Tempo — EXO: meaning, key lines and pronunciation
First verse: the song, every line and what it means — in sync나만 듣고 싶은 그녀는 나의 멜로디na·man deut·kko si·peun geu·nyeo·neun na·ui mel·lo·diShe is my melody, the one only I want to hearListen to this line with the translationNo sign-upWhat the song is about
In “Tempo,” EXO sing about being so drawn to a girl that they want her to keep pace with them. They strut with showy confidence, treating every road as a red carpet, yet their heartbeats go uneven as the gap between them closes. Beneath the swagger is a plea for her to say she loves only them, and a promise to keep her safe at their side.
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.
나만 듣고 싶은 그녀는 나의 멜로디Listen from this lineRomanization (as sung): na·man deut·kko si·peun geu·nyeo·neun na·ui mel·lo·di
Meaning: She is my melody, the one only I want to hear
Words in this line- 나만na·manonly me
- 듣고deut·kkolisten and
- 싶은si·peunwant to
- 그녀는geu·nyeo·neunshe
- 나의na·uimy
- 멜로디mel·lo·dimelody
Word for word: Only-me listen want she my melody
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 나만 alone means 'only me', and 듣고 싶은 means 'wanting to hear' as a modifier placed before 그녀는 'she'. Korean stacks the whole description in front of the noun, which makes the literal version clumsy. Together it says she is a melody I don't want to share with anyone.
아련한 향기가 다시 내 맘에 내 맘에 BabyListen to the first verse — freeRomanization (as sung): a·ryeon·han hyang·gi·ga da·si nae ma·me nae ma·me Baby
Meaning: That faint scent is back in my heart (in my heart, baby)
Words in this line- 아련한a·ryeon·hanfaint
- 향기가hyang·gi·gascent
- 다시da·siagain
- 내naemy
- 맘에ma·mein heart
- 내naemy
- 맘에ma·mein heart
Word for word: Faint scent again in my heart, in my heart, baby.
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 아련한 alone means 'dim' or 'blurry', but with a scent it carries aching nostalgia. 맘 is short for 마음, 'heart or mind' rather than the organ, so a literal rendering sounds heavy. The particle 에 means 'at/in', and here it simply marks where the feeling lives.
나를 감싸 안은 유일한 나만의 saviorListen to the first verse — freeRomanization (as sung): na·reul gam·ssa a·neun yu·i·ran na·ma·nui savior
Meaning: You're my one and only savior who embraced me
Words in this line- 나를na·reulme
- 감싸gam·ssawrapping
- 안은a·neunwho embraced
- 유일한yu·i·ranonly
- 나만의na·ma·nuionly mine
Word for word: Me wrapping embraced only my-own savior
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 감싸 alone means 'to wrap' and 안은 means 'embraced', and together they give a protective hug. 나만의 joins 'only me' with the possessive -의, meaning 'solely mine'. The English word savior adds a dramatic tone.
모두 그런 널 바라보게 돼Listen to the first verse — freeRomanization (as sung): mo·du geu·reon neol ba·ra·bo·ge dwae
Meaning: Everyone ends up looking at you like that
Words in this line- 모두mo·dueveryone
- 그런geu·reonlike that
- 널neolyou (obj.)
- 바라보게ba·ra·bo·geto gaze at
- 돼dwaeit becomes
Word for word: Everyone that-kind-of you gaze-at it-becomes
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 모두 alone is 'everyone', 그런 is 'that kind of', and 널 is a contraction of 너를 'you' as object. 바라보다 means 'to gaze at', but the ending 게 돼 literally 'it becomes so that' adds the feel of 'it just happens'. That is why natural English says 'ends up looking' instead of the clumsy word-for-word chain.
Lyrics © their rights holders. “Tempo” — EXO. Quoted for commentary and learning.
Mini-lesson: fill in the missing word
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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 YoungjaeSong vocabulary
Words from the song in Korean alphabetical order, with pronunciation and meaning.
| Word | Sounds like | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 거리 | geo·ri | distance |
| 곁에 | gyeo·te | beside |
| 그녀의 | geu·nyeo·ui | her |
| 그녈 | geu·nyeol | her |
| 그대의 | geu·dae·ui | your |
| 기다렸던 | gi·da·ryeot·tteon | that I waited for |
| 기댄 | gi·daen | leaned |
| 나와 | na·wa | having come out |
| 눈을 | nu·neul | eyes |
| 느껴지니 | neu·kkyeo·ji·ni | do you feel |
| 느낌 | neu·kkim | feeling |
| 말해 | ma·rae | tell |
| 멈출 | meom·chul | to stop |
| 어디에도 | eo·di·e·do | anywhere |
| 없을 | eop·sseul | that won't exist |
| 이끌림 | i·kkeul·lim | attraction |
| 이런 | i·reon | this kind of |
| 충분히 | chung·bun·hi | sufficiently |
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Questions about “Tempo”
What is “Tempo” by EXO about?
In “Tempo,” EXO sing about being so drawn to a girl that they want her to keep pace with them.
What does “나만 듣고 싶은 그녀는 나의 멜로디” mean in “Tempo”?
She is my melody, the one only I want to hear. 나만 alone means 'only me', and 듣고 싶은 means 'wanting to hear' as a modifier placed before 그녀는 'she'.
What does “아련한 향기가 다시 내 맘에 내 맘에 Baby” mean in “Tempo”?
That faint scent is back in my heart (in my heart, baby). 아련한 alone means 'dim' or 'blurry', but with a scent it carries aching nostalgia.
How do you pronounce “나를 감싸 안은 유일한 나만의 savior”?
In the song it sounds roughly like “na·reul gam·ssa a·neun yu·i·ran na·ma·nui savior”: that's how it's actually sung by EXO, not the textbook romanization.
Where can I see every line of “Tempo” explained?
This page explains 4 key lines. In the theIDOL app Youngjae goes through all 91 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.