[1] The group's foray into gangsta rap, the song's lyrical content addresses the societal pressures on young people that push them to run away from home,[2] while the refrain conveys the perspective of the runaways' parents.
[3] Following its release, "Come Back Home" was met with success in South Korea, and achieved the top positions on music program charts for multiple weeks.
[3] While the majority of the song was written in Korean, assistant professor of music at University of Hildesheim Michael Fuhr wrote that the function of the English words that were used in the title and the refrain: "you must come back home", served as an attention getter.
The video conveys the primary theme expressed through the song's lyrics, where it contrasts the dark and rough images of the outside world with the bright and welcoming imagery of the teenager's home.
[14] In 2014, girl group 2NE1 (who were signed under band member Yang Hyun-suk's label YG Entertainment) released the single "Come Back Home" as part of their final studio album.
Although not a cover, the song's choreography was specifically requested by the 2NE1 members to incorporate dance moves from the version by Seo Taiji and Boys, as they felt that its elements would also suit the color of their new performances.
[17][18] BTS was later invited by Seo to perform as backup vocalists and dancers for eight songs in his Seoul Olympic Stadium concert held early September.