SOBER — BIGBANG: meaning, key lines and pronunciation
What does “SOBER” by BIGBANG mean?
BIGBANG's “SOBER” is about a worn-out singer who numbs a restless, lonely life with drink and can't bear being clear-headed without someone close. Feeling like a child in an adult's body, they find the world cold and strangers' stares sharp, while scorning people who chase money, power and fame.
What the song is about
They plead for a doctor and a cab to carry them away, and keep waiting through a pitch-dark night in a hazy, bitter, aching mood.
BIGBANG performs at 2026 MAMA
Sat, Nov 21 · Kyocera Dome Osaka. Every performer’s songs, day by day, with English translation and meaning.
2026 MAMA performers’ songs →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.
제발 좀 잘난 척하지 마Listen from this lineRomanization (as sung): je·bal jom jal·lan cheo·ka·ji ma
Meaning: Please, stop acting so superior.
Words in this line- 제발je·balplease
- 좀jomjust, a bit
- 잘난jal·lansuperior
- 척하지cheo·ka·jipretending
- 마madon't
Word for word: Please a bit excelling pretend don't do.
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 잘난 alone means 'excellent' and 척 means 'pretending', but 잘난 척 together is 'showing off'. 하지 마 is 'don't do it', and 제발 plus 좀 turn it into an exasperated 'come on, quit it'.
맨정신이 난 힘들어Listen from this lineRomanization (as sung): maen·jeong·si·ni nan him·deu·reo
Meaning: Being sober is hard for me
Words in this line- 맨정신이maen·jeong·si·nisober mind
- 난nanI
- 힘들어him·deu·reohard
Word for word: Plain-spirit-subject I hard
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 맨 means 'bare, nothing added' and 정신 means 'mind', so 맨정신 together means a sober state with no alcohol. 힘들어 is built from 'strength' and 'enter', meaning 'it's tough'. The singer says the pain is unbearable without being drunk.
네가 없인 깜깜한 이 밤이Listen to the first verse — freeRomanization (as sung): ni·ga eop·ssin kkam·kkam·han i ba·mi
Meaning: Without you, this night is pitch-dark,
Words in this line- 네가ni·gayou (subject)
- 없인eop·ssinwithout
- 깜깜한kkam·kkam·hanpitch-dark
- 이ithis
- 밤이ba·minight
Word for word: You-without-as-for pitch-dark this night
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 없인 is a contraction of 없이는: 없이 means 'without' and 는 is a topic marker, together 'as for being without you…'. 깜깜한 means 'pitch-dark'. The literal reading is clumsy, but the meaning is simply 'without you the night is pitch-black'.
아무것도 할 수가 없어Listen to the first verse — freeRomanization (as sung): a·mu·geot·tto hal ssu·ga eop·sseo
Meaning: I can't do anything
Words in this line- 아무것도a·mu·geot·ttonothing at all
- 할halto do
- 수가ssu·gapossibility
- 없어eop·sseothere isn't
Word for word: Anything-even to-do possibility-subject not-exist
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 수 alone means 'way / possibility' and 없어 means 'there isn't', but 할 수 없다 together means 'cannot do'. The extra 가 after 수 adds emphasis, like 'no way at all'. 아무것도 with a negative becomes 'absolutely nothing'.
Lyrics © their rights holders. “SOBER” — BIGBANG. Quoted for commentary and learning.
Song facts
- Lines
- 82
- Key lines explained
- 4
- Words explained
- 18
- Length
- 3:58
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Words from the song in Korean alphabetical order, with pronunciation and meaning.
| Word | Sounds like | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 가고 | ga·go | goes |
| 나이만 | na·i·man | only age |
| 더럽게 | deo·reop·kke | awfully |
| 들어 | deu·reo | getting (older) |
| 많은데 | ma·neun·de | there's a lot, but |
| 살아 | sa·ra | live |
| 세상이 | se·sang·i | the world |
| 시간은 | si·ga·neun | time |
| 싫어 | si·reo | I hate |
| 이씨 | i·ssi | damn |
| 일은 | i·reun | task (topic) |
| 있게 | it·kke | so that I can |
| 잠들 | jam·deul | fall asleep |
| 제일 | je·il | the most |
| 좇다 | jot·tta | to chase |
| 좋다 | jo·ta | good |
| 죽은 | ju·geun | dead |
| 테니까 | te·ni·kka | because surely |
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Questions about “SOBER”
What is “SOBER” by BIGBANG about?
BIGBANG's “SOBER” is about a worn-out singer who numbs a restless, lonely life with drink and can't bear being clear-headed without someone close. Feeling like a child in an adult's body, they find the world cold and strangers' stares sharp, while scorning people who chase money, power and fame.
What does “제발 좀 잘난 척하지 마” mean in “SOBER”?
In “SOBER” by BIGBANG, “제발 좀 잘난 척하지 마” means: Please, stop acting so superior. 잘난 alone means 'excellent' and 척 means 'pretending', but 잘난 척 together is 'showing off'. 하지 마 is 'don't do it', and 제발 plus 좀 turn it into an exasperated 'come on, quit it'.
What does “맨정신이 난 힘들어” mean in “SOBER”?
In “SOBER” by BIGBANG, “맨정신이 난 힘들어” means: Being sober is hard for me. 맨 means 'bare, nothing added' and 정신 means 'mind', so 맨정신 together means a sober state with no alcohol. 힘들어 is built from 'strength' and 'enter', meaning 'it's tough'. The singer says the pain is unbearable without being drunk.
How do you pronounce “네가 없인 깜깜한 이 밤이”?
“네가 없인 깜깜한 이 밤이” from “SOBER” by BIGBANG is romanized as “niga eopssin kkamkkamhan i bami”: that is how it is actually sung, sound changes included, not the textbook spelling.
Where can I see every line of “SOBER” explained?
This page explains 4 key lines. In the theIDOL app Hyunwoo goes through all 82 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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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
- BIGBANG
- Official video
- BIGBANG · 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.