How Sweet — NewJeans: meaning, key lines and pronunciation
First verse: the song, every line and what it means — in sync수상해서 그렇지 이런 헛소리 (no more)su·sang·hae·seo geu·reo·chi i·reon heot·sso·ri no·u morIt's only because it's suspicious — all this nonsense (no more).Play the first verse with translationNo sign-upLearn the danceOne 8-count at a time · slow-mo and mirror · with a free accountWhat does “How Sweet” by NewJeans mean?
In “How Sweet,” NewJeans sing about seeing through a toxic lover's games and finding they are better off without that person. They are tired of going back and forth in their own heads, of scrolling and watching drama, and they read the trick as an easy formula, as plain as biting an apple. A little demon keeps knocking, but they send it away and walk off on their own path.
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.
수상해서 그렇지 이런 헛소리 (no more)Listen from this lineRomanization (as sung): su·sang·hae·seo geu·reo·chi i·reon heot·sso·ri no·u mor
Meaning: It's only because it's suspicious — all this nonsense (no more).
Words in this line- 수상해서su·sang·hae·seobecause it's suspicious
- 그렇지geu·reo·chithat's why
- 이런i·reonsuch
- 헛소리heot·sso·rinonsense
Word for word: Suspicious-because so-is-indeed such empty-talk (no more)
Why it doesn't translate word for word: «수상해서 그렇지» is a ready-made colloquial frame. Piece by piece it's "because it's suspicious" plus «그렇지» ("that's how it is"), but together it means "it's just that…" and waves objections away in advance. «헛소리» breaks into «헛» (empty, futile) and «소리» (sound, speech) — "empty sound," i.e. "nonsense, BS"; it's blunt, not neutral. The «-지» tail on «그렇지» adds a "you know how it is" tone that English carries with "just."
나 더는 묻지 않을래 (how sweet it tastes)Listen from this lineRomanization (as sung): na deo·neun mut·jji a·neul·lae ha·u sweet it te·ists
Meaning: I won't ask anymore (how sweet it tastes).
Words in this line- 나naI
- 더는deo·neunanymore
- 묻지mut·jjiask
- 않을래a·neul·laewon't
Word for word: I anymore ask will-not-want-to (how sweet it tastes)
Why it doesn't translate word for word: «않을래» is the negative «않다» plus the «-을래» tail, which marks not future tense but the speaker's own will: "I want to" or "I've decided to." So the line isn't a forecast ("I won't") but a declared choice. «더는» is «더» (more) plus the particle «는», and that particle sets it against the past: she used to ask, and now that's over. The verb «묻다» (to ask) in a breakup song means demanding explanations, not asking questions in general.
부르고 있어 나의 이름을 더는 안 봐 drama it's good karmaListen to the first verse — freeRomanization (as sung): bu·reu·go i·sseo na·ui i·reu·meul deo·neu nan bwa drama it's good karma
Meaning: They're calling my name — no more watching drama, it's good karma.
Words in this line- 부르고bu·reu·gocalling
- 있어i·sseois (ongoing)
- 나의na·uimy
- 이름을i·reu·meulname
- 더는deo·neuanymore
- 안nannot
- 봐bwawatch
Word for word: Calling is my name-object anymore not watch drama it's good karma
Why it doesn't translate word for word: The word order is inverted: Korean puts the verb «부르고 있어» first and the object «나의 이름을» after — a song's way of stressing the verb; ordinary speech would flip it. «부르고 있어» is «부르다» (to call) plus «-고 있다», the ongoing aspect: they're calling right now and keep calling. «이름을 부르다» isn't merely hailing someone — it's recognition, naming a person who was nameless before. «안 봐» literally means "I don't watch," but "watching drama" colloquially means taking part in someone's theatrics — and here the English "drama" stands in for the Korean word, working in both senses at once: the TV kind and the mess.
거기 숨지 말고 빨리 나와Listen to the first verse — freeRomanization (as sung): geo·gi sum·jji mal·go ppal·li na·wa
Meaning: Don't hide over there, come out quick
Words in this line- 거기geo·githere
- 숨지sum·jjihide
- 말고mal·godon't
- 빨리ppal·liquickly
- 나와na·wacome out
Lyrics © their rights holders. “How Sweet” — NewJeans. Quoted for commentary and learning.
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Ask SoriSong vocabulary
Words from the song in Korean alphabetical order, with pronunciation and meaning.
| Word | Sounds like | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 공식이야 | gong·si·gi·ya | formula |
| 그동안 | geu·dong·an | all this while |
| 그만해 | geu·man·hae | stop it |
| 나가버려 | na·ga·beo·ryeo | get out |
| 됐어 | dwae·sseo | became |
| 맨날 | maen·nal | every day |
| 모든 | mo·deun | every |
| 뻔한 | ppeon·han | obvious |
| 뿐이야 | ppu·ni·ya | just |
| 생각 | saeng·gak | thought |
| 수작일 | su·ja·gil | ploy |
| 쉬운 | swi·un | easy |
| 않아도 | a·na·do | even if not |
| 알게 | al·ge | come to know |
| 알고 | al·go | knowing |
| 알려주지 | al·lyeo·ju·ji | tell (me) |
| 얼른 | eol·leun | quickly |
| 완전 | wan·jeon | totally |
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Questions about “How Sweet”
What is “How Sweet” by NewJeans about?
In “How Sweet,” NewJeans sing about seeing through a toxic lover's games and finding they are better off without that person.
What does “수상해서 그렇지 이런 헛소리 (no more)” mean in “How Sweet”?
It's only because it's suspicious — all this nonsense (no more). «수상해서 그렇지» is a ready-made colloquial frame.
What does “나 더는 묻지 않을래 (how sweet it tastes)” mean in “How Sweet”?
I won't ask anymore (how sweet it tastes). «않을래» is the negative «않다» plus the «-을래» tail, which marks not future tense but the speaker's own will: "I want to" or "I've decided to." So the line isn't…
How do you pronounce “부르고 있어 나의 이름을 더는 안 봐 drama it's good karma”?
In the song it sounds roughly like “bu·reu·go i·sseo na·ui i·reu·meul deo·neu nan bwa drama it's good karma”: that's how it's actually sung by NewJeans, not the textbook romanization.
Where can I see every line of “How Sweet” explained?
This page explains 4 key lines. In the theIDOL app Sori goes through all 46 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
- NewJeans
- 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.