Unknown Planet (이 별로부터) — IU: meaning, key lines and pronunciation
First verse: the song, every line and what it means — in sync우리가 사랑한 전부u·ri·ga sa·rang·han jeon·buEverything we lovedListen to this line with the translationNo sign-upWhat the song is about
IU's “Unknown Planet” is a farewell to a finished love, pictured as a trip somewhere unfamiliar and a star about to vanish. She feels neither longing nor regret now; only lingering attachment kept her there, so she sets down the first kiss, the all-night talks and the shared laughter. Odd reports about a mysterious object and a vanished moon give the goodbye a strange, wistful distance.
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.
우리가 사랑한 전부Listen from this lineRomanization (as sung): u·ri·ga sa·rang·han jeon·bu
Meaning: Everything we loved
Words in this line- 우리가u·ri·gawe
- 사랑한sa·rang·hanloved
- 전부jeon·bueverything
Word for word: we-subject loved all
Why it doesn't translate word for word: No idiom here: 전부 "everything" simply sums up the couple's shared memories.
나 이제 정말 그대가 그리운 게 아닌데Listen to the first verse — freeRomanization (as sung): na i·je jeong·mal geu·dae·ga geu·ri·un ge a·nin·de
Meaning: It's not that I really miss you right now
Words in this line- 나naI
- 이제i·jenow
- 정말jeong·malreally
- 그대가geu·dae·gayou
- 그리운geu·ri·unmissing
- 게gething
- 아닌데a·nin·deit's not that
Word for word: I now really you-subject missing thing not-is-but
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 게 아닌데 (=것이 아닌데) means "it's not the case that...", and the -데 ending hints at a hidden contradiction: the speaker denies missing the person while the tone suggests the opposite.
이건 마치 자고 일어났더니 달이 없어진 것과 다름 없다는 거죠Listen to the first verse — freeRomanization (as sung): i·geon ma·chi ja·go i·reo·nat·tteo·ni da·ri eop·sseo·jin geot·kkwa da·reum eop·tta·neun geo·jyo
Meaning: It's like waking up to find that the moon is gone
Words in this line- 이건i·geonthis
- 마치ma·chijust like
- 자고ja·gofalling asleep and
- 일어났더니i·reo·nat·tteo·niwoke up to find
- 달이da·rithe moon
- 없어진eop·sseo·jinhad disappeared
- 것과geot·kkwawith the fact
- 다름da·reumdifference
- 없다는eop·tta·neunthat there is no
- 거죠geo·jyoright
Word for word: this-topic just-like sleep-and woke-up-and-found moon-subject disappeared-became thing-with difference not-exist-they-say-thing-right
Why it doesn't translate word for word: '것과 다름없다' is a fixed pattern meaning 'no different from...', i.e. 'just like'. Alone '다름' is 'difference' and '없다' is 'doesn't exist', but with '것과' it's a comparison. '일어났더니' carries a flavor of unexpected discovery that a plain 'got up' lacks.
오늘은 9월 16일 떠나보기 참 좋은 날이죠Listen to the first verse — freeRomanization (as sung): o·neu·reun gu·wol si·byu·gil tteo·na·bo·gi cham jo·eun na·ri·jyo
Meaning: Today is September 16th, a really good day to set off
Words in this line- 오늘은o·neu·reuntoday
- 9월gu·wolSeptember
- 16일si·byu·gilthe 16th
- 떠나보기tteo·na·bo·gito set off
- 참chamreally
- 좋은jo·eungood
- 날이죠na·ri·jyoday
Word for word: Today-topic 9-month 16-day-comma leave-try-ing very good day-is-you-know
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 떠나보기 = 떠나다 ('to leave') + auxiliary 보다 ('to try'): not a command to leave, but a soft suggestion to 'give leaving a try'; 날이죠 ends in the casual-polite 이죠, inviting agreement, like 'isn't it'.
Lyrics © their rights holders. “Unknown Planet” — IU. Quoted for commentary and learning.
Mini-lesson: fill in the missing word
A line from the song with one word missing: listen, then pick the right word. Yoona checks your answer and saves the new words to your notebook.
Try the lessonAsk Yoona about this song
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 YoonaSong vocabulary
Words from the song in Korean alphabetical order, with pronunciation and meaning.
| Word | Sounds like | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 가능성도 | ga·neung·seong·do | possibility too |
| 가운데 | ga·un·de | amid |
| 갑자기 | gap·jja·gi | suddenly |
| 같아요 | ga·ta·yo | seems |
| 거예요 | geo·ye·yo | going to |
| 것은 | geo·seun | the fact that |
| 결과에 | gyeol·gwa·e | to the result |
| 고작 | go·jak | merely |
| 곳으로 | go·seu·ro | to a place |
| 관심이 | gwan·si·mi | interest |
| 관측되는 | gwan·cheuk·ttoe·neun | observed |
| 관측이 | gwan·cheu·gi | observation |
| 떠날 | tteo·nal | will leave |
| 사랑이 | sa·rang·i | love |
| 사실은 | sa·si·reun | actually |
| 여기 | yeo·gi | here |
| 여행 | yeo·haeng | journey |
| 이별로부터 | i·byeol·lo·bu·teo | from this parting |
Keep these 18 words
Make a free account and the words from “Unknown Planet” go to your study notebook with spaced review, so they come back right before you forget them.
Create a free accountWith Google, Apple or email · 10 seconds
Questions about “Unknown Planet”
What is “Unknown Planet” by IU about?
IU's “Unknown Planet” is a farewell to a finished love, pictured as a trip somewhere unfamiliar and a star about to vanish.
What does “우리가 사랑한 전부” mean in “Unknown Planet”?
Everything we loved. No idiom here: 전부 "everything" simply sums up the couple's shared memories.
What does “나 이제 정말 그대가 그리운 게 아닌데” mean in “Unknown Planet”?
It's not that I really miss you right now. 게 아닌데 (=것이 아닌데) means "it's not the case that...", and the -데 ending hints at a hidden contradiction: the speaker denies missing the person while the tone…
How do you pronounce “이건 마치 자고 일어났더니 달이 없어진 것과 다름 없다는 거죠”?
In the song it sounds roughly like “i·geon ma·chi ja·go i·reo·nat·tteo·ni da·ri eop·sseo·jin geot·kkwa da·reum eop·tta·neun geo·jyo”: that's how it's actually sung by IU, not the textbook romanization.
Where can I see every line of “Unknown Planet” explained?
This page explains 4 key lines. In the theIDOL app Yoona goes through all 47 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
- 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.