BTS – IDOL (English Translation and Ramblings)

IDOL – Track 15 on Love Yourself 結 ‘Answer’ album.

Korean lyrics from Naver Music.

Written by:  Pdogg, Supreme Boi, Bang PD, Ali Tamposi, Roman Campolo, RM

BTS – List of LYRIC VIDEO Recommendations

I noticed that lyrics video channels often have differences in quality of translation, even within the same channel.  So I thought it would be fun to compile a list of lyrics videos.

These videos are obviously NOT MINE.   This is just a list of the ones I thought were good or at least decent.   There may be details that aren’t too accurate, but let’s aim for reasonably good…  I’ll try to update this list over time.

BTS – Serendipity (English Translation and Ramblings)

 

Serendipity – Track 01 on Love Yourself: Her album.

Korean lyrics referenced from Naver Music.

Written by:  Slow Rabbit, Ray Michael Djan Jr, Ashton Foster, RM, Bang PD

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I can’t believe this is the 6th song I’m translating from this album.

I feel like BTS writing style has changed a little bit.  In their earlier works, they would use a lot of references but while they’re more numerous, it felt like the songs just quickly linked to these references.

The songs on the Love Yourself album don’t seem to use as many references, but the ideas in those references seem infused more subtly and deeper into the songs.   So on first glance, the songs seemed simple enough without too many references… but the more you listen to it, the more you realize you might have missed stuff.

And then you start to think, “Am I over-thinking this?”  Knowing Big Hit, probably not.

The two obvious references in Serendipity are the poem “Flower” by Kim Chunsu and “The Little Prince” by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.    Of note, the poem that J-Hope was reading on their Run BTS! Ep 11 is also by Kim Chunsu.

BTS – Sea (English translation and Ramblings)

 

BTS – Sea (hidden track on Love Yourself: Her album CD)

written by: Suga, Slow Rabbit, RM, J-Hope

 

Sorry this is really late!

 

I was hoping my physical copy would have lyrics to this song, but it did not.  I searched for Korean lyrics and there are multiple versions on-line with slight differences.

This is based on what I can hear.  However, as there are no official lyrics available, there may be some errors.

 

 

This song seems to use metaphors for:

sea = hope
desert = trials/despair

However, in typical BTS fashion, the metaphors are not simple.  Hope and despair are not mutually exclusive, and sea water can be destructive while desert can be beautiful.

BTS – Pied Piper (English translation and Ramblings)

Pied Piper is track 06 on the Love Yourself 承 ‘Her’ album.

Based on Pied Piper of Hamelin.

This folklore/legend is kind of fitting since it’s never clear whether Pied Piper was helpful to this town of Hamelin or not.  I guess fan relationship with BTS is kind of like that too – they’re helpful and encouraging but can also lead you down to not getting things done.

BTS – Go Go (English translation and Ramblings)

Go Go (고민보다 Go) is track 08 on Love Yourself 承 ‘Her’ album. 

The literal translation of the title means “Rather than worrying, Go”

 

Korean Lyrics are from Naver Music.

 

Reading the lyrics, I don’t think this is a song saying BTS feels like spending money like this.  Looking at their old Spine Breaker song, most likely there are at least some members who actually don’t spend a lot of money.

What it does look like, is like representation of what a lot of kids in BTS generation feels.  Especially if asked why that “young generation” never plans for future, and lives seemingly irresponsible lives and spends all their earnings.  There are a lot of young people like that in Korea, and partially it’s because the future is too depressing.  Why bother saving up for a house or to have a family…if you know that no matter how hard you work, you’ll never  have enough money to actually do these things?   Especially considering how expensive it is to raise kids in Korea.   Might as well blow it on pleasures of today.

BTS probably reads a lot of stories from fans and hears a lot of these issues from their friends who are now just at the age of entering work force.  They have repeatedly said that in addition to their stories, they want to tell the stories they’ve heard from others of their generation.  The song is advocating the issues of the times, where people give up on hopes of future.

In BTS’s common style, it’s mildly self-deprecating and sarcastic.  The fact that the song sounds happy, and the narrative superficially sounds happy when it’s actually a fairly depressing song also gives it interesting contrast.

 

EDIT: Sept 30, 2017

The “run run” and “YOLOYOLO” sounded kinda sad and resigned when listening to the music by itself.  I can’t believe they made the performance so deceivingly cheerful and cute.  I read a Korean netizen comment that said something like, “I was happily enjoying watching the performance until I read the lyrics and it made my stress induced acid reflux flare up.”

BTS – Mic Drop (English translation and Ramblings)

Track 7 of Love Yourself “承 ” Her album.

Korean lyrics are from Naver Music.

 

I haven’t looked at the lyrics to all the songs in detail yet, but most of them seem straight forward.  This one’s not too complicated either but I LOVE LOVE LOVE this song!!!

 

…an hour later….

And… the lyrics on second look is more complicated than I thought.  This is first draft.  Will proofread later. Some of the stuff doesn’t translate well….

Lots of adaptations done..because it’s next to impossible to translate and get meaning across…

September 30, 2017 – tried to proofread.  Meh.  I think I just made it more rambly and I can’t seem to get it to sound smooth…but I guess that’s how it goes with interpretations/translations like this.