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.
Free Love
Epik High Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
난 오늘도 사랑에 돈을 버리네
내 주머니는 zero
내 일생활은 ghetto
도대체 사랑이 뭔데
Tablo I don't know
지식도 free,진실로 free
근데 왜 맘의 피난지란
내 맘과 머리보단 지갑이 찬 것이
사람의 값어치를 매기는
사치스런 society
헛된 소비, 내가 여자들에게
던 돈이 쌓였다면 높지 않아
산꼭대기 괜히 공들엿지
결국엔 그녀가 있던 자리와
주머니 속에 남은 것은 먼지
So what you want lady
(다이아몬드) okay
그보다 큰 다이아는
내 맘속에 있는데
Hey, what you want baby
A big house) okay
그보다 넓고 따뜻한
두 팔의 품에 안겨줄게
My soul sister
Respect yourself please
On the street
돈으로 살 수 있는 사랑은
깔렸으니 dollar뿐이
네가 원하는 것이면 be gone
진정한 사랑을 원한다면
Let's get it on
오늘도 약속대로 그대를
나는 보고 싶어도
오늘도 텅빈채로 내 작은 주머니는
나를 바라보고
오늘도 난 so ghetto 돈 때문에
사랑을 도피하고
Let's get in on tonight
난 오늘도 사랑에 돌을 던지네
난 오늘도 사랑에 목이 메이네
내 주머니는 zero
내 일생활은 ghetto.
도대체 사랑이 뭔데
Mithra? I don't know, yo
연락은 칼 같이, 만남은 불 같이
불만이 커지면 칼은 물 베야지.
우리의 메아리 같은 만남에
난 배앓이 그녀는 구멍
난 저금통 빨간 돼야지
Okay,어차피 흔한 coffee 한잔
살만한 돈이 없다면
남자가 아니지!!My darling
내가 널 여왕처럼 떠
받들어 줄 테니
지금 네게 필요한건 바로 기다림
그런데 why why why
늘어가는 잔소리 날카로운 눈빛에
뿜어 나온 한숨이
왜 내 맘 몰라주는 건지
난 너무 답답함에 굴뚝같은 연기만
내가 원했던 사랑은
너의 이해심 반
그리고 나의 관심과
사랑이 반과 반
사랑은 등산처럼
험난하고 힘들지만
서로를 감싸 안아 준다면
절대 힘들지는 않아
오늘도 약속대로 그대를
나는 보고 싶어도
오늘도 텅빈채로 내 작은 주머니는
나를 바라보고
오늘도 난 so ghetto 돈 때문에
사랑을 도피하고
Let's get in on tonight
Love is free love is free
Love is free 주머니가 아닌 맘
Hey love is free, love is free
Love is free 다가와 오늘밤
Hey love is free love is free
Love is free주머니가 아닌 맘
Hey love is free love
Is free love is free
내게 와 오늘밤 hey
오늘도 약속대로 그대를
나는 보고 싶어도
오늘도 텅빈채로 내 작은 주머니는
나를 바라보고
오늘도 난 so ghetto 돈 때문에
오늘도 난 so ghetto 돈 때문에
Let's get in on tonight
Epik High's Free Love is a contemplative rap ballad that explores the correlation between love and money. Tablo starts the first verse by expressing his confusion about what love really is and why society places such a high price on it. He acknowledges that while knowledge and truth are free, love, on the other hand, is deemed expensive. In the chorus, the singers' lyrics narrate the tale of how he gets so absorbed in love that he spends his time, money, and soul on it despite his 'ghetto life.' The lyricist sees love as a mountain that may be difficult to climb but can be less challenging to navigate if wrapped in love.
In the second verse, Mithra Jin jumps in with his rhymes and adds another layer to the song's meaning. He explains how the relationship between a man and a woman can become highly transactional, with love being replaced by financial means. The singer's observations reflect society's view of women overvaluing property and wealth in the dating world. Consequently, he acknowledges that love may only be free when we stop measuring its worth subjectively, and rather embrace its value from within us.
Overall, Free Love by Epik High digs deep into the complexities of love and the divergent perspectives towards it. It highlights the need for people to value love as an entity beyond wealth or position and embrace it for what it is.
Line by Line Meaning
난 오늘도 사랑에 몸을 던지네
I'm giving my body to love again today
난 오늘도 사랑에 돈을 버리네
I'm throwing money away for love again today
내 주머니는 zero
My pockets are empty
내 일생활은 ghetto
My life is like the ghetto
도대체 사랑이 뭔데
What in the world is love?
