WEEK 54 | A Special Life, An Ordinary Life…

Monday Muster
Written By Quince

January 13-18, 2025

Change.

 

The four years between 2016 and 2020 were full of huge successes and massive change for BTS. They began making a name for themselves outside of South Korea—winning at American award shows and climbing the Billboard charts. Their schedule was brutal, constant recording and travel around the globe with little to no rest was fruitful for their career, but at what cost?

 

Agust D D-2

Burnout became the elephant in the room, and in 2018, the members of BTS almost called it quits. The pitfalls of success almost began to outweigh the benefits, and it left them all (SUGA in particular) wondering if it was still worth it. Did they still love music, and pursuing it professionally, the same way they had when they began their journey? Figuring out the answer to those questions sorely tested the strength of their resolve to continue as BTS. Luckily, the members worked it out—along with a delicate contract renegotiation—and came out stronger on the other side. 


Throughout it all, SUGA continued to write music, recording the ways in which he felt himself changing alongside the group. While navigating his relationship with his growing fame, he developed new friendships and partnerships that would prove pivotal in the ongoing development of his creative output.


On May 22, 2020, AGUST D dropped D-2, his second mixtape. The main theme of the album is feeling stuck while trying to explore one’s own humanity. Though it was written before, it felt relevant to present times, as the entire world was experiencing its own sense of arrested development in the face of a global pandemic.

 
 
 
 

Skip to Content: Day One | Day Two | Day Three | Day Four | Day Five

 

DAY ONE:

SUGA laughing at 2018 MAMA Awards

With his group’s growing success and the buzz surrounding the reception of his first mixtape, Agust D in 2016, SUGA found himself being sought out for his writing and production skills outside of BTS. He’d featured Korean singer Suran on his track “So Far Away”, so it was no surprise when he returned the favor for her the following year on her song “Wine”. However, Suran went a step further and asked SUGA to co-write and co-produce the track as well. Doing so earned him two awards at the 2017 MMAs, one for “Best Soul/R&B Track” and the other the “Hot Trend Award”.


In 2016, BTS released their second full-length studio album, WINGS, and followed it with a massive World Tour that lasted almost the entirety of 2017. During the tour they were also working on their next big music project—the Love Yourself series. LOVE YOURSELF 承 'HER', LOVE YOURSELF 轉 ‘TEAR’, and LOVE YOURSELF 結 ‘ANSWER’ were released periodically from September 2017 through August 2018. 


SUGA’s solo track in the series, “Trivia 轉 : Seesaw” is one beloved by ARMY, but it was actually originally intended to be an OT7 song, not just for SUGA alone, which he mentioned during a VLIVE he did in September 2018. He co-wrote the song with producer Slow Rabbit, and worked on a guide version as well. Somehow, it ended up as his solo, and we’re grateful that it did. It’s about a relationship stuck in the pattern of a seesaw—going up and down with no change, no growth. It’s easy to see how it mirrored how SUGA (and likely the rest of BTS) felt at the time in the midst of a whirlwind tour and album creation process. Airplane, hotel, concert venue, recording studio… rinse and repeat. Over and over again.


Not to mention all of the hate and backlash that BTS were STILL receiving. In fact, it seemed as though the more successful they became, the more haters they attracted. Funny how that works, huh? In 2017 they were accused of sajaegi (which, simply put, is chart manipulation), and had to defend themselves against those allegations. (And of course they did.) Fed up, in 2018, as a Festa gift to ARMY, the Rap Line wrote and dropped “Ddaeng” on SoundCloud—a laid-back and low-key diss track to all their haters and naysayers out there running their mouths. It’s a dizzying lesson in word-play and carries SUGA’s quiet sarcasm throughout. I imagine that it must be hugely cathartic for them every time they perform it… now, if only we can get them to release it on major streaming platforms!

 

“Trivia 轉 : Seesaw” Stage Mix


 
 

“Ddaeng” Live Vocal Line Version

 

Fun Fact:

“Thank you, you’ve done well.”


You’ve heard the song, right… seen the flashy suits, the over-exaggerated smiles… but do you know what the story is behind the legendary “Otsukare”? If not, well, you’ve come to the right place. Sit down, friend, and ENJOY.


Somewhere, during their epically-long WINGS tour, SUGA and j-hope wrote a song and put together an over-the-top spectacle of a performance together as a “thank you” to their fans, most specifically those in Japan.


You might be asking, “What exactly IS otsukare?” It is a Japanese phrase that conveys respect and appreciation for someone’s hard work. It literally translates to “tired way” and is meant to be an acknowledgement and offering of respect when you see someone who is exhausted from all the effort they’ve put into their work.


We know that the members of BTS credit ARMY with the bulk of their success, and they often like to give little gifts to show us their appreciation. “Otsukare” is one of those gifts, and honestly, it will NEVER stop giving…


“A-RI-GA-TOOOOOOOO!”

