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Learn Korean with BTS Lyrics | 'If I Ruled the World' Korean Lyrics Explained

Feb 24, 2025
17 min read

Updated: Jul 13

Pastel promo graphic for Learn Korean with BTS: If I Ruled the World lyrics explained, with a phone showing translations.
Learn Korean with BTS Lyrics | ‘If I Ruled the World’ Vocabulary in Context

Let’s study Korean with BTS Lyrics! In this post, we’ll break down each lyric in BTS’ ‘If I Ruled the World’ with detailed vocabulary and grammar notes to help you understand the meaning of the Korean used. Whether you’re a fan looking to deepen your connection to the music or a language learner studying through lyrics, this post is for you. Click the expand arrow beside each lyric to view the notes and explanations for that line.


Want to turn this into a study challenge? Try reading each line and testing your understanding before checking the notes. See how much you can recognize on your own—then expand the section to check your answers and learn something new. It’s a great way to strengthen your Korean comprehension while enjoying BTS’s lyrics.


To take your practice even further, I’ve also linked videos from my YouTube channel in this post—perfect for reviewing vocab, testing your lyric knowledge, and making your BTS Korean study sessions more fun and interactive.


자, 시작해 볼까? Let’s dive into the lyrics and learn Korean with BTS!


BTS (방탄소년단) - 'If I Ruled the World' Lyrics (With English Translation & Korean Grammar/Vocabulary Notes)

[V, vocal line] : If I ruled the world I'd do it all

(Westside, westside, westside)


[RM] : Westside 'till I die


Gimme the real world man

[V, vocal line] : If I ruled the world I'd do it all

(Westside, westside, westside)


[RM] : Yeah it's BTS


If I ruled the world I'd have it all



남자라면: if you’re a man

  • 남자 (man) + -라면 (if it is / if you are)


똑같겠지: it’ll probably be the same / I guess it’s the same

  • 똑같다 (to be exactly the same) + -겠지 (guessing / assumption: “it will probably…”)



완전히: completely / totally

  • 완전 (complete / total) + -히 (adverbial suffix)


없어지네: (it) disappears / is gone

  • 없어지다 (to disappear / vanish) + -네 (expressive ending: realization / noticing / mild surprise)


인종차별: racism

  • 인종 (race) + 차별 (discrimination)

European, Asian, Caucasian girls (I have 'em)



그리곤: and then / after that

  • 그리고 (and / and then) + -는 (topic/emphasis) → 그리고는 → 그리곤 (contracted)


불러: call

  • 부르다 (to call / to sing / to invite) + -어 (informal present)


릭오웬스: Rick Owens (Rick Owens; avant-garde high-fashion designer)


앤드뮬뮈스터: Ann Demeulemeester (Ann Demeulemeester; Belgian minimal/avant-garde designer)



알렉산더 왕: Alexander Wang (Alexander Wang; American fashion designer known for modern, edgy designs)


셰인 올리버: Shayne Oliver (Shayne Oliver; American designer, founder of Hood By Air—avant-garde, provocative streetwear)



평생: for a lifetime / lifelong (one’s entire life; for the duration of life)


만들게 해: make (someone) create / cause (someone) to make

  • 만들다 (to make / create) + -게 하다 (to make / cause someone to do something) → -게 해 (casual)


김남준: Kim Namjoon (RM)


컬렉션: collection (English loanword)



: clothes / outfit


색깔은: as for the color / the color is

  • 색깔 (color) + -은 (topic marker)


까만색으로: in black / with black

  • 까만색 (black color) + -으로 (with / in; indicates manner or choice)


이제야: only now / finally / at last


: a little / somewhat


만족스러: satisfied / satisfactory

  • 만족스럽다 (to be satisfying / to be satisfied) → 만족스러워 (present tense) → 만족스러 (informal shortened form)

Music, turn it up



지루해져: becomes bored / gets bored

  • 지루하다 (to be bored) → 지루해지다 (to become bored) + -어 (casual present)


후비는: picking / poking

  • 후비다 (to poke / pick at something / dig into, like a nose or ear) + -는 (present modifier)

*코를 후비다 = to pick one’s nose


콧구녕: nostril (slangy, rougher than 코 / 콧구멍)



