Music Monday|Agust D — D2

Hello BAYOG Fam!~ It’s Minty here!~ So as [you know], I’ve been wracking my brain on what kind of content to post for you guys. I still want to put a variety of content on the blog. I also want to be able to post things more frequently. One of my dear friends, Shafiya (BiblioNyan|The Djinn Reader), said that they wanted me to do a beginner’s guide to Korean music. They said that they felt overwhelmed by all the artists. I do enjoy posting and talking about music…as you can all tell from my many, many, and very large BAYOG Playlists. So I figured I’d try doing something like a recurring Music Monday post. It’ll be different from my playlist posts. Unlike my occasional playlist posts, Music Monday will just be focusing on a particular single or album. That’s the plan anyway…

So for my first Music Monday post, I thought I’d talk about Agust D’s D-2. So if you didn’t know, Agust D is Min Yoongi…aka Suga of BTS. Y’all already know I’m BTS Trash. Yoongi works under the name Suga for BTS, and uses Agust D for his solo mixtape work. D-2 is his second mixtape, and was released at the end of May 2020. I’ve previously talked about some Agust D [tracks] [before].

Like I said before, I think the difference between Agust D and Suga is that Agust D is more raw and without a filter. As Suga of BTS, Yoongi has to fit the image of an idol. So there’s probably more restrictions. Even as Suga, Yoongi does tend to be very raw in his lyrics. However, I’m sure there’s still somewhat of a filter to fit the acceptable images and expectations of an idol. I feel like as Agust D, Suga is able to be less restricted. So he can be more raw and honest. He doesn’t really need as much of a filter. He’s able to be darker in content and theme. I feel like he’s able to be more personal. I definitely felt like D-2 tracks were very personal. If you have a chance, I definitely recommend looking up the lyric translations to these songs.

You can find the whole album on Spotify here:

Or on YouTube here:

My Favorite Tracks

대취타|DAECHWITA

대취타(Daechwita) is the title track from the D-2 mixtape. I absolutely love it. I always absolutely love, love tracks that uses eastern elements in their tracks. Specifically, this track samples daechwita. Daechwita is a type of South Korean military music. You can hear it and find more information on it from Arirang [here]. The MV is also stunning. It’s cinematic quality. Also Yoongi lookin’ amazin’ Dis bias wrecker… He also learned and did some sword dancing. It was brief, but he looked really awesome. Overall, I find the video super interesting. You basically see 2 different Yoongis: a tyrant like king vs a modern Yoongi. There’s alot of detail in the video, and it’s really interesting to see the theories people have for it, such as it being present Yoongi vs past Yoongi. I also love the traditional elements present in both the music itself and the video. The lyrics were also fire. Yoongi is one of my favorite current rappers. Y’all know I love Epik High, especially because of their lyrics. I feel like Yoongi’s rap and lyrics move me like how Epik High’s does. In a way I feel like Yoongi is like the Epik High of the current generation of artists.

There are some random and fun moments. One of them is that Jin and Jungkook, 2 of Yoongi’s fellow BTS members, made a cameo. Basically Yoongi bumped into Jin, causing him to turn around. Unfortunately, Jin hit Jungkook with a pole. Leading to Jungkook and Jin having a little scuffle.

Another little fun tidbit is the little “cameo” of Bang PD (aka “Hitman” Bang). Bang PD, or Bang Sihyuk is the founder and CEO of Big Hit Entertainment (BTS’s label). BTS once had a challenge where they had to draw a portrait of Bang PD. Jungkook did a really simple and hilarious portrait. That portrait basically appears on a scroll in the Daechwita MV.

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사람(PEOPLE)

사람 (People) is probably my second most favorite track on this mixtape. I’ve talked about it in a previous [Airbag Playlist post]. This is a song I could just really relate to. The vibe and the lyrics really resonated with me and moved me. I always got alot going on in my head. I’m constantly having an existential crisis, comparing myself to others, and contemplating my own worth. Honestly, I just really felt every lyric in this song. Yoongi shows that despite being this huge megastar, he’s just like any other person. He has worries just like anyone else. I think something interesting he points out is how what seems special to others is ordinary for him, and what’s ordinary for others is special to him. He’s grateful for his achievements and how he lives his life, but he also laments not being able to enjoy ordinary things like hanging out with friends or going out to the movies.

