Tablo is the rapper, singer, lyricist, and composer of Epik High. Tablo has a Masters Degree from Stanford University (California, USA) where he majored in English Literature and Creative Writing. When he was 17 years old he wrote the song Rainy Christmas with the famous Korean singer Kim Gun-mo. While attending Stanford University, Tablo was part of an underground hip hop group known as 4n Objects, which caught the attention of CB Mass and Drunken Tiger, leading to them eventually offer to support Tablo in releasing a solo album in Korea.
Mithra Jin is the rapper and lyricist of Epik High. Mithra Jin had been featured on over 11 major albums in Korea even before Epik High's debut. Mithra Jin and Tablo met through the Movement Crew (a collaboration of hip hop artists who are determined to promote social and political awareness through hip hop culture and music), during a freestyle contest in Seoul. Mithra Jin was pursuing a solo career of his own, but with his artistic vision and style matching so well with Tablo's, the two decided to join together.
DJ Tukutz is Epik High's DJ, "the boy with the magic fingers". He started DJing in 1995, and has attended the Technics DJ School in South Korea. He has DJed in not only Korea, but also in Japan at raves, and in America on radio shows, live events and clubs around Boston and NYC. He had also composed many of Epik High's songs.
Epik High's debut album was Map of the Human Soul, released in 2003 and featuring some big Korean hip hop names such as CB Mass, Drunken Tiger and Yoon Mi-rae (T). This album and the following three (High Society (2004), Swan Songs (2005) and Remapping the Human Soul (2007)), have featured other well-known Korean artists such as Nell, Clazziquai Project, Loveholic, TBNY, unknownDJs, Pe2ny and more.
In 2005, Epik High won several awards including Best Hip Hop Artist at the Korean Gold Disc Awards, and a tie for Best Artist of the year. Their song Fly, from their third album Swan Songs was a huge hit, claiming the #1 place on many Korean TV music programs and online music charts. This song also appeared in the video game FIFA 07 as the signature Korean track.
Epik High, and especially Tablo, are often featured in the releases of other artists', and have formed several side-project including Blac Bakery, Blu Sunflower and A.R.K.
Their releases, Pieces, Part One and Remapping the Human Soul, featured a different style of music than their previous albums. Some songs more aggressive and controversial, and other more heartfelt.
In 2009, Epik High formed their own independent label, Map the Soul Inc., with their first release under this label being the book-album, 魂: Map the Soul. In late July, Epik High collaborated with the Korean electronic DJ team, Planet Shiver, to remix a number of Epik High's previous hits with the result being that of songs which sounded nothing like the original, yet still remained addictive. Epik High returned in September with a new two-disc album called [e], which consisted of 30 tracks, their largest yet. Altogether, the number of songs released for 2009 alone consisted of well over 50 tracks—including skits and remixes.
In 2010, despite the fact that DJ Tukutz temporarily left Epik High to enter the Korean army to perform his mandatory 2 year service, Tablo and Mithra Jin, now under Woolim Entertainment, were able to release Epilogue. This would be Epik High's last and only album under Woolim Entertainment before Mithra Jin joined the army to perform his service, and Tablo, disappearing from the spotlight as a result of harassment from Korean netizens who questioned the authenticity of his academic education at Stanford University.
With the completion of their army service in 2012 for DJ Tukutz and Mithra Jin, both members joined Tablo in signing with YG Entertainment, home to most notably, BIGBANG and 2NE1. With Tablo's release of his solo album, Fever's End under YG Entertainment in 2012, all members of Epik High are united again and are set to release their much anticipated album in September.
Be
Epik High Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Time is tickin. T-Time is tickin, tickin.
