MIC DROP – Analysed and Explained

Hey everyone!

Hope everyone is having an amazing weekend and FESTA! I also just realised thanks to WordPress and Twitter notifications that… today is my first anniversary! Believe it or not, I posted my first blog post and tweet on 13 June 2020. I was so new to BTS last year that I did not realise it was their birthday/anniversary!

As destiny would have it… my blog shares the same birthday as BTS… and my blog was born on their 7th anniversary. How crazy is that? I actually got goosebumps when I saw the notification…

Since it is our birthdays, it is only right that I release a post. So welcome back everyone to MIC DROP! The ultimate song for the haters!

For the amount of love that BTS get, it is crazy the amount of hate they receive. But a glass half full way of looking at it is that hate is just another form of love. Surely Joon will agree with me on that!

If you have been following my blog, then you may remember that excitingly this song will close out my theory of 結 –> 轉 –> 承:

I will also be analysing the lyrics of the original MIC DROP, not the one with Steve Aoki. Personally, I feel like the original lyrics is a little deeper and has more fantastic rhyming and wordplays. I highly recommend you read doolset’s blog as well as doolset points out all of the fun rhyming bits which I won’t cover. 🙂

Let’s get it!

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Assumed Knowledge & Assumptions

I have written this post assuming you know:

• my theory, that all of the songs in LY albums are connected and reveal storylines when read in a specific order; and
• Joon, Yoongi and Hobi’s stories discussed in my blog so far.

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New Readers

Hello there and welcome to my blog! I’m sorry to say that if you haven’t read any of the above posts… I may lose you in the detail as my lyrical analyses are built on existing knowledge!

This is simply because all of the songs are interconnected and need to be read in a specific order for it to make sense, just like a book.

This idea is completely consistent with what Namjoon said about the Love Yourself albums – That there is a narrative throughout the albums.

If you’re wondering where to start, please start here.

Please also note the assumptions I apply when I analyse songs.

Enjoy! 😊

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1. Namjoon’s VLive

1a. 結 –> 轉 –> 承

First, let’s see what Namjoon says about MIC DROP in his VLive:

Namjoon said:

Based on what I read (letters) or what they (ARMY) told us “when people criticize you guys without a reason and make fun of you, what should I do?” Our fans told us such things a lot. I think I have to listen to criticism more carefully… (but) when people behave rude and threaten others… you can think of “MIC DROP” in that case.

When we decided to write about that topic for “MIC DROP” I brought up all my anger and frustration pent up inside, but it wasn’t cool at all. It wasn’t cool at all. It felt like me when I did “No More Dream”.

The significance of the above is that MIC DROP is not just about the haters.
It is BTS’ response to ARMY’s question “what should I do when people hate on you for no reason?”

This is consistent with the theory of 結 –> 轉 –> 承 because the concept of MIC DROP was born out of the desire to defend/support ARMYs who feel upset and attacked by haters.

1b. The authors of MIC DROP

Hobi and Namjoon are the two accredited BTS authors for MIC DROP.

Namjoon shared in his VLive that:

1. Hobi wrote the opening rap;
2. he (Namjoon) “wrote the bridge part and it was truly what I wanted to say” ; and
3. Supreme Boi wrote a lot of the lyrics including the chorus.

Thus, I will anlayse the:

• opening rap from Hobi’s perspective;
• bridge from Namjoon’s perspective; and
• rest of the lyrics from the general speaker’s perspective.

2. MIC MIC BUNGEE

I want to explain one more thing before we start analysing the lyrics. When I was looking into MIC DROP, I noticed that a lot of people were asking what the lyrics “Mic Mic Bungee” meant.

Mic = Microphone
Bungee = Bungee (jump).

When someone does a bungee, the person’s leg is tied onto an elastic chord. Thus, when the person drops, the person will bounce back up because of the elastic.

Imagery wise, imagine BTS dropping the mic, but before the mic hits the floor, it bounces back up and BTS catches it again.

Message wise, it is like BTS saying to someone: “I achieved ‘achievement #1’ despite all of your doubts”. Everyone thinks that this is the climax and the moment for BTS to drop the mic, and BTS goes to drop the mic… but…!!!… it bounces up and they go, “HA. You thought that that was it, BUT WAIT, THERE IS MORE”, catches the mic and reveals another impressive achievement. You thought that was all but oohhhh mate, we are just getting started.

