방화 – Bilingual Lyrics Korean/English

• By: j-hope

Lyrics & Translation

Learning a language through music is a powerful tool, and j-hope's “Arson” (방화) offers a unique opportunity to dive into the nuances of Korean rap and lyrical expression. The song is special because it showcases a raw, unfiltered side of the artist, dealing with complex emotions of passion, ambition, and doubt. Through its lyrics, you can learn vocabulary related to fire, success, and introspection, all while experiencing the rhythmic flow and aggressive delivery of a top-tier rapper. It’s a compelling look into the heart of an artist at a crossroads.

[English]

Arson

Let's burn, burn, burn, burn

Burn, burn, burn, burn (no)

It's done, done, done, done

Done, done, done, done (arson)

Let's burn, my passion burns

Burn in my longing, burn, burn through my life

Every day I ran, unstoppable

Back then, I burned it all

And I wanted it all, fame was first

Money? Of course, even popularity

I couldn’t help but become overwhelmed

My ignorant ambitions, my driving force

When I sweat, ooh

Pour oil on myself, spark the fire

On my feet, on my legs, hotter, I run my way

Ready to ignite, peak of success and popularity

Every rival honks in protest, affronts that grow

Even I like this, ‘cause I shine with my fans

With my label, with my friends,

Together we burn all day long

A willing accomplice, the arsonist, it was fun

Nothing to fear, just a step ahead, fuck off (fuck off)

If anyone asks me (asks me)

'Right, I set the fire,' I did (I did)

Now ask me, ‘Choose what?’

Should I douse the flames or let them blaze (yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, arson)

It's done, my dreams are fulfilled

Great achievements and my part are done

No more than that, moderation is key

Leave while everyone’s cheering, that’s cool

The fire I lit was for myself

Who knew the world would catch fire like this?

When I looked to cool down, I saw my traces

The blaze was too big to extinguish, a serious arson (oh, shit)

It's hot, no, I suffer, wake up

My shadow and contact, in a frightening state

Nobody can, nobody stops, shit, to put out that fire

Only I can, the chaos’s fireman (shit)

Oh, even if I suppress it, it’s like ash

They say it’s a path of darkness, I tell myself, uh

A major challenge just ahead, my necessary move

A clever move, sidestepping the stone-throwing game (let's burn)

If anyone asks me (asks me)

'Right, I set the fire,' I did (I did)

Now ask me, ‘Choose what?’

Should I douse the flames or let them blaze (yeah, yeah, yeah, it’s done)

If anyone asks me (asks me)

'Right, I set the fire,' I did (I did)

Now ask me, ‘Choose what?’

Should I douse the flames or let them blaze (arson)

...

Arson

...

[Korean]

Arson

Let's burn, burn, burn, burn

Burn, burn, burn, burn (no)

It's done, done, done, done

Done, done, done, done (arson)

Let's burn, 내 열정에 burn

내 염원에 burn, 내 삶 속을 burn

Every day I ran, 멈출 수 없던

그때 그 시절, I burned it all

And I wanted it all, 명예는 first

돈? Of course, 인기까지도

내 스스로가 과열이 될 수밖에 없던

뭣도 모른 무식한 내 야망의 원동력

When I sweat, ooh

기름 샤워해 불을 지필 수 있게

On my feet, on my legs, 더 뜨겁게, run my way

달아오르는 성적 또 인기는 정점

비례하는 born hater 매번 울리는 경적

이마저 좋아 'cause with my fans

With my label, with my fellaz

같이 함께 타오르기에 all day

합리적인 공범, 방화범 was fun

무서울 건 없어, 한 치 앞, fuck off (fuck off)

If anyone asks me (asks me)

"Right, 내가 바로 불을 지폈지" (지폈지)

이젠 나에게 물어, "Choose what?"

