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aespa

Spicy — aespa: meaning, key lines and pronunciation

First verse: the song, every line and what it means — in sync망설이듯 간 보는 너mang·seo·ri·deut gan bo·neun neoYou hesitate and test the watersListen to this line with the translationNo sign-up

What the song is about

In aespa’s “Spicy,” the singer teases a hesitant admirer to step closer and find out how fiery she really is. She lays a playful trap to cure boredom, draws a boundary only the brave may cross, and sets off an alarm for the thrill, yet warns anyone who can't handle her to run. Underneath the confidence is a push to break routine and meet a new side of herself.

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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.

망설이듯 간 보는 너
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Romanization (as sung): mang·seo·ri·deut gan bo·neun neo

Meaning: You hesitate and test the waters

Words in this line
  • 망설이듯mang·seo·ri·deutas if hesitating
  • 간gantesting
  • 보는bo·neunwatching
  • 너neoyou

간 보다 literally means 'to taste (broth)', but as a set phrase means 'to test the waters, stall on a decision.'

번지는 자극 속에 넌, 바로 그 순간
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Romanization (as sung): beon·ji·neun ja·geuk so·ge neon, ba·ro geu sun·gan

Meaning: In this spreading thrill, you're right in that very moment

Words in this line
  • 번지는beon·ji·neunspreading
  • 자극ja·geukthrill
  • 속에so·gein
  • 넌,neon,you're
  • 바로ba·roright
  • 그geuthat
  • 순간sun·ganmoment

Word for word: spreading thrill in you're right that moment

Why it doesn't translate word for word: The literal version is choppy because Korean postpositions like 속에 ("inside/within") trail their noun, and 넌 fuses "you" with a topic marker, making word order feel backwards. 바로 adds emphasis, meaning "exactly/right." The line simply means you're exactly in that moment, amid a spreading thrill.

또 다른 나를 발견해 I'm too spicy
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Romanization (as sung): tto da·reun na·reul bal·gyeon·hae I'm too spicy

Meaning: I discover another side of me, I'm too spicy

Words in this line
  • 또ttoagain
  • 다른da·reundifferent
  • 나를na·reulme
  • 발견해bal·gyeon·haediscover

Word for word: Again different me-OBJECT discover I'm too spicy

Why it doesn't translate word for word: 또 다른 나 literally reads 'yet another me,' but in Korean it's the standard way to say 'a different side of myself,' not a literal second person.

좀 더 강도를 높여 다음 다음 다음 woo
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Romanization (as sung): jom deo gang·do·reul no·pyeo da·eum da·eum da·eum woo

Meaning: Turn the intensity up a little more — next, next, next (woo)

Words in this line
  • 좀joma bit
  • 더deomore
  • 강도를gang·do·reulthe intensity
  • 높여no·pyeoraise
  • 다음da·eumnext
  • 다음da·eumnext
  • 다음da·eumnext

Lyrics © their rights holders. “Spicy” — aespa. Quoted for commentary and learning.

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Song vocabulary

Words from the song in Korean alphabetical order, with pronunciation and meaning.

WordSounds likeMeaning
가질래ga·jil·laeI'll take
거면geo·myeonif
겁내지geom·nae·jiscared
경고해gyeong·go·haewarn
그만geu·manenough
기세가gi·se·gavibe
기회는gi·hoe·neunchance
깜빡kkam·ppakin a flash
끌어당겨kkeu·reo·dang·gyeopull you in
끝에kkeu·teat the end of
다가와da·ga·wacome closer
달아나da·ra·narun
던져줄게deon·jyeo·jul·kkeI'll set
심장을sim·jang·eulheart
외쳐봐oe·chyeo·bwashout
용기yong·gicourage
파고들어pa·go·deu·reodig into
했던haet·tteonthat made

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Questions about “Spicy”

What is “Spicy” by aespa about?

In aespa’s “Spicy,” the singer teases a hesitant admirer to step closer and find out how fiery she really is.

What does “번지는 자극 속에 넌, 바로 그 순간” mean in “Spicy”?

In this spreading thrill, you're right in that very moment. The literal version is choppy because Korean postpositions like 속에 ("inside/within") trail their noun, and 넌 fuses "you" with a topic marker, making word…

What does “또 다른 나를 발견해 I'm too spicy” mean in “Spicy”?

I discover another side of me, I'm too spicy. 또 다른 나 literally reads 'yet another me,' but in Korean it's the standard way to say 'a different side of myself,' not a literal second person.

How do you pronounce “망설이듯 간 보는 너”?

In the song it sounds roughly like “mang·seo·ri·deut gan bo·neun neo”: that's how it's actually sung by aespa, not the textbook romanization.

Where can I see every line of “Spicy” explained?

This page explains 4 key lines. In the theIDOL app Mina goes through all 76 lines word by word, in sync with the song; the first verse is free and needs no sign-up.

Official music video

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Credits and sources

Artist
aespa
Official video
SMTOWN · 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.

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