Cake — ITZY: meaning, key lines and pronunciation
First verse: the song, every line and what it means — in sync똑같은 건 뻔해 또 다른 걸 난 원해 chase (yeah, I want it)ttok·kka·teun geon ppeon·hae tto da·reun geol nan won·hae chase ye·ah I want itSame old thing is predictable, I want something different — chase (yeah, I want it)Listen to this line with the translationNo sign-upWhat the song is about
ITZY's “Cake” is about a girl who stops stressing over expectations and treats life's problems as easy, bite-sized things. She turns down sameness and comparison, insists that everyone gets to be themselves, and decides today matters more than an uncertain tomorrow. Sweets stand in for appetite and confidence, and the mood is breezy, cheeky and self-assured, with a brief nod to wanting calm and a little indifference.
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.
똑같은 건 뻔해 또 다른 걸 난 원해 chase (yeah, I want it)Listen from this lineRomanization (as sung): ttok·kka·teun geon ppeon·hae tto da·reun geol nan won·hae chase ye·ah I want it
Meaning: Same old thing is predictable, I want something different — chase (yeah, I want it)
Words in this line- 똑같은ttok·kka·teunthe same
- 건geonthe thing (topic)
- 뻔해ppeon·haeis obvious
- 또ttoalso
- 다른da·reundifferent
- 걸geolthe thing (object)
- 난nanI
- 원해won·haewant
Word for word: Same-topic is obvious, also different-object I want, chase (yeah, I want it)
Why it doesn't translate word for word: The line contrasts the boredom of sameness with wanting something different ('다른 걸'); the English 'chase' is added as a metaphor for actively pursuing that novelty, not a literal race.
너는 너, 나는 나, 좋잖아 (yeah, yeah, yeah)Listen to the first verse — freeRomanization (as sung): neo·neun neo, na·neun na, jo·cha·na ye·ah yeah, ye·ah
Meaning: You are you, I am me, isn't that great? (yeah, yeah, yeah)
Words in this line- 너는neo·neunyou (topic)
- 너,neo,you
- 나는na·neunI (topic)
- 나,na,I
- 좋잖아jo·cha·naisn't it nice
Word for word: You-topic you, I-topic I, isn't-it-good (yeah, yeah, yeah)
Why it doesn't translate word for word: '좋잖아' = '좋다' (good) plus the tag '잖아' ('you already know, right?') — rhetorical, inviting agreement rather than stating a fact.
다 괜찮아 어때 껌이라고 난 생각해Listen to the first verse — freeRomanization (as sung): da gwaen·cha·na eo·ttae kkeo·mi·ra·go nan saeng·ga·kae
Meaning: It's all fine, whatever, I think it's a piece of cake
Words in this line- 다daall
- 괜찮아gwaen·cha·nait's fine
- 어때eo·ttaehow about
- 껌이라고kkeo·mi·ra·gothat it's gum
- 난nanI
- 생각해saeng·ga·kaethink
Word for word: All fine-is, how-about gum-saying I think-do
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 껌 literally means 'gum'; 껌이라고 생각해 is an idiom for treating something as trivial. 어때 softens the tone rather than asking a real question.
ATM 지금이 훨씬 중요해Listen to the first verse — freeRomanization (as sung): ATM ji·geu·mi hwol·ssin jung·yo·hae
Meaning: ATM, right now matters way more
Words in this line- 지금이ji·geu·minow
- 훨씬hwol·ssinmuch more
- 중요해jung·yo·haeimportant
Word for word: ATM, now-this much important-does
Why it doesn't translate word for word: ATM here is a pun — both a cash machine (money) and the abbreviation 'At The Moment'; the line plays on the echo with Korean 지금 ('now'), putting the present moment above money.
Lyrics © their rights holders. “Cake” — ITZY. Quoted for commentary and learning.
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Words from the song in Korean alphabetical order, with pronunciation and meaning.
| Word | Sounds like | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 가끔 | ga·kkeum | sometimes |
| 고민 | go·min | worrying |
| 그리 | geu·ri | so |
| 나만 | na·man | only me |
| 날씨처럼 | nal·ssi·cheo·reom | like the weather |
| 날지 | nal·jji | arise |
| 내꺼 | nae·kkeo | mine |
| 내일도 | nae·il·do | tomorrow too |
| 너무나 | neo·mu·na | so very |
| 누구든 | nu·gu·deun | whoever |
| 대신에 | dae·si·ne | instead of |
| 들리게 | deul·li·ge | so it's heard |
| 말해 | ma·rae | say |
| 매번 | mae·beon | every time |
| 먹어버려 | meo·geo·beo·ryeo | eat it all up |
| 생각 | saeng·gak | thought |
| 생각대로 | saeng·gak·ttae·ro | as I please |
| 쉽지 | swip·jji | easy |
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Questions about “Cake”
What is “Cake” by ITZY about?
ITZY's “Cake” is about a girl who stops stressing over expectations and treats life's problems as easy, bite-sized things.
What does “똑같은 건 뻔해 또 다른 걸 난 원해 chase (yeah, I want it)” mean in “Cake”?
Same old thing is predictable, I want something different — chase (yeah, I want it). The line contrasts the boredom of sameness with wanting something different ('다른 걸'); the English 'chase' is added as a metaphor for actively pursuing that…
What does “너는 너, 나는 나, 좋잖아 (yeah, yeah, yeah)” mean in “Cake”?
You are you, I am me, isn't that great? (yeah, yeah, yeah). '좋잖아' = '좋다' (good) plus the tag '잖아' ('you already know, right?') — rhetorical, inviting agreement rather than stating a fact.
How do you pronounce “다 괜찮아 어때 껌이라고 난 생각해”?
In the song it sounds roughly like “da gwaen·cha·na eo·ttae kkeo·mi·ra·go nan saeng·ga·kae”: that's how it's actually sung by ITZY, not the textbook romanization.
Where can I see every line of “Cake” explained?
This page explains 4 key lines. In the theIDOL app Chaea goes through all 69 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
- ITZY
- Official video
- JYP Entertainment · 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.