Black Swan — BTS: meaning, key lines and pronunciation
First verse: the song, every line and what it means — in sync어쩜 이렇게 한 번 죽겠지 아마eo·jjeom i·reo·ke han beon juk·kket·jji a·maMaybe I'll die like this, probablyListen to this line with the translationNo sign-upWhat the song is about
BTS's “Black Swan” is about an artist who fears the day music stops moving them, then sinks into a dark sea and finds their own self waiting in the depths. The singer dreads a kind of first death, where the heart no longer trembles, and feels pulled down by hands at the ankles in silence. Yet they choose to leap in on their own, open their eyes, and rise with a cry that nothing can swallow.
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.
어쩜 이렇게 한 번 죽겠지 아마Listen from this lineRomanization (as sung): eo·jjeom i·reo·ke han beon juk·kket·jji a·ma
Meaning: Maybe I'll die like this, probably
Words in this line- 어쩜eo·jjeommaybe
- 이렇게i·reo·kelike this
- 한hanone
- 번beontime
- 죽겠지juk·kket·jjiwill die
- 아마a·maprobably
Word for word: maybe like this one time will die probably
Why it doesn't translate word for word: Korean brackets the sentence with two hedging words, 어쩜 and 아마, both roughly "maybe/probably," while the ending -겠지 already bakes in that same guess, making the literal feel repetitive and backward. It means the singer thinks they might just die like this, probably. 어쩜 means "maybe," 죽겠지 means "will probably die," and 아마 means "probably."
길 잃은 내 발목을 또 잡아Listen from this lineRomanization (as sung): gil i·reun nae bal·mo·geul tto ja·ba
Meaning: You're grabbing my lost ankle again.
Words in this line- 길gilroad
- 잃은i·reunlost
- 내naemy
- 발목을bal·mo·geulankle
- 또ttoagain
- 잡아ja·bagrab
Word for word: Road lost my ankle-object again grab.
Why it doesn't translate word for word: '길 잃은' literally means 'road lost' but is an idiom for being lost or disoriented. '발목을 잡다' literally means 'grab ankle' but is a metaphor for holding someone back or controlling them.
천천히 난 눈을 떠 여긴 나의 작업실 내 스튜디오Listen to the first verse — freeRomanization (as sung): cheon·cheon·hi nan nu·neul tteo yeo·gin na·ui ja·geop·ssil nae seu·tyu·di·o
Meaning: Slowly I open my eyes, here is my office, my studio.
Words in this line- 천천히cheon·cheon·hislowly
- 난nanI
- 눈을nu·neuleyes
- 떠tteoopen
- 여긴yeo·ginhere
- 나의na·uimy
- 작업실ja·geop·ssiloffice
- 내naemy
- 스튜디오seu·tyu·di·ostudio
Word for word: Slowly I eyes open, here my-genitive work-room my studio.
Why it doesn't translate word for word: '천천히 눈을 떠' literally 'slowly open eyes' but means awakening or returning to reality. '작업실' literally 'work room' but in context means a place of creativity. This is the moment when the character realizes the entire experience was within his creative space.
그 무엇도 날 삼킬 수 없어 힘껏 나는 소리 질러Listen to the first verse — freeRomanization (as sung): geu mu·eot·tto nal sam·kil ssu eop·sseo him·kkeot na·neun so·ri jil·leo
Meaning: Nothing can swallow me, I scream with all my might.
Words in this line- 그geuthat
- 무엇도mu·eot·ttonothing
- 날nalme
- 삼킬sam·kilswallow
- 수ssucan
- 없어eop·sseonot
- 힘껏him·kkeotwith all might
- 나는na·neunI
- 소리so·risound
- 질러jil·leoscream
Word for word: that nothing me swallow can not with all might I sound scream
Why it doesn't translate word for word: Korean doubles the negation in 그 무엇도 ~없어 ("nothing at all can..."), and places the adverb 힘껏 ("with all her strength") right before the subject instead of after the verb, as English would. It means nothing can overpower her, so she screams with everything she has. Key words: 삼킬 수 없어 ("cannot swallow") and 힘껏 ("with all her might").
Lyrics © their rights holders. “Black Swan” — BTS. Quoted for commentary and learning.
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Ask YoungjaeSong vocabulary
Words from the song in Korean alphabetical order, with pronunciation and meaning.
| Word | Sounds like | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 가라앉아 | ga·ra·an·ja | sink |
| 가슴을 | ga·seu·meul | heart |
| 가장 | ga·jang | most |
| 갈게 | gal·kke | go |
| 귓가엔 | gwit·kka·en | in ears |
| 모든 | mo·deun | all |
| 몸부림쳐봐도 | mom·bu·rim·chyeo·bwa·do | struggle |
| 바다 | ba·da | sea |
| 바닥 | ba·dak | bottom |
| 빛이 | bi·chi | lights |
| 사방이 | sa·bang·i | everywhere |
| 소리만 | so·ri·man | only sound |
| 순간들이 | sun·gan·deu·ri | moment |
| 심장 | sim·jang | heartbeat |
| 어떤 | eo·tteon | no |
| 영원이 | yeong·wo·ni | eternity |
| 침묵하는 | chim·mu·ka·neun | fall silent |
| 홀린 | hol·lin | bewitched |
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Questions about “Black Swan”
What is “Black Swan” by BTS about?
BTS's “Black Swan” is about an artist who fears the day music stops moving them, then sinks into a dark sea and finds their own self waiting in the depths.
What does “어쩜 이렇게 한 번 죽겠지 아마” mean in “Black Swan”?
Maybe I'll die like this, probably. Korean brackets the sentence with two hedging words, 어쩜 and 아마, both roughly "maybe/probably," while the ending -겠지 already bakes in that same guess, making…
What does “길 잃은 내 발목을 또 잡아” mean in “Black Swan”?
You're grabbing my lost ankle again. '길 잃은' literally means 'road lost' but is an idiom for being lost or disoriented.
How do you pronounce “천천히 난 눈을 떠 여긴 나의 작업실 내 스튜디오”?
In the song it sounds roughly like “cheon·cheon·hi nan nu·neul tteo yeo·gin na·ui ja·geop·ssil nae seu·tyu·di·o”: that's how it's actually sung by BTS, not the textbook romanization.
Where can I see every line of “Black Swan” explained?
This page explains 4 key lines. In the theIDOL app Youngjae goes through all 50 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
- BTS
- Official video
- 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.