(translated in 2024)

As I have lamented before, I possess what is perhaps the only car in all of Korea—this land of cutting-edge technology—that still features a CD player. Thus, whenever I start my timeworn 2004 vehicle for a long trip, I must ensure I have all my cherished CDs in tow. These discs are essential companions as I navigate the mundane highways, traverse the desolate mountain roads, and meander through the remote countryside, flanked by rice paddies and aged hanok houses. Among these CDs, two are always in my glove compartment: they are compilations I burned myself, containing thirty of my favorite BTS songs.

Last weekend, before setting out along the western coastline, I burned a new CD to my collection, filled with songs from Jimin’s MUSE album that I had bought. The thrill of repeatedly listening to those seven tracks as I drove along the western coastline, past the historic port city of Gunsan in Jeolla Province, was very satisfying. Jimin’s unique voice and soaring vocals are an absolute delight. 

Furthermore, the album’s diverse genres—ranging from Taylor Swift-esque pop to instrumental, big band pop, R&B, Latin pop, and an anthem for ARMY—add a rich variety. Among these, “Rebirth” pulls at my heartstrings the most, but for now, the sensuous “Be Mine” is my favorite. It’s a perfect driving song, its Latin vibe reminiscent of another beloved Jimin track, “Filter.”

I have mentioned this before, but it bears repeating: when BTS uses English in their lyrics, they typically rely on words provided by Western composers, resulting in simple and easy-to-sing phrases. After all, no Western musician would want BTS to wrestle with complex words and concepts. However, as every ARMY knows, the Korean lyrics are predominantly written by the members themselves, with assistance from the BigHit creative team. This collaboration yields lyrics that are often intricate, poetic, poignant, and brimming with creativity.

This dedication is evident in Jimin’s latest album. In a conversation with RM, Jimin revealed that it took him a year and a half to write the lyrics for his solo songs. Other members also invest considerable care in expressing the sincerity they wish to convey to their listeners. RM, unlike Jimin, may take a bit less time, but the care and effort he pours into his music are no less significant. These qualities are precisely why I hold BTS’s music in such high regard.

After spending a few more days exploring obscure fishing villages in Chungcheong Province, I returned to Seoul two days ago. Unlike the south, the city is still caught in the throes of the monsoon season, with sudden torrential downpours that disappear as quickly as they arrive. Yet, yesterday afternoon, after one such deluge, I was rewarded with the sight of a magnificent rainbow arcing across the sky. It was a reminder that even the gray skies can lend themselves to moments of beauty.

Without further ado, here are my translations of Jimin’s Korean lyrics in “Rebirth,” “Slow Dance,” and “Be Mine.” 

Rebirth and Slow Dance Live

Rebirth

Intro Verse:

Korean lines 1:

느껴져 두근거림이

너의 손끝이 날 스쳐 지나갈 때

Vocabulary:

느껴져 (can be felt/touched)

두근거림이 (flutters, tremors (of emotion))

너의 (your)

손끝이 (fingertips)

날 (me)

스쳐 지나갈 때 (as (something) brushes by/flashes before/grazes past)

*This noun, 두근거림 (doo-geun-guh-lim), primarily denotes the tremor or flutter of emotion one feels when the person they like or love is nearby.

English translation:

*The flutters are felt,

As your fingertips brush by me.

*Jimin does not specify whose emotions are trembling, possibly intimating that both he and the object of his affection have feelings for each other.

Korean lines 2:

너와 눈 맞추며 노래할 수 있게

Vocabulary:

너와 (with you)

눈 맞추며 (see eye to eye)

노래할 수 있게 (so that I can sing)

*In Korean, 눈 맞추며 (noon maht-choo-myuh) (locking eyes) connotes two people in love or with feelings for each other.

English translation:

So that I can sing as we lock eyes.

