BTS: "Geumshirako"
"Geumshirako" (그므시라꼬) apparently means "so what?" or "it's nothing," and it's a phrase I really love.
What makes this phrase so memorable is the poetry reading session held around a campfire in Run BTS! EP.56.
It appears in a poem written by V.
*The thumbnail is chaotic, but the poetry reading session does actually take place.
This series is the final episode of the "BTS Picnic," which started in EP.53.
Even though it's called a picnic, it's an overnight trip that includes car travel, shopping, sports competitions full of mishaps, games, karaoke, and meals. There are so many moments you can't watch without shedding tears, so if you haven't seen it yet, I highly recommend starting from EP.53.
By the way, when I say "can't watch without shedding tears," I mean laughing so hard that you cry.
At the end of the picnic project, they hold a poetry reading session where each member shares a poem filled with their feelings for one another, while being so embarrassed they are practically writhing in agony.
Each member's poem is so deeply impressive that I sometimes get an irresistible urge to watch it, so I'd like to transcribe them here.
I've made some adjustments, referring to translation tools and English subtitles, because there were parts that felt a little off in the original subtitles or where a more literal translation seemed better.
JUNGKOOK "Golden"
In my mother's conception dream, golden rain fell,
and where the raindrops landed, everything turned to gold.
I, who could do nothing,
met you all during a golden period,
and I began to shine myself.
At first, I was the gold,
but as time passed and I looked around,
everything around me had turned to gold.
I don't want to lose these precious lights.
It's a wonderful poem that suits the 'Golden Maknae'.
'Taemong' refers to a 'conception dream,' which is a dream parents have when they are expecting a child.
It is said that the actual conception dream Jungkook's mother had was a golden dream, a dream that seems to have predicted his success as the 'Golden Maknae'.
The other members also have stories about their conception dreams, so if you are interested, please ask Google-sensei.😊
After reading the poem, Jungkook explained that when he thought about himself, the word 'gold' naturally came to mind, which led to this poem.
I think it is a beautiful poem that makes the scene of golden radiance appear behind one's eyelids.
V: 'Geumshirako' (So what?)
Seokjin-ah,
don't be sad just because you messed up the choreography on stage.
Geumshirako.
Just don't make a mistake on that part next time.
Usha-usha (Go for it, go for it).
Namjoon-ah,
don't panic after blowing a flying kiss.
Geumshirako.
Because many ARMYs are happy
thanks to your flying kiss.
Kontak-kontak (Thump-thump).
Yoongi-ya,
I heard you want to be a stone in your next life, but don't worry.
Geumshirako.
I will always carry it with me
and take you to many beautiful places.
Tolmen-tolmen (Rolling, rolling).
Hoseok-ah,
when you make a dance mistake on stage,
don't always make a scared face.
Geumshirako.
Even the wisest can make a mistake; everyone makes mistakes, so look at it with a warm smile.
Puing-puing.
Jimin-ah,
because of your diet, because you missed a note,
because you made a mistake on stage,
don't feel too much stress.
Geumshirako.
No matter what you do on stage, you are still the coolest person I have ever seen.
Uhok-uhok.
Jungkook-ah,
don't tease and mess with your older brothers,
and don't work out just to tease them more.
Geumshirako.
The youngest is cute when he has a lot of aegyo.
You're not cute right now.
Ogo-ogo (There, there).
Geumshirako
Note: Since I wanted to write the final onomatopoeia as the Korean sounds, I have added the Japanese equivalents in parentheses where applicable.
When I heard this poem, I thought about what a wonderful person V is.
I was deeply moved by his overflowing kindness and lovely expressive power, especially his thoughts toward SUGA.
It is also the reason why I wanted my son to grow up like this.
Regarding this poem, V said, 'I think the only word I could say when we were having a hard time was Geumshirako.'
He said he wanted to say the meaning of this word once more, and it has become a word that I myself want to live with from now on.
JIMIN: 'What it means to be together'
Being together is very difficult.
Meeting strangers, meeting people different from myself,
thinking, 'Did I do something wrong?'
or wondering why that person did that.
I feel that being together is very difficult.
But it's lonely if they aren't there.
When I'm happy, when I'm sad, when I want to be comforted,
they are the people I strangely think of.
The people I have been together with like that
are together with me under the truly grateful name of 'Us'.
We share even the trivial things together.
The people I want to stay healthy are by my side.
Today, as the sun sets,
we are together.
I think that is what being together means.
I think it is a very straightforward and warm poem that is just like Jimin.
'Being together' is happy, warm, and blissful, but on the other hand, it is certainly difficult, isn't it?
I myself have felt that difficulty somewhat since I became aware of the world, and perhaps my current situation of being a single parent with no relatives nearby stems from that difficulty.
That, too, changed to 'us' when my son was born, and I feel happy to be together when the sun sets.
I think their relationship is one that cannot be described as just friends or family, but I have the impression that they value 'being together' very much.
I am always moved by their thoughts, which come from having shared both joy and sorrow since they were young, about what they can do to be together and what they can do to make their loved ones happy.
RM: 'G-ing (Remembering)'
Remembering,
Taehyung's buzz cut,
Jungkook's deer eyes, skinny jeans,
Hoseok's gray down jacket,
Yoongi's blue jersey pants,
the era when Seokjin didn't tell dad jokes,
Jimin's chubby physique,
remembering,
our Han River,
our bicycles,
our GXXX V-neck,
our GXXX chino shorts,
our showcase,
our Korean BBQ,
our waiting room chairs,
and our blood, sweat, and tears.