Tablo I don't know
Tablo doesn't know either
지식도 free,진실로 free
Knowledge is free, truthfully free
근데 왜 맘의 피난지란
But why is love a refuge for the heart?
사랑은 비싼지
Love is expensive
내 맘과 머리보단 지갑이 찬 것이
My wallet is fuller than my mind or heart
사람의 값어치를 매기는
Measuring a person's worth
사치스런 society
Materialistic society
헛된 소비, 내가 여자들에게
A pointless expense, what I threw at women
던 돈이 쌓였다면 높지 않아
If the money I threw had piled up, it wouldn't be much
산꼭대기 괜히 공들엿지
I climbed the mountain top for no reason
결국엔 그녀가 있던 자리와
In the end, where she was
주머니 속에 남은 것은 먼지
What's left in my pocket is dust
So what you want lady
So what do you want, lady?
(다이아몬드) okay
(Diamond), okay
그보다 큰 다이아는
A bigger diamond than that
내 맘속에 있는데
Is in my heart
Hey, what you want baby
Hey, what do you want, baby?
A big house) okay
A big house, okay
그보다 넓고 따뜻한
Than that, wider and warmer
두 팔의 품에 안겨줄게
I'll hold you in my arms
My soul sister
My soul sister
Respect yourself please
Respect yourself, please
On the street
On the street
돈으로 살 수 있는 사랑은
Love that can be bought with money
깔렸으니 dollar뿐이
Exists only in dollars
네가 원하는 것이면 be gone
If it's what you want, be gone
진정한 사랑을 원한다면
If you want true love
Let's get it on
Let's get it on
오늘도 약속대로 그대를
As promised, I want to see you again today
나는 보고 싶어도
Even though I want to see you
오늘도 텅빈채로 내 작은 주머니는
My small pockets are empty again today
나를 바라보고
Looking at me
오늘도 난 so ghetto 돈 때문에
Even today, I'm so ghetto because of money
사랑을 도피하고
Escaping from love
Let's get in on tonight
Let's get in on tonight
난 오늘도 사랑에 돌을 던지네
I'm throwing stones at love again today
난 오늘도 사랑에 목이 메이네
My throat is parched for love again today
내 일생활은 ghetto.
My daily life is like the ghetto.
Mithra? I don't know, yo
Mithra? I don't know, yo
연락은 칼 같이, 만남은 불 같이
Contact is like a knife, meeting is like fire
불만이 커지면 칼은 물 베야지.
If dissatisfaction grows, the knife must be put away.
우리의 메아리 같은 만남에
In our repeated meetings
난 배앓이 그녀는 구멍
I'm satisfied, she's a hole
난 저금통 빨간 돼야지
I have to turn my piggy bank red
Okay,어차피 흔한 coffee 한잔
Okay, just an ordinary cup of coffee anyway
살만한 돈이 없다면
If there's not enough money to live
남자가 아니지!!My darling
I'm not a man!! My darling
내가 널 여왕처럼 떠
I'll lift you up like a queen
받들어 줄 테니
I'll bear it for you
지금 네게 필요한건 바로 기다림
What you need from me right now is simply waiting
그런데 why why why
But why why why
늘어가는 잔소리 날카로운 눈빛에
The nagging that's getting longer, the sharp eyes
뿜어 나온 한숨이
The sigh that comes out
왜 내 맘 몰라주는 건지
Why don't you understand my heart?
난 너무 답답함에 굴뚝같은 연기만
I'm so frustrated, there's only smokestack-like smoke
내가 원했던 사랑은
The love I wanted
너의 이해심 반
Your understanding and half
그리고 나의 관심과
And my interest
사랑이 반과 반
Love is half and half
사랑은 등산처럼
Love is like mountain climbing
험난하고 힘들지만
Difficult and hard
서로를 감싸 안아 준다면
If we embrace each other
절대 힘들지는 않아
It will never be hard
Love is free love is free
Love is free, love is free
Love is free 주머니가 아닌 맘
Love is free, not in pockets
Hey love is free, love is free
Hey love is free, love is free
Love is free 다가와 오늘밤
Love is free, come tonight
Hey love is free love is free
Hey love is free, love is free
Love is free주머니가 아닌 맘
Love is free, not in pockets
Hey love is free love
Hey love is free, love
Is free love is free
Is free, love is free
내게 와 오늘밤 hey
Come to me tonight, hey
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Jin Choi, J-Win, Seon Woong Lee
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Miiiine
on 선곡표
Thank you for the explaination, may I ask for the link or hangul name of the song by Lee Mija singer?