[Romanized:]
Re-re-re-respect
Should I go or should I?
Should I, should I go or should I stay?
Put your hands in the air
(Put your hands in the air)
Just like you don’t care
(Just like you don’t care)
Ayo SUGA yojeum nal tteodanineun daneo
“Respect” geunde yosaen tteusi jom hetgallyeo
Geugeol handae nugul jakku mwoman hamyeon
Nado jareun molla brotha naendeul areo
Bunmyeonghi sarangboda sangwi
Sangwi eojjeom geu jung choesangwi
E jonjaehago inneun gaenyeomi
Jongyeongiran geo anya huh?
“Re-spect” mal geudaero bogo jakku boneun geo
Jakku bodabomyeoneun danjeomi boyeo
But geureomedo jakku bogo sipdan geon
Pillyohaji geu nugureul hyanghan wanbyeokan sinnyeom
Haeseo nan domuji swipge mal mot hae
Adeukageodeun geu mugewa dukke
Eonjenga dangdanghi malhal su itge doegireul
Jinsimeul dahaeseo naegedo negedo
Budi jongyeongeul swipge malhaji ma yeah
Ajik nado jal moreugesseunikka yeah
Nado gakkeum naega museounikka
Yakan naega ganpadanghamyeon eojjeoji
(Respect) swipgedeul malhane
(Respect) mwonji moreuneunde
(Respect) dasi deullyeodabogil
(Respect) One time
(Respect) Two times
(Respect) swipgen mal an hallae
(Respect) ajik jal mollado
(Respect) eonjenga malhalge
(Respect) One time
(Respect) Oh yeah
Respecti mwonde
Mollaseo munneun geoya imma
Respecti mwogillae
Dadeul respecteul malhaneunji
Soljiki ihaega an doene
Nugureul jongyeonghandaneun ge
Geureoke swiun geoyeonni
Ajikdo ihaega an doene
Solkka jongyeongeun pillyo eopji
Jonjungjochado eomneunde
Dwieseon hobakssi kkaneun geo
Neo ppaegon da aneunde geulsse
Naneun soljiki neoreul respect
Neodo nareul respect hal georaneun saenggageun 1do eopseuni seukipae
Respect naneun neoreul respect
Useumyeonseo yokaneun jeo chinguege baksu
(Respect Respect)
Neoui sale modeun yeonggwanggwa beonyeongi gitdeulgil
(Respect Respect)
Neoui apgiren yeongwonhan chukbogi hamkkehagil
(Respect Respect)
Don myeongye jeonjin jeonjin
(Respect Respect)
Geurae neol jongyeonghae yeah
(Respect) swipgedeul malhane
(Respect) mwonji moreuneunde
(Respect) dasi deullyeodabogil
(Respect) One time
(Respect) Two times
(Respect) swipgen mal an hallae
(Respect) ajik jal mollado
(Respect) eonjenga malhalge
(Respect) One time
(Respect) Oh yeah
[Korean:]
Re-re-re-respect
Should I go or should I?
Should I, should I go or should I stay?
Put your hands in the air
(Put your hands in the air)
Just like you don’t care
(Just like you don’t care)
Ayo SUGA 요즘 날 떠다니는 단어
“Respect” 근데 요샌 뜻이 좀 헷갈려
그걸 한대 누굴 자꾸 뭐만 하면
나도 잘은 몰라 brotha 낸들 알어
분명히 사랑보다 상위
상위 어쩜 그 중 최상위
에 존재하고 있는 개념이
존경이란 거 아냐 huh?
