Summer Series ‘22 is upon us, and it’s an excellent time to celebrate BTS’ music — as experienced by a selection of our content writing team here at Borasaek Vision - all of whom are part of the ARMY fandom. Every fortnight, throughout the months of June, July, and August, we’ll be posting reviews of some of our favorite OT7 songs or albums. While we unpack the lyrics and the music, it’s important to remember that each blog is based on the writer’s experience of that song/album. Your experience may be similar or it may be significantly different, and that’s okay.
INTRODUCING: “Make It Right”
Nestled between the elegantly crafted covers of BTS’ 6th mini album Map of the Soul: Persona are seven works of art, each one inspired by a poignant aspect of love. Through the collaborative efforts of BTS and English singer-songwriters Ed Sheeran, Fred Gibson (aka Fred Again), Benjy Gibson, and Jo Hill, the album’s fourth track “Make It Right” has been posited as an expression of relational intimacy between BTS and their much-loved fans. As such, the song takes BTS and ARMY on a journey of longing, until finally, a sense of belonging is achieved weaving its way through a series of dynamic songwriting elements of verses and choruses until it reaches the final outro.
Perhaps one of the most endearing characteristics of this song is the lone brass instrumental, awakening our senses from the very start and drawing us in with its catchy ‘do do doo roo.’ With the onset of the verses, the lone brass quickly settles into the body of the song, continuing to loop intermittently from then on. Although upbeat, there is still a haunting quality to its sound, adding to the intimacy of the song.
Wanting to learn more about the intricacies of “Make It Right” led me to several producers and musicians who shared their insights on various aspects of the song. Interestingly, differing opinions arose as to whether the instrument was a jazz trumpet or a french horn that had been distorted, muted, or warped, while others questioned if it was in fact a synthesizer. Regardless, this instrument does a great job at carrying the song through its various stages, adding a colorful tone to the song that harmonizes well with the members’ different vocal tones.
With a rich softness and warmth, V’s opening verse confirms that we are about to take a journey — triggered by an earnest sense of longing in search of the ones who would, in time, become ARMYs:
Up next is Jimin and his verse reacquaints us with the desert and sea, those immutable metaphors that are featured in many of BTS’ lyrical compositions. Highlighting dualities that exist in this world such as failure/success, scarcity/abundance, misery/hope, or life/death. At this point, the beautiful falsetto tones of Jung Kook and V come through in the pre-chorus and the brass loop returns, flirting playfully with each of their voices.
Finally, the vocal line is complete with Jin’s first appearance in the chorus, lifting the brightness (and lightness) of the song with his strong falsetto, harmonized nicely with Jung Kook’s deeper vocal notes. Even the lyrics suggest a subtle shift in the mood of the song:
The middle verses see j-hope and RM, two of the rapline members, take the lead. J-hope once again shines for his versatility as a singer, telling us that everything BTS has achieved thus far — the stages they’ve performed on, the countries they’ve traveled to — was all for the purpose of finding ARMY, reaching ARMY, and being with ARMY.
If j-hope’s verse was sweet and melodious, then RM’s voice contrasts nicely as he comes out a little stronger and a little more edgy in his rapping. His vocal performance resonates well with the sentiment of his lyrics — once again acknowledging that he has come this far in his journey because of ARMY, yet at the same time lamenting the earlier days, when BTS and ARMY first started out and only had each other.
After another round of choruses, we reach what I consider to be the apex of “Make It Right.” Suga’s lyricism is always raw yet eloquent and the final verse of this song is no exception. Particularly in the sentiment that stems from this one line — but what could possibly inspire Suga to include this line in his lyrics?
Map of the Soul: Persona was released in April 2019 by BigHit Entertainment and by that time, BTS were already reaping the rewards of global fame and fortune. Yet, as the light continued to shine brighter on our septet, Suga reminds us that even with all of their successes, without ARMY to share those moments with, their ‘sea’ of abundance would still feel empty and desolate (like the desert).
ARMYs are always quick to share how BTS saved their lives, even voicing this at the most recent concerts in Las Vegas, with signs saying “BTS Saved Me” raised proudly in the stadium. Yet, it may not occur to fans that they too have played an important role in BTS’ journey -such is the reciprocal nature of the BTS & ARMY relationship. Finally, “Make It Right” ends with the ‘95 liners solemnly declaring in the outro that “nothing else matters to me other than you.”
Ending Comment
“Make It Right” is a Korean song with a sprinkling of English lyrics, and I am not a fluent speaker of Korean. Because of that, all of the English translations included within this blog have come from a native Korean speaker whose work I greatly admire and respect. @ColinSH3 describes himself as an “Educator, wanderluster and humanist” who has given free and open access to anyone who would like to use his translation pieces that he shares via his Twitter account. I am very grateful to Colin for both his interpretations and translations — my world of knowledge and knowing is so much richer because of his contributions.
DISCLAIMER: We do not own any audio & visual content in this video except for the editing. ALL RIGHTS BELONG TO THE RIGHTFUL OWNERS. No copyright infringement intended.
Written By: Shelley
Edited By: Esma
Checked By: Aury