  1. HOW "OTSUKARE" BEGAN | HYYH EPILOGUE - JAPAN (1:08)

  2. SOPE - "OTSUKARE" (お疲れ) {BTS JAPAN OFFICIAL FANMEETING VOL.3} (3:09)

  3. BANGTAN BOMB: S-O-P-E DEBUT STAGE PRACTICE 'THANK YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK' (2:56)

  4. "OTSUKARE" SUGA AND J-HOPE | COLOR CODED LYRICS (2:45)

  5. "OTSUKARE" OT 7 VER | COLOR CODED LYRICS (2:34)

  6. "OTSUKARE" - OT7 VER | CLIP (0:31)

  7. "OTSUKARE" - OT7 VER | FULL (2:51)

 
 

DAY TWO:

 

SUGA continued making connections and collaborations throughout 2018 and 2019. Famed ballad singer Lee Sora reached out and asked him to feature on “Song Request” with her. It was written by Tablo, of Epik High, and working with the combined forces of two Korean artists he had looked up to over the years was too good to pass up. And it helped that the lyrics so closely matched how he was feeling himself at that time—the protagonist yearns for someone to understand and alleviate their pain through music.

Hey DJ play me a song to make me smile

A song that will make me forget that person

And smile for me in this sorrowful night

Tablo and SUGA became friends after working together, so Epik High invited him to produce a song for their next album, which released in May of 2019. “Eternal Sunshine” also echoed many of the same feelings SUGA was experiencing then, while struggling with growing fame and a grueling schedule with BTS.

SUGA LYS Era

Do you get lonely? (Yeah)

Sick with anxiety?

Can't trust nobody?

Well, same here

In choosing his collaborators, whether it’s in songwriting or producing, SUGA is clear in what he wants from the experience. It has to be someone(s) with whom he can connect—whether it’s through shared experiences, or through the meaning behind the music they create together. Many of them (like Tablo) end up becoming trusted friends.

Halsey is another example. We know her well because she featured on BTS’ hugely popular 2019 song “Boy With Luv”, but later that same year, she invited SUGA to feature on a song for her upcoming album. He co-wrote the track with her, and as it was based so heavily on the somber piano melody he created, she decided to name it “SUGA’s Interlude”. When asked during an Instagram Live why she reached out to SUGA, she replied:


“Yoongi is really introspective and has this really intelligent perspective on where we are and what we are doing in our unique lifestyles.”

 

Bangtan Bomb: SUGA’s Surprise Birthday Party

 
 
 
 
 

Bangtan Bubble: Why do you think SUGA’s lyrics resonate so much with so many people?

 
 

Let us know your answer in the comments below or on social media (include #BangtanBubble)!

 

DAY THREE:

Both versions of Yoongi for “Daechwita” Official M/V

As D-2 begins and the opening notes of “Moonlight” come in, we hear AGUST D giving himself a pep talk. He’s nervous about releasing another mixtape after so long “away”. It had been four years since Agust D. He questions his abilities, and the way the world perceives him. Would anyone still care about what he had to say?


The entirety of “Moonlight” is his reflection on his personal journey, his struggles, and his growth in the music industry. The tone is one of major introspection, but with a wry sense of playfulness. He wants us to know that he’s not taking himself TOO seriously.


That moonlight that shines on me at dawn

It’s still the same as then

A lot changed in my life, but

that moonlight is still the same  


It sets the tone for the rest of the album lyrically, though not always in sound. The next song turns us upside down and gets us banging our heads before we even know what’s happening. “Daechwita” (which is also the title track) is four and a half minutes of self-assured swagger. AGUST D reminds us that he is not afraid to tell it like he sees it, such as when inferior rappers try to start beef with him, but don’t have the talent to back up their attitudes.

 

“Daechwita” Official M/V

Flexing, I don’t do it
I don’t need it

Who’s the king who’s the boss
Everyone knows my name
These bastards who are all talk
Cut his head off immediately

The music video is set partially in a Korean dynasty from long ago. AGUST D is playing a tyrant king, who takes great pleasure in oppressing his people and then executing them when they prove to be an annoyance. But he plays a secondary character as well, an alter ego that seems more rooted in modern times, and is a bit of a rebel and perhaps a thief. The word daechwita literally translates to “great blowing and hitting” and is a reference to traditional Korean military music that is played by wind and percussion instruments. It was used, in the past, to herald the changing of the guard, or the start of a march before battle.

In the video, the two AGUST Ds play off of each other, with the poor rebel getting captured and scheduled for execution. Just as it seems the tyrannical king will be triumphant, it’s revealed that the executioner was in league with the rebel the whole time. Instead of killing him, he passes him a gun, which is used immediately to dispatch the king (we assume, as it’s done off-camera) For many newer ARMYs, including myself, “Daechwita” is one of the first videos we stumbled upon as we were tumbling down the Rabbit Hole. It pulled me in immediately, and made me ask: 

“Who IS this?!”

