Written by: Hannah Dang
Walk into any MINISO, H-MART, any retail push-cart on the streets of Flushing, New York, and I guarantee you the song playing on the speakers is one by BTS.
Who is BTS? BTS is a Korean boyband consisting of seven members that debuted on June 13, 2013 under BigHit Entertainment — now known as HYBE — with their song “No More Dream.” The initials stand for Bangtan Sonyeondan, which translates to “Bulletproof Boys” in Korean, and for “Beyond the Scene” worldwide. The members include RM (Kim Namjoon), Jin (Kim Seokjin), SUGA (Min Yoongi), J-Hope (Jung Hoseok), Jimin (Park Jimin), V (Kim Taehyung), and Jungkook (Jeon Jungkook). Fans of BTS are nicknamed A.R.M.Y, which stands for Adorable Representatives M.C.s for Youth.
People may think ARMYs are only interested in the visuals of BTS, but ask any genuine fan, and more often than not, the fans will bring up the members’ affinity for writing their own music. Outside of their group activities, every member has released several solo albums, EPs, singles, and participated in collaborations with other musical artists. Each of the members bring something different to the group — whether it be singing, rapping, acting, or dancing — but through their lyricism shines their ability to convey any emotion to their listeners.
1. RM
RM is the Leader of BTS, and despite his seriousness, he’s nicknamed the “God of Destruction” for his clumsiness. As of 2026, he has released three solo albums — mono., Indigo, and Right Place, Wrong Person.
One of my favorite songs co-written by RM and DOCSKIM is “Wild Flower” ft. youjeen, which is the main track for RM’s album, Indigo. In the first verse, RM writes “불꽃을 나는 동경했었네 / 그저 화려하게 지고 싶었네,” which translates to “I wished to be a flower of fire / I just wished to have a beautiful fall.” The lyrics are about his experience as an idol and a young artist, particularly on his fears of “burning up” too quickly like a firework, allowing fame and his greed consume who he is. He believed his work would become a forgotten memory and resolved to change his image.
By the time the chorus comes in, the lyrics are, “Light a flowerwork, flowerwork.” Through the wordplay of replacing “fire” with “flower,” RM resolves to be reborn as a wildflower. Instead of being forgotten, RM wants to create art, which is remembered, like wildflowers in open fields because wildflowers bloom in full every season.
2. Jin
“Mr. Worldwide Handsome,” Jin is the eldest member of BTS, and he was originally recruited for his visuals and gorgeous singing, earning him the name “The Silver Vocalist.” As time went on, fans of his were blessed with several singles and the release of his first album, Echo, in which his abilities as a songwriter awakened. My favorite song co-written by Jin, BUMZU, RM, and Pdogg is “Abyss,” an emotional ballad about feeling burn-out, anxiety, and questioning if he deserved his position as a celebrity. My favorite lyrics are in the chorus, in which the speaker, presumably Jin, is addressing himself who is submerged in an endless sea:
“아직도 나는 내게 머물러있다 /
목소린 나오질 않고 맴돌고만 있다 /
저 까만 곳 /
잠기고 싶어 가보고 싶어.”
“Still I remain as myself,
With my voice unable to come out, I just circle around him,
That dark place,
I’d like to be submerged in it, I’d like to go to it.”
This isn’t the first time BTS has used the image of the “sea” in their songs. More often than not, the “sea” represents both their fame and the love of the fans. Through his lyrics (and singing), Jin expresses he has become afraid of the “sea” BTS has built up, but more than fear, he chooses to embrace, love, and better understand himself.
3. SUGA
SUGA is the “music machine” of the group, and I’m not kidding when I say this man drinks, eats, sleeps, and breathes music. Unlike the rest of the members, Min Yoongi has two stage names, SUGA, the BTS member, and AGUST D, the solo rapper, co-writing and co-producing three of his solo albums — AGUST D, D-2, and D-DAY.
Not only are his lyrics top-tier in both his songs under the BTS label and his own releases, but he spares no effort in writing lyrics and performing in other people’s tracks. Picking a favorite from him is super hard, but I think I’ll have to go with his brief rapping verse in K-pop actress and singer IU’s song “eight.”
