English translation and Korean lesson with the lyrics of seoul (prod. Honne) by RM of BTS, from the 2018 album mono.
Produced by: HONNE
Written by: HONNE, RM
Find it here: Youtube • Spotify • Apple Music • SoundCloud
Verse 1:
차가운 새벽 공기에
In the cold dawn air
차갑다 = to be cold
새벽 = dawn, the small hours of the morning
공기 = air
-에 = at X, on X (공기에)
난 몰래 눈을 뜨네
I surreptitiously open my eyes.
나 = I, me
몰래 = surreptitiously, without anyone knowing
눈 = an eye
뜨다 = to open (eyes only, not doors, windows, etc)
-네 = adds a nuance of surprise or amazement (뜨네)
이 도시의 harmony 난 너무나 익숙해
I’m so used to this city’s harmony.
이 = this, these
도시 = a city
-의 = indicates possession, like ‘s in English (도시의)
너무나 = extremely
익숙하다 = to be accustomed to, familiar with
내 어린 날들은 아득하고
My childhood days are so distant, and
(Double meaning: RM didn’t grow up in Seoul, but the neighbouring city of Ilsan.)
내 = I, me, my
어린 = a child
날 = a day
-들 = makes a noun plural (날들은)
아득하다 = to be distant, remote
-고 = X and (아득하고)
빌딩과 차들만 가득해도
even though it’s filled with nothing but buildings and cars,
-과 / -와 = “and” when followed by an accompanying noun. Otherwise “with”. (빌딩과)
차 = a car
-만 = just X, only X (차들만)
가득하다 = to be filled with
-아도 / -어도 = eve if X, even though X (가득해도)
이젠 여기가 나의 집인걸
this is now my home.
이제 = now
여기 = here
집 = a house, a home
Seoul Seoul
넌 왜 soul과 발음 비슷한 걸까
Why are you pronounced the same as soul?
너 = you
왜 = why
발음 = pronunciation
비슷하다 = to be similar
무슨 영혼을 가졌길래
What kind of soul do you possess?
무슨 = what, which, what kind of
영혼 = a soul
가지다 = to have, to own
-길래 = because X (가졌길래)
무엇이 날 이토록 너의 곁에 잡아두나
What is it that keeps me at your side like this?
무엇 = what
이토록 = like this, to this extent
곁 = one’s side (not the side of one’s body, but the spot at one’s side)
잡아두다 = to hold onto (잡다 = to hold + 두다 = to leave as is, to put)
네게 난 추억조차 없는데
I don’t even have memories of you.
네 = you, your
-에게 = to X, for X (네게)
추억 = a memory that has emotion attached to it
-조차 = even X (추억조차)
없다 = to not be found, not exist
난 이제 니가 너무 지겨워
I’m so tired of you now.
니 = you, your (alternate spelling of 네)
너무 = too, so
지겹다 = to be tired of, to find something tedious
너의 맨날 똑같은 잿빛 표정
Your ashy expression, every day the same.
(Seoul suffers from chronic fine dust pollution, often making the air extremely grey and ashy looking.)
맨날 = every day
똑같다 = to be exactly the same
잿빛 = ashiness, greyish hue
표정 = an expression (facial, not verbal)
아니 아니 나는 내가 두려워
No, no. I’m scared of myself.
아니 = no
두렵다 = to be scared
이미 너의 일부가 돼버렸거든
Because I’ve already become a part of you.
이미 = already
일부 = a part of something
되다 = to become
-어버리다 / -아버리다 = to “completely” do X, to go and do X. Read more here. (돼버렸거든)
-거든 = because X (돼버렸거든)
Chorus:
사랑과 미움이 같은 말이면 I love you, Seoul
If love and hate are the same word, I love you, Seoul.
사랑 = love
미움 = hate
같다 = to be the same
말 = a word, speech
-이면 / -면 = if its is X – used with nouns. There is a nearly identical form of this particle for use with verbs/adjectives. (말이면)
사랑과 미움이 같은 말이면 I hate you, Seoul
If love and hate are the same word, I hate you, Seoul.
사랑과 미움이 같은 말이면 I love you, Seoul
If love and hate are the same word, I love you, Seoul.
사랑과 미움이 같은 말이면 I hate you, Seoul
If love and hate are the same word, I hate you, Seoul.
Verse 2:
가만히 있어도 풍경이 바뀌는 버스와
The buses that change the scenery even when I’m standing still, and
가만히 = without moving
있다 = to be found, to exist
풍경 = scenery
바뀌다 = to change
비슷한 듯 조금씩 다른 빌딩
the similar but slightly different buildings.
듯 = as if X (X being the preceding noun/clause)
조금씩 = a little bit
다르다 = to be different
역한 듯 아닌 듯한 삶의 향과
The scent of life that’s disgusting, but also not, and
역하다 = to be disgusting, repulsive
아니다 = to not be X (X being the preceding noun)
삶 = life
향 = a scent
따뜻한 척 하는 차가운 공원들
the cold parks pretending to be warm.
