Love wins all — IU: meaning, key lines and pronunciation
First verse: the song, every line and what it means — in sync나의 이 가난한 상상력으론na·ui i ga·nan·han sang·sang·nyeo·geu·ronMy poor imagination cannotListen to this line with the translationNo sign-upWhat the song is about
In “Love wins all,” IU sings of two lovers who run from the world together, even though they sense the escape may end badly. The singer can barely picture a place far enough away, somewhere between earth and mars, to ease loneliness, and asks to be taken there. Memories of a peaceful smile surface like something drifting in water, and the mood settles into reckless devotion: broken and sad with a lover beats safe and alone.
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.
나의 이 가난한 상상력으론Listen from this lineRomanization (as sung): na·ui i ga·nan·han sang·sang·nyeo·geu·ron
Meaning: My poor imagination cannot
Words in this line- 나의na·uimy
- 이ithis
- 가난한ga·nan·hanpoor
- 상상력으론sang·sang·nyeo·geu·ronimagination
Word for word: my this poor imagination
Why it doesn't translate word for word: The marker 으론 (short for 으로는, "with/as for") drops out of the literal entirely, so "my this poor imagination" loses the sense of "using" that imagination. 가난한 (poor) is used metaphorically for "limited," not literally broke. It means the speaker's limited imagination can't picture something. Key words: 상상력 (imagination), 가난한 (poor/limited), 으론 (with, as a means).
나와 저 끝까지 가줘 My loverListen from this lineRomanization (as sung): na·wa jeo kkeut·kka·ji ga·jwo My lover
Meaning: Go with me to the end, my lover
Words in this line- 나와na·wawith me
- 저jeoyou
- 끝까지kkeut·kka·jito the end
- 가줘ga·jwostay
Word for word: with me you to the end stay my lover
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 나와 packs "me" and "with" into one word, and 가줘 packs "go" with a pleading "please do this for me" tone into one word — both spelled out across several words in the literal. 끝까지 means "all the way to the end." "My lover" is already English — the line is a plea to go together until the end.
한 번 더 편안히 웃어주렴Listen to the first verse — freeRomanization (as sung): han beon deo pyeo·nan·hi u·seo·ju·ryeom
Meaning: Smile at me peacefully one more time
Words in this line- 한hanone
- 번beontime
- 더deomore
- 편안히pyeo·nan·hipeacefully
- 웃어주렴u·seo·ju·ryeomsmile
Word for word: one time more peacefully smile
Why it doesn't translate word for word: Adverbs stack before the verb, and the ending -주렴 is a soft, affectionate request ("would you, for me") with no single English word, making "smile" alone feel incomplete in the literal. 편안히 means at ease, unworried. It's a gentle ask for one more comforting smile.
일부러 나란히 길 잃은 우리 두 사람Listen to the first verse — freeRomanization (as sung): il·bu·reo na·ran·hi gil i·reun u·ri du sa·ram
Meaning: We two intentionally lost our way together
Words in this line- 일부러il·bu·reointentionally
- 나란히na·ran·hiside by side
- 길gilpath
- 잃은i·reunlost
- 우리u·riwe
- 두dutwo
- 사람sa·rampeople
Word for word: intentionally side by side path lost we two people
Why it doesn't translate word for word: Clumsy because the adverb 일부러 (on purpose) fronts the sentence, and the whole descriptive clause sits before the noun it modifies, as Korean normally orders things. It means the two of them deliberately wandered off together. Key words: 일부러 (on purpose), 나란히 (side by side).
Lyrics © their rights holders. “Love wins all” — IU. Quoted for commentary and learning.
Mini-lesson: fill in the missing word
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Ask YoonaSong vocabulary
Words from the song in Korean alphabetical order, with pronunciation and meaning.
| Word | Sounds like | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 가줄래 | ga·jul·lae | will you go? |
| 결국 | gyeol·guk | after all |
| 결말일까 | gyeol·ma·ril·kka | ending |
| 그곳이 | geu·go·si | that place |
| 그날 | geu·nal | that day |
| 그럼에도 | geu·reo·me·do | still |
| 나쁜 | na·ppeun | bad |
| 내게 | nae·ge | to me |
| 너와 | neo·wa | you and |
| 데려가 | de·ryeo·ga | take |
| 도망쳐 | do·mang·chyeo | escape |
| 떠오른 | tteo·o·reun | emerged |
| 떠올릴 | tteo·ol·lil | imagine |
| 멀리 | meol·li | far |
| 부서지도록 | bu·seo·ji·do·rok | break |
| 사랑히 | sa·rang·hi | loving |
| 세상에게서 | se·sang·e·ge·seo | from world |
| 우리는 | u·ri·neun | we |
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Questions about “Love wins all”
What is “Love wins all” by IU about?
In “Love wins all,” IU sings of two lovers who run from the world together, even though they sense the escape may end badly.
What does “나의 이 가난한 상상력으론” mean in “Love wins all”?
My poor imagination cannot. The marker 으론 (short for 으로는, "with/as for") drops out of the literal entirely, so "my this poor imagination" loses the sense of "using" that imagination.
What does “나와 저 끝까지 가줘 My lover” mean in “Love wins all”?
Go with me to the end, my lover. 나와 packs "me" and "with" into one word, and 가줘 packs "go" with a pleading "please do this for me" tone into one word — both spelled out across several words…
How do you pronounce “한 번 더 편안히 웃어주렴”?
In the song it sounds roughly like “han beon deo pyeo·nan·hi u·seo·ju·ryeom”: that's how it's actually sung by IU, not the textbook romanization.
Where can I see every line of “Love wins all” explained?
This page explains 4 key lines. In the theIDOL app Yoona goes through all 34 lines word by word, in sync with the song; the first verse is free and needs no sign-up.
Official music video
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Credits and sources
- Artist
- IU
- Official video
- 이지금 [IU Official] · 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.