BTS’s Suga Agust D Daechwita

On May 22, BTS Suga under his alias August D alias dropped his second mixtape ‘‘D-2” along with the music video of his lead single ”Daechwita”, which has already got over 5.8 M views. After four years of his first album ”Agust D”, the comeback of Min Yoon-gi alter ego shows why he is still the king: talented versatility through thought-provoking lyrics.

An Interfusion of Korea’s Past and Present Flow

Plot: A humble Korean villager portrayed by Suga plots with his gang in an attempt to take down the tyrannical king who is also portrayed by Suga.

Being the name of the second track, the word Daechwita also refers to a traditional Korean music genre born in the late Joseon Dynasty used to be performed at royal processions and was characterized by the inclusion of wind instruments and percussion instruments. It is currently used on special occasions and for military purposes. In an interview for Time Magazine Suga that the military genre was already on his mind while working on the track:

 “The first thought I had was that I wanted to sample the music that is played during the ceremonial walk of the King, so naturally, Korean elements ended up being an essential component to the track as well as the music video.” Suga for Time Magazine

The cinematic visual landscapes along the in the traditional wind instruments mixed with the hip-hop beats highlights the mix of the Korean culture, both the former and modern times; and if the contrast between tradition and trendsetting were not enough, one physical feature of the tyrannical king portrayed by Suga also depicts contradistinction between former and latter: the scar on the right eye since.

In South Korean culture a king cannot have any marks on his skin as otherwise he would not be considered fit to occupy the throne, yet the fact that the kink proudly shows the scar on his face is proof of his strength, showing he is capable of achieving his dreams and greatest ambitions.

Yeah, what’s next? Here comes my reality check, there’s nowhere higher.”I only looked up and now I want to look down and put my feet on the ground”

In a behind-the-scenes video of Daechwita from BANGTANTV, Suga mentions that ”The Agust D from four years ago has become a king, but he is in conflict with another Agust D.” Delving into the song lyrics, Daechwita could be a representation of Suga’s constant battle between artist and idol. A humble villager/artist challenging the glittery world of the flashy king/idol (remember “Interlude: Shadow”).

Another connotation could be Suga’s perpetual confrontation between the thriving courage risen on his journey to be on the top (humble beginning), and the emptiness that comes once reaching it and having everything he wants (the flashy king), immerse in a constant cycle that shows that the top is just another step in the long stair of success defined by the reinvention of oneself.

Agust D ”D-2” through its 10 thought-provoking tracks prove once again Suga’s talent and versatility, showing the king is still alive. You can listen D-2 on Spotify and Apple Music.