Checkmate — ENHYPEN: meaning, key lines and pronunciation
First verse: the song, every line and what it means — in sync등을 타고 번져 감미로운 thrilldeung·eul ta·go beon·jyeo gam·mi·ro·un thrillA sweet thrill runs down my spineListen to this line with the translationNo sign-upWhat the song is about
“Checkmate” by ENHYPEN is a defiant song about a group that drops all caution and seizes control of the game they find themselves in. On a black-and-white board with no other road, they stand together at a cliff's edge, reckless and half blind, while the world takes aim at them. A pounding heart and a sweet thrill drive them on, the nightmare is over, and with the curtain up, the night is theirs.
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.
등을 타고 번져 감미로운 thrillListen from this lineRomanization (as sung): deung·eul ta·go beon·jyeo gam·mi·ro·un thrill
Meaning: A sweet thrill runs down my spine
Words in this line- 등을deung·eulback (obj.)
- 타고ta·goriding along
- 번져beon·jyeospreading
- 감미로운gam·mi·ro·unsweet
Word for word: Back-obj riding-along spreading sweet thrill
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 등을 타고 번지다 literally 'spreads while riding along the back' — a poetic image of chills, not literal riding; the natural translation conveys the same sensation more simply.
더 미친 척 크게 외쳐 checkmate checkmateListen from this lineRomanization (as sung): deo mi·chin cheok keu·ge oe·chyeo checkmate checkmate
Meaning: Act even crazier and shout it loud — checkmate, checkmate
Words in this line- 더deomore
- 미친mi·chincrazy
- 척cheokpretending
- 크게keu·geloudly
- 외쳐oe·chyeoshout
Word for word: More crazy pretending loudly shout checkmate, checkmate
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 미친 alone means 'crazy' and 척 alone means 'pretense'; together 미친 척 is the idiom 'act crazy on purpose'. The literal order stacks the idiom and the adverb before the verb 외쳐 'shout', so the translation reorders it into a normal imperative.
막이 오른 last game 망설임 없이Listen to the first verse — freeRomanization (as sung): ma·gi o·reun last game mang·seo·rim eop·ssi
Meaning: The curtain's up on the last game — no hesitation
Words in this line- 막이ma·gicurtain
- 오른o·reunthat rose
- 망설임mang·seo·rimhesitation
- 없이eop·ssiwithout
Word for word: Curtain-that-rose last game hesitation without
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 막이 오르다 is the idiom 'the curtain rises', meaning a show is beginning; here it's applied to the 'last game'. 'Without hesitation' sits as a trailing tail in Korean, and the translation repositions it to read naturally.
다 잡았단 생각 착각일걸Listen to the first verse — freeRomanization (as sung): da ja·bat·ttan saeng·gak chak·kka·gil·kkeol
Meaning: Thinking we'd already caught it all? Turns out that's just delusion
Words in this line- 다daall
- 잡았단ja·bat·ttanthat (we) caught
- 생각saeng·gakthought
- 착각일걸chak·kka·gil·kkeolwill turn out to be delusion
Word for word: All caught-that thought delusion-will-turn-out-to-be
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 착각 means 'delusion', and the ending -ㄹ걸 adds a tone of 'you'll see, it'll turn out that...'. The Korean phrase names the thought first and puts the predicting predicate last — the reverse of natural sentence order.
Lyrics © their rights holders. “Checkmate” — ENHYPEN. Quoted for commentary and learning.
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Why this word and not another? What does that slang mean? Ask in your own words and your idol answers about this exact line.
Ask HaruSong vocabulary
Words from the song in Korean alphabetical order, with pronunciation and meaning.
| Word | Sounds like | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 값을 | gap·sseul | the price |
| 객기 | gaek·kki | reckless bravado |
| 겨눈 | gyeo·nun | aiming at |
| 길은 | gi·reun | road (topic) |
| 끝났지 | kkeun·nat·jji | has ended |
| 끝에 | kkeu·te | at the edge |
| 끝에서 | kkeu·te·seo | at the edge |
| 노려 | no·ryeo | aim at |
| 다른 | da·reun | other |
| 더욱 | deo·uk | even more |
| 뒤집히는 | dwi·ji·pi·neun | that's flipping |
| 마지막 | ma·ji·mak | last |
| 세상 | se·sang | world |
| 앞에 | a·pe | in front of |
| 우릴 | u·ril | us |
| 절벽 | jeol·byeok | cliff |
| 추는 | chu·neun | dancing (that) |
| 춤을 | chu·meul | dance (obj.) |
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Questions about “Checkmate”
What is “Checkmate” by ENHYPEN about?
“Checkmate” by ENHYPEN is a defiant song about a group that drops all caution and seizes control of the game they find themselves in.
What does “등을 타고 번져 감미로운 thrill” mean in “Checkmate”?
A sweet thrill runs down my spine. 등을 타고 번지다 literally 'spreads while riding along the back' — a poetic image of chills, not literal riding; the natural translation conveys the same sensation…
What does “더 미친 척 크게 외쳐 checkmate checkmate” mean in “Checkmate”?
Act even crazier and shout it loud — checkmate, checkmate. 미친 alone means 'crazy' and 척 alone means 'pretense'; together 미친 척 is the idiom 'act crazy on purpose'.
How do you pronounce “막이 오른 last game 망설임 없이”?
In the song it sounds roughly like “ma·gi o·reun last game mang·seo·rim eop·ssi”: that's how it's actually sung by ENHYPEN, not the textbook romanization.
Where can I see every line of “Checkmate” explained?
This page explains 4 key lines. In the theIDOL app Haru goes through all 39 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
- ENHYPEN
- Official video
- HYBE LABELS · 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.