 

“Daechwita” Official M/V

 
 

“Daechwita” Live D-Day the Final, Day 3

 

Fun Fact

MORE SOPE SHENANIGANS.

I could tell you what the Hwagae Market is… but where’s the fun in that? It’s better if I let you just click the links below and experience SUGA and j-hope opening the door for you…

  1. 150930 HWAGAE MARKET PRE-OPEN | VLIVE (1:03)

  2. 160302 SOPE HWAGAE MARKET NATIONAL APOLOGY BROADCAST | VLIVE (3:37)

  3. 160302 SOPE HWAGAE MARKET EPISODE 1 | VLIVE (13:28)

  4. 160621 BTS HWAGAE MARKET [PENALTY] | VLIVE (0:36)

  5. BANGTAN BOMB: BTS' VOCAL DUET 'SOPE-ME' STAGE BEHIND THE SCENE (5:28)

  6. BTS FESTA 2016 - REAL FAMILY PHOTO SHOOTING (FEAT SOPE JUMPSUITS) (4:59)

  7. 161130 LIVE : SOPE | VLIVE (25:16)

  8. 170505 HWAGAE MARKET: COME TO THE PHILIPPINES! | VLIVE (21:59)

  9. 170622 BTS LIVE : SOPE'S HONEY SKIN PLEASE 😆 | VLIVE (22:33)

  10. 190401 ANNOUNCEMENT OF HWAGAE MARKET DISBANDMENT | VLIVE (33:40)

 

DAY FOUR:

 

“Strange” Live (feat. RM) D-Day the Final Day 3

Last week, when we talked about Agust D, I mentioned how raw of an album it is. Its attitude is basically Min Yoongi vs The World and it perfectly embodies youthful anger and bravado. So, four years later, how would D-2 compare?


The rawness is still present, but it’s a bit more refined. Except, perhaps in the case of “What Do You Think”, which is another track directed at SUGA’s haters. But where “Daechwita” is tongue-in-cheek, “What Do You Think” is more of a punch in the face. SUGA even said he contemplated not putting it on the album because of how angry and direct it is, but ultimately decided to keep it because even if he didn’t feel that strongly anymore, he had at one time. And acknowledging that was important.


I don’t necessarily do flexing, but on a chartered airplane, so fly

We conquer it all, one by one, like we’ve been doing all this time

I don’t care about little grains of rice stuck, 

so, just like they fell off of me on their own, all of you go fuck yourself huh


Yeah… angry.

 

Yoongi in “Daechwita” Official M/V

On his track “Strange (feat. RM)”, we get a different type of anger, this time directed at corporate greed and our capitalist society. SUGA had originally considered asking either Tablo or RM to feature, but couldn’t make up his mind at first. Lyrically they both worked well, but in the end SUGA thought his bandmate would fit the tone more. However, after RM received the track, it took him a while to get going on his lyrics. SUGA had essentially given him carte blanche on writing the English lyrics, having just mumbled his way through some place-holder notes on the guide track, but RM found himself wrestling with self-doubt as he worked on it. 


He told SUGA that he worried how it might sound for two rich and famous people to be bitching about capitalism on a record… would it come off hypocritical? Eventually, the two agreed that the issues would exist whether they talked about them or not, so why not use their platform to raise awareness? 


Well well…
If there’s a god, please tell me if life is happiness
A big system that’s called the world
They insert conflicts, wars, or survivals
Life you can’t reject
Capital injects morphine called hope with dream as collateral


So yeah, still angry, but definitely with wisdom and experience behind it this time…

 
 
 

“28” (Feat. Niihwa) FMV

 
 
 

DAY FIVE:

D-2 Mixtape Interview

My favorite song on D-2 is “People”. (Side note, it is also SUGA’s favorite.)  I knew from the first time I heard it, before I even read all the lyrics, that it would be special to me. It’s a rare bit of early singing from Yoongi, and I was lost the moment I heard, “Mmmmm, mmmhmmhmmm…. why so serious?” It struck a chord in me. It’s a simple question, but one I don’t ask myself often enough. Am I taking everything too seriously? When was the last time I just… enjoyed myself without any caveats or questions?

It’s a commentary on human existence. As SUGA thinks about all the people he’s met in his life, and how they’ve shaped him, he wonders what constitutes a good person vs a bad person, and which criteria would he meet himself. And if this isn’t a universal struggle for all of us, I don’t know what is. 

Yeah yeah, a gentle breeze
One that brushes past
One that soaks into my heart
What kind of person am I
Am I a good person?
Or a bad person?

