BTS has finally released their latest concept album, LOVE YOURSELF 結 ‘Answer’ and a brand new music video for its title track, ‘IDOL’ today at 6 pm KST (August 24).
This marks the final installment for Love Yourself : 起承轉結, the ongoing project by BTS that began on 2017.
The ‘Answer’ which connects the narratives from Love Yourself 起 Wonder, EP Love Yourself 承 ‘Her’, and studio album Love Yourself 轉 ‘Tear’ tells and teaches the story of a person after breaking away from his false ego and finally embracing his reality and true identity.
The repackaged album contains 25 tracks, including seven new songs. It is available in four different versions: S, E, L and F.
The astonishing ‘IDOL’ music video is surely overwhelming a lot of fans and critics as it showed a mixture of symbolism not only on being an idol, but also on being a South Korean itself.
BTS also seemed to have recreated scenes from their previous masterpieces like Just One Day, Dope, Fire, Blood Sweat & Tears, Not Today, DNA, MIC Drop, and more causing fans to look back on such iconic visuals!
Many are still figuring out how all those elements come together and what they really mean—from the Baekdu mountain tiger, the rabbit in the moon, the hip-and-gable roof (팔작지붕), the Chinese pavilion, South African influences (GQOM and Gwara Gwara), lion mask dances, the portraits, the reminiscence of RM’s poem on the reunification of Korea, and a lot more!
What we know for sure is that BTS and their team are sending out motivational messages that goes way beyond being an idol.
The “IDOL” features a multifaceted concept of self-love, a healthy combination of evaluation and acceptance of oneself by which a unique purpose is discovered, and a sense of empowerment is strengthened.
Aside from a mixture of different beats, the song in itself has definitely enriched its sound with the use of traditional Korean instruments, such as the Janggu (slim waist drum) and small Gong (꽹과리).
We can also hear the boys using exclamations (Chuimsae) like “Ul-soo” and “Deong-gi-deok kung-deo-reo-reo”; which are usually used in Korean traditional music from the 19th century called, Pansori (판소리) with a Gut-geo-ri rhythm (Beat). It is something like “Yeah”, “Great. So?”, “Really?”, and so on.
To complete the representation, BTS also used traditional dance steps while wearing traditional hats and (두루마기) overcoats in Hanbok, a type of clothing that’s usually worn by male Confucian scholars.
The music video takes us to a unique experience of a South Korean idol group celebrating their individuality and roots through music, as well as their prowess being young and versatile global artists. It concludes with the members confidently sitting back together in such fashionable outfits with a backdrop of what seems to be, a beautiful sunset.
ARMYs have gone wild as the ‘Answer’ is finally served. This album is filled with optimism and clarity—a perfect ending to the BTS’ Love Yourself series.
Check out some of the reactions below!
types of armys this comeback:
1. the theorist
2. waiting for theories
3. watched the mv in exact 6pm kst
4. watched the mv after school/work
5. waiting 4 updates
6. just woke up
7. doesnt have any idea
8. the screenshot every angle
9. inside their coffinswhich 1 r u?@BTS_twt
— 🌱 (@didvseemybag) August 24, 2018
Pop Art Interpretation: It’s a jungle down here, an ocean up there. We are watched & attacked by Sharks but the biggest threat to who we are is our ego. We have to protect ourselves from it. @BTS_twt #AnswerIsHere pic.twitter.com/njU00wTc4m
— Aileen 💜 and her BTS Thinking Hats. (@Awake_Aileen) August 24, 2018
RIP to ARMY who just watched #IDOL by @BTS_twt! That was a party-filled music video with so much color that it was complete eye candy for me!
