(Rice cakes! — Taffy! —)
Five days on, the market is up
Jongno, wake up
(hey!)
Before sunrise the porters are already in line
The rice seller and the rice-cake seller spit, fighting over a spot
At the end of that alley three thugs already stand
One coin from every shop, collecting again today
In the tavern corner, that man from yesterday
Three bowls in front of him, staring at his hands
People clear the road, nobody speaks to him
Still, the owner gives him a bowl of soup for free
When the bells ring everyone turns their head
The shaman passes, following a noble lady
By day pretend not to know her, by night a sack of rice
On market day even heaven has a price
The market's up — (the market's up!)
Everyone out — (everyone out!)
The ones who have and the ones who don't, all on one ground
For this one day Jongno — is all ours
Buy, buy — (buy!)
Today only — (today only!)
See you in five days, if we're alive
A young nobleman in a silk overcoat
Passes an old woman selling greens as if he doesn't see her
The old woman hugs her basket and steps aside
I saw it — the two of them have the same eyes
Beside them the broker rubs his hands and grins
Says he sold a house, says he got his fee
Ask whose house it was and he just smiles
Says he's sleeping at the tavern tonight
On the washing stones, a servant girl
Beating laundry — what is she listening to so hard
Some household's business from last night mixes into the water
Every market-day rumor starts right there
As the sun sinks, a pair of straw sandals caked in mud
Head down low, crossing the market
He doesn't look back, nobody calls him
How far will that one get tonight
The market's up — (the market's up!)
Everyone out — (everyone out!)
The ones who have and the ones who don't, all on one ground
For this one day Jongno — is all ours
Buy, buy — (buy!)
Today only — (today only!)
See you in five days, if we're alive
The magistrate doesn't come
The king comes even less
But the market comes, every five days
(hey!)
The market's up — (the market's up!)
Everyone out — (everyone out!)
The ones who have and the ones who don't, all on one ground
For this one day Jongno — is all ours
Buy, buy — (buy!)
Today only — (today only!)
See you in five days, if we're alive
(gong—)