Time is tickin, T-Time is tickin away
.
geu dae, nul mu ri bu re sso da ji neun geol, i yu eob shi sso da
ji neun geol
ah mu do mo reu jyo, shim jang so ge yu ri jo gak pok pung i mo ra
chi neun geol
geo ul so ge nae ga jeo gi dwae seo ah.peu.jyo?
ah mu do geu dael mo reu ge ga du go. su meul jo reu ge nwa du go
ggeu cheul go reu ge man deul jyo (cham na ppeu jyo) i se sang so
ge seol i yu eob saet jyo
do ra gal gi reul seon taek tto eob shi ma nyang geot get jyo
ne ma eum bo da geu dae su mi meon jeo meot get jyo
sang cheo hyung teo nul mu ri heu reu go
(When you cry. though you try. say goodbye. the time is tickin)
ju geum so geul he mae deon (neol rae ga gu hae jul ge)
(When you cry. though you try. say goodbye. the time is tickin)
You are the one.
eo dum so geul geot go i seul ttae
(eo dum so ge ni ga sa ro ja pil ttae nae su mi ga chi hae)
neon na eh gu won
nae ge so neul geon ne jun geu dae
(se sang so ge mu ni ne ge da chil ttae nae so neul ba chil ge)
You are the one. neon na eh gu won
Time is tickin. T.
se sang eh bu reul ji reun geu dae so ni jyo. sa ram deu re nun ga
ri meun geu dae mok shi jyeo
geu dae nu ne bi chu deon go tong i ran byeo ri geu dae do shi jyo
(ah jik tto ggu meul be na yo?) su meul se na yo? sseo da beo rin nun
mul gi pi reul jae na yo?
hi mang eun ga ra an neun jong i bae in ga yo? seul peu jyo?
hok shi ba me tta me heum ppeok jeo jeo gge na yo? yang shi mi ttang
e gi myeo beo beok dwe na yo?
ggeu shi ra go saeng gak dwe na yo? gwaen cha na yo? cause I understand.
nae ga go jang nan geu mo me hyung teo, san san jo gang nan geu ho
ne sum gyeo beo rin nul mul do ji wo jul ge yo
geu dae so neul nae so ne um kyeo jwi go mi deo jul ge yo
sang cheo hyung teo nul mu ri heu reu go
(When you cry. though you try. say goodbye. the time is tickin)
ju geum so geul he mae deon (neol rae ga gu hae jul ge)
(When you cry. though you try. say goodbye. the time is tickin)
You are the one.
eo dum so geul geot go i seul ttae
(eo dum so ge ni ga sa ro ja pil ttae nae su mi ga chi hae)
neon na eh gu won
nae ge so neul geon ne jun geu dae
(se sang so ge mu ni ne ge da chil ttae nae so neul ba chil ge)
you are the one. neon na eh gu won
sang cheo ga in na yo? hyung teo ga in na yo? eo dum so ge seo he
mae go in na yo?
sang cheo ga in na yo? hyung teo ga in na yo? eo dum so ge seo he
mae go in na yo?
(Faith, Destiny, Love.)
youre still beautiful to me.
You are the one.
eo dum so geul geot go i seul ttae
(eo dum so ge ni ga sa ro ja pil ttae nae su mi ga chi hae)
neon na eh gu won
nae ge so neul geon ne jun geu dae
(se sang so ge mu ni ne ge da chil ttae nae so neul ba chil ge)
Time is tickin. T-Time is tickin, tickin.
Time is tickin, T-Time is tickin away
na eh gu won
ONE!
Epik High's "Be" is a reflective song about the passing of time and accepting that things inevitably change. Starting with the repeated phrase "time is tickin'" the song encourages the listener to acknowledge that time waits for no one and to think about what they want to do with their time. The verses describe the pain of letting go of someone who has moved on, but ultimately accepting that it's out of their control. The bridge points out the beauty that remains even amidst the passing of time and the chorus emphasizes the idea that the person they are singing to is "the one" who helps the singer make sense of the passing of time.
Line by Line Meaning
Time is tickin'. T-Time is tickin', tickin'.
The singer emphasizes how time is constantly moving forward and that it's important to take action before it's too late.
geu dae, nul mu ri bu re sso da ji neun geol, i yu eob shi sso da ji neun geol
The singer reflects on how their previous love may have left them with emotional scars and feelings of regret.
ah mu do mo reu jyo, shim jang so ge yu ri jo gak pok pung i mo ra chi neun geol
The singer feels a sense of emptiness and pain in their heart, perhaps related to their past love experience.
sang cheo ga byeong i dwae seo. mo deun mu ni byeo gi dawe seo geo ul so ge nae ga jeo gi dwae seo ah.peu.jyo?
