[Korean Culture & Language] Spine Breaker

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Peer influence, school type, and media exposure could influence some kids to be more materialistic than others. Most Korean teenagers, unfortunately, experience peer pressure to possess the same or better items than others, because appearing to be poor increases their chances to become a target of bullying.

BTS’s song “등골브레이커 (Spine Breaker)” effectively depicts this social problem.



Some of the lyrics are as follows:


https://youtu.be/YvszZE1TZaU


수십짜리 신발에 또 수백짜리 패딩, 수십짜리 시계에 또 으스대지 괜히

You feel good about yourself for owning a pair of shoes that cost a few hundred dollars, a down jacket that costs several thousand dollars, and a watch that costs a few hundred dollars.


21세기 계급은 반으로 딱 나눠져

In the 21st century, there are two social classes:

 

있는 자와 없는 자

those who have, and those who don’t,

 

신은 자와 없는 자

those who can wear (branded) shoes and those who can’t,

 

입은 자와 벗는 자

those who can wear (branded) clothing and those who can’t,

 

또 기를 써서 얻는 자

and those who put in a lot of effort to get such things.

 

이게 뭔 일이니 유행에서 넌 밀리니?

What’s going on? Are you falling behind the trend?

 

떼를 쓰고 애를 써서 얻어냈지, 찔리지?

You whined and cried to your parents to get them. Didn’t I get that right?

 

가득 찬 패딩 마냥 욕심이 계속 차

Your greed keeps filling up, much like your feather-filled down jacket.


휘어지는 부모 등골을 봐도 넌 매몰차

You’re still cold-hearted even after seeing your parents’ crooked back.

 

친구는 다 있다고

You complain that all your friends have them.

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