“섬 그래 여긴 섬 /
서로가 만든 작은 섬 /
예 음 forever young /
영원이란 말은 모래성 /
작별은 마치 재난문자 같지 /
그리움과 같이 맞이하는 아침 /
서로가 이 영겁을 지나 /
꼭 이 섬에서 다시 만나”
“Island, yeah, an island,
A small island that we both built,
Yeah, um, forever young,
The word forever is a sandcastle,
A goodbye is like a disaster text alert,
The morning I greet with the feeling of longing,
After we each pass this eternity,
let us meet on this island.”
The song is speculated to be dedicated to IU’s deceased friends, Sulli and Jonghyun, both of whom were celebrities who committed suicide after being cyberbullied by “fans,” serving to remind listeners to allow themselves to feel grief in full and to be grateful as life is fleeting but still meaningful. This is expressed in SUGA’s metaphor of “forever” being a sandcastle, something beautiful that was always meant to fall apart.
4. J-Hope
Literally the incarnation of sunshine, J-Hope is beloved by fans worldwide for his cheerful demeanor, bright laugh, and sharp dancing. He holds the position of “Main Dancer,” the highest position for a dancer in an idol group, and as a rapper alongside RM and SUGA. As of today, he has released two solo albums, Hope World and Jack in the Box.
My favorite song to be both co-produced and co-written by J-Hope, Pdogg, Supreme Boi, RM, SUGA, and Roman Campolo is “Dionysus,” one of the tracks on BTS’s best-selling album, Map of the Soul: Persona. According to ancient Greek mythology, Dionysus was one of the 12 Olympians and is considered the god of theater, winemaking, madness, and religious ecstasy. By naming the song “Dionysus,” J-Hope is comparing BTS to have as much influence as the god of theater himself, making it known he and the other members “get drunk” on making music.
Choosing only a couple of lines out of the entire song was a challenge in it of itself because there were so many great ones, but if I had to pick it would have to be the following:
“다 마셔 마셔 마셔 마셔 내 술잔 ay
다 빠져 빠져 빠져 미친 예술가에
한 잔 (one shot) 두 잔 (two shots)
예술에 취해 불러 옹헤야”
“All drink, drink, drink, drink my glass, ay
All fall, fall, fall for a mad artist
One glass (one shot), two glasses (two shots)
Drunk in art, sing ongheya.”
I absolutely adore this song, as it’s a change in pace from the softer, melodious songs BTS have been making recently. “Dionysus” felt like an ode to their artistry, and the theme of idol versus godhood was weaved expertly into the song’s narrative. To people who don’t know, “ongheya” is a common phrase in Korean folk music typically sung during the harvesting season.
5. Jimin
Known by the fans as both “Mochi,” “Chim Chim,” and the “Little Prince” for his picturesque visuals and gentle demeanor, Park Jimin is one of BTS’s Lead Dancers and Lead Vocalists. His unique vocals and graceful dancing earned him praise from several celebrities, including other idols in the industries. Jimin is definitely my favorite dancer to watch, but in addition to listening to him sing, we can’t forget to credit his songwriting abilities.
The first single to be written by him was “Promise” in 2018, and since then, Jimin went on to feature on original soundtracks for dramas, feature on other artists’ songs, and release two solo albums, FACE in 2023 and MUSE in 2025.
His first solo album, FACE, has “Set Me Free Pt.2” as the title track, and he is credited as one of the songwriters alongside GHSTLOOP, Pdogg, and Supreme Boi. As the song is about liberating oneself from self-imposed or external pressures, some of my favorite lines have to be the following:
“Look at me now /
더 이상 아파도 숨지 않아 /
미치지 않기 위해 미치려는 것 /
지나간 나를 위해 손을 들어.”
“Look at me now,
Even if it hurts, I don’t hide anymore,
Going insane to stay sane,
I raise my fist for the past me.”
