FIRE — 2NE1: meaning, key lines and pronunciation
What does “FIRE” by 2NE1 mean?
“FIRE” by 2NE1 is a fearless dance-floor song about shaking off worries and chasing a bigger life with no fear of losing. They step into a new world, get back up after every fall, and keep going even when what they believed in lets them down.
What the song is about
Eyes bright like stars, a fire pounding in their hearts and heads, they sway to the beat and want to feel completely unbound.
Key lines
4 lines from the song in Korean, with how they sound and what they mean. The full line-by-line breakdown lives in the app.
지겹기만 한 고민은 이제 등을 지고Listen from this lineRomanization (as sung): ji·gyeop·kki·man han go·mi·neun i·je deung·eul ji·go
Meaning: I now turn my back on the tiresome worries.
Words in this line- 지겹기만ji·gyeop·kki·manonly tedious
- 한hanthat is
- 고민은go·mi·neunworries
- 이제i·jenow
- 등을deung·eulback
- 지고ji·goturning
Word for word: Only tedious worries now carrying back.
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 등 means back and 지다 means to carry, but 등을 지다 is an idiom for turning one's back, cutting ties. 지겹기만 한 uses 만 meaning 'only', so the worries are nothing but tedious.
내 맘대로 다 할 수 있기에 큰 자유를 위해Listen from this lineRomanization (as sung): nae mam·dae·ro da hal ssu it·kki·e keun ja·yu·reu rwi·hae
Meaning: Because I can do everything my own way — for great freedom.
Words in this line- 내naemy
- 맘대로mam·dae·roas I like
- 다daall
- 할halto do
- 수ssupossibility
- 있기에it·kki·esince there is
- 큰keunbig
- 자유를ja·yu·reufreedom
- 위해rwi·haefor
Word for word: By my heart all do possibility exists-because, big freedom for.
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 맘대로 is short for 마음대로, 'as the heart wishes'. 할 수 있다 literally 'there is a way to do', meaning can. The ending -기에 gives 'because' and 위해 means 'for the sake of'.
더 빨리 뛰-뛰-뛰-뛰-뛰-뛰-뛰-뛰-뛰고 싶어Listen from this lineRomanization (as sung): deo ppal·li ttwi-ttwi-ttwi-ttwi-ttwi-ttwi-ttwi-ttwi-ttwi·go si·peo
Meaning: I want to run even faster
Words in this line- 더deomore
- 빨리ppal·lifast
- 뛰-뛰-뛰-뛰-뛰-뛰-뛰-뛰-뛰고ttwi-ttwi-ttwi-ttwi-ttwi-ttwi-ttwi-ttwi-ttwi·gorunning
- 싶어si·peowant to
Word for word: More fast ru-ru-ru-ru-ru-ru-ru-ru-running want
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 더 means 'more', 빨리 means 'quickly', and 뛰다 means 'to run or leap'. Together they naturally become 'run even faster'. The repeated 뛰 mimics a speeding-up stride, and the ending -고 싶어 carries the wish.
언제나 오늘처럼만 자유롭고 싶은거Listen to the first verse — freeRomanization (as sung): eon·je·na o·neul·cheo·reom·man ja·yu·rop·kko si·peun·geo
Meaning: I want to always be free like today
Words in this line- 언제나eon·je·naalways
- 오늘처럼만o·neul·cheo·reom·manjust like today
- 자유롭고ja·yu·rop·kkofreely
- 싶은거si·peun·geowhat I want
Word for word: Always only-like-today freely-and wanted-thing
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 만 on its own means 'only' and 처럼 means 'like', but 오늘처럼만 together means 'if only it could stay like today'. 싶은 거 is literally 'a wanted thing', yet that tail turns the sentence into a soft, wistful 'I wish it were always so' rather than a demand.
Lyrics © their rights holders. “FIRE” — 2NE1. Quoted for commentary and learning.