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이상하지 않은가(STRANGE)|”ISN’T IT STRANGE?”

이상하지 않은가 (Strange), or “Isn’t It Strange?”, features fellow BTS member RM (Kim Namjoon). First of all Namjoon is one of my biases (although at this point everyone is my bias cuz they’re all bias wreckers). Secondly, I love this song. Again, it reminds me of Epik High’s works. It’s a philosophical song and provokes thought and discussion. It covers some very real topics and legitimate questions about what’s “normal” in our society. We live in a society where things can be so polarized. I just really enjoy rap tracks that are thought provoking.

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어떻게 생각해(WHAT DO YOU THINK?)

어떻게 생각해(What Do You Think?) is a track where Yoongi talks about his success and asks a rhetorical question to his haters. One of the reasons why I love Yoongi is because he’s a fucking savage and is unapologetic towards his haters. Yoongi and BTS have come a hella long way. They started off as this small group from a small and struggling company. Yet they overcame obstacles, and are continually reaching a new level of success. They’re humble, but they know know the impact that they’ve made. They’ve always had haters and people who told them that they could never amount to anything. Yoongi literally said, “Look at me now” and “Go fuck yourself.” Now the only tidbit I have for the background of this track is that the original cut sampled a speech from cult leader Jim Jones. Due to concern and outrage, it was brought to Big Hit’s attention. They have since replaced it with a version of the track that no longer has that sample.

BURN

Burn It features American singer MAX. I think it’s sweet how they became friends and decided they needed to work on a track together. Yoongi’s post-chorus is a reference to a verse Yoongi did in BTS’ [Tear]. The song is basically about the conflict you feel with your past self. Apparently Yoongi had two meanings behind “Burn It”. The first is burning away yourself, leaving ashes behind, and taking courage. The second it to light up a version of yourself that can become as bright as the sun. I can relate to this song. After all there are times where you wish you can burn your old self, insecurities, and bad memories. It’s also a process of how you’ve changed and become your present self. As an extra you can see MAX doing a short acoustic performance of it [here]. He even sang some Korean, and Yoongi praised him for it~

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점점 어른이 되나봐(28)|”I MUST BE GROWING UP”

점점 어른이 되나봐 (28), or “I Must Be Growing Up”, is another personal track where Yoongi reflects on himself. It features Korean Hip-Hop artist NiiHWA. Yoongi basically reflects on his life as he’s reached 28. It’s funny how we think things can be solved as we become adults. However, the reality is that we can become jaded, feel exhausted, and lose sight of who we are. It’s just a track reflecting on growing up and coming of age. Again, I find this track super relatable. Especially as someone who is about to enter my 30’s, I really felt this track.

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어땠을까(DEAR MY FRIEND)|”WHAT WOULD IT HAVE BEEN LIKE?”

어땠을까(Dear My Friend), or “What Would It Have Been Like?”, is a track that features Kim Jon Wan of Nell. This is a track I immediately loved when I first heard it. The track is very Epik High like. It even features Kim Jon Wan, who is close friends with Epik High and has [been] [featured] in [several] of [their] tracks. Honestly, you could tell me it was an Epik High track and I would’ve believed you. Remember how I said Yoongi is able to be more personal as Agust D? This is definitely one of those instances. In this track, he talks about missing his friend and reminiscing the days of their friendship. However, it also carries some regret and anger. This track tells the story of how he and this dear friend somehow ended up on different paths. Ultimately, his friend went to jail. He likely went because of drug use, and Yoongi mentions how he was angry that his friend suggested he should use drugs too. However, he seems to carry some regret wondering if anything would have changed if he had been able to stop him. If he had stopped him, would they still have been able to be friends? Overall, it’s a bittersweet song that reminisces fond memories and ponders the loss of a dear friendship.

