12 o'clock — Jeonghan X Joshua: meaning, key lines and pronunciation
First verse: the song, every line and what it means — in sync(Ay ya) 꿈에서 봤던 너는 mysterya·i ya kku·me·seo bwat·tteon neo·neun mysteryYou I saw in my dream are a mysteryListen to this line with the translationNo sign-upWhat the song is about
Jeonghan X Joshua's “12 o'clock” is about being besotted with a mysterious dream figure who slips in and out of sight. The singer can't look away from this daydream-like presence who blurs day and night, dream and reality, and happily plays hide and seek just to keep chasing it. Dizzy and thrilled, the feeling stays playful and giddy, a head spinning around one clear presence.
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.
(Ay ya) 꿈에서 봤던 너는 mysteryListen from this lineRomanization (as sung): a·i ya kku·me·seo bwat·tteon neo·neun mystery
Meaning: You I saw in my dream are a mystery
Words in this line- 꿈에서kku·me·seoin a dream
- 봤던bwat·tteonthat I saw
- 너는neo·neunyou (topic)
Word for word: (Ay ya) in-dream seen-which you-topic mystery
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 꿈에서 means 'in a dream', 봤던 means 'saw before', and 너는 just marks 'you' as the topic. Literally it is a pile of glued pieces, while in English it simply says 'the you from my dream is a mystery'. Korean puts the describing clause before the noun, so the word order differs.
(Ay ya) 이름도 모른 채 마주치지Listen from this lineRomanization (as sung): a·i ya i·reum·do mo·reun chae ma·ju·chi·ji
Meaning: We run into each other without even knowing your name
Words in this line- 이름도i·reum·doeven the name
- 모른mo·reunnot knowing
- 채chaewhile remaining
- 마주치지ma·ju·chi·jiwe bump into
Word for word: (Ay ya) name-even not-knowing remaining bump-into
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 이름도 is 'even the name', 모른 is 'not knowing', and 채 is 'while staying in that state'. Together 모른 채 means 'without ever learning it'. 마주치지 carries a chance face-to-face meeting that 'bump into' only roughly captures.
(Ay ya) 시침 초침이 겹칠 때Listen from this lineRomanization (as sung): a·i ya si·chim cho·chi·mi gyeop·chil ttae
Meaning: When the hour and minute hands overlap
Words in this line- 시침si·chimhour hand
- 초침이cho·chi·misecond hand
- 겹칠gyeop·chilto overlap
- 때ttaewhen
Word for word: (Ay ya) hour-hand second-hand overlap when
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 시침 is the hour hand, 초침 the second hand, and 겹칠 때 'when they overlap'. Each is plain clockwork, but together the hands stacking up means twelve o'clock, an image of midnight, the hour of dreams.
어지러워 내 꿈이 현실인지 아닌지Listen to the first verse — freeRomanization (as sung): eo·ji·reo·wo nae kku·mi hyeon·si·rin·ji a·nin·ji
Meaning: I'm dizzy — is my dream real or not?
Words in this line- 어지러워eo·ji·reo·woI'm dizzy
- 내naemy
- 꿈이kku·midream
- 현실인지hyeon·si·rin·jiwhether it's reality
- 아닌지a·nin·jior not
Word for word: Dizzy my dream reality-whether or-not-whether.
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 어지러워 is 'dizzy', 현실 is 'reality'. The ending -인지 / -ㄴ지 means 'whether', so '현실인지 아닌지' is 'whether it is reality or not'. Together it conveys being so overwhelmed you can't tell dream from real.
Lyrics © their rights holders. “12 o'clock” — Jeonghan X Joshua. 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 경계를 | gyeong·gye·reul | the boundary |
| 기다려 | gi·da·ryeo | waiting |
| 꿈과 | kkum·gwa | dream and |
| 꿈속은 | kkum·so·geun | inside the dream |
| 나만의 | na·ma·nui | only mine |
| 나타났다 | na·ta·nat·tta | appeared |
| 낮과 | nat·kkwa | day and |
| 너도 | neo·do | you too |
| 너만 | neo·man | only you |
| 너에게 | neo·e·ge | to you |
| 넘어 | neo·meo | crossing |
| 마주친 | ma·ju·chin | that met |
| 매일 | mae·il | every day |
| 머릿속은 | meo·rit·sso·geun | inside the head |
| 멈추길 | meom·chu·gil | to stop |
| 바라 | ba·ra | I hope |
| 사라져도 | sa·ra·jyeo·do | even if gone |
| 찾게 | chat·kke | to look for |
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Questions about “12 o'clock”
What is “12 o'clock” by Jeonghan X Joshua about?
Jeonghan X Joshua's “12 o'clock” is about being besotted with a mysterious dream figure who slips in and out of sight.
What does “(Ay ya) 꿈에서 봤던 너는 mystery” mean in “12 o'clock”?
You I saw in my dream are a mystery. 꿈에서 means 'in a dream', 봤던 means 'saw before', and 너는 just marks 'you' as the topic.
What does “(Ay ya) 이름도 모른 채 마주치지” mean in “12 o'clock”?
We run into each other without even knowing your name. 이름도 is 'even the name', 모른 is 'not knowing', and 채 is 'while staying in that state'.
How do you pronounce “(Ay ya) 시침 초침이 겹칠 때”?
In the song it sounds roughly like “a·i ya si·chim cho·chi·mi gyeop·chil ttae”: that's how it's actually sung by Jeonghan X Joshua, not the textbook romanization.
Where can I see every line of “12 o'clock” explained?
This page explains 4 key lines. In the theIDOL app Eunsu goes through all 54 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
- Jeonghan X Joshua
- 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.