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BTS ‘If I Ruled the World’ Lyrics Explained – Learn Korean with BTS

  • Writer: BTS Lyric Translations
    BTS Lyric Translations
  • Feb 24
  • 17 min read

Updated: 2 days ago




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 똑같겠지, pretty girls If you’re a man you want the same, pretty girls 


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 없어지네 인종차별 Racism would be completely gone


완전히: completely / totally

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


없어지네: it’s disappearing / it’s going away

  • 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 불러 릭오웬스, 앤드뮬뮈스터 And then I’d call Rick Owens, Ann Demeulemeester


그리곤: and then / after that

  • 그리고 (and / and then) + -는 (topic/emphasis; often dropped in speech) → 그리고는 → 그리곤 (contracted)


불러: call / shout

  • 부르다 (to call / shout) + -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 & 셰인 올리버 Alexander Wang & Shayne Oliver


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 만들게 해 김남준 컬렉션 Make a Kim Namjoon collection for life


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)


옷 색깔은 까만색으로, 이제야 좀 만족스러 Black outfits, now I’m satisfied


: 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 후비는 콧구녕 I’d pick my nose out of boredom


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, like a nose or ear) + -는 (present modifier)


콧구녕: nostril


노랠 만들어 지구상 모든 사람들에게 부르게 해 I’d make a song and make every person on the planet sing it


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)


부르게 해: make (them) sing

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


노래 제목은 애구가 The title of the song would be Love Anthem


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 여자들에게 파묻혀 TV를 봐 I’d watch tv buried in pretty girls 


이쁜: pretty / beautiful

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


여자들에게: to women

  • 여자 (woman / women) + -들 (plural) + -에게 (to / for; indirect object marker)


파묻혀: buried / being buried

  • 파묻히다 (to be buried / to be engulfed) + -어 (casual)


TV를: TV (object)

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


: watch

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


세상의 모든 여자들 날 위해 ready to die All the women in the world, ready to die for me


세상의 → "Of the world" or "World's"

  • 세상 → "World"

  • -의 → Possessive particle, showing that the women belong to or are part of the world.


모든 → "All" or "Every"


여자들 → "Women"

  • 여자 → "Woman"

  • -들 → Plural marker, making it "women" (as opposed to "woman").


 → "Me"

  • 나 → "I" or "me"

  • -를 → Object particle, marking "me" as the object of the action.

    • 나를 = me (object form)

    • 날 = a colloquial, shortened form of "나를", commonly used in informal speech.


위해 → "For"

  • Derived from 위하다, meaning "to do for someone" or "for the sake of."


남자들 너넨 술 가져와, 그냥 없어져도 좋아 Guys, get the alcohol, it’s good if you just disappear too


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 fine / I don’t mind

  • 좋다 (to be good / fine / okay) + -아 (casual)


어쨌든 여긴 내 왕국이니까 This is my kingdom anyway 


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)


왕국: kingdom


이니까: because it is / since it is

  • 이다 (to be) + -니까 (because; 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 아는데 불러보는 철없는 노래 I know it doesn’t make sense, but I still try singing this childish song


말도 안된다는 걸: the fact that it doesn’t even make sense

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

*Grammar note: Verb/adjective + -다는 comes from -다고 하는 → -다는 (the shortened, smoother form). It functions like quotation marks or “that” in English. 안 된다는 = “that (something) doesn’t work / makes no sense.” It turns the entire clause into a modifier. 걸 (것 + -을) = “the thing / the fact (as object).” So Koreans use 다는 + 것 to turn a clause into a noun. And because 걸 = 것을 = object, the whole thing becomes the object of the next 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

[Suga] : If I ruled the world 가끔 꿈을 꿔 If I ruled the world sometimes I dream


가끔: sometimes


꿈을 꿔: (I) dream

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


내가 만약 세상을 지배한다면 If I ruled the world


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 먼저 난 공인중개사를 I’d first want to go to a real estate agent


