ISTJ — NCT DREAM: meaning, key lines and pronunciation
What does “ISTJ” by NCT DREAM mean?
“ISTJ,” a personality-type code for careful, orderly people, is NCT DREAM’s song about decoding someone composed and coaxing out what they feel. The group is fascinated by this person’s one-of-a-kind routine and wants to stir up a thrilling, risky warmth their world has never held, asking for their trust.
What the song is about
Late nights spent alone under counted stars add a quieter, fluttering longing to the playful confidence.
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.
틀림없는 원칙 실수하면 안 돼Listen from this lineRomanization (as sung): teul·li·meom·neu nwon·chik ssil·ssu·ha·myeo nan dwae
Meaning: An infallible principle: I mustn't make mistakes
Words in this line- 틀림없는teul·li·meom·neuinfallible
- 원칙nwon·chikprinciple
- 실수하면ssil·ssu·ha·myeoif you err
- 안nannot
- 돼dwaebecomes / is okay
Word for word: Not-existing-wrong principle, if you mistake-do, not becomes.
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 틀림없는 combines 틀림 ('mistake') and 없는 ('without'), meaning 'flawless'. 안 alone is 'not' and 돼 is 'becomes', but 안 돼 together means 'that's not allowed'. So the literal version is clumsy, while the real meaning is a strict ban on slipping up.
너란 아이 너만의 routine (ah) 그 특별함Listen to the first verse — freeRomanization (as sung): neo·ra na·i neo·ma·ne routine ah geu teuk·ppyeo·ram
Meaning: You're someone with a routine all your own, that specialness.
Words in this line- 너란neo·raone called you
- 아이na·ikid, person
- 너만의neo·ma·neyours alone
- 그geuthat
- 특별함teuk·ppyeo·ramspecialness
Word for word: One-called-you kid only-yours routine, that specialness.
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 너란 아이 is literally 'the kid called you', but it reads as a fond 'someone like you'. 너만의 combines 'you', 'only' and a possessive, giving 'yours alone'. The word routine here is not boredom but a person's own signature rhythm.
넌 우주보다 많은 그 주파수 내게 던져Listen to the first verse — freeRomanization (as sung): neo nu·ju·bo·da ma·neun geu ju·pa·su nae·ge deon·jeo
Meaning: You throw me more frequencies than the universe holds.
Words in this line- 넌neoyou
- 우주보다nu·ju·bo·dathan the universe
- 많은ma·neunmany
- 그geuthose
- 주파수ju·pa·sufrequencies
- 내게nae·geto me
- 던져deon·jeothrow
Word for word: You universe-than many that frequency to-me throw.
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 주파수 'frequency' and 던지다 'throw' together make an image of someone sending out signals or vibes. 우주보다 많은 is literally 'many compared to the universe', i.e. countless. The ending -져 reads as an appeal or feeling rather than a dry command.
가만 혼자 누워 별만 세는데 생각해 그래 I'm yoursListen to the first verse — freeRomanization (as sung): ga·man hon·ja nu·wo byeol·man se·neun·de saeng·ga·kae geu·rae I'm yours
Meaning: I lie here alone, quietly counting stars, and I think: yes, I'm yours.
Words in this line- 가만ga·manquietly
- 혼자hon·jaalone
- 누워nu·wolying down
- 별만byeol·manonly stars
- 세는데se·neun·decounting, and
- 생각해saeng·ga·kaeI think
- 그래geu·raeyes, right
Word for word: Quietly alone lying only stars counting-and, I think, so, I'm yours.
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 가만 alone means still or quietly and 별만 means only stars, but together they paint a quiet night of loneliness. The ending -는데 in 세는데 has no direct equivalent: it leaves the clause hanging and leads into the next thought, as in I'm counting stars and then it hits me. 그래 alone means so or right, but here it is a private admission, yes, that's how it is.
Lyrics © their rights holders. “ISTJ” — NCT DREAM. Quoted for commentary and learning.
Song facts
- Lines
- 49
- Key lines explained
- 4
- Words explained
- 18
- Length
- 3:05
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 가고 | ga·go | go and |
| 감각적 | gam·gak·jjeok | sensory, sensing |
| 감동시키고 | gam·dong·si·ki·go | to move (emotionally) |
| 감정 | gam·jeong | emotions |
| 거냐고 | geo·nya·go | is it that |
| 고장 | go·jang | breakdown |
| 궁금해 | gung·geum·hae | I'm curious |
| 꿈을 | kku·meul | a dream |
| 나곤 | na·gon | tends to occur |
| 나는 | na·neun | I |
| 느낀대로 | neu·kkin·dae·ro | as I felt |
| 뜨거움 | tteu·geo·um | heat |
| 맡겨 | mat·kkyeo | entrust |
| 세상엔 | se·sang·en | in the world |
| 싶어 | si·peo | I want |
| 없던 | eop·tteon | that wasn't |
| 원해 | won·hae | I want |
| 풀어볼게 | pu·reo·bol·kke | I'll try unraveling |
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Questions about “ISTJ”
What is “ISTJ” by NCT DREAM about?
“ISTJ,” a personality-type code for careful, orderly people, is NCT DREAM’s song about decoding someone composed and coaxing out what they feel. The group is fascinated by this person’s one-of-a-kind routine and wants to stir up a thrilling, risky warmth their world has never held, asking for their trust. Late nights spent alone under counted stars add a quieter, fluttering longing to the playful confidence.
What does “틀림없는 원칙 실수하면 안 돼” mean in “ISTJ”?
In “ISTJ” by NCT DREAM, “틀림없는 원칙 실수하면 안 돼” means: An infallible principle: I mustn't make mistakes. 틀림없는 combines 틀림 ('mistake') and 없는 ('without'), meaning 'flawless'. 안 alone is 'not' and 돼 is 'becomes', but 안 돼 together means 'that's not allowed'. So the literal version is clumsy, while the real meaning is a strict ban on slipping up.
What does “너란 아이 너만의 routine (ah) 그 특별함” mean in “ISTJ”?
In “ISTJ” by NCT DREAM, “너란 아이 너만의 routine (ah) 그 특별함” means: You're someone with a routine all your own, that specialness. 너란 아이 is literally 'the kid called you', but it reads as a fond 'someone like you'. 너만의 combines 'you', 'only' and a possessive, giving 'yours alone'. The word routine here is not boredom but a person's own signature rhythm.
How do you pronounce “넌 우주보다 많은 그 주파수 내게 던져”?
“넌 우주보다 많은 그 주파수 내게 던져” from “ISTJ” by NCT DREAM is romanized as “neo nujuboda maneun geu jupasu naege deonjeo”: that is how it is actually sung, sound changes included, not the textbook spelling.
Where can I see every line of “ISTJ” explained?
This page explains 4 key lines. In the theIDOL app Eunsu goes through all 49 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 ↗
How we make these breakdowns
theIDOL builds every breakdown with AI assistance and automated checks, and publishes a page only after it passes them. An AI model writes the meaning of each line and the word-by-word glosses from the song's timed lyrics. The pronunciation comes from our own rule-based Korean transcriber, which spells how the words sound when sung, sound changes included, not a letter-by-letter romanization. Pages that fail the audio-sync or translation checks are not published, and we quote only a few key lines. If you spot a mistake, write to support@theidol.ai and we will fix it.
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.