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Honestly, I loved this mixtape alot. I liked the other tracks too. I love the chill hip-hop vibe of “Moonlight”. It’s totally my style. However, it would’ve just basically been me posting the whole freakin’ mixtape LOL. Anyways, what do you think? Y’all diggin’ Agust D and the D-2 mixtape? Any requests on specific songs, albums, or artists you’d like me to cover? Also, join me in our Discord server! I regularly post music there if you’re ever lookin’ for some new tracks~ Until next time friends~ Stay safe, wear a mask, wash yo’ hands, and take care~

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LET’S BE FRIENDS!~ (つ✧ω✧)つ

Hihi! I’m Minty! I’m Thai-American~ เป็นคนไทยค่ะ~ ยินดีที่ได้รู้จักนะคะ~
I’m BAYOG’s hella basic Asian chick, Real People Stuffs expert, and boba addict. I fangirl and blog about music, live action movies/dramas, and manga/webtoons~ When I’m not blogging, I’m usually writing/singing Thai-English covers~

It’s nice to meet all of you lovely people from around the world! Thanks for stopping by our blog!~
• ขอบคุณค่ะ • ありがとうございます • 감사합니다 • 谢谢你 • Salamat Po •

Let’s Be Friends On SNS! 💜(♡°▽°♡)
Let’s talk memes, music, dramas, movies, or fan spazz!~
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BAYOG (つ≧▽≦)つ 🎮🎞️
We share and chat lots of stuff on Discord, and we’re on other platforms too!
[Discord] | [YouTube]| [Twitch] | [Facebook]| [Podcasts @ Spotify]
Follow the BAYOG Bros Too!🎮
They all good people! These your guys for anime, manga, and games!
[Kenny – Blackatron] | [Nick – Rokutsu]
[Marc – cmdrcluckcluck] | [Loha – Loheezy]

Boba/Coffee For Your Bobae (´｡• ω •｡`) 💜: [Ko-Fi]
Dramas I’ve Watched/Am Watching 🎞️: [DramaList]
My Music Playlists/What I’m Listening To🎧: [Spotify]

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BE SAFE. BE RESPONSIBLE.
WASH YOUR HANDS. WEAR A MASK.
SOCIAL DISTANCE. PLEASE.

Take care y’all. Please stay safe and take care of yourself. All jokes and fun aside…please, please, please, pleaaaase always wash your hands, practice social distancing, and wear a mask! I’m serious. Please take COVID-19 seriously. It truly is a matter of life and death. It’s something that needs to be taken seriously. It’s not just about the death of if you or someone you know gets it, but it also heavily affects those left behind. There are also aftereffects for those who are able to get through COVID-19. Be responsible. Be safe. Take care y’all. Have a wonderful day.

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BLACK LIVES MATTER

This is a difficult, but necessary matter to address. I’m not good at putting things into words, so I apologize. We all know the matter regarding the unjust murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and many others. The current Black Lives Matter protests are being covered globally. I’ve even seen it being covered daily by the Thai news. Racism is a very real thing. Being Asian, I’ve personally encountered bullshit racism on a daily basis. So I can relate and understand the struggles. However, I’m also aware of how much more difficult and blatant it is for black POC. AS A GROUP OF BIPOC, BAYOG strongly stands with Black Lives Matter. We’ve individually done several donations. Of course, donations to support the cause and support change isn’t the only thing needed. Support for the cause and change also requires conversation. Make sure to have those conversations. Aside from donating, I had several conversations with my family. I explained things to my parents, especially since some news stories were being reported inaccurately. I was afraid it’d be a bit difficult. However, as fellow POC and human beings, it was a necessary conversation. My parents and grandma understand, and now stand on the same page regarding BLM as well. Please remember to be an active supporter, be it through donations, sharing information, and/or conversations and speaking up.

If you can, please consider donating. I’ve donated more than once as well. For one of my donations, I donated through the BTS ARMY x BLM project. I recommend that if you’re unsure of where to donate. This is because the donation will be split amongst several different non-profit organizations. Of course, you can also choose a specific organization(s) if you wish as well. You can find that [HERE].

You can also check out the following:

• http://blmsites.carrd.co
• http://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co
• http://blackliveswillalwaysmatter.carrd.co
• http://blmstanguide.carrd.co
• http://saytheirnames.carrd.co
• http://useyourvoice.carrd.co

Stay strong. Fight racism, brutality, injustice, and bullshit. Don’t lose sight of the goal. We’re witnessing and being a part of history. Be allies and make sure change happens. Once again, BLACK LIVES MATTER.