“Twenty-Five, Twenty-One” by Jaurim – A Beautiful Memory of Youth That Still Hurts[K-Rock]

 

Have you ever walked down a road where cherry blossoms fall like snow, and suddenly felt a quiet ache in your heart?

For no clear reason, memories of your once radiant youth begin to resurface.

Kim Yoon-ah, the vocalist of Jaurim, once shared that she wrote this song almost magically while walking home after dropping her child off at kindergarten, surrounded by cherry blossoms in full bloom—only to fall moments later.

Since then, this song has become a symbol of “those days” for so many people.
A story about youth that shines so brightly it hurts—and because of that, feels even harder to let go.

Today, I’d like to introduce “Twenty-Five, Twenty-One.”

Official album cover art for Jaurim's 9th studio album, 'Goodbye, grief.'

❤The Story Behind

This song is the title track from Jaurim’s 9th studio album, Goodbye, grief..

At first listen, it may sound like a heartbreaking breakup story between two lovers aged twenty-five and twenty-one. But beneath the surface lies something much deeper—a reflection on youth itself.

Kim Yoon-ah revealed that this song is a remembrance of her past self, almost as if she were looking back at a younger version of herself from a distance.

Interestingly, the song carries the emotional atmosphere of 1994—the year she was twenty-one.

Years later, in 2022, the song found new life when it inspired the drama Twenty-Five Twenty-One. The series’ success brought the song back to the charts, creating a remarkable “reverse hit” moment.

Perhaps it’s because the song touches on something timeless—the universal beauty and pain of youth.

❤Artist Profile

• Artist: Jaurim
• Members: Kim Yoon-ah, Lee Sun-kyu, Kim Jin-man
• Identity: One of Korea’s most respected rock bands, known for expressing the light and shadow of life with poetic depth
• Career Highlights: Debuted in 1997 and produced numerous hits such as “Hey Hey Hey,” “Magic Carpet Ride,” and “Hahaha Song.” In 2022, they achieved their first-ever annual chart entry through this song’s resurgence

📑 Lyric Highlight

“In the season when flowers fall in the wind,
It still feels like I’m holding your hand…
Back then, I didn’t know how beautiful the flowers were—
Not in the aching way I understand now.”

“Ooh… Twenty-five, twenty-one—
I thought it would last forever.”

The line “I didn’t know how beautiful the flowers were back then” hits especially hard.

Why is it that the things we once took for granted only become something we deeply long for later?

This song captures both the brilliance and the quiet sense of loss hidden within the word youth—in a way that feels almost painfully honest.

🎧 Sound & Vibe

The song opens with a calm piano melody, like flipping through an old photo album.

But as it progresses, the sound builds—layered with a full band arrangement and Kim Yoon-ah’s powerful vocals—until it feels like all the emotions of youth come rushing out at once.

It’s like a quiet sea suddenly overtaken by waves.

Sad, but not pitiful.
Grand, yet deeply lyrical.

A perfect example of Jaurim’s signature rock ballad style.

Twenty-Five, Twenty-One – Lyrics (KOR / ENG)

바람에 날려 꽃이 지는 계절엔

In the season when flowers fall, carried by the wind

아직도 너의 손을 잡은 듯 그런 듯 해

It still feels like I’m holding your hand

그때는 아직 꽃이 아름다운 걸

Back then, I didn’t realize how beautiful the flowers were

지금처럼 사무치게 알지 못했어

Not in the aching way I understand now

우 너의 향기가 바람에 실려 오네

Ooh, your scent drifts to me on the wind

우 영원할 줄 알았던 스물다섯, 스물하나

Ooh, twenty-five, twenty-one—I thought it would last forever

그 날의 바다는 퍽 다정했었지

The sea that day was so gentle

아직도 나의 손에 잡힐 듯 그런 듯 해

It still feels like I could reach out and touch it

부서지는 햇살 속에 너와 내가 있어

You and I were there in the shimmering sunlight

가슴 시리도록 행복한 꿈을 꾸었지

We dreamed a happiness so deep it almost hurt

우 그날의 노래가 바람에 실려 오네

Ooh, the song from that day drifts back on the wind

우 영원할 줄 알았던 지난날의 너와 나

Ooh, you and I from those days—I thought we were forever

너의 목소리도 너의 눈동자도

Your voice, your eyes

애틋하던 너의 체온마저도

Even your warmth, once so dear

기억해내면 할수록 멀어져 가는데

The more I remember, the farther you fade away

흩어지는 널 붙잡을 수 없어

I can’t hold onto you as you scatter into memory

바람에 날려 꽃이 지는 계절엔

In the season when flowers fall in the wind

아직도 너의 손을 잡은 듯 그런 듯 해

It still feels like I’m holding your hand

그때는 아직 네가 아름다운 걸

Back then, I didn’t realize how beautiful you were

지금처럼 사무치게 알지 못했어

Not in the aching way I do now

우 너의 향기가 바람에 실려 오네

Ooh, your scent returns on the wind

우 영원할 줄 알았던 스물다섯, 스물하나

Ooh, twenty-five, twenty-one—I thought it would last forever

우 그날의 노래가 바람에 실려 오네

Ooh, that day’s song drifts back again

우 영원할 줄 알았던 지난날의 너와 나

Ooh, you and I—I thought we were forever

우 영원할 줄 알았던 스물다섯, 스물하나

Ooh, twenty-five, twenty-one—we thought it would last forever

❤Cultural Impact & Moment

Today, “Twenty-Five, Twenty-One” has become a staple ending song at university festivals and a source of comfort for those who have passed a turning point in life.

With the success of the drama, the song experienced a massive resurgence, becoming a “reverse chart” phenomenon and resonating across generations.

Now, the numbers twenty-five and twenty-one are no longer just ages—they are emotions that people carry in their hearts.

❤Final Thoughts

When we think of youth, we often imagine something bright and joyful.

But somehow, when listening to this song, what comes first is a sense of longing.

Maybe that’s because we now understand just how precious those shining moments truly were.

And perhaps… that’s why they hurt a little more.