노랠: a song (object)

  • 노래 (song) + -를 (object) → 노랠 (contracted colloquial form of 노래를)


만들어: make / create

  • 만들다 (to make / create) + -어 (informal imperative/present)


지구상: on Earth / in the world

  • 지구 (Earth) + 상 (on / in the realm of)


모든: all / every (inclusive modifier for the following noun)


사람들에게: to the people

  • 사람 (person / people) + -들 (plural) + -에게 (to / for; indirect object marker)

*Grammar note: -에게 marks the target / recipient / direction toward a person. [Recipient + 에게] + [Action Verb]. So the 에게 phrase is just a modifier telling the verb: “this action is directed toward THEM.”


부르게 해: make (them) sing

  • 부르다 (to sing / to call) + -게 하다 (to make / cause someone to do something) → -게 해 (casual)



노래: song


제목은: the title is (topic)

  • 제목 (title) + -은 (topic marker)


애구가: “a song of seeking love” / “a love-yearning anthem” (pun on 애국가)

  • 애구가 = 애 (사랑 / affection) + 구 (구하다: to seek) + 가(歌: song)

*Pun: 애국가 (ae-guk-ga, Korea’s national anthem: 愛國歌 = “song of loving the nation”) → change 국 國 (nation) to 구 求 (seeking) → 애구가 = “song of seeking (love)” instead of “song of loving the nation”



이쁜: pretty / beautiful

  • 예쁘다 (to be pretty) → 예쁜 (adjective form) → 이쁜 (colloquial spoken variation)


여자들에게: by / among pretty women

  • 여자 (woman) + -들 (plural) + -에게 (by / among)

*Grammar note: When verbs are passive or experiential, -에게 often marks the source or agent — the thing causing the state. Korean uses -에게 for humans in passive-like meanings where English would say: by / from / surrounded by / affected by. So overall, -에게 marks the person the action is oriented around—with active/causative verbs it means the recipient or audience (“to”), and with passive or state verbs it marks the people causing or surrounding that state (“by / among”).


파묻혀: buried / being buried

  • 파묻히다 (to be buried / to be engulfed) (passive form of 파묻다) + -어 (casual)


TV를: TV (object)

  • TV (television) + -를 (object marker)


: watch

  • 보다 (to see / watch) + -아 (casual imperative/present)



세상의: of the world / world's

  • 세상 (world) + -의 (possessive particle, showing that the women belong to or are part of the world)


모든: all or every (modifying a noun)


여자들: women

  • 여자 (Woman) + -들 (plural marker, making it "women" (as opposed to "woman"))


: me (as the object)

  • 나 (I or me) + -를 (object particle, marking "me" as the object of the action) → contracted to


위해: for / for the sake of

  • 위하다 (to do for someone or for the sake of) → 위하여 → 위해 (contracted form used before nouns and verbs)



남자들: men / guys

  • 남자 (man / guy) + -들 (plural)


너넨: you guys (topic)

  • 너희 (you all) + -는 (topic marker) → 너희는 → 너넨 (contracted) (spoken)


: alcohol / liquor


가져와: bring it / bring (imperative)

  • 가져오다 (to bring / fetch) + -아 (casual imperative)


그냥: just / simply


없어져도: even if you disappear / even if you go away

  • 없어지다 (to disappear / vanish) + -도 (also / even if)


좋아: it’s good

  • 좋다 (to be good) + -아 (casual)



어쨌든: anyway / in any case / regardless of what happened


여긴: here is / as for here

  • 여기 (here) + -는 (topic marker) → 여기는 → 여긴 (colloquial contraction)


: my

  • 나 (I) + -의 (possessive particle) → 내 (my)


왕국이니까: because it’s a kingdom / since it’s a kingdom

  • 왕국 (kingdom) + 이다 (to be) + -니까 (because / since / given that; giving a reason or justification)


[V, vocal line] : If I ruled the world

I'd do it all (I'd do it all)

I said 1 for the money, 2 for the money

If i ruled the world

I'd do it all (I'd do it all)

I said 1 for the money, 2 for the money


Everybody say he-o-e-oh-oh!

