[Korean Culture & Language] Inferiority Complex


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After releasing his song “Counting Stars” in 2021, South Korean rapper Be’O has gained a lot of popularity. The song was nominated for Hip-hop Track of the Year at the Korean Hip-hop Awards and reached number one on the Gaon Digital Chart. He released another song on September 29, 2022, and it quickly rose to the top of the charts again. The title of the song is ‘자격지심 (Inferiority Complex).’

The lyrics of the song contain many commonly used Korean terms and expressions that reflect Korean culture, such as: ‘빈말,’ ‘티를 안 내다,’ ‘그릇이 넓지 못하다,’ etc

The literal translation of ‘빈말’ is ‘empty words.’ What it actually refers to is ‘empty compliments.’ The term is used when someone compliments another without truly meaning it and only does so to make them feel good. 

‘티를 안 내다’ means to ‘to not express one’s feelings.’

‘그릇이 넓지 못하다’ is directly translated to ‘One’s plate isn’t big enough,’ and it means ‘one is narrow-minded or isn’t generous.’

Below are a few lyrics from the song:

말도 안 돼 거짓말 내게 하지 마
That’s not true. Don’t lie to me.

티는 안 냈지만 짜증 나
I didn’t want to show how I felt, but I’m annoyed.

사실 난 속 좁아서 다 빈말이야
What I said were actually all ‘empty compliments’ since I’m narrow-minded

그릇이 넓지 못 한가 봐
I guess I’m not that generous.

How big is your ‘plate’? Do you ever ‘티를 안내다’ your feelings?
Have you ever ‘빈말’ to someone?

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