Thus, Mic Mic Bungee.

3. Revenge is a dish best served cold

Hobi dishes out the following lyrics:

Yeah, who said my spoon is dirty
I don’t care, once I hold my mic I beat up several gold spoons
I fly off the handle
Several undercooked steaks
I’ll chew them repeatedly at the star’s dinner

The core of world business
The first on the casting list, Sold out
There’s not many of this class, enjoy the value
Applying a stinky smell onto the good fragrance is against the rules
Mic mic bungee

Mic mic bungee
Bright lights going forward
You must have thought that we’d fail, but I’m fine, sorry
Sorry Billboard
Sorry worldwide
Sorry mom your son is too successful
For those who couldn’t make it, I’ll be a good son in place of you
There is never a grape in our concert
I do it I do it , you’re a bad-tasting ratatouille
If your stomach aches, sue me
Sue it

Hobi uses the following food related metaphors in his lyrics: Spoons, grapes, undercooked steak and bad ratatouile:

2a. Spoons

Per doolset, South Korea has a “spoon class system” which classifies the population into different socioeconomic classes based on their income and assets. The term is based on the English idiom “born with a silver spoon in one’s mouth”, and the spoon class theory states that a person success in life depends entirely on being born into a wealthy family.

If you’re born in the diamond and gold spoon class, you will have an advantage and the odds are you will be very successful in life. Conversely, if you’re born into the lowest class, the dirt spoon, you’re likely going to be disadvantaged and experience unfair treatments and unnecessary hardships.

Thus the lyrics:

Yeah, who said my spoon is dirty
I don’t care, once I hold my mic I beat up several gold spoons

tell us that Hobi, and by extension BTS and Big Hit/HYBE:

• were classified by their peers and society that they belong to the dirt spoon class;
• were looked down upon by their peers and experienced discrimination and unfair treatments; and
• despite the disadvantages, were able to win against other (golden spoon) artists that had all of the privilege and advantages at their disposal.

MIC MIC BUNGEE!

2b. Grapes

Despite coming from a dirt spoon class, Hobi tells the haters and the ones “who couldn’t make it” that “there is never a grape in our concert.”

Per doolset, the imagery of the grape is used to symbolise the seating map at a concert. When your purchase tickets online in South Korea, the remaining seats are coloured purple, like a grape.

Thus, to have no grape in your concert means to have no seats left in the concert. The use of the word “never” with our knowledge that BTS (pre-covid) had jammed packed concert schedules worldwide in many non-Korean and even non-English speaking countries further emphasises their popularity on the world stage and their ability to transcend languages and cultures like no other.

MIC MIC BUNGEE!

2c. Bad steak and Ratatouille

Let’s discuss the lyrics:

잘 못 익은 것들 스테끼 여러 개
Several undercooked (1) steaks (2)
거듭해서 씹어줄게 스타의 저녁에
I’ll chew them repeatedly at the star’s dinner (3)

Per doolset:

(1) 잘 못 익은 것들 can be undercooked stuff or unripe stuff as 익다 can mean (i) to be cooked and (ii) to ripen. There’s an idiom “벼는 익을수록 고개를 숙인다 (As it ripens, the rice lowers its head),” which is similar to “the nobler, the humbler.” So the undercooked steaks can be interpreted as arrogant and immature people.

(2) 스테끼 (pronounced stekki) is an old Korean pronunciation of steak, which is still used to refer to steak in a cute way or by old generations. An interesting thing to note is that unlike the standard pronunciation of steak, 스테이크 (steikeu), 스테끼 (stekki) sounds similar to 새끼 (saekki) when when pronounced fast. 새끼 means (i) a baby (animal; also can be used to a human to mean a baby when used by parents or grandparents) or (ii) a bugger, jerk, or little shit.

(3) 씹다 can mean (i) to chew or (ii) to speak ill of someone.
=> Combining everything, “chewing undercooked steaks repeatedly” can be interpreted as “dissing immature and arrogant jerks (who do not “approve” BTS) multiple times”.

In addition to the above, the imagery of using steak conveys the idea that their haters are dead meat and are in serious trouble. The lyrics convey to us that BTS have the upper end and are on top of the food chain, chewing them haters up “repeatedly” over and over again at a fancy invitation-only “star’s dinner.”

The fact that the steaks are undercooked is a further insult to the haters. From BTS’ perspective, the haters are not even cooked and prepared properly, insinuating that they are a low-quality product and dish.

