1st Generation K-pop (The Golden Age)

god – 어머님께 (1999) | The Emotional Debut Song of 90s K-pop

어머님께 – god

🌟 Introduction

In 1999, god (Groove Over Dose) made their debut with “어머님께 (To My Mother),” a heart-wrenching ballad dedicated to mothers.
Unlike typical idol debut tracks focused on love or youth, this song stood out with its deeply emotional lyrics and storytelling, making god immediately beloved by fans.


👥 Artist & Song Background

  • god debuted in 1999 under JYP Entertainment.
  • Members: Park Joon-hyung, Danny Ahn, Yoon Kye-sang, Son Ho-young, Kim Tae-woo.
  • To My Mother was the title track of their debut album “Chapter 1.”

Although it didn’t achieve instant chart success, the song’s emotional depth resonated with listeners and laid the foundation for god’s future as one of the most loved idol groups.


📖 M/V & Lyrics

어머니 보고 싶어요

어려서부터 우리 집은 가난했었고
남들 다하는 외식 몇 번 한 적이 없었고
일터에 나가신 어머니 집에 없으면
언제나 혼자서 끓여 먹었던 라면

그러다 라면이 너무 지겨워서
맛있는 것 좀 먹자고 대들었었어
그러자 어머님이 마지못해 꺼내신
숨겨두신 비상금으로 시켜주신

짜장면 하나에 너무나 행복했었어
하지만 어머님은 왠지 드시질 않았어
어머님은 짜장면이 싫다고 하셨어
어머님은 짜장면이 싫다고 하셨어

야이야~야 그렇게 살아가고
그렇게 후회하고 눈물도 흘리고
야이야~야 그렇게 살아가고
너무나 아프고 하지만 다시 웃고

중학교 1학년 때 도시락 까먹을 때
다 같이 함께 모여 도시락 뚜껑을 열었는데
부잣집 아들 녀석이 나에게 화를 냈어
반찬이 그게 뭐냐며 나에게 뭐라고 했어

창피했어 그만 눈물이 났어
그러자 그 녀석은 내가 운다며 놀려댔어
참을 수 없어서 얼굴로 날아간 내 주먹에
일터에 계시던 어머님은 또 다시 학교에

불려오셨어 아니 또 끌려오셨어
다시는 이런 일이 없을 거라며 비셨어
그 녀석 어머니께 고개를 숙여 비셨어
우리 어머니가 비셨어

야이야~야 그렇게 살아가고
그렇게 후회하고 눈물도 흘리고
야이야~야 그렇게 살아가고
너무나 아프고 하지만 다시 웃고

아버님 없이 마침내 우리는 해냈어
마침내 조그만 식당을 하나 갖게 됐어
그리 크진 않았지만 행복했어
주름진 어머니 눈가엔 눈물이 고였어

어머니와 내 이름의 앞글자를 따서
식당 이름을 짓고 고사를 지내고
밤이 깊어가도 아무도 떠날 줄 모르고
사람들의 축하는 계속되었고

자정이 다 돼서야 돌아갔어
피곤하셨는지 어머님은 어느새 깊이
잠이 들어버리시고는
깨지 않으셨어 다시는

난 당신을 사랑했어요
한 번도 말은 못 했지만
사랑해요 이젠 편히 쉬어요
내가 없는 세상에서 영원토록

야이야~야 그렇게 살아가고
그렇게 후회하고 눈물도 흘리고
야이야~야 그렇게 살아가고
너무나 아프고 하지만 다시 웃고

야이야~야 그렇게 살아가고
그렇게 후회하고 눈물도 흘리고
야이야~야 그렇게 살아가고
너무나 아프고 하지만 다시 웃고
Mother, I miss you.

Since I was young, our family was poor.
We hardly ever went out to eat like others did.
When you were out working and not at home,
I always cooked ramen alone.

But when I grew so sick of ramen,
I complained, saying I wanted something better.
Then you, hesitantly, brought out
the secret emergency money you had hidden away,

and bought me a single bowl of black-bean noodles.
I was so happy with just that one dish,
but somehow, you didn’t eat any yourself.
You said you didn’t like black-bean noodles…
You said you didn’t like black-bean noodles.

Ya-i-ya~ya, that’s how we live on,
regretting, shedding tears.
Ya-i-ya~ya, that’s how we live on,
hurting so deeply, and yet smiling again.

In my first year of middle school,
when we all sat together to open our lunchboxes,
a rich kid got angry at me,
mocking me for what was inside my lunch.

I felt so ashamed that I started to cry,
and then he teased me for my tears.
I couldn’t hold it back,
and my fist flew straight into his face.
My mother, who was working at the time,

was once again called to school—
no, dragged there once again.
She bowed her head,
pleading that it would never happen again.
She bowed to that boy’s mother in apology.
Yes, my mother bowed her head…

Ya-i-ya~ya, that’s how we live on,
regretting, shedding tears.
Ya-i-ya~ya, that’s how we live on,
hurting so deeply, and yet smiling again.

Without Father, somehow we still made it.
At last, we were able to open a small restaurant.
It wasn’t big, but it made us happy.
Tears welled in the corners of your wrinkled eyes.

We named the restaurant
after the first letters of your name and mine.
We held a small ceremony,
and the celebration went on so long

that even past midnight no one wanted to leave.
By the time the crowd finally left,
you, so tired,
had fallen into a deep sleep…
and you never woke up again.

I loved you,
though I never once said the words.
I love you—
now rest in peace,
forever in a world without me.

Ya-i-ya~ya, that’s how we live on,
regretting, shedding tears.
Ya-i-ya~ya, that’s how we live on,
hurting so deeply, and yet smiling again.

Ya-i-ya~ya, that’s how we live on,
regretting, shedding tears.
Ya-i-ya~ya, that’s how we live on,
hurting so deeply, and yet smiling again.

The lyrics reflect a child’s regret and gratitude toward their mother, expressing love and remorse for not being able to give more.


🌍 Why It Matters

  • One of the first idol debut songs to address family love, rather than romance.
  • Helped define god’s image as a “nation’s idol group” who sang about relatable everyday life.
  • Built a unique emotional bond with fans, leading to later massive hits like 사랑해 그리고 기억해 and .

🎤 Fun Facts

  • During performances, many fans and even audience members were seen crying.
  • The song’s heartfelt message made it a karaoke favorite for expressing love to mothers.
  • Despite modest chart performance at first, it later became recognized as one of the most iconic debut songs in K-pop history.

“To My Mother” wasn’t just a debut song — it was a declaration of god’s identity as an idol group that sang about family, everyday struggles, and sincerity.

👉 Do you think debut songs today could still carry such emotional weight?
Share your thoughts in the comments!

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