Everybody say he-o-e-oh-oh!

Everybody say hey, ho! Hey-hey-ho!



말도 안된다는 걸: the fact that it doesn’t even make sense / that it makes no sense

  • 말 (speech / words) + -도 (also / even) + 안 되다 (not work / not be possible)

    → literally “even words don’t work” → “nonsense / absurd” → 말도 안되다 (to be absurd / make no sense) + -ㄴ다는 (quoting form used to embed a statement: “that (someone says/that it is…)”) + 걸 (contraction of 것을, meaning “the fact/thing that…” and often used as an object in the sentence)


*Grammar note: Korean uses the ending -다고 to express “that…”, turning a full sentence into information you can know, think, or talk about. English uses the word “that,” but Korean uses a quote form instead. Start with the basic quote ending -다고, which marks a whole clause as content: 말도 안되다 → 말도 안된다고 = “‘it’s ridiculous’” (quoted statement / idea). This doesn’t always mean someone literally said it — it just signals that the sentence is being treated as information. When that quoted clause modifies a noun like 것 (“thing/fact”), it changes shape: 말도 안된다고 + 는 것 → 말도 안된다는 것 = “the fact/idea that it’s ridiculous.” So -다는 comes from -다고 plus an attributive form, turning the quoted sentence into a noun phrase.


English: I know [that you’re leaving].


Korean: 나는 [네가 떠난다고] 알아.

(I know [you’re leaving-다고].)


English → verb + [that + sentence]

Korean → [sentence-다고] + verb


아는데: although I know / even though I know

  • 알다 (to know) + -는데 (contrastive connective → “although / but…”)


불러보는: that I try to sing / try singing

  • 부르다 (to sing / to call) + -아/어 보다 (to try doing something) + -는 (modifier for a following noun)


철없는: childish / immature

  • 철없다 (to be immature / to lack sense) + -은 (adjective form)


노래: song


가끔: sometimes


꿈을 꿔: (I) dream

  • 꿈 (dream) + -을 (object) + 꾸다 (to dream) → 꿔 (informal present)



내가: I (subject)

  • 나 (I) + -가 (subject marker)


만약: if / in case (introduces a hypothetical scenario)


세상을: the world (object)

  • 세상 (world) + -을 (object marker)


지배한다면: if (I) rule / if (I) dominate

  • 지배하다 (to rule / dominate) + -ㄴ/는다면 (conditional “if … then”; hypothetical)


일단: first / for now / to start with


먼저: first / before anything else

  • 일단 + 먼저 together = “first of all, before anything else”


: I (topic)

  • 나 (I) + -는 (topic marker) → 나는 → 난 (contracted)


공인중개사를: (a) real estate agent (as the object)

  • 공인중개사 (licensed real estate agent) + -를/을 (object marker) → 공인중개사를


찾아가: go find / go looking for

  • 찾다 (to find / look for) + 가다 (to go) → 찾아가다 (to go find) + -아 (casual present)


가족과: with family

  • 가족 (family) + -과 (with)


함께: together / with


: to live (modifier form)

  • 살다 (to live) + -ㄹ (attributive future/descriptive form → “(a house) to live (in)”)


집을: a house (object)

  • 집 (house / home) + -을 (object)


사고파: want to buy

  • 사다 (to buy) + -고 싶어 (want to [verb]) → -고파 (colloquial / casual contraction)



그래: alright / yeah / okay (casual agreement / affirmation)


그 다음은: next is / then the next thing is

  • 그 (that) + 다음 (next) + -은 (topic marker)


: my

  • 나 (I) + -의 (possessive particle) → 내 (my)


장롱면허: dormant driver’s license

  • 장롱 (closet) + 면허 (license) → 장롱면허 = “closet license” (a driver’s license you have but never use)


잠에서: from sleep

  • 잠 (sleep) + -에서 (from / out of; starting point of the action)


깨워줘야지: I should wake (it) up / I have to wake (it) up (casual)

