Prior to his debut, he was an underground hip-hop rapper under the name "Gloss" that self-wrote and produced his music. Suga adopted the alias Agust D in 2016, which is derived from the initials "DT", short for his birth place "Daegu Town", and "Suga" spelled backwards.
His first self-produced mixtape, Agust D was released on August 16, 2016 via SoundCloud. He intended to release his music for free in the form of a mixtape instead of a commercial studio album, describing it as the "feeling of being trapped in some sort of framework." On the record, he discussed matters such as his struggles with depression and social phobia. Fuse TV rated it as one of the top twenty mixtapes of 2016.
Suga re-released his mixtape for digital purchase and streaming in February 2018. The success of the reissue placed it at number three on Billboard's World Albums Chart, number five on the Heatseekers Albums Chart, and caused Suga's solo alias, Agust D, to reach number 46 on the Emerging Artists chart for the week of March 3.
In 2020, he released his second solo mixtape D-2 along with the lead single Daechwita on May 22. The mixtape consists of ten tracks, with songs sung and rapped in both Korean and English. Its lyrics share his viewpoint of the contemporary world. D-2 is according to him "a documentation of myself from 2016 onwards".
His debut solo album D-Day was released on April 21, 2022. Featuring the singles People Pt. 2 and Haegum, the album debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200, tying him with teammate Jimin as the highest-charting South Korean solo artists in the history of the chart.
Suga is responsible for writing, composing and arranging, as well as mixing and mastering his material. He has over 150 registered songs accredited to his name with the Korea Music Copyright Association. Including Suran's WINE, which peaked at number two on the Gaon Music Chart and won Best R&B at the 2017 Melon Music Awards.
The foundation of his lyrics involve themes that are "full of dreams and hope", conceived with the intent of his music becoming "many people's strength". He cites Stony Skunk and Epik High as his inspirations to pursue hip hop music. Particularly, he credits the former's reggae-hip-hop hybrid album Ragga Muffin (2005) and its title track for igniting his interest in the genre, calling it "completely different" from mainstream music.
Suga started his mandatory military service on the 22nd of September 2023.
Polar Night
Agust D Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
우리는 제대로 세상을 바라보는가?
진실과 거짓의 차이
선동과 본질의 사이
내 이득은 무엇일까?
개 같은 세상에 개처럼 살 순 없기에
눈을 뜬 채로 현실을 봐
알잖아, 세상엔 없거든, 선의
팩트는 관심 없고 내 편이 아니면
죽여버리는 게 지금의 정의
좌와 우, 흑과 백, 짜여진 연극 끝에 (연극 끝에)
관객은 서로를 물어뜯으면서 피를 보네 (피를 보네)
총성이 없는 전쟁, 물질 만능의 병폐
내 편이 아니면 다 적이 되어버리는 극단적 선택
정치적 올바름 또한 내 입맛대로
귀찮은 문제는 입 다문 채로
선택적 위선과 불편한 태도
오직 내 기분에 맞춰 버리는 해석
진실과 거짓도 입맛대로
시선은 진영에 갇힌 채로
선택적 위선과 불편한 태도
오직 내 기분에 맞춰버리는 해석
수많은 진실들과, 수많은 거짓들 사이
우리는 제대로 세상을 바라보는가?
It is all dirty
(나 또한 깨끗한가?)
It is all dirty
(당신은 깨끗한가?)
시커먼 질문들과, 무차별 비난들 사이
우리는 무엇을 위해서 싸우는가?
It is all dirty
(나 또한 깨끗한가?)
It is all dirty
(당신은 깨끗한가?)
피 묻은 혀로 정의들을 외치는 사이
숨죽인 이들은 비웃지, 말이
너무 많은 시대에 입을 다물면 방관자라고
손가락질을 해대네, 어디서 감히?
봐봐봐, 익명 속에 가린
비겁한 자들이 행하는 살인
가시 돋친 말은 다 널 위한 거고
이젠 해명을 하려고 하네, 까짓 게 감히
봐봐봐, 입 다무는 범인
당신들이 외쳐대던 값싼 정의는
피를 흘린 이들을 위한 게 아니잖아
제발 마주하라고, 이 불편한 선의
황색언론이 만드는 노이즈
누군가의 이득에 의한 초이스
우리끼리 치고받고 싸우는 게 무슨 의미?
창끝은 위를 향하라고
정치적 올바름 또한 내 입맛대로
귀찮은 문제는 입 다문 채로
선택적 위선과 불편한 태도
오직 내 기분에 맞춰 버리는 해석
진실과 거짓도 입맛대로
불편한 진실엔 눈감은 채로
선택적 위선과 불편한 태도
오직 내 기분에 맞춰버리는 해석
수많은 진실들과, 수많은 거짓들 사이
우리는 제대로 세상을 바라보는가?
