in the world and love that is impossible, real and boundless. The lyrics for the Korean version, whose name is "Memories of the Hangang River," were written by a guy who had a girlfriend for a long time in another country. The distance was the main reason the relationship failed, and she later married another man.

The following are excerpts from an interview with PoRok.

- Why did you decide to do a Korean version of the song?

Nikola Filchev: I'm the one who pushed for the Korean version of the song. I had the chance to learn Korean over the past few years, and I learned that Korean isn't that different from Bulgarian. So we decided to make something different that no one else in Bulgaria had done.

Kiril Milanov: We always try to experiment with our music, and the Korean ballad as a style is a bit different from the usual K-pop sound most people know. Thus we wanted to make a Bulgarian song using the Korean ballad style. We wanted to see how it would sound with Bulgarian and rock elements. Also we wanted to see how the song would be like in a second language, how the message would change through the translation and if audiences would like it.

- But why did you pick the Korean music market?

Nikola Filchev: Over the past few years, K-pop and Hallyu have been taking over not only Asia but also the U.S. and Europe. That's why here in Bulgaria, the number of fans is growing every day. But we still we wanted to show to Korea that Bulgaria is more than just kiselo mlyako (Bulgarian yogurt) and rose oil. We can also make music as beautiful as Korea's. We want to be Bulgaria's music ambassadors to Korea.

- What else should people know about the song's message and lyrics?

Kiril Milanov: The song tells a classic story about tragic love through the prism of a modern product. As for the message, we hope that people think about and appreciate their relatives, something we take for granted these days.

- What is the difference between the two versions of the song?

Martin Dimitrov: Both versions have the same story and similar endings. A good story is something that happens in real life. The message is the same in the two versions but the Bulgarian one is what happened to me and the Korean one is what happened to the writer of the Korean lyrics. Long story short, my version is about my good friend Nikola, who knows a lot about my personal life and relationships. There was a girl whom I lived with for a time in a fictional world where things worked out, though we were physically separated. One day, Nikola told me that we needed to tell this story in a song and promote it to people so that they know they're not alone, that others also try to live in this fictional world.

- So does this mean that you live in a fictional world?

Nikola Filchev: We all live in fictional worlds. Some more, some less. The truth is that people always dream and put on pink glasses that make the world seem brighter and better.

- Describe the reactions to your song.

Kiril Milanov: We've gotten quite positive reactions to the videos and songs. The general feedback is joy and admiration that young boys like us stayed in Bulgaria and are doing high-class projects like this.

- Any final words to our readers?

Nikola Filchev: Believe in good and support Bulgarian music.

Kiril Milanov: Boldly dream and incorporate parts of rock and roll in everything you do.

Martin Dimitrov: Read Korea.net more and be true to yourself.

wisdom117@korea.kr

*This article is written by a Korea.net Honorary Reporter. Our group of Honorary Reporters are from all around the world, and they share with Korea.net their love and passion for all things Korean.