  • 깨우다 (to wake someone up) + -아/어 주다 (“please do for me," makes it a softer or more polite request) → 깨워주다 (to do the waking for someone) + -아/어야 하다 (must / should / have to) → 깨워줘야 하다 (must / should wake someone up) + -지 (sentence-ending nuance: “right?”, soft resolution, casual self-talk) → 깨워줘야지 (contracted, natural spoken form)



4륜구동: four-wheel drive

  • 4륜 (four wheels) + 구동 (drive / propulsion)


차를: a car (object)

  • 차 (car / vehicle) + -를 (object marker)


구입하고: purchase and

  • 구입하다 (a formal / written word meaning “to purchase” or “to acquire”) + -고 (and / connecting action)


기름을: fuel / gas / oil (object)

  • 기름 (oil / fuel) + -을 (object marker)


주입하고: fill up and / pump (fuel) and

  • 주입하다 (to inject / fill / pump in) + -고 (and / connecting action)


이런 게: something like this / this kind of thing

  • 이렇다 (to be like this) + -ㄴ (adjective modifier) → 이런 (the thing that is like this) + 것 (thing) + -이 (subject marker) → 것이 → contracted to 게


무리라도: even if it’s excessive / even if it’s unreasonable

  • 무리 (excess / unreasonable) + -라도 (even if / even though; concessive particle)


무이자인: interest-free / that is interest-free

  • 무이자 (no interest) + -인 (attributive form of 이다 → “that is …” used to modify a noun)


할부로: by installments / in installments

  • 할부 (installment payment) + -로 (by / with / via; method particle)


주식과: stocks and

  • 주식 (stocks / shares) + -과 (and; noun-connecting particle)


도박: gambling


그딴 건: that kind of thing (topic, dismissive)

  • 그 (that) + 딴 (other / different / “that kind of” - slangy, negative variant of “다른”) + 것 (thing) + -은 (topic marker) → 것은 → 건 (contracted)


안 하고파: I don’t want to do (it)

  • 안 (not / don’t [verb]) + 하다 (to do) + -고 싶다 (want to) → -고파 (colloquial contraction) → 안 하고파 = “don’t wanna do (it)”


세상을: the world (object)

  • 세상 (world) + -을 (object)


지배했는데: I ruled (but…) / I dominated (and yet…)

  • 지배하다 (to rule / dominate) + -했- (past) + -는데 (contrast / background explanation → “but / even though / and yet”)


: why


그리: so / that much / to that extent


꿈이: the dream / my dream (subject)

  • 꿈 (dream) + -이 (subject marker)


소박하냐는 질문은: “(the question) asking why (the dream) is modest”

  • 소박하다 (to be modest / humble / simple) + -냐(고) (used when you quote a question indirectly) + -는 (modifier that turns the question into a noun phrase: “the question asking whether…”) [-냐고 하는 → -냐는] + 질문 (question) + -은 (topic)


: don’t (informal / dialectal / colloquial negative imperative)

  • 말다 (to not do / to stop) → -지 마 (don’t do X) → 마 (shortened, very casual). 마 still means “don’t (do that)”, but the verb is omitted because it’s obvious from context. 말다 (to not do / to stop) → -지 마 (don’t do) → 마 (don’t)



: I (topic)

  • 나 (I) + -는 (topic marker) → 나는 → 난 (contracted)


방탄: Bangtan / Bulletproof (BTS)

  • 방탄 (bulletproof; from 방탄소년단 “Bulletproof Boy Scouts,” BTS)


식구들과: with the family members / with the group members

  • 식구 (family members; also used for close-knit group/team) + -들 (plural) + -과 (with)




그래도: still / even so / nevertheless


여전히: still / as always


음악이고파: I want music / I want to be music / I want (to do) music so badly

  • 음악 (music) + 이다 (to be) + -고 싶어 (want to) → -고파 (colloquial contraction)

*When the “verb” is a noun + 이다, the structure N + 이고 싶어 means: “I want to be ___” / “I want to do ___ as my identity / role” / “I want ___ (in the sense of wanting to embody it or pursue it).” In creative contexts (like lyrics), it often means “I want music itself / I want to be music / I want to live as music.” Because the noun is 음악, you can interpret: “I want music.” / “I want to be music.” / “I want to live as music.” / “I crave music.” / “I want music so badly.” Korean allows this ambiguity because 이다 + 고 싶어 can mean both want to be X and want X as a role/state/identity.


