English translation and Korean lesson based on RM’s notes of thanks included in the physical copy of BTS’s 2020 album BE.
English Translation
In many ways the word “reduction” really fits this year. We’ve had to spend countless hours indoors, so of course our bodies – but more than anything our spirits and our minds – have been reduced this year. I was just full of anger, frustration, and sadness.
But. I’m RM and in the name of “Bangtan” we think of the countless stars who are looking to us, and we resolutely rise to our feet once again. This album is a record of that. Because we can’t be reduced forever, and in no way did we want to be.
Everyone has been slightly reduced during this time. To everyone at Big Hit who overcame all the tedium and stiffness that comes like a wave every morning and helped us to complete this record together, thank you. You all feel like friends to me now.
Thank you to my family, friends, and colleagues who are ever my inspiration, my comfort, and my role models. Also to my Bangtan friends, who press on with trust in each other no matter the circumstances.
And finally, to you reading these words now, you who watch over me and stay by my side like the sun and the flowers by day and the moon and the lakeshore by night, I want to convey the greatest love and appreciation.
Please, may these words cross the disconnect and the boundaries, cross person after person, cross “Bangtan” and “Army” and make it through to you. I hope I’m a pebble for you.
I love you.
Vocabulary & Grammar Lesson
여러모로 ‘위축’이라는 말이 참 잘 어울리는 해.
In many ways the word “reduction” really fits this year.
(위축, when referring to something physical, can mean to shrivel or to shrink. But it can also be used to describe things like a decline in sales, a loss of confidence, etc. It’s basic meaning is for something to be less than what it was.)
여러모로 = in various ways, in many ways
위축 = see above
-이라는 = “called X” (위축이라는)
말 = words, speech
참 = very, quite
잘 = well (as in “He sings well”)
어울리다 = to suit, to fit
해 = a year
We’ve had to spend countless hours indoors, so of course our bodies –
안 = the inside of something
-에서 = in X, inside X (안에서)
수많다 = to be numerous
시간 = time, hours
보내다 = to spend (time)
-게 되다 = to end up doing X. The nuance here is that you didn’t set out to do X, but it sort of ended up happening to you. (보내게 된)
우리 = we, us, our
-의 = indicates possession, like ‘s in English (우리의)
신체 = a body
물론 = of course
무엇보다 우리의 정신과 의지가 위축된 한 해입니다.
but more than anything our spirits and our minds – have been reduced this year.
무엇 = what, something
-보다 = compared to X, more than X (무엇보다)
정신 = one’s spirit, mind
-과 / -와 = “and” when followed by an accompanying noun. Otherwise “with”. (정신과)
의지 = one’s mind, will
저 역시 그저 분노로, 좌절로, 슬픔으로 분주하였습니다.
I was just full of anger, frustration, and sadness.
저 = I, me (formal)
역시 = as expected, as well
그저 = just
분노 = anger
-로 / 으로 = with X, using X (분노로)
좌절 = frustrations
슬픔 = sadness, sorrow
분주하다 = to be busy with, bustling with
그러나. 나는 RM,
But. I’m RM
그러나 = but, however
나 = I, me
우리는 방탄이라는 이름으로.
and in the name of “Bangtan”
방탄 = bulletproof
이름 = a name
우릴 바라보고 있는 수많은 별들을 떠올리며
we think of the countless stars who are looking to us,
바라보다 = to look at
-고 있다 = present progressive form. IE: “to be looking” instead of “to look” (바라보고 있는)
별 = a star
-들 = makes a noun plural (별들을)
떠올리다 = to bring to mind
-며 / -으며 = while X (떠올리며)
다시 한 번 분연히 일어섭니다.
and we resolutely rise to our feet once again.
다시 = again
한 = one
번 = time, occurrence (as in “one time”)
분연히 = resolutely, in a manner of plucking up one’s courage
일어서다 = to stand up, get to one’s feet
이 앨범은 그 일어섬의 기록입니다.
This album is a record of that.
이 = this, these
그 = that, those
기록 = a record
영원히 위축되어 있을 수 없었고, 결코 그러고 싶지도 않았기 때문입니다.
Because we can’t be reduced forever, and in no way did we want to be.