Song facts
- Lines
- 58
- Key lines explained
- 4
- Words explained
- 18
- Length
- 3:46
Mini-lesson: fill in the missing word
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Ask HaeinSong vocabulary
Words from the song in Korean alphabetical order, with pronunciation and meaning.
| Word | Sounds like | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 꿈을 | kku·meul | dream |
| 높은 | no·peun | tall |
| 눈빛은 | nun·ppi·cheun | gaze |
| 대도록 | dae·do·rok | until it does |
| 말아 | ma·ra | don't |
| 머리가 | meo·ri·ga | hair (subject) |
| 멈추려 | meom·chu·ryeo | trying to stop |
| 별들로 | byeol·deul·lo | with stars |
| 보다 | bo·da | more |
| 불빛도 | bul·ppit·tto | light too |
| 빌딩위로 | bil·ding·wi·ro | above the building |
| 빛나는 | bin·na·neun | shining |
| 살랑 | sal·lang | gently |
| 찰랑 | chal·lang | swish |
| 춤을 | chu·meul | dance |
| 크게 | keu·ge | loudly |
| 푸른 | pu·reun | blue |
| 하늘위로 | ha·neu·rwi·ro | above the sky |
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Questions about “FIRE”
What is “FIRE” by 2NE1 about?
“FIRE” by 2NE1 is a fearless dance-floor song about shaking off worries and chasing a bigger life with no fear of losing. They step into a new world, get back up after every fall, and keep going even when what they believed in lets them down. Eyes bright like stars, a fire pounding in their hearts and heads, they sway to the beat and want to feel completely unbound.
What does “지겹기만 한 고민은 이제 등을 지고” mean in “FIRE”?
In “FIRE” by 2NE1, “지겹기만 한 고민은 이제 등을 지고” means: I now turn my back on the tiresome worries. 등 means back and 지다 means to carry, but 등을 지다 is an idiom for turning one's back, cutting ties. 지겹기만 한 uses 만 meaning 'only', so the worries are nothing but tedious.
What does “내 맘대로 다 할 수 있기에 큰 자유를 위해” mean in “FIRE”?
In “FIRE” by 2NE1, “내 맘대로 다 할 수 있기에 큰 자유를 위해” means: Because I can do everything my own way — for great freedom. 맘대로 is short for 마음대로, 'as the heart wishes'. 할 수 있다 literally 'there is a way to do', meaning can. The ending -기에 gives 'because' and 위해 means 'for the sake of'.
How do you pronounce “더 빨리 뛰-뛰-뛰-뛰-뛰-뛰-뛰-뛰-뛰고 싶어”?
“더 빨리 뛰-뛰-뛰-뛰-뛰-뛰-뛰-뛰-뛰고 싶어” from “FIRE” by 2NE1 is romanized as “deo ppalli ttwi-ttwi-ttwi-ttwi-ttwi-ttwi-ttwi-ttwi-ttwigo sipeo”: that is how it is actually sung, sound changes included, not the textbook spelling.
Where can I see every line of “FIRE” explained?
This page explains 4 key lines. In the theIDOL app Haein goes through all 58 lines word by word, in sync with the song; the first verse is free and needs no sign-up.
Official music video
The video loads from YouTube only when you press play. YouTube ↗
How we make these breakdowns
theIDOL builds every breakdown with AI assistance and automated checks, and publishes a page only after it passes them. An AI model writes the meaning of each line and the word-by-word glosses from the song's timed lyrics. The pronunciation comes from our own rule-based Korean transcriber, which spells how the words sound when sung, sound changes included, not a letter-by-letter romanization. Pages that fail the audio-sync or translation checks are not published, and we quote only a few key lines. If you spot a mistake, write to support@theidol.ai and we will fix it.
Credits and sources
- Artist
- 2NE1
- Official video
- 2NE1 · YouTube
Lyrics and music belong to their rights holders. This page quotes no more than four lines for commentary; the translations, pronunciation and explanations are written by theIDOL.