Produced by Primary, Pdogg
Written by j-hope, Primary, Pdogg
Note: J-Hope’s solo track. He put the emotions that he’s been having about his mother since childhood (according to RM). I think this is one of many BTS songs that you’ll appreciate even more (so much more!) once you understand the lyrics especially since the the song carries his personal, maybe not-so-bright, story that is hidden in the uplifting sound.
Time travel 2006년의 해
Time travel to the year of 2006
춤에 미쳐 엄마 허리띠를 졸라맸지
Crazy for dancing, I tightened my mom’s belt
아빠 반대에도 매일 달려들 때
When I indulged in it every day despite my dad’s opposition,
아랑곳하지 않고 띄워주신 꿈의 조각배
she didn’t care at all and set a small boat of dream afloat
But 몰랐지 엄마의 큰 보탬이
But I didn’t know that mom’s big support led us
펼쳐 있는 지름길 아닌
not to the shortcut laid out wide and straight
빚을 쥔 이 꿈의 길
but to this path of dream with debt
(Always) 문제의 money 어머닌 결국 (munje-ui money eomeonin gyeolgug)
(Always) Money being the problem, my mother eventually
(Go away) 타지로 일하러 가셨어
(Go away) went to work in a different town
전화로 듣는 엄마의 목소리는 선명하고
Mom’s voice that I heard on the phone was clear
기억나는 건
What I remember
그때 엄마의 강인함이 내겐 변화구
is that mom’s strength that time was a breaking ball for me
Breaking ball (baseball term) changes its direction as it moves.
정말로 꼭 성공해야겠다고 결심하고
I made a promise to myself that I must succeed for sure
그 다짐 하나로
and with that one promise,
지금의 아들로
I became the son I am now
Hey mama
이젠 내게 기대도 돼 언제나 옆에
Now you can lean on me, I’m always by your side
Hey mama
내게 아낌없이 주셨기에 버팀목이었기에
Because you gave me all you got, because you were my support
Hey mama
이젠 아들내미 믿으면 돼 웃으면 돼
Now you can trust your son, now you can smile
아들내미 is a cute way to call 아들, which means son.
Hey mama
Hey mama
Hey mama
I’m sorry mama
하늘같은 은혜 이제 알아서 mama
for realizing your sky-like love only now, mama
Reference: “어머님 은혜 (Mother’s favor),” the lyrics of which are: “Though they say the sky is high, I have another thing that is high. The favor of mother who gave birth and raised me. I think it is higher than the blue sky. Through they say the sea is wide, I have another thing that is wide. The favor of mother who teaches me to be a good human. I think it is wider than the blue sea.”
Hey mama
So thanks mama
내게 피와 살이 되어주셔서 mama
for becoming my blood and flesh, mama
The above line is him thanking his mom for giving birth to him and raising him, making him who he is inside and out. 피와 살이 되다 (become blood and flesh) is a metaphor used to describe a hardship/experience that lets a person grow as a human.
기억해 mom?
Remember, mom?
문흥동 히딩크 pc방, 브로드웨이 레스토랑
Munheungdong Hiddink PC bang, Broadway restaurant
Munheungdong is an area in the city of Gwangju, and Hiddink PC bang is a LAN gaming center named after Guss Hiddink, a football manager who was the manager of the South Korean team around the 2002 World Cup. (He was very popular at the time and became the first-ever person to be given honorary citizenship.)
가정 위해 두 발 뛰는 베테랑
A veteran running around for her family on two feet
The above two lines indicate that J-Hope’s mother worked two jobs to support his dream.
실패는 성공의 어머니 어머니
Failure is the mother of success, the mother
그런 열정과 성심을 배워
I learn such passion and sincerity
Wanna be wanna be
이제 나도 어른이 될 때
Now is the time for me to become an adult
새싹에 큰 거름이 되었기에
Because you became a fertilizer to a fresh sprout,
꽃이 되어 그대만의 꽃길이 될게
I’ll be a flower and become the flower path of your own
You walking on way way way
Hey mama
이젠 내게 기대도 돼 언제나 옆에
Now you can lean on me, I’m always by your side
Hey mama
내게 아낌없이 주셨기에 버팀목이었기에
Because you gave me all you got, because you were my support
Hey mama
이젠 아들내미 믿으면 돼 웃으면 돼
Now you can trust your son, now you can smile
Hey mama
Hey mama
세상을 느끼게 해준 그대가 만들어준 숨
My breath that you created for me that made me able to feel the world
오늘따라 문득 더 안고 싶은 품
You, who I want to hug especially today
안고 싶은 (want to hug) and 품 (arms; chest) is an unusual combination because when 품 is used, the speaker/subject is mostly hugged “by” the owner of the arms (품에 안기다). My interpretation is that J-Hope, who were in his moms arms, now grew out of the arms and wants to embrace her in return. Or it could be that I’m thinking too much because 숨 (soom; breath) and 품 (poom; arms) rhyme with each other. It might also just be that he wanted to have the end-rhyme.
땅 위 그 무엇이 높다 하리오
What else would be higher above the earth
하늘 밑 그 무엇이 넓다 하리오
What else would be wider under the sky
Reference: “어머님 은혜 (Mother’s favor),” again.
오직 하나 엄마 손이 약손
Only your hand is a cure-all
Direct translation of 엄마 손이 약손 will be “mother’s hand is medicine hand.” When a young kid has a stomachache, his mom would lay him down and slowly rub his tummy with her warm hand. There’s also a song that she would sing along. The lyrics vary by regions and families, but it almost always starts with “엄마 손은 약손 (mother’s hand is a medicine hand).”
그대는 영원한 나만의 placebo
You’re my own everlasting placebo
I love mom
Hey mama
이젠 내게 기대도 돼 언제나 옆에
Now you can lean on me, I’m always by your side
Hey mama
내게 아낌없이 주셨기에 버팀목이었기에
Because you gave me all you got, because you were my support
Hey mama
이젠 아들내미 믿으면 돼 웃으면 돼
Now you can trust your son, now you can smile
Hey mama
Hey mama
Hey mama
이젠 내게 기대도 돼 언제나 옆에
Now you can lean on me, I’m always by your side
Hey mama
내게 아낌없이 주셨기에 버팀목이었기에
Because you gave me all you got, because you were my support
Hey mama
이젠 아들내미 믿으면 돼 웃으면 돼
Now you can trust your son, now you can smile
Hey mama
Hey mama
.
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