ANTIFRAGILE — LE SSERAFIM: meaning, key lines and pronunciation
First verse: the song, every line and what it means — in sync내 뒤에 말들이 많아, 나도 첨 듣는 내 rivalnae dwi·e mal·deu·ri ma·na, na·do cheom deun·neun nae rivalThere's a lot of talk behind my back — even I'm hearing about my own rival for the first timeListen to this line with the translationNo sign-upWhat the song is about
In “ANTIFRAGILE,” LE SSERAFIM sing as someone who turns gossip, doubt and wishes for her failure into fuel to keep climbing. She walks with a lion's pride, rises out of the flames, and points to the toe shoes she left behind as proof of the career she built. She won't be a puppet or a fairy-tale figure, and the song closes on a fierce promise to break every chain.
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.
내 뒤에 말들이 많아, 나도 첨 듣는 내 rivalListen from this lineRomanization (as sung): nae dwi·e mal·deu·ri ma·na, na·do cheom deun·neun nae rival
Meaning: There's a lot of talk behind my back — even I'm hearing about my own rival for the first time
Words in this line- 내naemy
- 뒤에dwi·ebehind
- 말들이mal·deu·riwords
- 많아,ma·na,there are many
- 나도na·dome too
- 첨cheomfor the first time
- 듣는deun·neunhearing
- 내naemy
Word for word: Behind me words-are many, I-too first-time hearing my rival.
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 나도 첨 듣는 내 rival literally 'my rival that even I'm hearing about for the first time' — describes a feud invented purely by rumor.
더 부어, gasoline on fire, 불길 속에 다시 날아 rising (na-na-na, ayy-oh)Listen to the first verse — freeRomanization (as sung): deo bu·eo, gasoline on fire, bul·gil so·ge da·si na·ra rising na·na·na ay·oh
Meaning: Pour more, gasoline on fire, I rise flying again from the blaze
Words in this line- 더deomore
- 부어,bu·eo,pour
- 불길bul·gilblaze
- 속에so·geinside
- 다시da·siagain
- 날아na·rafly
Word for word: More pour, gasoline on fire, blaze inside again flying rising (na-na-na, ayy-oh).
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 불길 속에 다시 날아 rising evokes a phoenix — not burned but rising from within the fire. The song's core antifragile metaphor: more fuel only lifts her higher.
줄 달린 인형은 no thanks 내 미랠 쓸 나의 노래Listen to the first verse — freeRomanization (as sung): jul dal·lin in·hyeong·eun no thanks nae mi·rael sseul na·ui no·rae
Meaning: A puppet on strings, no thanks — my own song will write my future
Words in this line- 줄julstring
- 달린dal·linhanging
- 인형은in·hyeong·eundoll
- 내naemy
- 미랠mi·raelfuture
- 쓸sseulwill write
- 나의na·uimy
- 노래no·raesong
Word for word: A doll with a string attached, no thanks, my future-that-will-write my song
Why it doesn't translate word for word: '줄 달린 인형' is the image of a puppet under someone else's control, flatly rejected ('no thanks' adds a casual bluntness). '내 미랠 쓸 나의 노래' reads clumsily literally because the modifier precedes the noun in Korean.
잊지 마 내가 두고 온 toe shoes 무슨 말이 더 필요해Listen to the first verse — freeRomanization (as sung): it·jji ma nae·ga du·go on toe shoes mu·seun ma·ri deo pi·ryo·hae
Meaning: Don't forget the toe shoes I left behind — what more needs to be said
Words in this line- 잊지it·jjiforget
- 마madon't
- 내가nae·gaI
- 두고du·goleft behind
- 온oncoming from
- 무슨mu·seunwhat
- 말이ma·riwords
- 더deomore
- 필요해pi·ryo·haeneeded
Word for word: Don't forget I left-came toe shoes, what words more [are] needed
Why it doesn't translate word for word: '두고 온' literally 'left behind and came' — the double verb shows the leaving was deliberate. The toe shoes are a concrete detail from her past (ballet) that speaks louder than words — hence the rhetorical question.
Lyrics © their rights holders. “ANTIFRAGILE” — LE SSERAFIM. 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 가득 | ga·deuk | fully |
| 가렵지도 | ga·ryeop·jji·do | not even itchy |
| 가시밭길 | ga·si·bat·kkil | thorny path |
| 가줄게 | ga·jul·kke | I'll go/rise |
| 갖다버려 | gat·tta·beo·ryeo | throw away |
| 거대한 | geo·dae·han | huge |
| 걸어봐 | geo·reo·bwa | try walking |
| 걸어온 | geo·reo·on | that I've walked |
| 높이 | no·pi | higher |
| 눈빛엔 | nun·bi·chen | in (my) eyes |
| 떨어져도 | tteo·reo·jyeo·do | even if I fall |
| 무시 | mu·si | disrespect |
| 바랐던 | ba·rat·tteon | that I wished for |
| 세계 | se·gye | world |
| 위로 | wi·ro | over/along |
| 위엄 | wi·eom | dignity |
| 위에 | wi·e | on top of |
| 커리어 | keo·ri·eo | career |
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Questions about “ANTIFRAGILE”
What is “ANTIFRAGILE” by LE SSERAFIM about?
In “ANTIFRAGILE,” LE SSERAFIM sing as someone who turns gossip, doubt and wishes for her failure into fuel to keep climbing.
What does “내 뒤에 말들이 많아, 나도 첨 듣는 내 rival” mean in “ANTIFRAGILE”?
There's a lot of talk behind my back — even I'm hearing about my own rival for the first time. 나도 첨 듣는 내 rival literally 'my rival that even I'm hearing about for the first time' — describes a feud invented purely by rumor.
What does “더 부어, gasoline on fire, 불길 속에 다시 날아 rising (na-na-na, ayy-oh)” mean in “ANTIFRAGILE”?
Pour more, gasoline on fire, I rise flying again from the blaze. 불길 속에 다시 날아 rising evokes a phoenix — not burned but rising from within the fire.
How do you pronounce “줄 달린 인형은 no thanks 내 미랠 쓸 나의 노래”?
In the song it sounds roughly like “jul dal·lin in·hyeong·eun no thanks nae mi·rael sseul na·ui no·rae”: that's how it's actually sung by LE SSERAFIM, not the textbook romanization.
Where can I see every line of “ANTIFRAGILE” explained?
This page explains 4 key lines. In the theIDOL app Haein goes through all 61 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
- LE SSERAFIM
- 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.