영원히 = forever
-어 있다 / -아 있다 = creates a passive state. IE, not be in the middle of being reduce, but to have been reduced and now be remaining in that state. (위축되어 있을)
-ㄹ 수 없다 / -을 수 없다 = to not be able to do X (있을 수 없었고)
-고 = X and (없었고)
결코 = not at all, in no way
그렇다 = to be like that
-고 싶다 = to want to do X (그러고 싶지도)
-지 않다 = to not do X (싶지도 않았기)
-도 = X too, neither (싶지도)
-기 때문 = because of X (않았기 때문입니다)
모두가 조금은 위축된 시간.
Everyone has been slightly reduced during this time.
모두 = every, everyone, everything
조금 = a little bit
매일 아침 파도처럼 밀려드는 갖가지 권태와 뻐근함을 딛고, 이 기록을 함께 완성해 주신 빅히트의 모든 분들께 감사드립니다.
To everyone at Big Hit who overcame all the tedium and stiffness that comes like a wave every morning and helped us to complete this record together, thank you.
매일 = every day
아침 = a morning
파도 = a wave (of the sea, not the hand)
-처럼 = like X (파도처럼)
밀려들다: to flood in on, wash over (밀리다 = to be pushed + 들다 = to enter )
갖가지 = all kinds of
권태 = boredom
뻐근함 = stiffness
딛다 = to overcome, to tread on
함께 = together
완성하다 = to complete something
-아 주다 / -어주다 = adds a nuance of “for” or “as a favour to” someone (완성해 주신)
-시- = inserted into verbs/adjectives when the subject deserves extra respect (주신)
모든 = every, all
분 = a person
-께 = “to X”. This is the high respect version of “-에게” (분들께)
감사하다 = to appreciate, to thank
이젠 여러분이 제 친구들 같습니다.
You all feel like friends to me now.
이제 = now
여러분 = you guys, all of you
제 = I, me, my (formal version)
친구 = a friend
같다 = to feel like, to seem like
늘 나에게 영감과 위로, 귀감이 되어주는 나의 가족, 친구, 동료들에게 감사합니다.
Thank you to my family, friends, and colleagues who are ever my inspiration, my comfort, and my role models.
늘 = always, ever
-에게 = to X, for X (나에게)
영감 = an inspiration
위로 = comfort
귀감 = a role model
되다 = to become
가족 = a family
동료 = a colleague
또한 그 어떤 상황에도 서로를 믿고 달리는 방탄 친구들에게.
Also to my Bangtan friends, who press on with trust in each other no matter the circumstances.
또한 = plus, also, moreover
어떤 = some, a certain one, any kind of
상황 = a situation, circumstances
-에 = at x, on X, in X (상황에도)
서로 = each other
믿다 = to believe in, to trust
달리다 = literally “to run”, but is also used to mean to go hard, whether in life, in partying, whatever
그리고 낮에는 태양과 화초처럼, 밤에는 달과 호숫가처럼 날 지켜주는 지켜봐 주는 지금 이 글을 읽고 있는 당신계
And finally, to you reading these words now, you who watch over me and stay by my side like the sun and the flowers by day and the moon and the lakeshore by night,
그리고 = and
낮 = daytime
태양 = the sun
화초 = a flower, a flowering plant
밤 = night
달 = a moon
호숫가 = a lakeshore
지키다 = to stand by, protect, defend
지켜보다 = to watch over, take care of
지금 = now
글 = a piece of writing
읽다 = to read
당신 = you (formal)
가장 큰 사랑과 감사를 전하고 싶습니다.
I want to convey the greatest love and appreciation.
가장 = most
크다 = to be big
사랑 = love
전하다 = to convey, to deliver a message
부디 이 소리들이 경계와 단절을 넘어.
Please, may these words cross the disconnect and the boundaries,
부디 = please, I beg of you
소리 = a sound
경계 = a boundary
단절 = a state of being disconnected
넘다 = to surpass, exceed
사람과 사람을 넘어.
cross person after person,
사람 = a person
‘방탄’과 ‘아미’를 넘어 당신에게 가닿기를.
cross “Bangtan” and “Army” and make it through to you.
가닿다 = to get through to, to reach
-기를 = “I wish X would happen”, “If only X” (가닿기를)
제가 당신의 조약돌이었으면 합니다.
I hope I’m a pebble for you.
(I will admit the meaning of this line confused me at first, but this Weverse Magazine interview with Joon provided some insight into the meaning that the word “pebble” has for him. You can find his thoughts on it near the end of the article.)
조약돌 = a pebble
-이었으면 하다 / -었으면 하다 = to wish that X was the case (조약돌이었으면 합니다)
사랑합니다.
I love you.