Korean lines 3:

Oh my gosh 이제 난

숨겨지지 않아

넌 나의 어둠 속 light

Like 태양이 비추는 vibe

살며시 번져가

Vocabulary:

이제 (now)

난 (I, me)

숨겨지지 않아 (can’t be hidden/tucked away)

넌 (you)

나의 (my)

어둠 속 (in darkness/despair)

태양이 비추는 (sun illuminates/reflects)

살며시 (tenderly, lightly, gently, secretly)

번져가 (spreading, diffusing, spilling over)

*It’s interesting that Jimin doesn’t say “이제 난 숨지 않아 (yi-jeh nahn soom-ji ahn-ah) (I won’t hide any longer),” but “숨겨지지 않아 (soom-gyuh-jih-jih ahn-ah),” which means “I can no longer be hidden from sight.” This subtle difference conveys that he is not the center of this love, but rather the love of his affection, implying that the other person won’t let him remain hidden.

English translation:

Oh my gosh, I can no longer

be hidden from sight.

In my despair, you act as light.

Like the sun’s radiant vibe,

You pass by me tenderly.

Chorus:

Korean lines 1:

칠흑 같던 나

하루종일 네 생각이 떠나가질 않아

너 모르게

한걸음 또 두 걸음 다가가고 싶어

Vocabulary:

칠흑 같던 (Like pitch blackness/utter despair)

나 (I, me)

하루 종일 (all day long/morning to night)

네 (your)

생각이 (thoughts)

떠나가질 않아 (won’t go away/disappear)

너 (you)

모르게 (without knowing/secretly)

한걸음 (one step)

또 두 걸음 (and two steps)

다가가고 싶어 (want to approach/get close/draw near)

*칠흑 (chil-heuk) primarily means ‘pitch darkness,’ but when used to convey one’s condition, it means ‘utter despair’ or ‘hopelessness.’

English translation:

I was once hopeless,

But now I can’t escape thoughts of you.

Unbeknownst to you,

I long to be near you one stride after another.

Korean lines 2:

이 맘 네게 닿길 to you

Vocabulary:

이 맘 (this feeling)

네게 (to you)

닿길 (hopefully it reaches)

English translation:

My feelings, hope it reaches, to you.

Outro:

Korean lines:

하얀 구름이

스쳐 가는 바람이

흩날리는 꽃잎이

우릴 기다린 것만 같아

저 문이 열리고

너와 가까워질 때

이 말을 전할게

Vocabulary:

하얀 (white)

구름이 (clouds)

스쳐 가는 (passing)

바람이 (winds)

흩날리는 (fluttering/blowing)

꽃잎이 (flower petals)

우릴 (us)

기다린 것만 같아 (seemed to have been waiting)

저 문이 (that door)

열리고 (gets open)

너와 (with you)

가까워질 때 (gets closer)

이 말을 (this statement)

전할게 (tell/convey)

*흩날리는 꽃잎 (heut-nahl-lih-neun koht-(n)yip) means fluttering flower petals. Similar expressions also appear in the lyrics for ‘Smeraldo Garden Marching Band (fluttering flowers),’ as flowers or flower petals flying in the air often describe a scene of love.

English translation:

White clouds,

Passing winds,

Fluttering flower petals,

Seemed to have been waiting for us.

Once that door opens,

And we are close to one another,

Then I’ll reveal this to you:

———————-

Slow Dance

Chorus:

Korean lines 1:

서두르지 마 그저 우리 tempo를 느껴

너와 나만의 favorite song

Vocabulary:

서두르지 마 (Don’t hurry/rush, be steady)

그저 (just)

우리 (our)

느껴 (feel/sense/experience)

너와 (you and)

나만의 (only me)

English translation:

Be patient; our tempo, just feel it.

Only for us, our favorite song.

Korean lines 2:

이건 마지막 romance

언제까지나 너의 손을 놓지 않을게

함께 부르는 favorite song

Vocabulary:

이건 (this is)

마지막 (the last/final)

언제까지나 (eternally/indefinitely)

너의 (your)

손을 (hands)

놓지 않을게 (won’t let go)

함께 부르는 (sing together)

English translation:

My last romance,

I’ll never let go of you.