It is all dirty
(나 또한 깨끗한가?)
It is all dirty
(당신은 깨끗한가?)
시커먼 질문들과, 무차별 비난들 사이
우리는 무엇을 위해서 싸우는가?
It is all dirty
(나 또한 깨끗한가?)
It is all dirty
(당신은 깨끗한가?)
The lyrics of Agust D's song "극야" (also known as "Strange") delve into the dichotomy between truth and falsehood, questioning whether we are truly seeing the world as it is. Agust D questions the difference between truth and lies, manipulation and essence. He reflects on his own motivations and wonders what his gain is in a world that he cannot live like a dog in. He urges listeners to open their eyes and face reality. Agust D highlights that opposing forces often have their own definitions of justice and that facts are disregarded if they do not align with personal interests. He compares the world to a staged drama, where the audience tears each other apart, and emphasizes the extreme choices people make, where anyone not on their side becomes an enemy.
The lyrics also touch on political correctness being subjective, with Agust D expressing frustration about remaining silent on inconvenient issues and the selective hypocrisy of interpreting things based on one's own mood. He criticizes how perspectives are trapped within camps and how truth and lies are molded to fit personal agendas. Agust D questions whether we are truly seeing the world in between countless truths and lies. He concludes the song by asking if he himself is clean and challenges the listener's own cleanliness in understanding the world.
Line by Line Meaning
수많은 진실들과, 수많은 거짓들 사이
Between countless truths and countless lies
우리는 제대로 세상을 바라보는가?
Are we really looking at the world properly?
진실과 거짓의 차이
The difference between truth and lies
선동과 본질의 사이
Between propaganda and essence
내 이득은 무엇일까?
What is my gain?
개 같은 세상에 개처럼 살 순 없기에
Because I can't live like a dog in a dog-like world
눈을 뜬 채로 현실을 봐
Open your eyes and see reality
정의의 반대는 또 다른 정의
The opposite of justice is another form of justice
알잖아, 세상엔 없거든, 선의
You know, there is no such thing as goodness in the world
팩트는 관심 없고 내 편이 아니면
Facts don't matter, if it's not on my side
죽여버리는 게 지금의 정의
Killing is the current definition of justice
좌와 우, 흑과 백, 짜여진 연극 끝에
At the end of the scripted play, left and right, black and white
관객은 서로를 물어뜯으면서 피를 보네
The audience tears each other apart and spills blood
총성이 없는 전쟁, 물질 만능의 병폐
A war without gunfire, the poison of materialism
내 편이 아니면 다 적이 되어버리는 극단적 선택
If you're not on my side, everyone becomes an enemy in extreme choices
정치적 올바름 또한 내 입맛대로
Political correctness according to my taste
귀찮은 문제는 입 다문 채로
Keep your mouth shut about bothersome issues
선택적 위선과 불편한 태도
Selective hypocrisy and discomforting attitude
오직 내 기분에 맞춰 버리는 해석
Interpretations that only accommodate my feelings
진실과 거짓도 입맛대로
Truth and lies, according to my taste
시선은 진영에 갇힌 채로
Eyes trapped in their own camps
불편한 진실엔 눈감은 채로
Closing your eyes to uncomfortable truths
시커먼 질문들과, 무차별 비난들 사이
Between repetitive questions and indiscriminate criticisms
우리는 무엇을 위해서 싸우는가?
What are we fighting for?
피 묻은 혀로 정의들을 외치는 사이
While screaming justice with blood-stained tongues
숨죽인 이들은 비웃지, 말이
Silently mocking those who are suffocated
너무 많은 시대에 입을 다물면 방관자라고
If you keep your mouth shut in this age of so much happening, they call you a bystander
손가락질을 해대네, 어디서 감히?
Pointing fingers, how dare they?
봐봐봐, 익명 속에 가린
Look, look, hidden in anonymity
비겁한 자들이 행하는 살인
The cowardly commit murder
가시 돋친 말은 다 널 위한 거고
Thorny words are all for you
이젠 해명을 하려고 하네, 까짓 게 감히
Now they try to justify themselves, what audacity
봐봐봐, 입 다무는 범인
Look, look, the silent criminal
당신들이 외쳐대던 값싼 정의는
The cheap justice you shouted about
피를 흘린 이들을 위한 게 아니잖아
Isn't for those who shed blood
제발 마주하라고, 이 불편한 선의
Please confront it, this uncomfortable goodness
황색언론이 만드는 노이즈
The noise created by yellow journalism
누군가의 이득에 의한 초이스
Choices made for someone else's gain
우리끼리 치고받고 싸우는 게 무슨 의미?
What's the meaning of fighting and hurting each other among ourselves?
창끝은 위를 향하라고
The tip of the spear points upwards
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Yoon Gi Min, Yi Jeong Jang, Seung Won Kang
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind