Love is a game. Either one you love and can play for the rest of your life or one that slowly you get tired of. In Trivia: Seesaw, BTS' rapper SUGA illustrates love as a seesaw. In an ideal relationship, both people on the seesaw are equal and perfectly balanced. However, in the scenario he describes, it's tiring, draining, yet something he refuses to get off of.
A seesaw is a game that young children often play. If there is a large difference in weight between both sides of the seesaw, one player will be up in the air and the other touching the floor, meaning playing will be extremely difficult and most likely not fun. If there is a roughly equal amount of weight between the two sides, the seesaw is stable, an equilibrium is achieved, and children can play and have fun. SUGA uses this metaphor to describe the dynamics of a relationship. If both parties in the relationship are pulling equal weight, then their relationship will be stable and fun.
Playing on a seesaw can get tiring very quickly, especially when there isn't equal weight. When there isn't equal weight, one person needs to be constantly adjusting themselves and doing all the work. SUGA again brings this idea back to relationships, saying "Meaningless emotional exhaustion / Repeated seesaw." SUGA has already established that in his relationship, there is no equilibrium and no balance. This means that someone in the relationship, most likely him, is constantly fighting and adjusting themselves to try and make the relationship healthy. In his relationship, it is evident that the "heavier" person is doing all the work, while the "lighter" one is only enjoying it. Based on what he says, it is evident that this cycle keeps continuing, which is extremely emotionally and physically draining, and what playing on an unbalanced seesaw can be.
SUGA then goes on to mention how this constant cycle is draining yet something he refuses to exit from. Humans have a tendency of throwing blame; if one of the parties breaks off the relationship, it's very likely that the other will get hurt and blame the dumper. SUGA mentions this by expressing that if the relationship is over, "someone [will get] hurt [since] the other is gone / [And] neither of [them] want to be the bad guy." The relationship is emotionally destroying both parties but due to the fact that they refuse to be blamed for no longer trying, they refuse to leave the relationship first. SUGA ends the song by almost begging for permission to leave the relationship first, stating that this toxic seesaw is a game that he simply cannot play any further.
In conclusion, BTS' SUGA uses the metaphor of a seesaw to describe all parts of a toxic relationship: getting on, doing the work, getting tired, and eventually leaving. He describes the rise of a relationship and its ultimate fall with a catchy yet sad tune. He uses a metaphor not many would think of and shows how love truly is a game, and with games, there is always the possibility that someone gets tired and stops playing – which is exactly what happened in the relationship of the song.
