Kitsch — IVE: meaning, key lines and pronunciation
First verse: the song, every line and what it means — in sync네가 보낸 DM을 읽고 나서 답이 없는 게ni·ga bo·naen DM-eul il·kko na·seo da·bi eom·neun geAfter reading the DM you sent, I have no answer.Listen to this line with the translationNo sign-upWhat the song is about
In “Kitsch,” IVE sing about refusing to let other people's opinions shape them and embracing their own offbeat taste at nineteen. They brush off a DM, sweet talk with hidden motives, and nagging voices, dressing and dancing exactly as they please. Their posts collect likes, their moves get copied, and they keep turning up in everyone's algorithm, so the feel is confident, playful defiance.
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.
네가 보낸 DM을 읽고 나서 답이 없는 게Listen from this lineRomanization (as sung): ni·ga bo·naen DM-eul il·kko na·seo da·bi eom·neun ge
Meaning: After reading the DM you sent, I have no answer.
Words in this line- 네가ni·gayou
- 보낸bo·naensent
- DM을DM-eulDM
- 읽고il·kkoreading
- 나서na·seoafter
- 답이da·bianswer
- 없는eom·neunno
- 게gething
Word for word: Message that you sent, reading, after that no answer thing.
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 답이 없는 게 (no answer thing) — not just absence of answer but bewilderment or intentional silence as response; 게 (thing) — grammatical suffix that makes the state more expressive.
난 생겨 먹은 대로 사는 애야 뭘 더 바래Listen from this lineRomanization (as sung): nan saeng·gyeo meo·geun dae·ro sa·neun ae·ya mwol deo ba·rae
Meaning: I live as I am born — what more do you want?
Words in this line- 난nanI
- 생겨saeng·gyeoborn
- 먹은meo·geunas
- 대로dae·rois
- 사는sa·neunliving
- 애야ae·yagirl
- 뭘mwolwhat
- 더deomore
- 바래ba·raewant
Word for word: I born as is living girl, what more you want?
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 생겨 먹은 대로 (born as is) — acceptance of self without change, 먹은 (eaten) — archaic expression adding poetic quality; 뭘 더 바래 (what more) — rhetorical question expressing self-confidence and defiance.
난 절대 끌리지 않는 것에 끌려가지 않아Listen to the first verse — freeRomanization (as sung): nan jeol·ttae kkeul·li·ji an·neun geo·se kkeul·lyeo·ga·ji a·na
Meaning: I never get pulled into things that don't attract me.
Words in this line- 난nanI
- 절대jeol·ttaenever
- 끌리지kkeul·li·jiget attracted
- 않는an·neunnot
- 것에geo·seto what
- 끌려가지kkeul·lyeo·ga·jiget pulled
- 않아a·nadon't
Word for word: I never not-attracted to what not-attracted, not-get-pulled.
Why it doesn't translate word for word: This repeats the previous thought with emphasis. The double negation and repetition create an effect of firm conviction and independence from external influences.
내가 좋아하는 것만 하면 뭐 어때?Listen to the first verse — freeRomanization (as sung): nae·ga jo·a·ha·neun geon·man ha·myeon mwo eo·ttae?
Meaning: If I do what I like, what's wrong with that?
Words in this line- 내가nae·gaI
- 좋아하는jo·a·ha·neunlike
- 것만geon·manonly what
- 하면ha·myeonif I do
- 뭐mwowhat
- 어때?eo·ttae?what's wrong?
Rhetorical question challenging social norms.
Lyrics © their rights holders. “Kitsch” — IVE. 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 겉잡을 | geot·jja·beul | grasp |
| 누구도 | nu·gu·do | no one |
| 눌러 | nul·leo | press |
| 다들 | da·deul | everyone |
| 대는 | dae·neun | keep |
| 따라 | tta·ra | copy |
| 매일 | mae·il | every day |
| 모두 | mo·du | everyone |
| 못할 | mo·tal | cannot |
| 미친 | mi·chin | crazy |
| 알고리즘에 | al·go·ri·jeu·me | in algorithm |
| 예상 | ye·sang | expectation |
| 올라 | ol·la | rise |
| 올려 | ol·lyeo | post |
| 우리만의 | u·ri·ma·nui | only ours |
| 우리우리만의 | u·ri·u·ri·ma·nui | ours-only ours |
| 자유로운 | ja·yu·ro·un | free |
| 지금까지 | ji·geum·kka·ji | until now |
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Questions about “Kitsch”
What is “Kitsch” by IVE about?
In “Kitsch,” IVE sing about refusing to let other people's opinions shape them and embracing their own offbeat taste at nineteen.
What does “네가 보낸 DM을 읽고 나서 답이 없는 게” mean in “Kitsch”?
After reading the DM you sent, I have no answer. 답이 없는 게 (no answer thing) — not just absence of answer but bewilderment or intentional silence as response; 게 (thing) — grammatical suffix that makes the…
What does “난 생겨 먹은 대로 사는 애야 뭘 더 바래” mean in “Kitsch”?
I live as I am born — what more do you want? 생겨 먹은 대로 (born as is) — acceptance of self without change, 먹은 (eaten) — archaic expression adding poetic quality; 뭘 더 바래 (what more) — rhetorical question…
How do you pronounce “난 절대 끌리지 않는 것에 끌려가지 않아”?
In the song it sounds roughly like “nan jeol·ttae kkeul·li·ji an·neun geo·se kkeul·lyeo·ga·ji a·na”: that's how it's actually sung by IVE, not the textbook romanization.
Where can I see every line of “Kitsch” explained?
This page explains 4 key lines. In the theIDOL app Mina goes through all 74 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
- IVE
- Official video
- STARSHIP · 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.