The artist questions if they are the reason for their love’s departure and wonders if they can fix things or if it's too late.
ah mu do geu dael mo reu ge ga du go. su meul jo reu ge nwa du go ggeu cheul go reu ge man deul jyo (cham na ppeu jyo) i se sang so ge seol i yu eob saet jyo do ra gal gi reul seon taek tto eob shi ma nyang geot get jyo ne ma eum bo da geu dae su mi meon jeo meot get jyo
The artist reminisces about the good times they shared with their love, but they are also aware of the reality that they can’t go back to the past and have to move on.
sang cheo hyung teo nul mu ri heu reu go (When you cry. though you try. say goodbye. the time is tickin') ju geum so geul he mae deon (neol rae ga gu hae jul ge) (When you cry. though you try. say goodbye. the time is tickin')
The singer communicates that time is always ticking, and it's hard to hold onto something that's slipping away from them. They express a desire to say goodbye and move on from their past love.
You are the one. eo dum so geul geot go i seul ttae (eo dum so ge ni ga sa ro ja pil ttae nae su mi ga chi hae) neon na eh gu won nae ge so neul geon ne jun geu dae (se sang so ge mu ni ne ge da chil ttae nae so neul ba chil ge)
The singer recognizes that they are still the same person even without their past love and that they must rely on themselves for their own happiness.
se sang eh bu reul ji reun geu dae so ni jyo. sa ram deu re nun ga ri meun geu dae mok shi jyeo geu dae nu ne bi chu deon go tong i ran byeo ri geu dae do shi jyo (ah jik tto ggu meul be na yo?) su meul se na yo? sseo da beo rin nun mul gi pi reul jae na yo? hi mang eun ga ra an neun jong i bae in ga yo? seul peu jyo?
The artist reflects on their love and how other people may have been involved in their story. They also question the difficulties they faced and whether they were able to move on from them.
hok shi ba me tta me heum ppeok jeo jeo gge na yo? yang shi mi ttang e gi myeo beo beok dwe na yo? ggeu shi ra go saeng gak dwe na yo? gwaen cha na yo? 'cause I understand. nae ga go jang nan geu mo me hyung teo, san san jo gang nan geu ho ne sum gyeo beo rin nul mul do ji wo jul ge yo geu dae so neul nae so ne um kyeo jwi go mi deo jul ge yo
The artist grapples with difficult questions about their past relationship that cause them pain. However, they also express understanding and acceptance, choosing to move on while still cherishing the memories with their past love.
sang cheo hyung teo nul mu ri heu reu go (When you cry. though you try. say goodbye. the time is tickin') ju geum so geul he mae deon (neol rae ga gu hae jul ge) (When you cry. though you try. say goodbye. the time is tickin')
The artist reiterates that time is ticking away and that it's important to say goodbye and move on when necessary.
You are the one. eo dum so geul geot go i seul ttae (eo dum so ge ni ga sa ro ja pil ttae nae su mi ga chi hae) neon na eh gu won nae ge so neul geon ne jun geu dae (se sang so ge mu ni ne ge da chil ttae nae so neul ba chil ge)
The singer affirms their self-reliance and ability to grow stronger even without their past love.
sang cheo ga in na yo? hyung teo ga in na yo? eo dum so ge seo he mae go in na yo? sang cheo ga in na yo? hyung teo ga in na yo? eo dum so ge seo he mae go in na yo? (Faith, Destiny, Love.) you're still beautiful to me.
The artist questions the role of fate, destiny, and love in their life and relationship. However, they express that their past love will always hold a special place in their heart.
You are the one. eo dum so geul geot go i seul ttae (eo dum so ge ni ga sa ro ja pil ttae nae su mi ga chi hae) neon na eh gu won nae ge so neul geon ne jun geu dae (se sang so ge mu ni ne ge da chil ttae nae so neul ba chil ge) Time is tickin'. T-Time is tickin', tickin'. Time is tickin', T-Time is tickin' away...
The singer emphasizes that time is ticking away and that it's important to focus on self-growth and moving on from past experiences.
na eh gu won
The singer repeats 'you are the one' to express the idea that they are their own source of strength and happiness.
ONE!
The singer ends the song with an emphatic 'ONE!' to signify the unity and strength of the self.
Contributed by Maya R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Miiiine
on 선곡표
Thank you for the explaination, may I ask for the link or hangul name of the song by Lee Mija singer?