따뜻하다 = to be warm
척 하다 = to pretend
공원 = a park
늘 헤매야 하는 사람들과
The people, always forced to wander,
늘 = always
헤매다 = to wander, to roam
-아야 하다 / -어야 하다 = to have to do X (헤매야 하는)
사람 = a person
너무 많은 한을 품는 한강들과
the Han rivers that hold so much Han,
(Han is a uniquely Korean word that describes an emotion that is a combination of sorrow, pain, wistfulness, anger, and yet also hope. Read the “Definition” section of the linked article for a more thorough understanding of it. The Han river is the large river that runs through Seoul.)
많다 = to be many
품다 = to hold, to harbor, to bear
강 = a river
혼자 하늘을 볼 수 없는 그네들과
those who can’t see the sky on their own,
혼자 = alone
하늘 = a sky
보다 = to look at, to see
-ㄹ 수 없다 / -을 수 없다 = to not be able to do X (볼 수 없는)
그네 = them, they
다 큰애들과
all the grown children, and
다 = all
크다 = to be big
애 = a kid
좀 늦어버린 나
me, who’s a bit late to the scene.
좀 = a bit, a little
늦다 = to be late
친구들은 툭하면 떠나겠다 해
My friends often say they’re going to leave.
친구 = a friend
툭하면 = often, easily
떠나다 = to leave
난 끄덕거려 보지만 웃질 못해
I nod, but I can’t smile.
끄덕거리다 = to nod
-어 보다 / -아 보다 = to give X a try, to see about doing X. Read more here. (끄덕거려 보지만)
-지만 = X but (보지만)
웃다 = to smile, to laugh
못하다 = to not be able to do X (X being the accompanying verb)
너무 인정하기 싫지만
I really don’t want to admit it, but
인정하다 = to admit, to acknowledge
-기 싫다 = to not want to do X (인정하기 싫지만)
이미 난 너의 매연과 그 역겨움까지 다 사랑해
I already love it all, down to your disgusting exhaust fumes.
매연 = exhaust
그 = that, those
역겨움 = repulsiveness
-까지 = until X, up to and including X (역겨움까지)
사랑하다 = to love
청계천의 비린내를 사랑해
I love the fishy smell of Cheonggyecheon.
비린내 = a fishy smell
선유도의 쓸쓸함을 사랑해
I love the lonesomeness of Seonyudo.
쓸쓸함 = lonesomeness
돈만 있으면 살기 좋다던 어느 택시기사의 한숨까지도
Even the sighing of the random taxi driver who says as long as you’ve got the money, it’s a good place to live.
I love you
돈 = money
-으면 / -면 = if/when X (있으면)
살다 = to live
좋다 = to be good
어느 = some, a certain one
기사 = a driver
한숨 = a sigh
-도 = X too, even X (한숨까지도)
Chorus:
사랑과 미움이 같은 말이면 I love you, Seoul
If love and hate are the same word, I love you, Seoul.
사랑과 미움이 같은 말이면 I hate you, Seoul
If love and hate are the same word, I hate you, Seoul.
사랑과 미움이 같은 말이면 I love you, Seoul
If love and hate are the same word, I love you, Seoul.
사랑과 미움이 같은 말이면 I hate you, Seoul
If love and hate are the same word, I hate you, Seoul.
사랑과 미움이 같은 말이면 I love you, Seoul
If love and hate are the same word, I love you, Seoul.
사랑과 미움이 같은 말이면 I hate you, Seoul
If love and hate are the same word, I hate you, Seoul.
사랑과 미움이 같은 말이면 I love you, Seoul
If love and hate are the same word, I love you, Seoul.
사랑과 미움이 같은 말이면 I hate you, Seoul
If love and hate are the same word, I hate you, Seoul.
Bridge:
I’m leavin’ you
I’m livin’ you
I’m leavin’ you
I’m livin’ you
I’m leavin’ you
I’m livin’ you
I’m leavin’ you
I’m livin’ you
Seoul
Chorus:
사랑과 미움이 같은 말이면 I love you, Seoul
If love and hate are the same word, I love you, Seoul.
사랑과 미움이 같은 말이면 I hate you, Seoul
If love and hate are the same word, I hate you, Seoul.
사랑과 미움이 같은 말이면 I love you, Seoul
If love and hate are the same word, I love you, Seoul.
사랑과 미움이 같은 말이면 I hate you, Seoul
If love and hate are the same word, I hate you, Seoul.
사랑과 미움이 같은 말이면 I love you, Seoul
If love and hate are the same word, I love you, Seoul.
사랑과 미움이 같은 말이면 I hate you, Seoul
If love and hate are the same word, I hate you, Seoul.
사랑과 미움이 같은 말이면 I love you, Seoul
If love and hate are the same word, I love you, Seoul.
사랑과 미움이 같은 말이면 I hate you, Seoul
If love and hate are the same word, I hate you, Seoul.
Outro:
Seoul
I love you, Seoul
I hate you, Seoul
I love you, Seoul
I hate you, Seoul