: I (topic)

  • 나 (I) + -는 (topic marker) → 나는 → 난 (contracted)


힙합계의: of the hip-hop world / in the hip-hop scene

  • 힙합계 (hip-hop world / hip-hop field) + -의 (possessive “of”)


김정은이: Kim Jong-un (subject)

  • 김정은 (Kim Jong-un; used metaphorically for an absolute ruler / authoritarian figure) + -이 (subject marker)


되서: become and then… / so / after becoming

  • 되다 (to become) + -서 (connective ending meaning “and then,” “so,” “after,” or “by (doing so).”)


우리: our / we


음악: music


말곤: except for / other than

  • 말고 (except for / aside from) + -는 (topic marker) → 말고는 → 말곤 (contracted)


심의를: censorship / review (object)

  • 심의 (review / censorship; official content evaluation) + -를 (object marker)


걸겠어: I’ll impose / I’ll set (a restriction)

  • 걸다 (to hang / place / set / attach or apply / put onto - depending on context) + -겠- (future intention / determination → “I will”) + -어 (casual present ending) → 걸겠어 = “I’ll set / impose (it).”



얼토당토 안한: nonsensical / absurd / ridiculous

  • 얼토당토 않다 (to be absurd / to make no sense) [This is an idiomatic expression that essentially means “to be preposterous / to be far-fetched / to be ridiculous.”] + -은 (modifier) → 않은 (that is absurd / that makes no sense)

    *않은 is the dictionary-correct form. This gives the meaning: 얼토당토 않은 = nonsensical, absurd. 안한 appears here even though the grammar should be 않은 possibly as a informal / phonetic spelling used for style, sound, or rhythm


꿈이지만: it’s a dream, but…

  • 꿈 (dream / aspiration) + 이다 (to be) + -지만 (but / although; contrast)




놀리지 마: don’t tease / don’t mock

  • 놀리다 (to tease / to mock) + -지 마 (don’t do; informal negative imperative)


[V, vocal line] : If I ruled the world

I'd do it all (I'd do it all)

I said 1 for the money, 2 for the money

If I ruled the world

I'd do it all (I'd do it all)

I said 1 for the money, 2 for the money


Everybody say he-o-e-oh-oh!

Everybody say he-o-e-oh-oh!

Everybody say hey, ho! Hey-hey-ho!



말도 안된다는 걸: the fact that it doesn’t even make sense / that it makes no sense

  • 말 (speech / words) + -도 (also / even) + 안 되다 (not work / not be possible) → 말도 안되다 (to be absurd / make no sense) + -다는 걸 (the fact that...)


아는데: although I know / even though I know

  • 알다 (to know) + -는데 (contrastive connective → “although / but…”)


불러보는: that I try to sing / try singing

  • 부르다 (to sing / to call) + -아/어 보다 (to try doing something) + -는 (modifier for a following noun)


철없는: childish / immature

  • 철없다 (to be immature / to lack sense) + -은 (adjective form)


노래: song

 


어디: Where


여기: Here



세상에: in the world

  • 세상 (world) + -에 (location particle → “in / at”)


모든: all / every (adjective meaning “all / every,” modifies the following noun)


여자들은: the women / all women (topic)

  • 여자 (woman) + -들 (plural) + -은 (topic marker)


줄 섰지: (they) lined up / queued up

  • 줄 (line / queue) + 서다 (to stand / line up) → 섰- (past stem) + -지 (emphasis / shared understanding / assertive nuance) = “They lined up, you know.” / “They really lined up.”



