“Friend” is the fifteenth track on BTS’ 2020 album ‘MAP OF THE SOUL: 7.’ This track is a duet by V and Jimin, singing about their friendship over the years and promises to keep it on forever. Let’s check out the English lyrics and meaning behind this track in detail.
‘MAP OF THE SOUL: 7′ is BTS’ eleventh studio album and fourth full-length album. It is also the second installment of the ‘MAP OF THE SOUL’ series, following ‘Persona’ released in 2019. The album produced singles such as “Black Swan,” “Make It Right,” and “Outro” prior to the album release on February 21, 2020.
Verse 1
Jimin and V sing about how their friendship came to be. They met in Seoul, the capital city of South Korea, after joining BigHit Entertainment. They both had to join Korea Arts High School, where Jimin was ignored by the other kids because of his strange dialect. V is the one who protected him and introduced him to his friends. Jimin says that they were both strange kids, which made them click and connect very fast.
Listen to “Friend” by BTS
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Pre-chorus-1
Jimin calls V and himself aliens because they are misfits everywhere. They were a mystery that other ‘normal’ or ‘cool’ kids did not understand. So it made their bond and friendship even more special.
Chorus
In these lyrics, we hear Jimin and V tell each other that their friendship should continue to eternity. They know that one day this “cheer” (fans) will fade away. On that day, they will need each other more than ever. They even make a pinky promise to be there for each other forever. Also “tiny pinky” is an inside joke among BTS fans about the tiny fingers of Jimin.
“…seven summers and cold winters” refer to the number of years BTS has been active. These 7 years are minuscule in comparison to the life ahead of them. So the members need to stick with each other in the worse times to come ahead.
Verse 2
The two friends recall some memories from their Korean Arts High School days. The same uniforms they wore every day to school and some dumpling incident that still makes them laugh. They remember their fun-filled bus rides to and from school. It is all like a movie reel in their memories. And they say, it is still the same today!
Pre-chorus-2
V sings reminisces about a dreamcatcher that Jimin brought him because he had nightmares. And he fondly recalls the 7 years of friendship they had.
Bridge
Although Jimin and V have significantly different sized pinky fingers, they use the same example to say that they are so equal in all ways. They say that they know everything about each other, which should make this bond very special and intimate. They also say that more than just words, they trust each other with a deeper sense of understanding between them.
Join us to wish V and Jimin and all the other members of BTS a longer and successful friendship in the years to come. Share your thoughts on the song and their friendship in the comments below.