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 가족과 함께 살 집을 사고파 And buy a house to live in with my family


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, 그 다음은 내 장롱면허 Alright, next is my license


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 깨워줘야지 I need to wake it up,


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 차를 구입하고 기름을 주입하고 By a 4 wheel drive car and fill it up with gas


4륜구동: four-wheel drive

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


차를: a car (object)

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


구입하고: buy and / purchase and

  • 구입하다 (to buy / purchase) + -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 무리라도 무이자인 할부로 Even if it’s too much, I’d pay in interest free installments


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 도박 그딴 건 안 하고파 I don’t want to do stocks and gambling


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 지배했는데 왜 그리 꿈이 소박 하냐는 질문은 마 Don't ask me why my dreams are so simple when I rule the world


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)


난 방탄 식구들과 I'm with my BTS family


: 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 여전히 I'm still 음악이고파 and as ever, I'm still hungry for music


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.

난 힙합계의 김정은이 되서 I’d become Kim Jong-Un of the hip-hop world


: 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: by becoming / after becoming

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

우리 음악 말곤 심의를 걸겠어 And censor any music that isn’t ours


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) + -겠- (future intention / determination → “I will”) + -어 (casual present ending) → 걸겠어 = “I’ll set / impose (it).”


얼토당토 안한 꿈이지만 I know it’s a dream that doesn’t make sense but


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)



It's my dream 놀리지 마 It’s my dream, don’t make fun of it


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 아는데 불러보는 철없는 노래 I know it doesn’t make sense, but I still try singing this childish song


말도 안된다는 걸: the fact that it doesn’t even make sense

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

*Grammar note: Verb/adjective + -다는 comes from -다고 하는 → -다는 (the shortened, smoother form). It functions like quotation marks or “that” in English. 안 된다는 = “that (something) doesn’t work / makes no sense.” It turns the entire clause into a modifier. 걸 (것 + -을) = “the thing / the fact (as object).” So Koreans use 다는 + 것 to turn a clause into a noun. And because 걸 = 것을 = object, the whole thing becomes the object of the next 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

 

[j-hope] : Oh girl, 어디? Oh god, 여기! Oh girl, where? Oh god, here!


어디: Where


여기: Here


세상에 모든 여자들은 hope world, 줄 섰지 All the women in the world are in line in hope world 


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 money 거뜬하게 써도 Even if I use all the money


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 spend) + -도 (even if / though; concessive ending)

내 지갑이란 골대에 돈이 골인되지 Money makes its way into the goal that’s my wallet


: 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”

또 겁 없이 무대 위를 걸어다니지 I’d walk on the stage without fear


: 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 갈수록 쌓여가는 마일리지 I wouldn’t have to run and I’d still get more mileage


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 꿈들을 이젠 내게 곧 선물하겠어 Soon I’m going to give these dreams to myself as a gift


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 이름 걸고 외쳐 if i ruled the world Betting on the name of BTS, I shout, if I ruled the world


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 아는데 불러보는 철없는 노래 I know it doesn’t make sense, but I still try singing this childish song


말도 안된다는 걸: the fact that it doesn’t even make sense

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

*Grammar note: Verb/adjective + -다는 comes from -다고 하는 → -다는 (the shortened, smoother form). It functions like quotation marks or “that” in English. 안 된다는 = “that (something) doesn’t work / makes no sense.” It turns the entire clause into a modifier. 걸 (것 + -을) = “the thing / the fact (as object).” So Koreans use 다는 + 것 to turn a clause into a noun. And because 걸 = 것을 = object, the whole thing becomes the object of the next 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

 


Please note ♡ : To fully understand the Korean language and its’ use in BTS’ music, a more comprehensive study method is recommended in addition to this content. (There are many great resources online for learning Korean!) 💜 Please credit me & link my site if you use or share any of the translations or content from my site. Thank you. :)


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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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