Glitch Mode — NCT DREAM: meaning, key lines and pronunciation
First verse: the song, every line and what it means — in sync난 어질, 어질, 어질 두통 (hey, hey, hey)na neo·jil, eo·jil, eo·jil du·tong hey hey, heyI'm dizzy, dizzy, dizzy, my head achesPlay the first verse with translationNo sign-upWhat does “Glitch Mode” by NCT DREAM mean?
NCT DREAM’s “Glitch Mode” is about falling for someone so hard that their whole system seems to malfunction. They describe dizziness, a racing heart and a mind that freezes at a brush of fingertips, with the whole world outside that person fading away and dreams without them turning into nightmares. Alongside the error alarms and light-speed energy, a tiny sprout growing into a forest suggests they keep growing however much others hold them back.
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.
난 어질, 어질, 어질 두통 (hey, hey, hey)Listen from this lineRomanization (as sung): na neo·jil, eo·jil, eo·jil du·tong hey hey, hey
Meaning: I'm dizzy, dizzy, dizzy, my head aches
Words in this line- 난naI
- 어질,neo·jil,dizzy
- 어질,eo·jil,dizzy
- 어질eo·jildizzy
- 두통du·tongheadache
Word for word: I dizzy, dizzy, dizzy head-pain
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 어질 is just a root meaning "giddy", but 어질어질 is a mimetic word that sounds like the feeling of spinning. Repeating it three times acts out the dizziness, and 두통 ("headache") adds the result.
엔진 sound 위험해, 겪은 적 없는, pit-a-patListen to the first verse — freeRomanization (as sung): en·jin sound wi·heom·hae, gyeo·kkeun jeo geom·neun, pit-a-pat
Meaning: The engine sound is dangerous, something I've never felt — pit-a-pat
Words in this line- 엔진en·jinengine
- 위험해,wi·heom·hae,dangerous
- 겪은gyeo·kkeunexperienced
- 적jeooccasion
- 없는,geom·neun,nonexistent
Word for word: Engine sound dangerous, experienced occasion nonexistent, pit-a-pat
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 겪은 means "experienced", 적 means "occasion" and 없는 means "nonexistent", but together 겪은 적 없는 is "never experienced before". The engine stands for her pounding heart and pit-a-pat is its thump, so "dangerous" really means thrilling.
작은 싹이 돋아나 숲을 키워내Listen to the first verse — freeRomanization (as sung): ja·geun ssa·gi do·da·na su·peul ki·wo·nae
Meaning: A tiny sprout pushes up and grows into a forest
Words in this line- 작은ja·geunsmall
- 싹이ssa·gisprout
- 돋아나do·da·nasprouting up
- 숲을su·peulforest
- 키워내ki·wo·naeraise up
Word for word: Small sprout sprout-up, forest raise-through
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 돋아나 combines 돋다 'to bud, to stick out' with 나 'come out', so the sprout is actively breaking through. 키워내 combines 키우다 'to raise' with 내다 'to carry through to the end', meaning the sprout manages to raise a whole forest. Word for word it is a chain of verbs, but the meaning is a tiny force becoming something huge.
낯선 감각들이 내 몸을 지배해Listen to the first verse — freeRomanization (as sung): nat·sseon gam·gak·tteu·ri nae mo·meul ji·bae·hae
Meaning: Unfamiliar sensations take over my body
Words in this line- 낯선nat·sseonunfamiliar
- 감각들이gam·gak·tteu·risensations
- 내naemy
- 몸을mo·meulbody
- 지배해ji·bae·haerule over
Word for word: Strange sensations my body rule
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 낯선 means 'unfamiliar' (from 'face' plus 'strange'), and 지배해 means 'rule, dominate'. Together it is not politics but 'take over completely'. Korean's word order puts the verb last, which makes the literal version clumsy.
Lyrics © their rights holders. “Glitch Mode” — NCT DREAM. Quoted for commentary and learning.
Mini-lesson: fill in the missing word
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Ask EunsuSong vocabulary
Words from the song in Korean alphabetical order, with pronunciation and meaning.
| Word | Sounds like | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 가속도를 | ga·sok·tto·reul | acceleration |
| 감정만 | gam·jeong·man | only emotions |
| 걸려 | geol·lyeo | is triggered |
| 고장 | go·jang | breakdown |
| 났어 | na·sseo | occurred |
| 너만 | neo·man | only you |
| 돌고 | dol·go | spinning |
| 돌아 | do·ra | turn around |
| 모든 | mo·deun | all |
| 밤새 | bam·sae | all night |
| 비상이 | bi·sang·i | emergency |
| 아님 | a·nim | if not |
| 아무리 | a·mu·ri | no matter how |
| 앞에선 | a·pe·seon | in front of |
| 없던 | eop·tteon | that didn't exist |
| 온몸이 | on·mo·mi | whole body |
| 이래 | i·rae | is like this |
| 전에 | jeo·ne | before |
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Questions about “Glitch Mode”
What is “Glitch Mode” by NCT DREAM about?
NCT DREAM’s “Glitch Mode” is about falling for someone so hard that their whole system seems to malfunction.
What does “난 어질, 어질, 어질 두통 (hey, hey, hey)” mean in “Glitch Mode”?
I'm dizzy, dizzy, dizzy, my head aches. 어질 is just a root meaning "giddy", but 어질어질 is a mimetic word that sounds like the feeling of spinning.
What does “엔진 sound 위험해, 겪은 적 없는, pit-a-pat” mean in “Glitch Mode”?
The engine sound is dangerous, something I've never felt — pit-a-pat. 겪은 means "experienced", 적 means "occasion" and 없는 means "nonexistent", but together 겪은 적 없는 is "never experienced before".
How do you pronounce “작은 싹이 돋아나 숲을 키워내”?
In the song it sounds roughly like “ja·geun ssa·gi do·da·na su·peul ki·wo·nae”: that's how it's actually sung by NCT DREAM, not the textbook romanization.
Where can I see every line of “Glitch Mode” explained?
This page explains 4 key lines. In the theIDOL app Eunsu goes through all 67 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
- NCT DREAM
- Official video
- SMTOWN · 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.