빌려온 고양이 (Do the Dance) — ILLIT: meaning, key lines and pronunciation
First verse: the song, every line and what it means — in sync근데 왜 뚝딱대? 빌려온 고양이가 돼geun·de wae ttuk·ttak·ttae? bil·lyeo·on go·yang·i·ga dwaeBut why am I so stiff? I've become a borrowed catListen to this line with the translationNo sign-upWhat the song is about
“빌려온 고양이 (Do the Dance)” by ILLIT is about a girl who turns shy and stiff on a carnival date with someone she likes. The title's cat is a Korean image for someone who clams up and acts unlike herself, and her blushing, racing heart feels like a roller coaster as she tries to read the vague signals. Then she shakes off the nerves and invites them to dance through a glittering night parade, playful and sweet.
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.
근데 왜 뚝딱대? 빌려온 고양이가 돼Listen from this lineRomanization (as sung): geun·de wae ttuk·ttak·ttae? bil·lyeo·on go·yang·i·ga dwae
Meaning: But why am I so stiff? I've become a borrowed cat
Words in this line- 근데geun·debut
- 왜waewhy
- 뚝딱대?ttuk·ttak·ttae?act stiff
- 빌려온bil·lyeo·onborrowed
- 고양이가go·yang·i·gacat
- 돼dwaebecome
뚝딱대다 means moving stiffly like a robot. 빌려온 고양이 ("borrowed cat") is someone who acts meek and quiet in unfamiliar surroundings, like a cat on loan.
대답은 하나뿐, say, "Yeah-yeah-yeah-yes"Listen from this lineRomanization (as sung): dae·da·beun ha·na·ppun, say, ye·ye·ye·yes
Meaning: There's only one answer, say "Yeah-yeah-yeah-yes"
Words in this line- 대답은dae·da·beunanswer
- 하나뿐,ha·na·ppun,only one
날까? 아닐까? 네 맘속 그 아이Listen to the first verse — freeRomanization (as sung): nal·kka? a·nil·kka? ne mam·sok geu a·i
Meaning: Is it me, or not? The one in your heart
Words in this line- 날까?nal·kka?is it me?
- 아닐까?a·nil·kka?or not?
- 네neyour
- 맘속mam·sokinside heart
- 그geuthat
- 아이a·ikid
날까 is a contraction of 나일까 ("could it be me?") and 아닐까 means "could it be not?". Together it's the wondering of whether you're the one they like.
나답지 않잖아, 데이트도 기세야Listen to the first verse — freeRomanization (as sung): na·dap·jji an·cha·na, de·i·teu·do gi·se·ya
Meaning: It's not like me, but on a date it's all about momentum
Words in this line- 나답지na·dap·jjilike myself
- 않잖아,an·cha·na,isn't it
- 데이트도de·i·teu·dodate too
- 기세야gi·se·yait's momentum
기세 means energy, momentum or fighting spirit. With 야 at the end it becomes a confident statement: a date is won by going in boldly.
Lyrics © their rights holders. “빌려온 고양이 (Do the Dance)” — ILLIT. Quoted for commentary and learning.
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Ask RenaSong vocabulary
Words from the song in Korean alphabetical order, with pronunciation and meaning.
| Word | Sounds like | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 걸리게 | geol·li·ge | so caught |
| 꿍실냐옹 | kkung·sil·lya·ong | cute cat chant |
| 나대지 | na·dae·ji | act wild |
| 너와 | neo·wa | with you |
| 도착한 | do·cha·kan | arrived |
| 되어 | doe·eo | becoming |
| 두근대 | du·geun·dae | pounds |
| 둠칫냐옹 | dum·chin·nya·ong | grooving meow |
| 마법에 | ma·beo·be | into magic |
| 말듯 | mal·tteut | seeming not to |
| 맘은 | ma·meun | heart |
| 바짝 | ba·jjak | tightly |
| 밤이 | ba·mi | night |
| 볼은 | bo·reun | cheeks |
| 불안해서 | bu·ran·hae·seo | because anxious |
| 설레임 | seol·le·im | flutter |
| 손을 | so·neul | hand |
| 잡은 | ja·beun | holding |
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Questions about “빌려온 고양이 (Do the Dance)”
What is “빌려온 고양이 (Do the Dance)” by ILLIT about?
“빌려온 고양이 (Do the Dance)” by ILLIT is about a girl who turns shy and stiff on a carnival date with someone she likes.
What does “근데 왜 뚝딱대? 빌려온 고양이가 돼” mean in “빌려온 고양이 (Do the Dance)”?
But why am I so stiff? I've become a borrowed cat.
What does “대답은 하나뿐, say, "Yeah-yeah-yeah-yes"” mean in “빌려온 고양이 (Do the Dance)”?
There's only one answer, say "Yeah-yeah-yeah-yes"
How do you pronounce “날까? 아닐까? 네 맘속 그 아이”?
In the song it sounds roughly like “nal·kka? a·nil·kka? ne mam·sok geu a·i”: that's how it's actually sung by ILLIT, not the textbook romanization.
Where can I see every line of “빌려온 고양이 (Do the Dance)” explained?
This page explains 4 key lines. In the theIDOL app Rena 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
- ILLIT
- 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.