GQ / SBS
Welcome to the tenth article of our series, "K-Pop Lyrics Explained" where we analyze the lyrics to some of your favourite Korean songs. Previous, we explained WonHo's 'Blue', WEi's 'Starry Night', Park JiHoon's 'Serious', BTS' Jin's 'Yours', SF9's 'Trauma', WonHo's 'White Miracle', WINNER MINO's 'TANG!♡', Coldplay's 'My Universe' featuring BTS and MAMAMOO MoonByul and SEORI's 'Shutdown'.
Today, we're diving deep into BTS member V's OST for "Our Beloved Summer", a wonderfully soulful alternative indie masterpiece, 'Christmas Tree'.
"Our Beloved Summer" tells the story of high school sweethearts Choi Ung (played by Choi WooShik) and Kook YeonSu (played by Kim DaMi), who fall irrevocably in love with each other in their formative years but are nonetheless separated when growing pains cloud their vision. Years later, they're brought together by the same documentary that sparked their love. This time, they face each other as complete individuals in their own right, perfectly imperfect.
V's magical baritone makes the world of the drama feel like a dreamland with how effortlessly warm and moving it is. There couldn't have been a more fitting artist to express the radiant glow of love we see in Ung and YeonSu than V.
The first verse poignantly highlights Choi Ung's still, unmoving love for YeonSu from an onlooker's point of view. YeonSu moves but Ung always stays, adoring her from near or far. The second verse reveals how just by virtue of YeonSu's presence, Ung feels reassured and alive, even if that means that he has to wait through some cloudy days before the sun comes around again and in a call back to the first verse, "It always comes around / As I believed".
"Moon in the summer night / Whispering of the stars / They’re singing like / Christmas trees for us"
From the calming moonlight raining down on them on a summer night to the beautiful yet subtle twinkle of the stars, nature herself is celebrating their love as if it was a present under the Christmas tree, waiting to be unwrapped.
SBS
The first half of the drama works towards building up communication, the courage to speak and both our central characters know that the moment they open up, they will inevitably find their way back to each other. As such, it is unbelievably meaningful (and also lyrical genius at its best) that the chorus of the song is devoted to, quite literally, the language of love.
"So I’ll tell you / A Million tiny things that / You have never known / It all gets tangled up inside / And I’ll tell you / A Million little reasons/ I’m falling/ for your eyes/ I just want to be where you are."
The only two Korean verses in the song reveal a deeper sentiment than has been expressed in the song so far, which further proves that the song is an absolute masterpiece. It is almost as if V is conveying a secret confession: something that isn't for everyone's ears.
"By chance, do you know this? / There’s a side of you that only I know / Like the first snow of a midsummer night / An unbelievable miracle, a moment of surprise, it’s you"
SBS
The sheer vulnerability of the lyrics and the strength in weakness that the lines "And someday, again / In the wind / Even if my heart flies / I will wait for you" reveal, takes this song to a whole new dimension. Needless to say, V is a master at his craft. Finally, the chorus repeats, echoing Ung and YeonSu's endless longing for each other.
What did you think of 'Christmas Tree'? Share your thoughts with Kpopmap in the comments section down below!
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