Mama Said (뭐가 되려고?) — KickFlip: meaning, key lines and pronunciation
First verse: the song, every line and what it means — in sync글쎄, 아, 말로는 뭐를 못해geul·sse, a, mal·lo·neun mwo·reul mo·taeWell, ah, talk is cheap.Play the first verse with translationNo sign-upWhat does “Mama Said” by KickFlip mean?
KickFlip’s “Mama Said” is about shrugging off a mother’s worries, and everyone else’s, over what a young person will become. Through the nagging about jobs, goals and even using chopsticks properly, they stay breezy, aware the scolding comes from care but set on a slightly different path of their own. The mood is cheeky and carefree, with a feeling that everything is only beginning.
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.
글쎄, 아, 말로는 뭐를 못해Listen from this lineRomanization (as sung): geul·sse, a, mal·lo·neun mwo·reul mo·tae
Meaning: Well, ah, talk is cheap.
Words in this line- 글쎄,geul·sse,well
- 아,a,ah
- 말로는mal·lo·neunin words
- 뭐를mwo·reulwhat
- 못해mo·taecan't do
Word for word: Well, ah, with-words what can't you do
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 글쎄 alone is 'well, I'm not sure', 말로 is 'with words' and 못해 is 'can't do'. But 뭐를 못해 is a rhetorical question, 'what can't you do?', meaning you can do anything. As a whole it says talk is cheap, which is the idiom the literal version hides.
걱정 마, 밥만 잘 먹죠 (duh)Listen from this lineRomanization (as sung): geok·jjeong ma, bam·man jal meok·jjyo da
Meaning: Don't worry, I eat just fine anyway (duh).
Words in this line- 걱정geok·jjeongworry
- 마,ma,don't
- 밥만bam·manjust meals
- 잘jalwell
- 먹죠meok·jjyoeat, right
Word for word: Worry don't, only meals well eat, right (duh)
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 밥 alone is 'rice', 만 is 'only' and 먹죠 is 'eat, right?'. Together they say 'at least I eat well', so the basics are fine. The ending -죠 adds an 'isn't it obvious?' tone, and 'duh' reinforces it.
Mama said 소꿉놀이 엄마한텐 내가 서툰 어린이Listen to the first verse — freeRomanization (as sung): Mama said so·kkum·no·ri eom·ma·han·ten nae·ga seo·tu neo·ri·ni
Meaning: Mama said, to Mom I'm a clumsy kid playing house
Words in this line- 소꿉놀이so·kkum·no·riplaying house
- 엄마한텐eom·ma·han·tento Mom
- 내가nae·gaI
- 서툰seo·tuclumsy
- 어린이neo·ri·nichild
Word for word: Mama said, kitchen-set-play to-Mom I a clumsy child.
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 소꿉놀이 joins 'toy household items' and 'play', naming the children's house game, and here it stands for being unserious. 엄마한텐 means 'to Mom', with the sense 'in her eyes'. 서툰 어린이, 'clumsy child', stresses that she still sees a little kid.
뭐가 되긴 내가 될 거야 whoa whoa no capListen to the first verse — freeRomanization (as sung): mwo·ga doe·gin nae·ga doel kkeo·ya whoa whoa no cap
Meaning: I'll become something, on my own (whoa, whoa, no cap)
Words in this line- 뭐가mwo·gawhat (subject)
- 되긴doe·ginbecome, though
- 내가nae·gaI myself
- 될doelwill become
- 거야kkeo·yait will be
Word for word: What become — I will become (whoa, whoa, no cap)
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 뭐가 means 'what' and 되긴 means 'become, though', but together they form a retort: 'What will I become? Something, obviously.' The ending 거야 carries a confident future feeling no single word has. 'No cap' literally says 'no hat', yet in slang it means 'no lie'.
Lyrics © their rights holders. “Mama Said” — KickFlip. Quoted for commentary and learning.
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Ask YoungjaeSong vocabulary
Words from the song in Korean alphabetical order, with pronunciation and meaning.
| Word | Sounds like | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 갖곤 | gat·kkon | with that |
| 같아도 | ga·ta·do | even if alike |
| 걱정은 | geok·jjeong·eun | worry |
| 것뿐이야 | geot·ppu·ni·ya | it's just that |
| 누굴 | nu·gul | whom |
| 다른 | da·reun | different |
| 닮아서 | dal·ma·seo | resembling |
| 되라고 | doe·ra·go | so that it becomes |
| 되려고 | doe·ryeo·go | intending to become |
| 될놈될 | doel·lom·doel | those meant to make it will |
| 될진 | doel·jin | whether it becomes |
| 못해도 | mo·tae·do | even if I can't |
| 뭐라 | mwo·ra | whatever |
| 신경 | sin·gyeong | concern |
| 이대로 | i·dae·ro | as is |
| 이래 | i·rae | is like this |
| 젓가락질 | jeot·kka·rak·jjil | using chopsticks |
| 좋아 | jo·a | am fine |
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Questions about “Mama Said”
What is “Mama Said” by KickFlip about?
KickFlip’s “Mama Said” is about shrugging off a mother’s worries, and everyone else’s, over what a young person will become.
What does “글쎄, 아, 말로는 뭐를 못해” mean in “Mama Said”?
Well, ah, talk is cheap. 글쎄 alone is 'well, I'm not sure', 말로 is 'with words' and 못해 is 'can't do'.
What does “걱정 마, 밥만 잘 먹죠 (duh)” mean in “Mama Said”?
Don't worry, I eat just fine anyway (duh). 밥 alone is 'rice', 만 is 'only' and 먹죠 is 'eat, right?'.
How do you pronounce “Mama said 소꿉놀이 엄마한텐 내가 서툰 어린이”?
In the song it sounds roughly like “Mama said so·kkum·no·ri eom·ma·han·ten nae·ga seo·tu neo·ri·ni”: that's how it's actually sung by KickFlip, not the textbook romanization.
Where can I see every line of “Mama Said” explained?
This page explains 4 key lines. In the theIDOL app Youngjae goes through all 48 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
- KickFlip
- 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.