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Agust D, Haegeum: the English lyrics & the meaning

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Haegeum is the second song released in 2023 by the BTS member Suga under the moniker Agust D. As it always happens with the music around the BTS band, the track went immediately viral, and everybody in the world wanted to know more about the lyrics in English, and what’s the meaning of Haegeum. Let’s discover everything in this article.

You can watch the official video for Haegeum below.

Agust D '해금' Official MV
Watch this video on YouTube.

Haegeum: the English lyrics & the meaning

Haegeum is a song about unlocking our new potentialities, freeing something previously forbidden. The word “Haegeum” triggered a lot of curiosity after the track was released, and it has a double meaning. On one side, it’s a traditional Korean string instrument that has a very peculiar sound (you can watch it on a live performance in this video), but this is not the authentic meaning Agust D/Suga intended originally.

As identified by Genius, the artist explained the meaning of the song title in this video interview with the South-Korean singer IU, starting from minute 32:40. “Haegeum” means “allowing/unlocking something that was forbidden.” Here is how he explained it in the interview:

The word “Haegeum” came to me when I was young. I played rhythm games, I loved rhythm action games. When beating a certain stage, you’d unlock a forbidden song, then you could play a new rhythm. It was a “freedom from the forbidden.” Why don’t I try and break free from those things?

This is explicitly confirmed by the English translation of the lyrics in Haegeum:

This song’s simply about freeing what’s forbidden
But you must remember to differentiate freedom from self-indulgence
This song’s a haegeum
Get on board now
This lively rhythm
A new kind of haegeum

It’s not a secret that the solo projects run by the BTS members since 2022 represent a way to “break free” from the limits their career had until now. Another BTS member, Jimin, released Set Me Free Pt. 2 in March 2023, expressing exactly the same concept. Indeed, the song title refers to the track made by Suga on his 2020 mixtape D-2.

A double meaning that tells us a lot about Suga/Agust D’s sensation in 2023. His solo album D-Day is set for release on April 21, 2023, so fans can discover more content in the other songs.

Read other popular song lyrics and their meaning on Auralcrave

The complete English lyrics

Below you can find the complete lyrics of Haegeum translated into English.

This song’s a haegeum, yeah
Get on board now, yeah
This lively rhythm
Perhaps, this could be a new kind of haegeum
This song’s a haegeum, yeah
Get on board now, yeah
This lively rhythm
Perhaps, this could be a new kind of haegeum

This song’s a haegeum, yeah
Get on board now, yeah
This lively rhythm
Perhaps, this could be a new kind of haegeum, yeah
Interpretation is free for all
Out with the nonsense
Freedom of expression
Could be reason for somebody’s death
Could you still consider that freedom?
If your convictions are reflected in your judgment and speculations
And you believe that your freedom is on the same level as others
Then don’t hesitate, just get on board
Liberation from all that’s forbidden
For all those living in these unfortunate times
Who don’t even understand their own tastes

This song’s simply about freeing what’s forbidden
But you must remember to differentiate freedom from self-indulgence
This song’s a haegeum
Get on board now
This lively rhythm
A new kind of haegeum

This song’s a haegeum, yeah
Get on board now, yeah
This lively rhythm
Perhaps, this could be a new kind of haegeum
This song’s a haegeum, yeah
Get on board now, yeah
This lively rhythm
Perhaps, this could be a new kind of haegeum

Endless influx of information prohibits freedom of imagination, and seeks conformity of thought
All these painful noises blind you, and
Now it even infringes on freedom of thought
All the controversy incessantly
Triggers confusion in judgment uh
Really, what is it exactly that’s been restricting us?
Maybe we do it to ourselves
Slaves to capitalism, slaves to money
Slaves to hatred and prejudice
Slaves to YouTube, slaves to flexin’
Selfishness and greed have gone off the rails
I close my eyes and it’s easy, it’s all so obvious
Opinions clearly split depending on what’s to gain
Everyone’s been blinded by envy and jealousy
Without realizing that they’re putting shackles on each other

Don’t get swept away by this tsunami of info
‘Cause we all differentiate freedom from self-indulgence
This song’s a haegeum
Get on board now
This lively rhythm
A new kind of haegeum

This song’s a haegeum, yeah
Get on board now, yeah
This lively rhythm
Perhaps, this could be a new kind of haegeum
This song’s a haegeum, yeah
Get on board now, yeah
This lively rhythm
Perhaps, this could be a new kind of haegeum
This song’s a haegeum, yeah
Get on board now, yeah
This lively rhythm
Perhaps, this could be a new kind of haegeum
This song’s a haegeum, yeah
Get on board now, yeah
This lively rhythm
Perhaps, this could be a new kind of haegeum

Published by Carlo Affatigato

Carlo has been a web content creator for over 10 years. He founded Auralcrave in 2015, envisioning it as a new space capable of offering different perspectives on topics that passionate all of us. With a scientific background, Carlo developed an interest in music, cinema, literature, and art at a young age, transforming it into a complementary dimension to his professional growth. For years, he was a music journalist specializing in electronic and dance music, writing for the most important Italian magazines (both online and print). Movies and TV series have been a true obsession in many phases of his life: during university, it was not uncommon for him to set the alarm in the middle of the night to watch classic films airing on TV. With the advent of the Internet, Carlo became a keen observer of web and social phenomena, addressing light topics such as advertising, trends, fashion, and general themes. He is the main author of Auralcrave and personally manages its social media, editorial line, book publication, resource management, and business expansion. A former engineer, life coach, husband, and father, he believes that every area of knowledge has interesting stories that deserve to be told and is convinced that doing so makes the world a better place.