그 불을 끌지 더 타오를지 (yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, arson)

It's done, 나의 꿈도 done

큰 성과도 done, 내 할 몫도 done

더 이상은 none, 과유불급이야

박수 칠 때 떠나는 게 곧 멋

내가 불을 켰던 건 나를 위함이었어

세상이 타오를 줄 누가 알았겠어?

잠시 식힐 때쯤 보니, 내 흔적들이 보여

끄기엔 너무 큰불, 심한 방화였단 걸 (oh, shit)

뜨거워, 안돼, 괴로워 잠 깨

내 이면과 contact 무서운 상태

Nobody can't, nobody stop, shit, 그 불을 끄기엔

오직 나만이 가능해, 혼돈의 fireman (shit)

Oh, 진압해도 재처럼

어둠의 길일 거라고, tell myself, uh

한 치 앞 큰 관문, 필요한 나의 수

돌을 던질 판도 비껴가는 한 수 (let's burn)

If anyone asks me (asks me)

"Right, 내가 바로 불을 지폈지" (지폈지)

이젠 나에게 물어, "Choose what?"

그 불을 끌지 더 타오를지 (yeah, yeah, yeah, it's done)

If anyone asks me (asks me)

"Right, 내가 바로 불을 지폈지" (지폈지)

이젠 나에게 물어, "Choose what?"

그 불을 끌지 더 타오를지 (arson)

Arson

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
burn /bɜrn/ A2	verb - to consume fuel and produce heat and light
done /dʌn/ A2	adjective - completed or finished
dream /driːm/ B1	noun - a series of thoughts, images, or emotions occurring during sleep verb - to imagine or hope for something
sweat /swɛt/ B1	noun - the clear, salty liquid that is produced by glands in your skin verb - to excrete moisture through the skin
passion /ˈpæʃ.ən/ B2	noun - a strong feeling of enthusiasm or excitement for something
ambition /æmˈbɪʃ.ən/ B2	noun - a strong desire to do or achieve something
fear /fɪr/ B1	noun - an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous verb - to be afraid of someone or something
fire /faɪər/ A2	noun - the phenomenon of combustion characterized by heat, light, and flame verb - to dismiss someone from a job
success /səkˈsɛs/ B1	noun - the accomplishment of an aim or purpose
choice /tʃɔɪs/ B1	noun - an act of selecting or making a decision
fame /feɪm/ B2	noun - the state of being known or recognized by many people
chaos /ˈkeɪ.ɑːs/ C1	noun - complete disorder and confusion
desire /dɪˈzaɪər/ B2	noun - a strong feeling of wanting to have something or wishing for something to happen verb - to strongly wish for or want something

Key Grammar Structures

• Let's burn, 내 열정에 burn

  ➔ Imperative sentence structure + prepositional phrase

  ➔ The singer uses the imperative "Let's burn" to express a call to action, followed by a prepositional phrase "내 열정에 burn" indicating the passion within.

• And I wanted it all, 명예는 first

  ➔ Simple past tense "wanted" + object + contrast clause with "는"

  ➔ The use of "wanted" indicates a past desire, and the contrast with "명예는 first" emphasizes prioritizing honor over other goals.

• If anyone asks me (asks me) "Right, 내가 바로 불을 지폈지" (지폈지)

  ➔ Conditional sentence "If anyone asks me" + direct speech in quotation marks

  ➔ This is a conditional clause that sets up a situation where the speaker responds directly with a quote, using quotation marks to indicate speech.

• 그 불을 끌지 더 타오를지 (yeah, yeah, yeah, it's done)

  ➔ Choice construction using "지" ending to express "whether to... or..."

  ➔ The use of "지" at the end of "더 타오를지" expresses a question or choice, meaning "whether to continue burning or to stop".

• 내 이면과 contact 무서운 상태

  ➔ Noun + と (で in Korean) + noun + adjective phrase; informal "contact" as noun

  ➔ The phrase combines nouns with contact as an informal noun, indicating a tense or dangerous state related to the singer's inner self.