The lyrics, “I do it I do it, you’re a bad-tasting ratatouille” is cutely rapped in an almost aegyo like fashion by Yoongi who pronounces “do it” as “doi-ee” to rhyme with ratatouille. Besides the Italian dish, ratatouille also has immediate associations with the movie Ratatouille where the main character is a rat.

Generally, rats (except for the adorable rat in Ratatouille!) have negative associations with filth, disease, a double-crosser, a liar and being a snitch.

In other words, the message is:

BTS are gonna eat you up you arrogant dirty rat(atouille) *aegyo!* 😝

The contrasting cuteness against the harshness of the message adds further sting to the insult and leaves haters speechless because of its greater psychological effect than if the message was delivered in an angry and frustrated way.

If you are not sure what I mean by this, please take the time to watch this video How to stop a bully. Essentially, it demonstrates how if you react with frustration and anger, you give bullies the fuel to keep going and insulting you. However, if you react in a playful, humourous way and agree with what the bullies say “so sue me,” bullies can’t help but be left speechless.

2d. Sorry (not sorry) if your stomach aches

Hobi apologises to all of their haters worldwide who were rooting and expecting them to fail:

You must have thought that we’d fail, but I’m fine, sorry
Sorry Billboard
Sorry worldwide
Sorry mom your son is too successful

Of particular interest to reflect on, Hobi mentions Billboard clearly by name. This means that Hobi knows that there were/are many people at Billboard rooting for them to fail, which further suggests that BTS felt that Billboard discriminated against them at some stage(s) in their career.

Hobi then issues out a challenge to the world:

혹 배가 아프다면 고소해
If your stomach aches, sue me
Sue it

The direct translation of 혹 배가 아프다면 means “if your stomach aches”, but this can be read with the meaning of “if you’re jealous”.

Thus for the haters whose stomachs are churning in anger and fear because of BTS’ success, Hobi says to them: 고소해!

Per doolset, 고소해 (Go So Hay) can be interpreted two ways:

1. To sue someone; and
2. To be pleased over someone’s misfortune (that the person deserves). In other words, it can mean “it contents me if you’re jealous.”

So 고소해-ters!

3. Flying

I refer to the following lyrics:

This really fits the four words
Right will eventually prevail* ~ ah
Once upon a time
Aesop’s Fables fly
Look at your reality, it serves you just right
I’d be damn happy even if I die now
Which country are we going this time
How many hours are we going to be on the plane
Yeah I’m on the mountain
Yeah I’m on the bay
Totally exhausted on the stage
MIC Drop baam!

Did you see my bag (x2)
My bag is full of trophies
How you think bout that (x2)
Haters are already terrified

My success is already golden golden
I’m so firin’ firin’, torchbearing
You’re hurriedly hurriedly running away shongshong
How you dare (x3)

In my hands, ah there’re too many trophies
They are so heavy that my two hands are not enough

MIC DROP
MIC DROP

Watch your feet feet
You guys should watch your words words
Lodi dodi, ah I’m so busy
I’m so busy that my whole body is not enough

MIC DROP
MIC DROP

Watch your feet feet
You guys should watch your words words

*Per doolset, the four words in Korean is an idiom 사필귀정. It’s Chinese equivalent is 事必归正. The direct translation is “things certainly go back to the right status/path.”

The speaker makes multiple references to Airplane and flying in the above lyrics. If you have read my Airplane Pt 2 post, you may remember that airplanes and flying:

• literally and symbolically translate to saying “piss off” to the haters; and
• symbolise BTS’s success. But not just any success. They symbolise top of the world success.

BTS though, are not bragging about their success without any evidence. Their bags are so full of “golden golden” trophies they can’t carry them all with two hands.

Despite their obvious “firing” and “torchbearing” success, BTS make it clear to everyone that they are not becoming complacent, stopping or taking a rest. They are still giving it their all and working their butts off, “totally exhausted on the stage… I’m so busy, I’m so busy that my whole body is not enough.”

The speaker also references Aesop Fables in the lyrics “Aesop Fables fly“. Aesop Fables, or the Aesopica, is a collection of fables credited to Aesop, a slave and storyteller believed to have lived in ancient Greece between 620 and 564 BCE. More than likely, you will know some of his stories: The tortoise and the hare, The ants and the grasshopper, the dog and the shadow, the goose that laid the golden egg, etc.

