Winter Sleep (겨울잠)

IU's 'Winter Sleep' is a hauntingly beautiful ballad that delves into themes of longing, solitude, and the passage of time. The song's lyrics are rich with seasonal imagery, each verse painting a vivid picture of the changing landscape and the emotions that accompany it. The song begins with the early bloom of spring flowers placed at the door of a loved one, symbolizing hope and the anticipation of reunion. This act of placing flowers is a tender gesture, suggesting that the narrator is waiting for someone to awaken from a long slumber, both literally and metaphorically.

As the song progresses, the summer season is depicted through the imagery of a cup of starlight placed by the loved one's head. This symbolizes fleeting moments of beauty and the transient nature of time. The narrator reflects on the loneliness of the loved one, who seems to prefer solitude. The juxtaposition of the narrator's desire to share these beautiful moments with the loved one and the latter's preference for solitude creates a poignant tension.

The song continues to explore the passage of time with the arrival of autumn and winter. Autumn is marked by the cherished memories of laughter and the most beautiful sentences underlined in a book, symbolizing the importance of shared experiences and the desire to hold onto them. Winter, on the other hand, is depicted as a time of introspection and longing, with the narrator's whispered words of solitude filling the cold air. The song concludes with a sense of yearning, as the narrator wishes to embrace the loved one and hear about their dreams, just as they did in the past. 'Winter Sleep' is a masterful portrayal of the cyclical nature of time and the enduring power of love and memory.