NORMAL (Korean Ver.) — BTS: meaning, key lines and pronunciation
First verse: the song, every line and what it means — in sync조명이 꺼지면 찾아드는 꿈jo·myeong·i kkeo·ji·myeon cha·ja·deu·neun kkumThe dream that arrives when the lights go outListen to this line with the translationNo sign-upWhat the song is about
In “NORMAL (Korean Ver.),” BTS sing about living under fame's glare until constant love and hate start to feel ordinary. Images of kerosene and dopamine point to a life driven by burning, short-lived highs, and the singer feels numb yet fragile, pulled in every direction by people who want everything. Even happiness thins out like cigarette smoke, and the song settles into tired acceptance, with a longing for some quiet.
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.
조명이 꺼지면 찾아드는 꿈Listen from this lineRomanization (as sung): jo·myeong·i kkeo·ji·myeon cha·ja·deu·neun kkum
Meaning: The dream that arrives when the lights go out
Words in this line- 조명이jo·myeong·ilighting
- 꺼지면kkeo·ji·myeonif it goes out
- 찾아드는cha·ja·deu·neunthat comes in
- 꿈kkumdream
Word for word: Lighting-if it goes out, entering dream
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 조명 is stage lighting, 꺼지면 means "if it goes out" and 찾아드는 means "that comes seeking you". Together they say that when the stage goes dark, a dream of peace finds you.
네모난 화면 뒤에 그 가쁜 숨Listen to the first verse — freeRomanization (as sung): ne·mo·nan hwa·myeon dwi·e geu ga·ppeun sum
Meaning: Behind the rectangular screen, that ragged breath
Words in this line- 네모난ne·mo·nansquare-shaped
- 화면hwa·myeonscreen
- 뒤에dwi·ebehind
- 그geuthat
- 가쁜ga·ppeunlabored
- 숨sumbreath
Word for word: Square-shaped screen behind that breathless breath
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 네모난 literally means "square-shaped", but it just means a phone or camera screen. 가쁜 숨 is labored breathing, so behind the smooth image is a person struggling.
잠깐 이 세상이 날 잊었으면Listen to the first verse — freeRomanization (as sung): jam·kkan i se·sang·i nal i·jeo·sseu·myeon
Meaning: I wish the world would forget me for a moment
Words in this line- 잠깐jam·kkanfor a moment
- 이ithis
- 세상이se·sang·iworld
- 날nalme
- 잊었으면i·jeo·sseu·myeonif only it forgot
Word for word: Briefly this world me if-only forgot
Why it doesn't translate word for word: The ending -었으면 literally is 'if (it) had', but in a song it carries a sigh of wishing, 'if only'. 잊다 means 'forget', and here the world itself is the one who could forget the singer. The literal version scrambles word order and loses that longing.
버텨왔고 또 견뎌왔던 그런 시간이기에Listen to the first verse — freeRomanization (as sung): beo·tyeo·wat·kko tto gyeon·dyeo·wat·tteon geu·reon si·ga·ni·gi·e
Meaning: Because it's a time I've held on through and endured
Words in this line- 버텨왔고beo·tyeo·wat·kkohave held on and
- 또ttoalso
- 견뎌왔던gyeon·dyeo·wat·tteonhave endured
- 그런geu·reonsuch
- 시간이기에si·ga·ni·gi·ebecause it's time
Word for word: Held-out and also endured such time because-of-being
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 버티다 means 'to hold out' and 견디다 means 'to bear', similar alone but stacked they reinforce each other. The form -왔- means 'have been doing it up to now'. The ending -기에 again gives a reason rather than finishing the thought.
Lyrics © their rights holders. “NORMAL (Korean Ver.)” — BTS. Quoted for commentary and learning.
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Words from the song in Korean alphabetical order, with pronunciation and meaning.
| Word | Sounds like | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 같은걸 | ga·teun·geol | it's like |
| 굳이 | gu·ji | purposely |
| 그저 | geu·jeo | just |
| 담배 | dam·bae | cigarette |
| 도망치는 | do·mang·chi·neun | running away |
| 돌고 | dol·go | spins and |
| 무뎌지기도 | mu·dyeo·ji·gi·do | also growing numb |
| 반복되는 | ban·bok·ttoe·neun | repeating |
| 부서지기도 | bu·seo·ji·gi·do | also breaking |
| 부질없는 | bu·ji·reom·neun | futile |
| 않는걸 | an·neun·geol | it doesn't |
| 알아 | a·ra | I know |
| 연기 | yeon·gi | smoke |
| 유명세와 | yu·myeong·se·wa | notoriety and |
| 익숙해진 | ik·ssu·kae·jin | become used to |
| 인간이기에 | in·ga·ni·gi·e | because I'm human |
| 자시고 | ja·si·go | and whatnot |
| 잡을 | ja·beul | to grasp |
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Questions about “NORMAL (Korean Ver.)”
What is “NORMAL (Korean Ver.)” by BTS about?
In “NORMAL (Korean Ver.),” BTS sing about living under fame's glare until constant love and hate start to feel ordinary.
What does “조명이 꺼지면 찾아드는 꿈” mean in “NORMAL (Korean Ver.)”?
The dream that arrives when the lights go out. 조명 is stage lighting, 꺼지면 means "if it goes out" and 찾아드는 means "that comes seeking you".
What does “네모난 화면 뒤에 그 가쁜 숨” mean in “NORMAL (Korean Ver.)”?
Behind the rectangular screen, that ragged breath. 네모난 literally means "square-shaped", but it just means a phone or camera screen.
How do you pronounce “잠깐 이 세상이 날 잊었으면”?
In the song it sounds roughly like “jam·kkan i se·sang·i nal i·jeo·sseu·myeon”: that's how it's actually sung by BTS, not the textbook romanization.
Where can I see every line of “NORMAL (Korean Ver.)” explained?
This page explains 4 key lines. In the theIDOL app Taejun goes through all 51 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 ↗
Credits and sources
- Artist
- BTS
- Album
- ARIRANG · track 9 of 14
- 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.