“Re-spect” 말 그대로 보고 자꾸 보는 거
자꾸 보다보면은 단점이 보여
But 그럼에도 자꾸 보고 싶단 건
필요하지 그 누구를 향한 완벽한 신념
해서 난 도무지 쉽게 말 못 해
아득하거든 그 무게와 두께
언젠가 당당히 말할 수 있게 되기를
진심을 다해서 내게도 네게도
부디 존경을 쉽게 말하지 마 yeah
아직 나도 잘 모르겠으니까 yeah
나도 가끔 내가 무서우니까
약한 내가 간파당하면 어쩌지
(Respect) 쉽게들 말하네
(Respect) 뭔지 모르는데
(Respect) 다시 들여다보길
(Respect) One time
(Respect) Two times
(Respect) 쉽겐 말 안 할래
(Respect) 아직 잘 몰라도
(Respect) 언젠가 말할게
(Respect) One time
(Respect) Oh yeah
Respect이 뭔데
몰라서 묻는 거야 임마
Respect이 뭐길래
다들 respect을 말하는지
솔직히 이해가 안 되네
누구를 존경한다는 게
그렇게 쉬운 거였니
아직도 이해가 안 되네
솔까 존경은 필요 없지
존중조차도 없는데
뒤에선 호박씨 까는 거
너 빼곤 다 아는데 글쎄
나는 솔직히 너를 respect
너도 나를 respect 할 거라는 생각은 1도 없으니 스킵해
Respect 나는 너를 respect
웃으면서 욕하는 저 친구에게 박수
(Respect Respect)
너의 삶에 모든 영광과 번영이 깃들길
(Respect Respect)
너의 앞길엔 영원한 축복이 함께하길
(Respect Respect)
돈 명예 전진 전진
(Respect Respect)
그래 널 존경해 yeah
(Respect) 쉽게들 말하네
(Respect) 뭔지 모르는데
(Respect) 다시 들여다보길
(Respect) One time
(Respect) Two times
(Respect) 쉽겐 말 안 할래
(Respect) 아직 잘 몰라도
(Respect) 언젠가 말할게
(Respect) One time
(Respect) Oh yeah
[English translation:]
Re-re-re-respect
Should I go or should I?
Should I, should I go or should I stay?
Put your hands in the air
Put your hands in the air
Just like you don’t care
Just like you don’t care
Ayo SUGA (why?) nowadays this word floats around me
“Respect” but these days I’m confused of its meaning
They say it’s said when someone keeps doing something (Why?)
I’m not really sure either, brother, do ya know?
It’s obviously superior than love
Probably a concept that exists at the most superior rank
Out of all the superiors
Isn’t that called respect, huh? (what I’m sayin’)
“Re-spect” means as it sounds, to literally look again and again
Look again and again and you’ll see faults
But you still want to keep looking, despite of that
You’ll need that perfect belief towards someone (Ayy, ayy)
So I can’t get myself to easily say
The weight and thickness of it is vague
I hope someday I can confidently say it
And mean it when I do, to you and to me, huh
Please don’t say respect easily, yeah
Because even I am not sure, yeah
Sometimes I’m scared of myself
What if the weak me is found out
(Respect) Everybody says it so easily
(Respect) Though you don’t know what it is
(Respect) Please take a look again
(Respect) One time
(Respect) Two times
(Respect) I won’t say it easily
(Respect) Even if I don’t know well now
(Respect) One day I’ll say it
(Respect) One time
(Respect) Oh yeah
What is “respect”? (What, hyung?)
I don’t know, that’s why I’m asking, you rascal (Oh, I see)
What even is “respect”?
Why is everyone saying it
Honestly I can’t understand
Admiring someone
Was it something really that easy?
I still can’t understand it
To be honest, there’s no need for admiration
When there’s not even respect
Everyone except you knows people talk shit behind your back
I honestly respect you
You have no intention to respect me so just skip it
Respect, I respect you
Applause to that pal who speak ill while smiling
(Respect respect)
Hope all the glory and prosperity seep into your life
(Respect respect)
Hope the road in front of you is eternally blessed
(Respect respect)
Money, honor, forward, forward
(Respect respect)
Yes, I respect you, yeah
(Respect) Everybody says it so easily
(Respect) Though you don’t know what it is
(Respect) Please take a look again
(Respect) One time
(Respect) Two times
(Respect) I won’t say it easily
(Respect) Even if I don’t know well now
(Respect) One say I’ll say it
(Respect) One time
(Respect) Oh yeah
“Aye, do ya know what respect is?”
“I don’t know, hyungnim,”
“I don’t know either,”
“Why is respect this hard?”
“‘Respect’, well, is to look again, I don’t know,”
“‘Respect’, what?”
“‘Respect’!”
“‘Admiration’!”
“I think those are respect, I’d come to think of that,”
“English is hard,”
“I know right?”
Unpacking the Meaning Behind BTS’s “Respect”
In “Respect,” BTS delve into the complexities of a word that’s often said but rarely understood on a deeper level. SUGA and RM use playful back-and-forth and introspective lines to question what it truly means to respect someone. The song explores the difference between genuine admiration and the superficial, overused way “respect” is tossed around in daily life. Through their candid lyrics, BTS admit to their own uncertainties, highlighting how respect is not simply given, but earned—and that its true meaning can be elusive, even for them. “Respect” ultimately encourages listeners to reflect on the sincerity of their own words and actions, and to value authenticity over empty praise.
Song Credits
- Artist: BTS
- Songwriters: RM, SUGA
- Release Year: 2020
- Label: Big Hit Entertainment