The Sun — NCT DREAM: meaning, key lines and pronunciation
First verse: the song, every line and what it means — in sync긴 몇 편의 꿈들을 꾸고 나면gin myeot pyeo·nui kkum·deu·reul kku·go na·myeonAfter I've had a few long dreamsListen to this line with the translationNo sign-upWhat the song is about
NCT DREAM's “The Sun” is about enduring a long, painful night together and trusting that a bright morning is about to arrive. They carry lingering dreams, a heavy heart that slows their steps, and a faint light behind their clumsy footprints, yet a picture unfolded in a deep dream works like a map, so with someone beside them, wandering never means being lost. By the end, dazzling daylight feels almost within reach.
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.
긴 몇 편의 꿈들을 꾸고 나면Listen from this lineRomanization (as sung): gin myeot pyeo·nui kkum·deu·reul kku·go na·myeon
Meaning: After I've had a few long dreams
Words in this line- 긴ginlong
- 몇myeotseveral
- 편의pyeo·nuiof episodes
- 꿈들을kkum·deu·reuldreams
- 꾸고kku·godream and
- 나면na·myeononce done
Word for word: Long several episodes' dreams having dreamed, once-finished
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 편 on its own means 'episode' or 'installment', like a TV series, so 'several episodes of dreams' sounds odd, while in English it is simply 'a few dreams'. 꿈을 꾸다 is the fixed phrase for dreaming, and 꾸다 is a verb that goes almost only with 꿈 (dream). The ending -고 나면 ('once finished, then') sets the moment just after waking.
아침이 와 우리 어깨 위로Listen from this lineRomanization (as sung): a·chi·mi wa u·ri eo·kkae wi·ro
Meaning: Morning comes over our shoulders
Words in this line- 아침이a·chi·mimorning
- 와wacomes
- 우리u·riour
- 어깨eo·kkaeshoulders
- 위로wi·roover
Word for word: Morning comes our shoulder above-to
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 와 comes from 오다, 'to come', so 'morning comes' means dawn arrives. 위로 alone is 'upward', but 어깨 위로 gives a picture of light settling over shoulders. 우리 is 'our', so the morning belongs to both of them.
더 멀리 날 데려갈 지도같이Listen to the first verse — freeRomanization (as sung): deo meol·li nal de·ryeo·gal ji·do·ga·chi
Meaning: Like a map that will take me even farther
Words in this line- 더deoeven more
- 멀리meol·lifar
- 날nalme
- 데려갈de·ryeo·galwill take
- 지도같이ji·do·ga·chilike a map
Word for word: More far me will-take map-like
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 지도 means map and 같이 means like, so together they make your picture a guiding map. 데려갈 means will take along, showing that the speaker is led with someone, not alone.
웅크린 채 버틴 밤을 건너Listen to the first verse — freeRomanization (as sung): ung·keu·rin chae beo·tin ba·meul geon·neo
Meaning: Crossing over the night we endured, curled up tight
Words in this line- 웅크린ung·keu·rincurled up
- 채chaewhile in state
- 버틴beo·tinendured
- 밤을ba·meulnight
- 건너geon·neoacross
Word for word: Curled-up in-state endured night crossing
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 웅크린 on its own means curled up, 채 means in a state of, 버틴 means endured, and 건너 means across. Together they paint a picture of getting through a hard night hunched up and then coming out the other side. Korean stacks these modifiers in front of 'night', which makes the literal version clumsy.
Lyrics © their rights holders. “The Sun” — 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 거야 | geo·ya | I will |
| 거의 | geo·ui | almost |
| 결국 | gyeol·guk | in the end |
| 그림이 | geu·ri·mi | picture |
| 기다렸던 | gi·da·ryeot·tteon | had waited |
| 기대가 | gi·dae·ga | anticipation |
| 길었던 | gi·reot·tteon | that was long |
| 깊은 | gi·peun | deep |
| 꿈속 | kkum·sok | inside a dream |
| 눈부신 | nun·bu·sin | dazzling |
| 달렸을까 | dal·lyeo·sseul·kka | I wonder if I ran |
| 담아둘래 | da·ma·dul·lae | I'll keep |
| 답을 | da·beul | answer |
| 떠오른 | tteo·o·reun | risen |
| 선명히 | seon·myeong·hi | vividly |
| 우릴 | u·ril | us |
| 찬란히 | chal·lan·hi | brilliantly |
| 향해 | hyang·hae | toward |
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Questions about “The Sun”
What is “The Sun” by NCT DREAM about?
NCT DREAM's “The Sun” is about enduring a long, painful night together and trusting that a bright morning is about to arrive.
What does “긴 몇 편의 꿈들을 꾸고 나면” mean in “The Sun”?
After I've had a few long dreams. 편 on its own means 'episode' or 'installment', like a TV series, so 'several episodes of dreams' sounds odd, while in English it is simply 'a few dreams'.
What does “아침이 와 우리 어깨 위로” mean in “The Sun”?
Morning comes over our shoulders. 와 comes from 오다, 'to come', so 'morning comes' means dawn arrives.
How do you pronounce “더 멀리 날 데려갈 지도같이”?
In the song it sounds roughly like “deo meol·li nal de·ryeo·gal ji·do·ga·chi”: that's how it's actually sung by NCT DREAM, not the textbook romanization.
Where can I see every line of “The Sun” explained?
This page explains 4 key lines. In the theIDOL app Eunsu goes through all 41 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.