At the end of the day, good vs bad is subjective though, right? Sometimes good people make bad choices, and vice versa. In the album’s final track, “Dear My Friend (feat. Kim Jong-Wan of NELL), we see different people dealing with the consequences of those choices. It’s about the loss of innocence and friendship. He chose Kim Jon-Wan, who had previously collaborated with RM on his song “everything goes”.


D-DAY Performance

The lyrics tell the story of a friendship lost—a childhood friend, whom he left behind in Daegu when he moved to Seoul, who’d ended up in jail eventually. SUGA wonders if he would still be friends if he had never left to pursue his music career, or if they were destined to lose each other no matter what.


It’s a wistful track, and a good note to end the album on. It’s nostalgic, and a bit regretful, but not angry. We question ourselves constantly, down to every minute detail. Sometimes it’s better to sit back and realize that some things will change, no matter what we do or don’t do. And that’s very freeing in a way. Terrifying? Yes. But also freeing.

 
 
 
 

“People” Live D-Day Tour Stage Mix

 

“Dear My Friend’ Live Fancam D-Day the Final, Day 3

 
 
 
 

Bangtan Bubble: Is there anyone in your life you wish you could send “Dear My Friend” to?

 

Let us know your answer in the comments below or on social media (include #BangtanBubble)!

 
 

FINAL THOUGHTS:

This week brought us a lot of introspection and a lot of collaboration. These are the years when SUGA began his creative partnership with his good friend El Capitxn. This is when BTS met Halsey, and when everyone realized that Min Yoongi looks a million times hotter with a giant scar on his face. We don’t make the rules, that’s just how it is.

Next week we begin our exploration of the final installment of the AGUST D trilogy, and I lose my fucking mind. D-Day, here we come. “Future’s gonna be ok…”

 

 
 

Side Quest

Did you know Min Yoongi secretly dreams of being a radio DJ?


Well, he does.


And so far, the closest he’s come to realizing that dream is by being the host on BTS’ much-loved and remembered radio show “BTS KKUL (Honey) FM 06.13”.

Being able to herd his members and tease them, while being sarcastic and quippy was right up SUGA’s alley, and I for one, hope they bring this back so he gets to wear his DJ SUGA hat again.

 

200509 DJ SUGA’s Honey FM 0613 with RM | Voice Only

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

CREDITS:

YouTube/Web

BANGTANTV, HYBE LABELS, 𝚊𝚛𝚖𝚢𝚐𝚍𝚊𝚕𝚊「ᵐᵃʳ¹ᵉʳᵘ], ashleygold25, BANGTAN SUBS, bangtanluvs_0613, BILLBOARD NEWS, BOfficial, Brilliant, bts centric channel, BTS LIVE ARCHIVE, BTS WORLD Official, BulletSonyeondan, BUTTER BTS KPOP, BUTTERBTSKPOP, ColbyTwentyOne1, crazyformyself, ctc0128, Disney+ Singapore, DIVE Studios Highlights, DOUBLE BUNNY, Dt sugA, DZENITA, Elina♡VMIN, ENJOY BTS MORE, éva kerekes, HALSEY, Hansa Creative, HYE PARK, JAEGUCHI, JK~, KG, LEMORING, LUCYMS, mar1eru, Marsh, MAX, MILLION MARKET, Music K-Studio, Nefelibata Queen, njoonie, NKPOP, OGKpopDad, pha cafe, RachaelKnatcal, Rhiannon, SANDII, shaz, SHUMATION, So Hyang TV • Fan Channel, Stone Music Entertainment, SUGA is Life, SUPER SOUND Bugs!, Tae ARMY KIM, Tawnifer, THEULTIMATEDODO, xjuanx27, Zaty Farhani, 행쇼아미TV, BeHappyARMY; Web: OK.RU

ARMY Project 529 Volunteers

Research Team: Angel (TikTok: Lilangel2828), Leslie Day (TikTok: Leslie Day), Merry (TikTok: merryj67), Sam T (TikTok: samt_26), Shelley (TikTok: shels167), Trudy (TikTok: theeducationmommy), Viv (TikTok: VivEliz); Video Team: Leslie Day (TikTok: Leslie Day), Namz (TikTok: Namz07)

 
 

Join us on TikTok every Sunday evening at 8pm ET for #the529live, a wrap up of each week's “Monday Muster”, thoughtful discussions, and tons of laughter! It’s hosted by AP529 Founder, Stefne, on her channel (@StefARMYProject529). Catch us every Wednesday night at 9pm ET on our project YouTube channel (@ARMYProject529) for #the529tea, when we dish about all the news going on with Bangtan. 

If you can't watch in real time and want to catch up later, Lives are recorded and posted to our YouTube (@ARMY Project 529).


Quince
Next

WEEK 53 | Determined to Shine