Love the beat, love everything about it cos it’s so different! I find it to be quite ambitous & innovative with the blend of cultures! pic.twitter.com/RZLLYDEbdD
— Amelie of BTSxHollywood (@BTSxHollywood) August 24, 2018
BTS (방탄소년단) ‘IDOL’ (Lyrics and English Translation)
작사, 작곡: Pdogg, Supreme Boi, “hitman”bang, Ali Tamposi, Roman Campolo, RM, Onika Maraj
You can call me artist (나를아티스트라불러도돼)
You can call me idol (나를아이돌이라불러도돼)
Or whatever you come up with (아님어떤다른뭐라해도)
I don’t care (난상관하지않아)
I’m proud of it (난자랑스러우니까)
I’m free (난자유롭네)
No more irony (더이상의역설은없어)
For I was always me (나는항상나였기에)
Point your fingers, I don’t care at all (손가락질해, 나는전혀신경쓰지않네)
No matter what’s your reason to blame me (나를욕하는너의그이유가뭐든간에)
I know what I am (난내가누군지알아)
I know what I want (내가뭘원하는지알아)
I never gon’ change (바뀌지않을거야)
I never gon’ trade (바꾸지않을거야)
Trade off! (바꿈을멈춰)
What blah-blah-blah are you talking about (뭘 어쩌고 저쩌고 떠들어 대셔)
I do what I do (내가할일을하는거야)
So mind your own business (그니까넌너나잘하셔)
You can’t stop me lovin’ myself (내자신을사랑하는걸넌막지못해)
Ul-Soo! It’s awesome! (얼쑤좋다)
You can’t stop me lovin’ myself (내자신을사랑하는걸넌막지못해)
Ji-hwa-ja (Hurray) So great! (지화자좋다)
※Ji-hwa-ja : a shout to mark time in accompanying singing or dancing, corresponding to hand clapping
You can’t stop me lovin’ myself (내자신을사랑하는걸넌막지못해)
OHOHOHOH
OHOHOHOHOHOH
OHOHOHOH
Deong-gi-deok kung-deo-reo-reo (덩기덕쿵더러러)
Ul-Soo (얼쑤)
OHOHOHOH
OHOHOHOHOHOH
OHOHOHOH
Deong-gi-deok kung-deo-reo-reo (덩기덕쿵더러러)
Ul-Soo (얼쑤)
Face off, just like John Woo, ay (얼굴을바꿔)
Top star with that spotlight, ay (스포트라이트를받는탑스타)
Sometimes, become a superhero (때론 슈퍼 히어로가 돼)
Spin it your Anpanman 돌려대 너의Anpanman (호빵맨)
24 hours isn’t much (24시간이 적지)
Confusion, for me it’s a luxury (헷갈림, 내겐사치)
I do my thing (난내일을해)
I love myself (스스로를사랑해)
I love myself, I love my fans (나를사랑해, 내팬을사랑해)
Love my dance and my what (내춤과나의것을사랑해)
There are dozens or hundreds of myself in me (내속안엔몇십몇백명의내가있어)
Today, I welcomed another me (오늘또다른날맞이해)
After all, all of them is me (어차피전부다나이기에)
Rather than worry, I’ll just go at it (고민보다는걍달리네)
Runnin’ man (달리는사람)
Runnin’ man (달리는사람)
Runnin’ man (달리는사람)
—
I’m so fine wherever I go (내가어디를가든난괜찮아)
Sometimes, I find the longest way to go around (가끔멀리돌아가도)
It’s okay, I’m in love with my-myself (괜찮아, 난나를사랑하니까)
It’s okay, I’m happy in this moment (난이순간행복해 (괜찮아)
Ul-Soo! It’s awesome! (얼쑤좋다)
You can’t stop me lovin’ myself (내자신을사랑하는걸넌막지못해)
Hooray! It’s so great! (지화자좋다)
You can’t stop me lovin’ myself (내자신을사랑하는걸넌막지못해)
OHOHOHOH
OHOHOHOHOHOH
OHOHOHOH
Deong-gi-deok kung-deo-reo-reo (덩기덕쿵더러러)
Ul-Soo (얼쑤)
OHOHOHOH
OHOHOHOHOHOH
OHOHOHOH
Deong-gi-deok kung-deo-reo-reo (덩기덕쿵더러러)
Ul-Soo (얼쑤)
Love Yourself 結 ‘Answer’ by BTS on Spotify
THREAD
IDOL hints and theories 🧐#BTS #AnswerNow #Theories #IDOL @BTS_twt #LOVE_YOURSELF_結_Answer #NotReallyAnAnswer pic.twitter.com/8hAEloGRAx— 🏜🌊🇳🇦 (@BTS_RedPill) August 24, 2018