Thread by @hopekidoki

THREAD: Baepsae

Yes, we’ve all seen those powerful hip thrusts, but did you know that Baepsae is a song criticizing the status quo of the society against the millennials? 🧐 It’s also one of the least sensible when read out of context, so I really tried to break down every part!

WHAT IS A ‘뱁새’ (baepsae)?

뱁새 (baepsae), or crow tit, is a small resident bird found commonly in Korea. Its body is only about 13cm in size.

Why 뱁새?

The entire theme of the song comes from an old Korean proverb ‘뱁새가 황새 따라가면 가랑이 찢어진다’ or ‘A crow tit will rip its crotch trying to walk like a stork’. Storks are long-legged birds, so of course a crow tit with its tiny legs stands no chance.

In short, this proverb describes someone who tries to do what is beyond one’s capacity. People should know their limits and boundaries, as excessive greed will only end up in a disaster. People who ignore their self-limit and try too hard will “rip their crotch” like a crow tit.

So what does this mean?

The message of the song is expressing their resentment towards the reality of polarization that simply demands “hard work” from the oppressed&the weak. The song can be viewed from multiple perspectives – the rich and the poor, majority/minority, etc.

Although there are many possibilities, my personal interpretation of Baepsae is the phenomenon of polarization between the older and younger generation, and the hardships of growing up as a millennial in Korea. Here’s why:

Baepsae Lyrics:

This word is not directly used in the song, but I find it very relevant to the context. ‘꼰대’ (kkondae) is a popular slang among the younger generation, meaning “old bastard.” It describes close-minded older people who feel entitled by their age and patronize younger people.

Although the word can be used for anyone who fits the description, it is mainly associated with the image of upper-middle aged males, especially teachers and one’s superiors at workplaces (SOME of course). Hence the lyrics for J-Hope’s verse.

‘열정페이’ (passion pay)
Passion Pay is a sarcastic term that describes companies/workplaces that exploit labor from younger people by paying very low wages. The younger generation is expected to be grateful for the opportunity to get the experience they want, even at a low wage

Passion is forced upon the younger generation. They expect passion to get us through every hardship, even financial instability. They say you should do the work “out of passion,” not for money.

“My superiors use violence”
This points out one of the biggest issues in Korea’s social life/workplace scene. Korea culturally places great importance on age. You can tell this by the strict use of honorifics and formal titles between coworkers, even family and friends.

Unfortunately, it is common for the superiors (older people who have been working for a longer time) at a workplace to use this culture to their advantage to patronize and mistreat their juniors. Such cases are what makes the work-social life so stressful for many Koreans.

The generation that’s given up - “N포 세대”

This is an important phrase that also comes up in the lyrics of Dope!
It’s a phrase that was coined around 2015 to describe the reality of the millennials that have given up many things in life due to the financial/social difficulties.

‘N포 세대’

N= any number
포(po)= 1st character of the word 포기 (give up)
The millennials are described as a generation that’s given up many things, with N continuously increasing over time.

As seen in the lyrics of Dope:

3포 세대= generation that has given up 3 things (dating, marriage, having a child)
5포 세대 = 3 above + buying a house, social relationships
7포 세대= 5 above+ hopes and dreams

And so on.

Chorus:

‘금수저로 태어난 내 선생님’ – My teacher was born with a gold spoon.

The “spoons” come up often in BTS lyrics (MIC Drop, FIRE)
But what does it mean?
(😏😏)

“Gold spoon” describes people born into wealth and privilege, the “have-it-all”. The less you have, the “dirtier” your spoon. People born with nothing are described as having a “dirt spoon”. The older generation has had it easier, having everything from the start.

‘노랗구나 싹수가’ = the sprouts are yellow.

This is a Korean idiom that means no hope/chance. If the sprouts are yellow and wilted, there’s no chance the plant will survive. The “leaves” of the younger generation are wilted from the start and there is no hope.

Piecing it Together:

Baepsae is a song that speaks up for the hardships of the millennials. The older generation thinks we have it easy growing up with all the technologies, always giving their talk on “When I was your age…”

However, life has been looking down for the millennials, esp. in Korea. Everything has become so difficult, from getting into college, having a job, getting married, buying a house, as compared to 20 years ago. We are trapped in a never-ending cycle of cut-throat competitions.

It’s a race with predetermined winners. We call for a change, but the older generation wants to maintain the status quo. A tiny-legged crow tit can’t possibly race against a stork, but hey, fair game as long as they run on the same field, right?

The society demands passion from the millennials. They say we just need to “try harder” and “put in effort.” But even passion and hard work don’t stand a chance against the unfair rules. It’s a lost cause for the millennials from the start.

CONCLUSION: I love the meaning behind Baepsae because I’m sure many people all around the world will find it relatable. They’re not afraid to criticize the wrong of the society, although it may not seem obvious hidden behind the upbeat song. Stan BTS :)