A list of BTS’ most socially-conscious, thoughtful, woke, non-love songs:
No More Dream * = about the pressure of the younger generation to follow the dreams of their parents/elders and give up the dreams of their own
길 (Road/Path) = about taking the untraditional path despite the uncertainty of the future
Intro: O!RUL8,2? = about pursuing your own dreams, taking chances, and living without regret
N.O * = about the machine-like nature of the current education system
팔도강산 (Satoori Rap) = about being proud of where you’re from and your dialect. acknowledges and unifies Korea’s vast linguistic/provincial diversity
Tomorrow = about making the future better by being the instigator for change and never forgetting who you really are
등골 브레이커 (Spine Breaker) * = comments on consumerism/materialism and respecting your elders
Jump = about remembering the hopeful dreams of one’s youth and growing up to become the hero of your own childhood
힙합성애자 (Hip Hop Lover) = about the power of music to change one’s life
Rain = comments on the repetition/monotony of life and that fact that one has to confront oneself in order to create change
BTS Cypher, Pt. 3: KILLER = haters? “i don’t give a fuck”
핸드폰 좀 꺼줄래 (Can You Turn Off Your Phone) = comments on society’s obsession with social media and the decline of face-to-face communication
2학년 (Second Grade) = about working hard and staying humble in order to reach the top
The Stars = about facing the ups and downs of life and never giving up no matter what
Wake Up = about continuing to work hard as others sleep & taking control of one’s life
The Most Beautiful Moment In Life, Part 1 (2015)
Intro: 화양연화 * = comments on the uncertainty of the future, the search to find one’s purpose, and the dangers of comparing oneself to others
I NEED U * = going beyond a classic love song, the song comments on the insecurity of youth
쩔어 (DOPE) * = about waking up the sleeping youth and breaking the stereotypes placed upon the younger generation by working hard to reach the top. reject rejection!
흥탄소년단 (Boyz with Fun) = about ignoring the judgement of other’s and doing what makes you happy
이사 (Move/Moving On) = about remembering/learning from the past while reaching for a higher place
The Most Beautiful Moment In Life, Part 2 (2015)
Intro: Never Mind * = about looking forward and working even harder if you feel like falling down
Run * = about not letting anything stop you from pursuing your passions
Butterfly = comments on the insecurities of youth & the fears of feeling dependent on someone
Whalien 52 = about loneliness & feeling like no one is listening/understanding
Ma City = comments on being aware/proud of your hometown’s history (& also calls out a Korean online terrorist group that targets minorities and leftists, especially people from Jeolla province, were J-Hope was born)
뱁새 (Baepsae/Silver Spoon) = comments on the concept of social status/privilege and the growing gap between the upper and lower class
고엽 (Dead Leaves) = comments on the difficulty of giving up something good for the better
The Most Beautiful Moment In Life: Young Forever (2016)
불타오르네 (FIRE) * = about how one should live however one wants to without labels & that it’s okay to lose
Save ME * = comments on the duality of youth (happiness and sadness) and thanks ARMYs for accepting who they (BTS) are and letting them be who they are
Epilogue: Young Forever * = comments on the difficulty, but importance, of facing reality, moving forward, and following one’s dreams
House of Cards = comments on how ignorance can be bliss but that reality will always catch up eventually
Good Day = comments on brotherhood and the importance of lifting each other up to create a brighter tomorrow
Wishing On A Star = about not being afraid to have big dreams because the more you hope, the more likely it will come true
Intro: Boy Meets Evil * = comments on the dangerous addiction of greed/ambition
피 땀 눈물 (Blood Sweat & Tears) * = comments on the danger/ease of succumbing to temptation & losing the innocence of youth
Begin * = about brotherhood & how the other members shaped him to become who he is today
Lie * = about feeling trapped under the lies he told himself & losing his identity in the process
Stigma * = about struggling with his self-identity & his guilt because he can’t always be there for the people he cares about
First Love * = about how the piano guided him to recover his passion for music
Reflection * = about insecurity, loneliness, self-hatred & learning to love himself
MAMA * = about thanking his mom for always supporting him & telling her she can lean on him now
Awake * = about acknowledging his limits and imperfections but trying hard anyway & putting the other members before himself
Lost = comments on the uncertainty of growing up and finding one’s own path
BTS Cypher Pt. 4 = about not listening to those trying to bring you down & to love yourself
Am I Wrong = comments on the corrupt government system that doesn’t care about the general public and only focuses on pleasing the top 1%
21 세기 소녀 (21st Century Girls) = comments on the unjust treatment of females in current society & a women-empowerment message of strength and self-love
둘! 셋! (그래도 좋은 날이 더 많기를) (2! 3!) = about enduring/overcoming hardship by sharing your burdens and finding strength from one’s loved ones
You Never Walk Alone (2017)
봄날 (Spring Day) * = comments on government corruption by referencing the Sewol Ferry Tragedy & is about missing a friend that you haven’t seen in a long time
Not Today * = about empowering the underdogs/minorities/women of the world
Outro: Wings = about believing in oneself and having trust in one’s decisions in order to choose one’s own path
A Supplementary Story: You Never Walk Alone = comments on the importance of teamwork in order to dream bigger and reach higher
=: live performance/dance practice
*:official music videos/trailers
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