The verse makes a brief reference to one of BTS’s main tracks on their hit album MAP OF THE SOUL: 7, “ON.” One of the lines in “ON” is “To remain sane, one must go insane.” Jimin is referencing “ON,” a song about overpowering struggles and looking back on how far the band has come, to resonate the same theme in “Set Me Free Pt. 2.”
Jimin is exclaiming he is proud of who he is now, painting a new layer over his past image. The ending line, “I raise my fist for the past me,” is Jimin choosing to “fight back” against the critics and haters who destroyed his self-esteem. To him, the greatest revenge is showing the haters he’s doing better than ever before.
6. V
ARMYs’ “Winter Bear,” “CGV,” and “4D Alien.” His unique nicknames are a testament to his equally unique personality and jaw-dropping beauty. He’s one of the Lead Dancers, a Lead Vocalist classified as a baritone, and also featured in the historical Korean drama, Hwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth. Like the rest of the members, V also has a hand in songwriting and producing music, releasing his EP Layover in 2023 and his single “FRI(END)S” in 2024.
One of my favorite songs he helped co-write is the ballad “Blue & Grey” which was one of the tracks on BTS’s album, BE, an album dedicated to the struggles people faced during the 2019 COVID-19 pandemic. The song was intended to act as a source of comfort in the midst of the isolation the entire world was experiencing. Some of my favorite lyrics are:
“I just wanna be happier
내 손의 온길 느껴줘
따뜻하지가 않아서 네가 더욱 필요해
Oh this ground feels so heavier
I am singing by myself
먼 훗날 내가 웃게 되면
말할게 그랬었다고.”
“I just wanna be happier,
Please feel the warmth of my hands,
It’s because they are not warm that I need you even more,
Oh this ground feels so heavier,
I am singing by myself,
In the distant future, when I get to smile,
I’ll tell you that there was such a time.”
BTS, particularly V, is reminding their fans they’re not going anywhere. Through the lyrics, the members are echoing the same sentiments the fans are feeling as a result of the quarantine. We all feel as though we are “singing by [ourselves],” but the verse ends on an uplifting note. The line, “I’ll tell you that there was such a time,” is BTS telling us happier and better days are coming, and soon enough, we will look back in the past and laugh together.
7. Jungkook
My BTS bias, Jeon Jungkook, is the Main Vocalist in BTS. Nicknames from fans include “Golden Maknae” and “Muscle Bunny.” Apart from being the band’s heartthrob and possessing a euphoric singing voice, one of Jungkook’s talents also shine in his songwriting.
The song “your eyes tell” was co-composed and co-written by Jungkook, SunnyBoy, and Uta, and it was originally going to be featured in Jungkook’s mixtape, but it was picked to be used as the ending credits song for the Japanese film of the same name. The film, Your eyes tell, follows the heartbreaking love story of a delinquent and a girl who is blind. As a romantic himself, Jungkook was inspired to write a ballad of hope and love through the motif of eyes, which represent the delinquent character’s wish to become his love interest’s eyes.
“愛される
愛せるよう
瞳になるよ
これからの旅に.”
To be loved,
To love someone,
I’ll become your eye,
For the adventure that lies ahead.”
Love is used in both the past (“loved”) and present (“love”) tenses here, which symbolizes love as a redeeming and motivating force. The metaphor of “becoming [their] eye” represents the speaker’s willingness to show their gratitude to their lover, while at the same time, the speaker wants to become their lover’s eye to fully understand what their lover sees in them. I haven’t watched the movie yet myself, but considering the longing tone of the song, I know it’s definitely a tearjerker, which is right up Jungkook’s alley.
When it comes to lyrics, BTS has no equal, and their poignant lyrics and soulful singing will definitely resurface in their first comeback album since their return from completing their military service.
Be sure to presave BTS’s ARIRANG, and mark Friday, March 20 on your calendars for their first comeback after three years.
You won’t want to miss it.
Sources:
https://genius.com/Genius-english-translations-bts-your-eyes-tell-english-translation-lyrics
Featured Image Caption: From left to right is RM, Jin, V, Jungkook, SUGA, Jimin, and J-Hope in black and white suits happily posing for a picture during their visit to the United States’ White House in Washington D.C.
