Love Shot — EXO: meaning, key lines and pronunciation
First verse: the song, every line and what it means — in sync차갑도록 서롤 겨눈 채cha·gap·tto·rok seo·rol gyeo·nun chaeWe're aiming at each other so coldly, frozen like thatListen to this line with the translationNo sign-upWhat the song is about
EXO's “Love Shot” is about a couple worn down by cold standoffs and wounding words who decide that love is still the answer. They feel parched and numb, with memories fading and hearts scorched, yet they choose to refill what has run dry and relight a fading flame. The tone is tense and sultry, ending in a stubborn, hopeful kind of devotion.
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.
차갑도록 서롤 겨눈 채Listen from this lineRomanization (as sung): cha·gap·tto·rok seo·rol gyeo·nun chae
Meaning: We're aiming at each other so coldly, frozen like that
Words in this line- 차갑도록cha·gap·tto·rokcoldly
- 서롤seo·roleach other
- 겨눈gyeo·nunaimed
- 채chaestill
Word for word: Coldly each-other aimed state
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 겨누다 literally means to aim (like a weapon) — here it describes hostile stares, not weapons: the two are looking at each other coldly. 채 adds the sense of staying frozen in that state.
날이 선 듯 그 목소리엔Listen from this lineRomanization (as sung): na·ri seon deut geu mok·sso·ri·en
Meaning: In that voice that sounds sharp, like a blade
Words in this line- 날이na·riblade
- 선seonsharpened
- 듯deutas if
- 그geuthat
- 목소리엔mok·sso·ri·enin the voice
Word for word: Blade stood as-if, that voice-in
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 날이 서다 is a fixed expression: 날 (blade) + 서다 (to stand) together mean 'to become sharp/edgy,' usually describing a tone of voice. Literally 'the blade stood,' but naturally it just means the voice sounds cutting.
상처가 되는 말과Listen to the first verse — freeRomanization (as sung): sang·cheo·ga doe·neun mal·gwa
Meaning: And words that wound
Words in this line- 상처가sang·cheo·gawound
- 되는doe·neunthat become
- 말과mal·gwawords and
Word for word: Wound becoming words-and
Why it doesn't translate word for word: The line ends on 과 ('and'): grammatically the sentence isn't finished here — it continues into the next verse. 되는 (from 되다, 'to become') shows the words don't start out as wounds — they turn into them.
심장이 타, 메마르다 갈라질 듯한 믿음에 난Listen to the first verse — freeRomanization (as sung): sim·jang·i ta, me·ma·reu·da gal·la·jil tteu·tan mi·deu·me nan
Meaning: My heart burns — in a faith so dry it's about to crack, I
Words in this line- 심장이sim·jang·iheart
- 타,ta,burns
- 메마르다me·ma·reu·daparched
- 갈라질gal·la·jilabout to crack
- 듯한tteu·tanthat seems
- 믿음에mi·deu·mein a faith
- 난nanI
Word for word: Heart burns, parched about-to-crack seeming belief in I
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 타 stands as a bare verb root with no ending — like a gasp, not a full sentence. 갈라질 듯한 combines 갈라지다 (to crack) with 듯하다 (to seem): not a stated fact but a feeling of 'about to.' The line cuts off at 난 with no predicate — the thought continues in the next line.
Lyrics © their rights holders. “Love Shot” — EXO. Quoted for commentary and learning.
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Ask HaruSong vocabulary
Words from the song in Korean alphabetical order, with pronunciation and meaning.
| Word | Sounds like | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 가득해 | ga·deu·kae | is full |
| 가득히 | ga·deu·ki | to the brim |
| 가린 | ga·rin | covered |
| 갈증이 | gal·jeung·i | thirst |
| 감정들에 | gam·jeong·deu·re | in feelings |
| 검게 | geom·kke | black |
| 것만 | geon·man | only that |
| 결국 | gyeol·guk | in the end |
| 굳게 | gut·kke | firmly |
| 귀를 | gwi·reul | ears |
| 그렇게 | geu·reo·ke | like that |
| 기억들 | gi·eok·tteul | memories |
| 깊어져 | gi·peo·jyeo | grows deeper |
| 꺼질 | kkeo·jil | about to go out |
| 너로 | neo·ro | with you |
| 너와 | neo·wa | you and |
| 넘칠 | neom·chil | overflow |
| 눈과 | nun·gwa | eyes and |
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Questions about “Love Shot”
What is “Love Shot” by EXO about?
EXO's “Love Shot” is about a couple worn down by cold standoffs and wounding words who decide that love is still the answer.
What does “차갑도록 서롤 겨눈 채” mean in “Love Shot”?
We're aiming at each other so coldly, frozen like that. 겨누다 literally means to aim (like a weapon) — here it describes hostile stares, not weapons: the two are looking at each other coldly.
What does “날이 선 듯 그 목소리엔” mean in “Love Shot”?
In that voice that sounds sharp, like a blade. 날이 서다 is a fixed expression: 날 (blade) + 서다 (to stand) together mean 'to become sharp/edgy,' usually describing a tone of voice.
How do you pronounce “상처가 되는 말과”?
In the song it sounds roughly like “sang·cheo·ga doe·neun mal·gwa”: that's how it's actually sung by EXO, not the textbook romanization.
Where can I see every line of “Love Shot” explained?
This page explains 4 key lines. In the theIDOL app Haru goes through all 63 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
- EXO
- 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.