모든: all / every (adjective meaning “all / every,” modifies what follows)


거뜬하게: easily / effortlessly

  • 거뜬하다 (to be easy / light / effortless) + -게 (adverbial suffix → “in an easy way”)


써도: even if (I) spend / even if (I) use

  • 쓰다 (to use / to write / to spend money - the exact meaning depends on context because 쓰다 has multiple meanings) + -어도 (even if / even though; concessive ending)


: my

  • 나 (I) + -의 (possessive particle) → 내 (my)


지갑이란: the thing called my wallet / as for my “wallet”

  • 지갑 (wallet) + -이란 (contracted from -이라는: “called / known as / the thing that is …” used to explain or label the noun)


골대에: into the goal / into the goalpost

  • 골대 (goalpost / net) + -에 (in / into / at)


돈이: money (subject)

  • 돈 (money) + -이 (subject marker)


골인되지: (it) scores / (it) goes in the goal

  • 골인 (goal-in; scoring a goal) + 되다 (to become / to happen) + -지 (emphasis: soft, assertive ending) → “goes in, you know” / “ends up scoring”


: again / also (additionally / furthermore)


겁 없이: fearlessly

  • 겁 (fear) + 없이 (without → “without fear”)


무대: stage


위를: the top / on top / on (object form)

  • 위 (top / on) + -를 (object marker; marks the locational noun phrase as the “target” of the action)


걸어다니지: walk around / roam (confidently)

  • 걸어다니다 (to walk around / roam / move about) + -지 (emphasis / casual nuance: “you know,” “indeed,” “right?”)


달리지 않아도: even if (I) don’t run / even without running

  • 달리다 (to run) + -지 않다 (negative form: “to not run”) + -아/어도 (even if / although / regardless of) → 달리지 않아도 (“even if I don’t run”)


갈수록: the more (I) go / as time goes on

  • 가다 (to go) + -ㄹ수록 (“the more …, the more …” / “as … continues”) → 갈수록 (“as time goes on / the more it goes”)


쌓여가는 마일리지: mileage that keeps piling up / accumulating mileage

  • 쌓이다 (to accumulate / pile up; passive of 쌓다) + -어 가다 (progressive aspect → “continues to / gradually”) → 쌓여가다 (to keep accumulating) + -는 (present modifier for action verbs) → 쌓여가는 (“that keeps accumulating”) + 마일리지 (mileage / reward points)


이런: such / these kinds of

  • 이렇다 (to be like this) → 이런 (such / these)


꿈들을: dreams (object)

  • 꿈 (dream) + -들 (plural) + -을 (object)


이젠: now / from now on

  • 이제 (now) + -는 (topic marker) → 이젠 (contracted; implies a shift or change)


내게: to me

  • 나 (I / me) + -에게 (to) → contracted to 내게


: soon / shortly


선물하겠어: I’ll give (them) as a gift / I will gift (them)

  • 선물하다 (to give as a gift) + -겠- (future intention / promise) + -어 (casual ending)



방탄이란: called “Bangtan” / the name “Bangtan”

  • 방탄 (Bangtan; BTS) + -이란 (contracted from -이라는: “the thing called / known as …,” descriptive/explanatory form)


이름: name


걸고: staking (it) / putting (it) on the line

  • 걸다 (to hang / bet / stake) + -고 (connective “and / then,” linking actions)


외쳐: shout / call out

  • 외치다 (to shout / cry out / proclaim) + -어 (informal imperative/present)


[V, vocal line] : If I ruled the world

I'd do it all (I'd do it all)

I said 1 for the money, 2 for the money

If I ruled the world

I'd do it all (I'd do it all)

I said 1 for the money, 2 for the money


Everybody say he-o-e-oh-oh!

Everybody say he-o-e-oh-oh!

Everybody say hey, ho! Hey-hey-ho!



말도 안된다는 걸: the fact that it doesn’t even make sense / that it makes no sense

  • 말 (speech / words) + -도 (also / even) + 안 되다 (not work / not be possible) → 말도 안되다 (to be absurd / make no sense) + -다는 걸 (the fact that...)


아는데: although I know / even though I know

  • 알다 (to know) + -는데 (contrastive connective → “although / but…”)


불러보는: that I try to sing / try singing

  • 부르다 (to sing / to call) + -아/어 보다 (to try doing something) + -는 (modifier for a following noun)


철없는: childish / immature

  • 철없다 (to be immature / to lack sense) + -은 (adjective form)


노래: song

 

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Album art for BTS's "If I Ruled the World." Text in pastel purple, red background details. Play icon and "BTS Lyric Translations" visible.
BTS (방탄소년단) - 'If I Ruled the World' Lyric Video

 
 
 

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