땡 (DDAENG)

This track incorporates an extended metaphor based in the Korean betting game of red cards ‘Hwatu’. In this game of ‘Seotda’, ’38 Gwang Ddaeng’ is the ultimate card combination, only followed by ’13 Gwang Ddaeng’ and ’18 Gwang Ddaeng’.

Six meanings of the word ‘Ddaeng’ are used.
(1) The special combinations from the game of ‘Seotda’
(2) Wrong
(3) Sound of a ringing bell, which can also be used as a buzzer for a correct answer
(4) Finished, ‘over’
(5) The exclamation given when you ‘free’ someone in a children’s game of tag. When you tip someone, they turn to ‘ice’ (얼음!), but they can also be melted by a fellow player who shouts ‘ddaeng!’ (땡!)
(6) A form of 팅팅, to have a part of your body swollen.

Produced by SUGA, J.Pearl
Written by SUGA, J.Pearl, RM, j-hope

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🔔 18 13 38 ddaeng (1)
U wrong me right, look carefully, ddaeng (2)
Ring the school bell, brr brr, ddaeng (3)
Hey, this life of yours is wrong, you’re ddaeng (4)

“Hip hop? Ddaeng (2)
Rap style? Ddaeng (2)
Just a rapper, ddaeng (2)
Bangtan = ddaeng (2)”
But reality, bang
Worldwide, bang
Top of charts bang bang, ddaeng (3)
Got money, woo
AP, woo
Good house, woo
Someone’s dream life, woo
How ’bout you? uh
I like you! uh
This success uh
is because of you, uh
It’s funny, right? yeah
It feels ridiculous? yeah
Honestly, those people, yeah
why are they so fussed, yeah
Think calmly, yeah
for there’s a lot of time, yeah
This is homework, homework, yeah
If you can’t answer it, your problem, ddaeng (2,4)
문제 can be a ‘problem’ that needs an answer, continuing their metaphor of homework, but it also suggests that they’re the problem too

🔔

❌ 18 13 38 Ddaeng
U wrong me right, look carefully, ddaeng (2)
Stop for a moment, ice game ddaeng (5)
Hey, this life of yours is wrong, you’re ddaeng (4)

Ddaeng
Well.. When I look at you, you’re all ddaeng (2)
We’re all ddaeng (2)
Whoever’s got a good score
I’m ddaeng, I don’t care at all (1)
Hunnit bae hunnit bar hunnit bbae hunnit bae ddaeng (1)
This music is shit, bae
Though you’re probably annoyed, bae
all your insistences are right, bae
We’re being ruined
Billboard is thanks to you, bae
Nobody’s above us
We’re being ruined, so thanks
Thanks thanks thanks
For ignoring us until now, thanks
Thanks to you: Stadiums, Domes, Billboard
Thanks to you, we’ve received a lot
Small company friends,
so that you become big companies soon,
we’ll be ruined like the wind again
So keep on worrying for us
End

🔔

❌

Cashier’s calculation, ddaeng (3)
I liked it when I was young, the ice game ddaeng, (5)
I’m ding dong, you’re ddaeng (2) (6)
You’re play 7, I’m ddaeng (1; play 7 is a bad play in ‘Seotda’)
A face that slept after eating ramyun, ddaeng (6; believed to bloat your face)
Dregs, do your thang
Look at me, I’m your errthang
You’re dope? Cool? Damn ridiculous..
So uh uh spirit you don’t have any, you stu-stu-stutter
I’ll a-a-ask you to understand I su-suffer from bad oratory skills,
But at least I want to s speak rightly but my mouth k eke keeps twisting because I li-li-li-like it so much like it so, so
Rappers without haters, just shut up

Where are your haters
After you wash your eyes and face, look in the mirror –
There they breathe, your hater
For us, rather than celeb, we celebrate
We only accelerate, no break
What are you, to recognise me
Those who are only as good as frogs,
that you’ll die in your well,
A cultural idiom that suggests ‘frogs’ have a parochial mindset due to the narrowness of the ‘well’, or the world, they experience and are loathe to leave
I pray earnestly,
Ddaeng (4)

🔔

❌

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