All Aesop Fables have a “moral of the story”. For example, the moral of the story for the tortoise and the hare is: Slow and steady wins the race. Thus, in BTS’ case, the moral of the story is 사필귀정 – Right will eventually prevail.

This “moral of the story” that right will eventually prevail implies that BTS were wronged many a time. However, it seems like karma has caught up to the people who have wronged BTS as BTS addresses them directly and clearly “look at your reality, it serves you just right.”

The results are in. The dirt spoon tortoise won the race even when the golden spoon hare (or rat?) played dirty.
What is even more embarrassing, is that the dirt spoon tortoise is still running, winning, and getting further ahead than the golden spoon hare.

No wonder the golden spoon hare is “hurriedly hurriedly running away.”

Mic drop in your face. BAAM!

4. Bye, Good Luck. It’s quite cool.

Namjoon wrote the following lyrics and, as he said in his Vlive, “it was truly what I wanted to say.”

Haters gon’ hate
Players gon’ play
Live a life. man
Good luck

I don’t have any reason to see you again, this is my last goodbye
I don’t have anything to tell you, don’t even bother to apologize
I don’t have any reason to see you again, this is my last goodbye
I don’t have anything to tell you, don’t even bother to apologize

One thing is pretty certain from the lyrics: Someone or someones have pissed Namjoon off bad. The person(s) have pissed him off so much that Namjoon has essentially cut ties with them in the most public way possible “don’t even bother to apologise... I don’t have anything to tell you… (or) see you again.” Namjoon repeats himself twice to get his point across, making it clear that he never wants to see the person(s) ever again.

The song ends with the following lyrics:

Watch closely, that’s how you’ll end up
We taste sharp like cola
Your cornea is in shock*
It’s quite cool, it’s quite cool

* Per doolset, this line is based on the slang “동공지진 (=동공 (pupil) + 지진 (earthquake)),” which is used to describe that an earthquake is happening in someone’s pupils because they are so shocked and bewildered. Doolset believes that BTS have replaced 동공 (pupil; donggong) with 각막 (corneas; gakmak) instead because -k sounds stronger/fiercer than -ng.

The lyrics “we taste sharp like cola (우린 탁 쏴 마치 콜라지)” per doolset can also be interpreted in two more ways:

1. The feeling of something refreshing or extremely delightful in a slow-progressing situation (like what the tortoise must have been feeling as it crossed the finishing line and watched the hare chase after him in a panic); and
2. We diss/criticise/sting sharply like cola.

We can certainly tell that the latter is certainly true.
“Live a life man, Good luck.”
Ouch, that stings.

The song also ends on a grand and heavy note with the haters in shock and the speaker enjoying the look on their faces saying “it’s quite cool, it’s quite cool.”

We are reminded again at the end that right will always eventually prevail and people with an insincere hating heart will get what they deserve.

It is quite damn cool indeed.

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Author’s Thoughts

If anyone has watched ARMY’s corner, Namjoon talks about the hate they received in their earlier days from 24.32 onwards and how ARMY was trying to hard to protect them. He also makes the comment that because of how hard ARMY was trying to protect them, they tried harder than everyone else to prove themselves.

Well, all that hard work paid off Namjoon and ARMY could not be prouder 🥰 Especially all the old ARMYs that worked so hard to support BTS in those earlier years!

I hope everyone enjoyed this post and that you will all be able to attend Muster tonight! This is my first Muster and I am so excited to be a part of the celebrations!

Borahae, stay healthy, safe and happy 💜

💜 G

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Lyric sources:

Doolset lyrics

Please note I made some minor updates where I thought things could be expressed better. These minor updates do not result in any substantial change in meaning.

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Disclaimer:

As per my first author’s note, please, no hate!

I do not have a shipping or individual bias, I love all seven members equally and I do not write my blogs because of a particular personal desire for one of them. I reached my conclusion on Joon and Jin being together based on the lyrics, logic and patterns as I have discussed in all my posts (i.e. I did not ship Namjin first, and then started trying to find things to prove my point). I genuinely enjoy all ships because I enjoy watching the different chemistries between the boys.

It does not matter one bit to me if they are straight, gay, intersex, a skrull, a mutant or if they could lay eggs. I love them wholeheartedly (as a sister who would love her younger brothers) for their individual selves.

This theory of MIC DROP is based on my interpretations of its lyrics. Please enjoy.