In honor of Jin’s new album, “Echo,” releasing this Friday, I’d like to share a letter RM wrote exactly one year ago, in May of last year, when Jin was discharged from military service. In it, RM expresses how deeply he misses ARMY, and asks Jin to look after them.
안녕하세요.Hello.
긴 말 대신 많이 보고싶습니다.
I won’t say much, only that I miss you terribly.
*(As we all know, RM is a poet. However, in this impromptu handwritten letter, he wants to immediately convey to ARMY that he misses them deeply, choosing to forgo any verbal flourish—긴 (ghin) (long) 말 (mahl) (words) 대신 (sin) (rather than). This Korean expression is typically used to get straight to the point and can sometimes come off as brusque, so people usually avoid it. Yet, in this context, it is clear that RM is not being rude. Instead, he wishes to underscore his profound yearning for ARMY by starting the letter with this expression.)
또 많이 그립습니다.
Also, I miss our time together very much.
*(보고싶다 (bo-goh-sip-dah) and 그립다 (geu-lip-dah) both translate to ‘missing someone or something.’ RM deliberately uses these synonymous words in consecutive sentences to emphasize his profound yearning to reunite with ARMY and to convey his deep nostalgia for the past. Typically, one would use ‘보고싶다’ to express missing someone. However, ‘그립다’ adds a layer of nostalgic longing. Therefore, this sentence can be interpreted as ‘Also, I miss our time together very much.’)
저도 이제 일년 남짓 남았네요.
I’ve got just a tad more than a year left (until discharge).
*(I love his use of the seldom-utilized word 남짓 (nahm-git), meaning ‘a little more than,’ preceding the verb 남았네요 (nahm-aht-neh-yo) (left). It almost seems as though he was aiming for an alliterative effect. Naturally, he begins the sentence with 저 (juh), meaning ‘I,’ and given that his name is 남준 (nahm-joon), perhaps this was intentional. :))
지난달 발매된 ‘RPWP’는 잘 듣고 계신지요?
Are you enjoying ‘RPWP’ that came out last month?
잘 지내나요.
Are you doing well?
*(RM seems shy about discussing his album; as soon as he mentions it, he quickly moves to a greeting, almost as if he feels embarrassed to ask whether you are listening to it or not.)
다시 돌아올 걸 생각하면 시간이 참 더디지만, 꿋꿋이 견디는 중입니다.
When I think about returning to you, even though time feels excruciatingly slow, I remain resolutely firm.
*(RM is emphasizing that time now feels agonizingly slow for him and that he is merely 견디는 중이다 (gyun-di-neun joong-yi-dah) (enduring) his time in the military. It is only the thought of returning to ARMY that helps him stay grounded.)
영혼의 단짝 테너 색소폰과 함께..
Together with my tenor saxophone, a soulmate..
돌아오면 다이너마이트 불어드릴게요.
When I come back, I’ll play “Dynamite” for you.
무더운 여름 부디 건강하시고.
Please stay safe during this hot summer.
새로운 환경에서 잊었던, 또 새로운 만감이 교차하네요.
(Now that Jin will soon return to ARMY) I’m feeling new mixed emotions—something I had set aside while serving in the military.
*(This sentence was particularly challenging to translate, as RM seems to employ a stream-of-consciousness style. In one clause, he wishes for ARMY’s safety in the sweltering heat, while in the next, he reflects on something he had forgotten— (잊었던) (it-yuht-duhn)— in the new environment, meaning the military. However, his following sentence clarified his thoughts. Jin’s discharge has stirred new mixed emotions in RM, reminding him that Jin will soon return to ARMY—something RM had set aside in his mind while in the military.)
홀로 먼저 가야했던 진 형의 마음이 어땠을지.
I wonder about the emotions Jin felt as the first one to enlist, all by himself.
고생 정말 많았고 축하합니다!
(to Jin) Good job, and congratulations!
형이 많이 먼저 사랑해주세요.
Please give lots of love (to ARMY) ahead of us.
무거운 짐을 맡기는 것 같아 미안합니다.
I feel bad about placing such pressure on you.
*(RM feels sorry—미안하다 (mi-ahn-hah-dah)—to Jin for now being solely responsible for taking care of ARMY. He feels like he’s asking Jin to carry a 무거운 (moo-guh-oon) (heavy) 짐 (jim) (load).
그래도 이제 호석이도 곧 돌아오니까요!
However, Hoseok will soon come to join you!
제 사랑은 여전히 여전합니다.
My love for you remains the same as ever.
*(I appreciate how RM uses the adverb 여전히 (yuh-juhn-hee) (as ever, still) to modify the adjective 여전하다 (yuh-juhn-hah-dah) (same as before) to cleverly emphasize that his love for ARMY remains as strong as ever.)
모두 돌아오면 얼마나 더 거세고 아름다울까요.
When everyone’s back, how much stronger and more magnificent it will be.
이 시간과 시련을 주시는 건 분명히 무슨 이유가 있겠죠.
There must be a reason for this time away and the adversity.
여러분과 저희의 시간은 끝나지 않았습니다.
The journey between ARMY and BTS is far from over.
*(RM uses 여러분 (yuh-luh-boon) (everyone) to refer to ‘ARMY’ and 저희 (juh-hee) (our) to refer to ‘BTS.’)
이제 겨우 2막의 첫 줄이니까요.
We are only now beginning the first line of the second act.
그리우면 그리운대로, 잘 버티고 있을게요.
If I miss you, I’ll simply let myself miss you while staying strong.
*(그리우면 그리운대로 (geu-lih-woo-myun geu-lih-woon-dae-ro) is a poetic expression meaning “If I miss, I will miss.” RM is telling ARMY that he will simply allow himself to miss them while staying strong for the remainder of his military service.)
11년, 고작 1년 더 입니다.
(we have been together for) 11 years. It’s just one more year.
아미—-,,오랜만에 소리내어 불러봅니다.
ARMY—-,, it’s been a while, but let me loudly call your name.
마음과 역사의 레이어가 가득 찹니다. Our hearts and history are filled with so many layers.
사랑해요오!
I love youuu!
-5월에, 남준.
-In the month of May, Namjoon.
