Red Velvet - IRENE, SEULGI
Cheetah — Red Velvet - IRENE, SEULGI: meaning, key lines and pronunciation
What does “Cheetah” by Red Velvet - IRENE, SEULGI mean?
“Cheetah” by Red Velvet - IRENE, SEULGI is about a woman tired of slow, ambiguous flirting who wants her crush to give a clear answer. Stolen glances and shrinking distance have built up heat, and she likens her impatience to a cheetah's speed.
What the song is about
She delivers a firm ultimatum: decide now, or she moves on, because she wants someone who will run beside her all the way.
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.
힐끔힐끔 흔들리는 시선Listen from this lineRomanization (as sung): hil·kkeum·hil·kkeum heun·deul·li·neun si·seon
Meaning: Stolen glances, wavering eyes
Words in this line- 힐끔힐끔hil·kkeum·hil·kkeumglancing furtively
- 흔들리는heun·deul·li·neunwavering
- 시선si·seongaze
Word for word: Furtively-furtively wavering gaze
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 힐끔힐끔 is a doubled word that on its own imitates quick, repeated sneaky glances. 흔들리는 literally means 'shaking', but with 시선 ('gaze') it becomes eyes that waver nervously. The natural version turns the repetition into a clear picture of shy looking.
슬쩍 시선을 피하는 Smiling 오늘 밤엔 결정해 줬으면 해Listen from this lineRomanization (as sung): seul·jjeok ssi·seo·neul pi·ha·neun Smiling o·neul ba·men gyeol·jeong·hae jwo·sseu·myeon hae
Meaning: You slyly look away, smiling; I wish you'd decide tonight
Words in this line- 슬쩍seul·jjeokslyly
- 시선을ssi·seo·neulgaze
- 피하는pi·ha·neunavoiding
- 오늘o·neultoday
- 밤엔ba·menat night
- 결정해gyeol·jeong·haedecide
- 줬으면jwo·sseu·myeonif you did for me
- 해haeI wish
Word for word: Slyly gaze avoiding Smiling, tonight deciding if-you-did-for-me, I do
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 피하는 is 'avoiding', and with 슬쩍 'slyly' it becomes a flirtatiously dodged look. 줬으면 해 is built from 주다 'to give' plus -(으)면 해 'I wish that', so it means 'I'd like you to do this for me'. The literal version is clumsy because Korean phrases a request as a gentle wish.
그렇게 시시한 애로 보여Listen to the first verse — freeRomanization (as sung): geu·reo·ke si·si·ha nae·ro bo·yeo
Meaning: Do I look like such a trivial person to you?
Words in this line- 그렇게geu·reo·keso
- 시시한si·si·hatrivial
- 애로nae·roas a kid
- 보여bo·yeolook
Word for word: So trivial kid-as look?
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 시시하다 alone means 'trivial, lame' and 애 is a casual 'kid/person' (from 아이). With the questioning tone of 보여? it becomes an offended 'do you really think I'm not serious?', which the word-for-word version hides.
너와 함께 마지막까지 달려 나가고 싶어Listen to the first verse — freeRomanization (as sung): neo·wa ham·kke ma·ji·mak·kka·ji dal·lyeo na·ga·go si·peo
Meaning: I want to run with you until the very end
Words in this line- 너와neo·wawith you
- 함께ham·kketogether
- 마지막까지ma·ji·mak·kka·jiuntil the last
- 달려dal·lyeorunning
- 나가고na·ga·gogoing forth
- 싶어si·peoI want
Word for word: With you together until the last, running go-out I want.
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 달려 means 'running' and 나가다 means 'to go out', but 달려 나가다 together means 'to dash forward'. 마지막까지 is literally 'until the last', meaning 'to the very end'. 싶어 adds the wish: 'I want to'.
Lyrics © their rights holders. “Cheetah” — Red Velvet - IRENE, SEULGI. Quoted for commentary and learning.
Song facts
- Lines
- 48
- Key lines explained
- 4
- Words explained
- 18
- Length
- 2:42
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Ask HaeinSong vocabulary
Words from the song in Korean alphabetical order, with pronunciation and meaning.
| Word | Sounds like | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 가는 | ga·neun | going |
| 가버릴 | ga·beo·ril | will go off |
| 거리 | geo·ri | distance |
| 거야 | geo·ya | I will |
| 것으로 | geo·seu·ro | as a thing of |
| 그런 | geu·reon | such |
| 그럴 | geu·reol | such |
| 그만큼 | geu·man·keum | that much |
| 급하거든 | geu·pa·geo·deun | I'm in a hurry |
| 기다리니까 | gi·da·ri·ni·kka | wait, since |
| 깨물고 | kkae·mul·go | bite |
| 남아 | na·ma | remaining |
| 네게 | ne·ge | with you |
| 대사는 | dae·sa·neun | script lines |
| 더는 | deo·neun | any more |
| 데서 | de·seo | at a place |
| 말해줘 | ma·rae·jwo | tell me |
| 여기서 | yeo·gi·seo | here |
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Questions about “Cheetah”
What is “Cheetah” by Red Velvet - IRENE, SEULGI about?
“Cheetah” by Red Velvet - IRENE, SEULGI is about a woman tired of slow, ambiguous flirting who wants her crush to give a clear answer. Stolen glances and shrinking distance have built up heat, and she likens her impatience to a cheetah's speed. She delivers a firm ultimatum: decide now, or she moves on, because she wants someone who will run beside her all the way.
What does “힐끔힐끔 흔들리는 시선” mean in “Cheetah”?
In “Cheetah” by Red Velvet - IRENE, SEULGI, “힐끔힐끔 흔들리는 시선” means: Stolen glances, wavering eyes. 힐끔힐끔 is a doubled word that on its own imitates quick, repeated sneaky glances. 흔들리는 literally means 'shaking', but with 시선 ('gaze') it becomes eyes that waver nervously. The natural version turns the repetition into a clear picture of shy looking.
What does “슬쩍 시선을 피하는 Smiling 오늘 밤엔 결정해 줬으면 해” mean in “Cheetah”?
In “Cheetah” by Red Velvet - IRENE, SEULGI, “슬쩍 시선을 피하는 Smiling 오늘 밤엔 결정해 줬으면 해” means: You slyly look away, smiling; I wish you'd decide tonight. 피하는 is 'avoiding', and with 슬쩍 'slyly' it becomes a flirtatiously dodged look. 줬으면 해 is built from 주다 'to give' plus -(으)면 해 'I wish that', so it means 'I'd like you to do this for me'. The literal version is clumsy because Korean phrases a request as a gentle wish.
How do you pronounce “그렇게 시시한 애로 보여”?
“그렇게 시시한 애로 보여” from “Cheetah” by Red Velvet - IRENE, SEULGI is romanized as “geureoke sisiha naero boyeo”: that is how it is actually sung, sound changes included, not the textbook spelling.
Where can I see every line of “Cheetah” explained?
This page explains 4 key lines. In the theIDOL app Haein goes through all 48 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
- Red Velvet - IRENE, SEULGI
- 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.