All those memories are
in the deepest drawer of my mind
All those memories are
like the Hangul consonantㄱbecause they are my most precious number one
So today, I am
ㄱremembering
"ㄱ" is a Hangul consonant pronounced "giyeok," and since "gieok" means memory, it seems he wrote it as a play on the word "memory" in the poem.
As the last sentence says, "ㄱ" is the very first letter of the consonants.
I think this is a poem that is very characteristic of the intellectual RM, and the fragments of memories he has of each member are truly heartwarming.
It's also comforting that JIN is the punchline.
The moments we recall unexpectedly or things related to a person might just be casual, everyday occurrences.
No matter how deep they are, they are carefully stored in the most important drawer, precious memories that can be taken out at any time.
I hope they continue to increase those casual memories of each other more and more.
J-HOPE "Seed (-ssi)"
Namjoon, Seokjin, Yoongi
Jimin, Taehyung, Jungkook
And Hoseok
This seed has become a beautiful flower before I knew it
For some, it became beauty
For some, it became joy
And for others, it became the scent of memories
Namjoon, Seokjin, Yoongi
Jimin, Taehyung, Jungkook
And Hoseok
When blooming, like a rose~
When falling, like a cherry blossom~
When withering, like a morning glory~
Like that beautiful moment~
Let's be together
I love you
Like RM, J-HOPE also seems to have used words with the same pronunciation to express himself.
"Seed" and "-ssi" (honorific suffix) are both pronounced with the same sound, "ssi."
From "When blooming..." onwards, it is J-HOPE's part in the BTS song "Magic Shop."
He sang it at the reading event too, and it's a part I really love.
Comparing each other to flower seeds and seeing those seeds eventually bloom and flourish beautifully is, I think, BTS itself.
Thinking about when they fall or wither makes me feel a little lonely, but since people die someday, an end will surely come somewhere.
However, with the final "Let's be together, I love you," it sounds almost like a marriage proposal, "until death do us part."
SUGA "It was good"
It's already been 5 years since our debut
Just boys full of dreams
We who had nothing have now gained so much
We who only looked at dreams have become someone's dream
Life is a repetition of choices and regrets
I am scared too, we are scared too
We dreamed of a high blue sky but
It is high and cold here, and sometimes I run out of breath
The more many lights shine upon us
The more shadows there are
It was good that we were 7
It was good that we were together
Even though SUGA's words are never difficult, they have an image that invites you into the abyss of thoughts and scenes.
Choosing something means you cannot choose the other, so regret is naturally involved, and the repetition of that can be scary, can't it?
Climbing to the heights is so hard that you run out of breath, but once you climb up, the air might be thin and the suffocation might never heal.
"The more many lights shine upon us, the more shadows there are" has been highly praised by the members, so no explanation is needed.
I think it is because there are seven of them that they can overcome fear, because there are seven of them that they can breathe, and because there are seven of them that they can bathe in so much light.
JIN "Run BTS"
We have run without time to rest
Both Run BTS and BTS
It is natural for everything in the world to get tired
I hope that time is not now
I wanted to live like water flowing but
I am not water
I feel that I am an animal living with all its might
We have built a family until now and
we have always been able to do anything by working together but
we cannot go against nature
Watching myself gradually getting older
I reflect on our dancing
It is very hard
Son Sung-deuk teacher
There are many very hard dances
I believe in you, teacher
Namjoon, let's fight
Regarding the dance part, he said he was pursuing laughter, perhaps to hide his shyness, but the phrase "I hope that time is not now" made my heart skip a beat.
Since this episode was released in July 2018, I believe it was filmed earlier that same year.
As mentioned in their MAMA speech at the end of that year, I think 2018 must have been a year of trials for BTS.
There was a video with Japanese subtitles, so if you haven't seen it yet, please check it out below.
It's a painful speech to watch, but one I find myself watching over and over. The final speech by Jin. He was holding back tears, and even though he kept gasping for air because he couldn't hold them back, he tried to act cheerful. I was struck by how he, even in such a moment, tried to convey his feelings with bright, smiling, kind, and sincere words, making me think, 'Kim Seokjin is truly such a person...' And behind him, V couldn't hold it in anymore and collapsed in tears; I saw in other videos that he couldn't stop crying even backstage afterward.
I think they went through something so difficult that even the word 'trial' feels too light. They were so exhausted, suffering, sad, and in pain—to the point where you couldn't tell whose blood, sweat, or tears were whose—that perhaps the option of parting ways even crossed their minds.
I don't know any of the specifics, but the one thing I do know is that it is precisely because they stayed together and continued to make music that I was able to meet them. I don't know what it was like back then, nor do I want to dig into what happened, but the fact that they are together now and continuing to make music might be something close to a miracle, even if it feels inevitable.
Just thinking that makes me feel like I can look forward to their future with more happiness and excitement.
As they continue to bask in more light, there will surely be many walls standing in their way.
'Geumshirako'
It's nothing compared to the suffering of that time.
'Geumshirako'
Didn't we overcome things just like that?
'Geumshirako'
It's no big deal. So what?
In the future, as long as they are healthy, happy, and having fun in the way they want and in the form they desire, that is enough for me.
I can't do much, but I realized once again that if I put my feelings of loving them into words and stack them up one by one in some corner of the world's network, and if that helps their happiness spread even just a little, I want to keep doing it 😊
👑