Dictionary — Entry No. 0578
바다
bada · noun
바다
bada
[BA-da]
nounbeginner
Meaning
Meaning ‘sea’ or ‘ocean,’ 바다 carries deep emotional weight in Korean culture beyond its literal meaning. It symbolizes freedom, vastness, longing, and the unknown. In K-Pop it appears in introspective songs about the future, while in K-Dramas it is the classic backdrop for confessions, break-ups, and moments of personal clarity.
K-Pop & K-Drama Context
BTS’s hidden track ‘Sea (바다)’ from the ‘Love Yourself: Her’ album (2017) uses 바다 as a metaphor for the vast, uncertain future — it was initially a secret only physical-album buyers could find, making it one of the most emotionally significant songs in ARMY history. Stray Kids’ Bang Chan, who grew up in Australia, often references missing the ocean in his Sunday live streams, connecting his 바다 nostalgia to the distance and longing that resonates deeply with international K-Pop fans.
Example Sentences
바다가 보고 싶어.
Bada-ga bogo sipeo.
I want to see the sea. (보고 싶어 bogo sipeo = I miss / want to see — layered with longing)
우리 바다 가자!
Uri bada gaja!
Let’s go to the beach! (casual, energetic invitation — common in summer K-Drama episodes)
바다처럼 넓은 마음.
Bada-cheoreom neolbeun maeum.
A heart as wide as the ocean. (a poetic compliment for someone with a forgiving, expansive spirit)
⚠️ Don’t use bada when…
Don’t confuse 바다 (bada, sea) with 바보 (babo, fool / idiot) — both start with 바 and appear frequently in K-Pop lyrics, but mixing them up in conversation is very awkward. Also note that Koreans distinguish 바다 (open sea) from 해변 (haebyeon, shoreline/beach), so 바다 가자 means heading toward the sea generally, not specifically to a sandy beach.
🎵 Heard In
- K-Drama: Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha (갯마을 차차차, 2021) — the entire drama is set in a fictional seaside village where the 바다 acts as both a literal backdrop and a symbol of the healing, open-hearted community that helps the leads fall in love.
- K-Pop: BTS — Sea (바다, 2017, hidden track on Love Yourself: Her). RM’s rap standing before the vast ocean and asking whether it represents hope or despair made this the definitive K-Pop meditation on what 바다 means beyond water.
ℹ️ Editorial Note: The cultural context and example usage are for educational reference only. Artist names, song titles, and drama references are used descriptively to illustrate vocabulary in context. This content is AI-assisted and reviewed for accuracy. For official information, please refer to the respective artists’ or studios’ official channels.