HWASA
Good Goodbye — HWASA: meaning, key lines and pronunciation
First verse: the song, every line and what it means — in sync날 위해 쉬던 그 숨은 잊고nal wi·hae swi·deon geu su·meun it·kkoForget the breaths you took for meListen to this line with the translationNo sign-upWhat the song is about
HWASA’s “Good Goodbye” is about ending a love gracefully, letting the other person leave freely while the singer carries the hurt. The singer insists the pain is lighter than theirs and asks them to put themselves first, even to laugh freely while the singer is left sorry. Tears shine, the world looks down, and no one stands nearby, so the singer decides to stand up for themself and bid farewell to regret too.
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.
날 위해 쉬던 그 숨은 잊고Listen from this lineRomanization (as sung): nal wi·hae swi·deon geu su·meun it·kko
Meaning: Forget the breaths you took for me
Words in this line- 날nalme
- 위해wi·haefor
- 쉬던swi·deonused to take
- 그geuthat
- 숨은su·meunbreath
- 잊고it·kkoforget
Word for word: For me used-to-rest that breath, forgetting
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 쉬던 숨 literally 'the breath you used to take', an image of every sigh and effort spent on another person. 잊고 is 'forgetting' but works as a request to forget. Together the line asks to erase the memory of all that care, which the literal version garbles.
안녕은 우릴 아프게 하지만 우아할 거야Listen from this lineRomanization (as sung): an·nyeong·eun u·ril a·peu·ge ha·ji·man u·a·hal kkeo·ya
Meaning: Goodbye will hurt us, but it will be elegant
Words in this line- 안녕은an·nyeong·eungoodbye
- 우릴u·rilus
- 아프게a·peu·gepainfully
- 하지만ha·ji·manmakes, but
- 우아할u·a·halelegant
- 거야kkeo·yawill be
Word for word: Hello-goodbye us painful makes, but elegant will-be
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 안녕 alone can mean both hello and goodbye, here goodbye. 아프게 하다 is 'to make painful', meaning to cause hurt. 할 거야 is a confident 'it will be'. Together they form a calm promise of a graceful parting despite the pain.
나 땅을 치고 후회하도록 넌 크게 웃어줘Listen to the first verse — freeRomanization (as sung): na ttang·eul chi·go hu·hoe·ha·do·rok neon keu·ge u·seo·jwo
Meaning: Laugh loudly so I'll regret it and hit the ground.
Words in this line- 나naI
- 땅을ttang·eulthe ground
- 치고chi·gohit and
- 후회하도록hu·hoe·ha·do·rokso that I regret
- 넌neonyou
- 크게keu·geloudly
- 웃어줘u·seo·jwolaugh for me
Word for word: I ground hit and regret so-that you loudly laugh-for-me.
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 땅을 치고 후회하다 is an idiom: 땅 is 'ground', 치다 is 'hit', 후회하다 is 'regret'; together it means to regret bitterly in despair. 웃어줘 combines 'laugh' with 'do it for me', a request. The singer asks for a big smile that will make the loss hurt.
내 편이 돼 줄 사람 하나 없어도Listen to the first verse — freeRomanization (as sung): nae pyeo·ni dwae jul ssa·ram ha·na eop·sseo·do
Meaning: Even if there's no one to be on my side.
Words in this line- 내naemy
- 편이pyeo·niside
- 돼dwaebecome
- 줄julwho would
- 사람ssa·ramperson
- 하나ha·naone
- 없어도eop·sseo·doeven if there isn't
Word for word: My side become-for person one not-exist-even-if.
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 내 편이 되다 literally means 'become my side', which in practice means to take my side and support me. 사람 하나 없다 is 'not even one person' (하나 'one' strengthens the negation). The describing phrase comes before 'person', hence the clumsy literal order.
Lyrics © their rights holders. “Good Goodbye” — HWASA. Quoted for commentary and learning.
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Ask MinaSong vocabulary
Words from the song in Korean alphabetical order, with pronunciation and meaning.
| Word | Sounds like | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 걸어가 | geo·reo·ga | walk away |
| 곁에 | gyeo·te | beside |
| 고맙단 | go·map·ttan | 'thank you' |
| 고이고 | go·i·go | well up and |
| 괜찮아 | gwaen·cha·na | it's okay |
| 내려다봐도 | nae·ryeo·da·bwa·do | looks down on, even if |
| 너만 | neo·man | only you |
| 눈물은 | nun·mu·reun | tears |
| 느껴지잖아 | neu·kkyeo·ji·ja·na | you feel it, right |
| 대신 | dae·sin | instead of |
| 돌려 | dol·lyeo | turning |
| 돌아보지 | do·ra·bo·ji | look back |
| 비로소 | bi·ro·so | finally |
| 빛나 | bin·na | shine |
| 빤히 | ppan·hi | fixedly |
| 생각한 | saeng·ga·kan | thought of |
| 세상이 | se·sang·i | the world |
| 아파봤자 | a·pa·bwat·jja | however much it hurts |
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Questions about “Good Goodbye”
What is “Good Goodbye” by HWASA about?
HWASA’s “Good Goodbye” is about ending a love gracefully, letting the other person leave freely while the singer carries the hurt.
What does “날 위해 쉬던 그 숨은 잊고” mean in “Good Goodbye”?
Forget the breaths you took for me. 쉬던 숨 literally 'the breath you used to take', an image of every sigh and effort spent on another person.
What does “안녕은 우릴 아프게 하지만 우아할 거야” mean in “Good Goodbye”?
Goodbye will hurt us, but it will be elegant. 안녕 alone can mean both hello and goodbye, here goodbye.
How do you pronounce “나 땅을 치고 후회하도록 넌 크게 웃어줘”?
In the song it sounds roughly like “na ttang·eul chi·go hu·hoe·ha·do·rok neon keu·ge u·seo·jwo”: that's how it's actually sung by HWASA, not the textbook romanization.
Where can I see every line of “Good Goodbye” explained?
This page explains 4 key lines. In the theIDOL app Mina goes through all 42 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
- HWASA
- Official video
- HWASA · 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.