We sing together, our favorite song.

Verse 1:

Korean lines 1:

따스한 멜로디

그 리듬에 맞춰 relax your mind

나도 모르는 사이에

어느새 너의 미소만

가득 찬 내 맘

숨길 수 없잖아

Vocabulary:

따스한 (warm, balmy, comforting)

멜로디 (melody)

그 리듬에 맞춰 (move to that rhythm)

나도 모르는 사이에 (unbeknownst to me)

어느새 (before (one) knows it)

너의 미소만 (only your smile)

가득 찬 (full of)

내맘 (my feeling)

숨길 수 없잖아 (can’t hide)

*따스한 (ddah-seu-hahn), when used to describe weather or temperature of tea, means ‘warm,’ but when used as an adjective to describe melody, as Jimin does here, it means comforting.

English translation:

Soothing melody–

Move to that rhythm, relax your mind.

Unbeknownst to me,

Suddenly, your smile

Fills my heart.

I can no longer suppress it.

Pre-Chorus:

내 맘의 별은 오직 너야

오직 너야

Vocabulary:

내 맘의 (my heart’s)

별은 (star is)

오직 (only)

너야 (you)

English translation:

The star in my heart–only you.

Only you.

—————–

Be Mine

Verse 1:

Korean lines 1:

뜨거운 island

둘만의 party

Vocabulary:

뜨거운 (hot, sultry)

둘만의 (only two of us)

*Like the word ‘따스한 (warm, comforting),’ when it comes to weather or the temperature of something, ‘뜨거운 (ddeu-guh-woon)’ means hot, but when used as a verb to describe intimacy, it means something that arouses passion, like ‘sultry,’ ‘steamy.’ The rest of verse 1 goes ‘I know what you want/ And baby I want the same/ Love ’til the morning,’ so it’s sultry alright. 

English translation:

Sultry island,

Our exclusive party.

Korean lines 2:

어차피 우린

연결된 DNA

Vocabulary:

어차피 (after all, no matter what)

우린 (we are)

연결된 (connected, linked, joined)

English translation:

After all, we’re

linked in our DNA.

Refrain:

Korean lines:

뜨겁게 뜨겁게 녹여줘

뜨겁게 빨리

Vocabulary:

뜨겁게 (sizzlingly, passionately)

녹여줘 (melt, dissolve)

빨리 (quick, quickly)

English translation:

Passionately melt me.

Passionately, quickly.

Pre-Chorus:

Korean lines:

빠져들수록

깊어만 가는걸

영원히 이대로

널 가질 수 있다면

Vocabulary:

빠져들수록 (the more I sink into, fall for, become addicted to)

깊어만 가는걸 (getting deeper, becoming stronger)

영원히 (forever)

이대로 (as it stands, as things are)

널 (you)

가질 수 있다면 (if I could have, possess)

English translation:

The more I fall,

The stronger my feelings.

To keep you this way for always,

If I could…

Verse 2:

Korean lines:

내가 네 마음에 더 가득 찰 수 있게

Vocabulary:

내가 (me)

네 (your)

마음에 (mind, heart, feeling)

더 (more)

가득 찰 수 있게 (able to fill it to the brim)

English translation:

Your heart can then be filled with more of me.

Bridge:

Korean lines 1:

달빛 아래 dancing

Vocabulary:

달빛 아래 (under the moonlight)

English translation:

Under the moonlight, dancing.

Korean lines 2:

오직 너와 나 밤새도록

내 맘이 네게 닿을 수 있다면

Vocabulary:

오직 (only)

너와 나 (you and me)

밤새도록 (all night long)

내 맘이 (my feelings)

네게 (to you)

닿을 수 있다면 (could touch, reach)

English translation:

Only us together all night long.

If my feelings could touch you.