I SPY — NCT WISH: meaning, key lines and pronunciation
First verse: the song, every line and what it means — in sync내 주위에서 널 바로 찾아내nae ju·wi·e·seo neol ba·ro cha·ja·naeI spot you right away among everyone around meListen to this line with the translationNo sign-upWhat the song is about
NCT WISH's “I SPY” is about a playful, curious crush: the group sings of noticing one person instantly and wanting to know everything about them. They picture exclamation marks and hidden question marks as the secrets they long to uncover, while their own pounding heart reaches all the way to their fingertips. Jealous even of a shadow, they invite that person into their world, which keeps growing as they learn more.
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 주위에서 널 바로 찾아내Listen from this lineRomanization (as sung): nae ju·wi·e·seo neol ba·ro cha·ja·nae
Meaning: I spot you right away among everyone around me
Words in this line- 내naemy
- 주위에서ju·wi·e·seoaround
- 널neolyou
- 바로ba·roright away
- 찾아내cha·ja·naefind out
Word for word: My around-at you straight find-out.
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 주위에서 alone means "in the surroundings", 찾아내 means "to find out", and 바로 means "straight". Together they say "I pick you out of the crowd instantly". Korean drops the subject and packs it all into one short phrase.
그러다 눈이 너와 마주치면Listen from this lineRomanization (as sung): geu·reo·da nu·ni neo·wa ma·ju·chi·myeon
Meaning: And when our eyes meet
Words in this line- 그러다geu·reo·daand then
- 눈이nu·nieyes
- 너와neo·wawith you
- 마주치면ma·ju·chi·myeonif they meet
Word for word: Doing so, eyes with you if they bump.
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 그러다 literally means "doing like that", and 마주치다 means "to bump face to face". With 눈이 (eyes) it becomes the idiom "our eyes meet". The trailing "if" leaves the sentence hanging, which builds suspense.
그 방향을 따라가면 나의 세계야Listen to the first verse — freeRomanization (as sung): geu bang·hyang·eul tta·ra·ga·myeon na·ui se·gye·ya
Meaning: If you follow that direction, it's my world.
Words in this line- 그geuthat
- 방향을bang·hyang·euldirection
- 따라가면tta·ra·ga·myeonif you follow
- 나의na·uimy
- 세계야se·gye·yait's the world
Word for word: That direction-object if follow, my world is.
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 방향 on its own means 'direction' and 따라가다 means 'to go along after', but together they paint a picture of following the path I point out until you reach me. The ending -면 supplies 'if', and -야 makes the statement casual and sure of itself. The literal version is clumsy because Korean drops the subject and hangs particles after each word.
너를 알아 갈수록 OohListen to the first verse — freeRomanization (as sung): neo·reul a·ra gal·ssu·rok Ooh
Meaning: The more I get to know you, ooh.
Words in this line- 너를neo·reulyou
- 알아a·raget to know
- 갈수록gal·ssu·rokthe more
Word for word: You-object know-and-go the-more, ooh.
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 알아 means 'to know' and 가다 alone means 'to go', but together 알아 가다 is 'to get to know gradually'. The ending -ㄹ수록 means 'the more...', and the line trails off unfinished, leaving a feeling of something building. That unfinished grammatical tail carries an emotion no single word does.
Lyrics © their rights holders. “I SPY” — NCT WISH. 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 감춘 | gam·chun | hidden |
| 궁금해 | gung·geum·hae | curious |
| 나도 | na·do | me too |
| 너란 | neo·ran | someone like you |
| 느낌표 | neu·kkim·pyo | exclamation mark |
| 두근대 | du·geun·dae | pounds |
| 들어와 | deu·reo·wa | come in |
| 말해 | ma·rae | tell |
| 맘에 | ma·me | into heart |
| 모든 | mo·deun | every |
| 물음표 | mu·reum·pyo | question mark |
| 비밀들 | bi·mil·deul | secrets |
| 세상으로 | se·sang·eu·ro | to the world |
| 손끝까지 | son·kkeut·kka·ji | to the fingertips |
| 숨겨 | sum·gyeo | hiding |
| 애가 | ae·ga | kid |
| 왔던 | wat·tteon | that have been |
| 줄게 | jul·kke | I'll do for you |
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Questions about “I SPY”
What is “I SPY” by NCT WISH about?
NCT WISH's “I SPY” is about a playful, curious crush: the group sings of noticing one person instantly and wanting to know everything about them.
What does “내 주위에서 널 바로 찾아내” mean in “I SPY”?
I spot you right away among everyone around me. 주위에서 alone means "in the surroundings", 찾아내 means "to find out", and 바로 means "straight".
What does “그러다 눈이 너와 마주치면” mean in “I SPY”?
And when our eyes meet. 그러다 literally means "doing like that", and 마주치다 means "to bump face to face".
How do you pronounce “그 방향을 따라가면 나의 세계야”?
In the song it sounds roughly like “geu bang·hyang·eul tta·ra·ga·myeon na·ui se·gye·ya”: that's how it's actually sung by NCT WISH, not the textbook romanization.
Where can I see every line of “I SPY” explained?
This page explains 4 key lines. In the theIDOL app Hyunwoo goes through all 83 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 WISH
- 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.