After an extremely busy week of grading finals, followed by a Friday evening with ARMY friends from Scotland, the U.S., and Switzerland, and then a Saturday spent helping a friend just outside Seoul repair his property after the recent torrential rain, I spent the rest of the weekend under the weather at home, drifting in and out of sleep.
This morning, I woke up feeling much better, able to savor the clear blue Seoul sky that greeted me on my way to school, even though the day remained hot and muggy. Things improved even more late in the morning when I read a news article about SUGA pledging to donate 3.6 million dollars to support children with autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, and depression. Before the pandemic, I volunteered for many years with children diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome, so I understand just how meaningful SUGA’s donation is.
These days in Korea, 1 in 50 children are diagnosed with some form of autism, and for many of them, the earlier it’s detected, the greater the chance they’ll be able to integrate as fully as possible into society as adults. I was also surprised and delighted to see SUGA standing beside Keun-Ah Cheon in one of the photos; she happens to be the leading authority on autism spectrum disorder and childhood ADHD in Korea. Let’s hope SUGA’s generosity helps to thaw the hearts of those who still have not accepted his sincere apology from last year.
I read the letter SUGA posted on Weverse a few days ago with great interest. After all, it was his first direct message to ARMY since the apology letter he wrote last summer. What stood out to me in the last year’s letter was his use of the word “fans” instead of addressing ARMY directly, which he had always done in the past. He seemed acutely aware that his words would be scrutinized by the wider public, and it felt as though he was shielding ARMY’s name from possible negativity, protecting us in his own way while offering his heartfelt apologies.
This time, however, he mentions ARMY by name, a good sign, I think, that he feels a little more emboldened. Still, the tone of the letter is sad and written in a very formal style, again showing his awareness that a broad audience would be reading. You can see how careful he was with each word he chose.
After having said that, the only part you need to focus is the second line of the second paragraph: 특히나 오랫동안 제가 해왔던 이 일들과는 잠시 거리를 두고 한 발짝 떨어진 자리에 있어 봐야겠다는 마음도 있었습니다.
특히나 — notably, especially
오랫동안 — for so long, for a long time
제가 — I
해왔던 — have been doing, have done, have worked on
이 일들과는 — with these works, with this work, from these activities
잠시 — momentarily, briefly, for a while
거리를 두고 — keep distance, take some distance, step back
한 발짝 — one step, a step
떨어진 — away, removed, apart
자리에 — place, position, spot
있어 봐야겠다는 — wanted to see, felt the need to be, thought I should be
마음도 — intention, thought, feeling
있었습니다 — was there, had, there was
In this line, SUGA expresses that he had considered stepping away from music—just for a while, distancing himself from the work that had defined him for so long. Yet the very fact that he writes about it in the past tense shows us that he’s moved through that uncertainty; he no longer intends to stay away. This is wonderful news for ARMY. As I’ve often said, in Korea, celebrities are held to unreasonably high moral standards, and whenever anything happens, they’re pressured to lay low, staying out of the spotlight for a long time. Judging by this sentence, SUGA doesn’t intend to do that, thank goodness.
In the third paragraph, where he finally addresses ARMY, he thanks us twice for waiting. Then, once again, he apologizes, not only to ARMY but to his bandmates as well. I truly hope this is the last time he feels compelled to do so. He already apologized last year, and we have all accepted it. Those who cannot move on, as if they themselves have never made a mistake, simply aren’t worth worrying about. Of course, the sentence where he extends his apology to his bandmates was especially moving. You can feel the weight of his sorrow and the depth of his remorse in every word.
In the letter’s last sentence, SUGA uses the word “종종 (jong-jong).” It usually means “every once in a while” or “now and then,” but it can also mean “frequently” or “often.” For reference, “자주 (jah-joo)” means “often” or “frequently,” while “가끔 (gah-ggeum)” means “once in a while” or “occasionally.” 종종 occupies a space somewhere between these, its meaning shaped by context.
For example:
비가 온 후에 종종 무지개가 뜬다. (After the rain, rainbows appear once in a while.)
종종 놀러오세요. (Please come by often.)
So, what does SUGA mean in his last sentence: 여러분, 종종 소식 전하겠습니다.
여러분 — everyone, all
종종 — ?
소식 — updates
전하겠습니다 — I will tell you, I will let you know
I believe SUGA is saying he’ll keep ARMY updated “frequently,” but as a translator, I can’t assume his precise intention. “Regularly” is my choice, as it suggests frequent contact but leaves room for interpretation. “Regularly” doesn’t specify an exact interval, so it can mean every few weeks or every few months. It also hints at his wish to stay close, which is what matters most.
Here’s the full translation of his text:
Hello, I’m glad to see you all. It’s SUGA.
Nearly two years have gone by (since I last reached out to you)… How have you all been, good?
My service has officially ended today, allowing me to finally greet you after all this time.
I’ve longed for this day to arrive, and then again, I found myself worrying about how I should greet you after being away for so long.
First and foremost, I want to express my sincerest gratitude to the fans who have waited for me. I truly missed you.
These past two years had given me the time to do some soul-searching.
Notably, I had even thought about distancing myself for a time from the music I’d been immersed in for so many years, to see things from a different perspective.
Until now, I was so focused on constantly moving ahead that I rarely paused to reflect on myself, but this period has allowed me to look inward once more.
ARMY, thank you, thank you for waiting for me.
Furthermore, I sincerely apologize for the disappointment and anxiety I caused you through last year’s incident;
of all the things, it ate at me to know that I had hurt you.
My apologies extend to my bandmates as well, for making them shoulder their own burdens on my account.
Moving forward, I will do my utmost to give you back the love you’ve shown me.
I love you. I’ll be sure to keep you all updated regularly.