What If I Had Been That PUMA?

⋆ Korean Title: Balance Game

⋆ Genre: Hip-hop

⋆ Producing Credits: Slow Rabbit

⋆ Writing/Composing Credits: Ebenezer, Magnus, Yeonjun, danke, hitman bang, Taehyun, Jo Yoon Kyung, Beomgyu, January 8th, LUTRA

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ABOUT/MEANING: ‘What If I Had Been That PUMA’ explores the anxiety and regret tied to the significant decisions the boys* face as they mature. Building on the symbolism of TXT's earlier song ‘PUMA,’ where they liken themselves to a puma escaping a zoo, this track delves into the emotional complexity of the choices the puma faced. The song presents a "balance game" dynamic, where the boys are confronted with an uncertain, binary decision: like the puma, would they risk escaping the zoo for the freedom they crave, even at the cost of potential harm, or would they stay trapped in the zoo, safe but confined? This dilemma mirrors their internal conflict as they grapple with the paths they could have taken and the ones still ahead. The track captures their struggle with the heavy responsibility of growing up, highlighting the tension between the initial thrill of freedom and the sobering reality of regret that follows. The emotional freeze they experience reflects the uncertainty and pressure of their new reality, where every decision feels like it carries the weight of potential regret.

*For further context on the song check out 'The Chaos Chapter: FREEZE' album summary

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LYRICS - ENGLISH TRANSLATION (translations by @translatingTXT)

❗Please be sure to read the "About" section above, as it provides a brief explanation of how this song is based on TXT's previous track, PUMA, ensuring you have the proper context to fully understand these lyrics.

Pick your answer A or B,

In front of a balance game with a puma

CONTEXT/EXPLANATION: In Korea, a "Balance Game" refers to the game commonly known as "This or That" in English where participants are asked to choose between two options, often in a fun or challenging way, with each choice having its own pros and cons.

Uh, do I really have to choose?

In front of that question

I’m mute as if I've eaten honey

TRANSLATION NOTE: The Korean idiom "꿀 먹은 듯 벙어리" literally translates to "a mute who has eaten honey." It describes a person who is usually talkative but becomes suddenly silent, often in situations where they would typically speak. The closest English equivalent is "has a cat got your tongue?" which similarly conveys the idea of someone being unexpectedly speechless or at a loss for words.

Among this tricky palette of choices, I don’t know my color

This continuous dilemma ends in darkness

I need you to tell me if you feel the same

I need you to tell me

My EXP is still zero (zero)

CONTEXT/EXPLANATION: In gaming, "EXP" stands for "experience points."

I hate unfamiliar places never ever (ever)

What should I choose, what’s good for me?

A matter with no answer

A sense of freedom lingers outside that door

(Run away!)

Ay, ay, the moment I face it

(Throw it up!)

All around me are my chasers

Be careful, it'll spread in an instant

Try choosing: believer or saver

Jaded by this endless game

Feeling a headache now

Whatever the result, I don’t care

I just wanna skip it

Pick your answer A or B

In front of a balance game with a puma

Uh, do I really have to choose?

In front of that question

I’m mute as if I've eaten honey

Among this tricky palette of choices, I don’t know my color

This continuous dilemma ends in darkness

This game of freeze tag repeats in my head

I just want an answer

At this crossroads, I’m clumsy

The odds are fifty-fifty

My choice becomes reality

Neither side I'm sure of

Close my eyes and guess it, guess it

My choices of either A or B

It might be better, but it's a hit-or-miss

As it sounds, it's not easy

What can it be? There might be no answer

Asking reveals no reasons

I speak well and make it all sound convincing

Then come and bet, if it’s life, can you?

There’s no right answer,

So why insist on a conclusion

I keep falling into this dilemma

I can’t live like this, low-key

Please stop, my mind is already overloaded

Maybe if it were me, I’d stay in the zoo

But I can’t guess back then

What were the puma’s feelings

I don’t know, just skip it

Pick your answer A or B

In front of a balance game with a puma

Uh, do I have to choose?

In front of that question

I’m mute as if I've eaten honey

Among this tricky palette of choices, I don’t know my color

This continuous dilemma ends in darkness

This game of freeze tag repeats in my head

I just want an answer

At this crossroads, I’m clumsy

The odds are fifty-fifty

My choice becomes reality

Neither side I'm sure of

Close my eyes and guess it, guess it

My choices of either A or B

It might be better, but it's a hit-or-miss

As it sounds, it's not easy

Maybe tomorrow I’ll escape reality

Still indulging in imagined doping

I don’t want to choose, I don’t care

I just wanna skip it

Pick your answer A or B

In front of a balance game with a puma

Uh, do I have to choose?

In front of that question,

I’m mute as if I've eaten honey

In this palette of tricky choices, I don’t know my color

This continuous dilemma ends in darkness

This game of freeze tag repeats in my head

I just want an answer

On this crossroads, I'm clumsy

The probability is fifty : fifty

My choice will then be reality

Either one, I’m not sure of it

Close my eyes and guess it, guess it

My choices of either A or B

It might be better, but it's a hit-or-miss

As it sounds, it's not easy

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Helpful Context (Album Series Summary): Following the collapse of their dreamlike world, The Chaos Chapters trace the unraveling of that once-perfect ideal. The boys confront harsh realities and new responsibilities that threaten their dreams and relationships. Their once-bright lives spiral into disorder, leaving them frozen and uncertain - until a transformative presence, symbolized as ‘you’, begins to thaw the cold. These albums mark a shift from nostalgic hope to introspection, exploring both inner turmoil and outer chaos. Influenced in part by the real-world upheaval of the COVID-19 era, the series reflects the disorientation of youth navigating a fractured, changing world.

Helpful Context (Album Summary: The Chaos Chapter: FREEZE) : The Chaos Chapter: Freeze portrays a world where the warmth of friendship and youthful dreams has been shattered by isolation and emotional coldness. As his once-stable life crumbles, the boy* feels frozen, insignificant, and numb in a reality that no longer feels familiar. Amid this emotional winter, the arrival of ‘you’*, a special someone, brings unexpected warmth. This love becomes his anchor - the only constant in a collapsing world. Clinging to that connection, he finds a reason to endure the chaos and the cold.

Helpful Context (Album Summary: The Chaos Chapter: FIGHT OR ESCAPE): A repackage of The Chaos Chapter: Freeze, The Chaos Chapter: Fight or Escape expands that emotional landscape, diving deeper into the aftermath of isolation and collapse. If Freeze captured the paralysis of a cold, unfamiliar world, Fight or Escape explores what comes next: will the boys* fight against the chaos, or retreat into the comfort love offers? The album captures youth’s restless tension between resistance and surrender. It channels frustration with societal judgment, the urge to break free from expectations, and the longing for genuine connection. Yet amid the turmoil, moments of light persist - flashes of hope, gratitude, and emotional grounding in relationships that endure. It offers no easy answers, only the raw urgency to survive, love, and move forward through the chaos.

*In the context of TXT’s discography, the term ‘boy’/‘boys’ are used to represent both the members themselves as well as serve as generalized protagonists embodying the universal experiences of youth. Similarly, ‘you’ is intentionally open-ended, allowing multiple interpretations of the relationship - whether platonic, romantic, fan-artist, or otherwise - inviting listeners to connect with the story in their own way.