Deja Vu — RESCENE: meaning, key lines and pronunciation
First verse: the song, every line and what it means — in sync처음 스친 그때, 이 향길 기억해 줘cheo·eum seu·chin geu·ttae, i hyang·gil gi·eo·kae jwoRemember this scent from when we first brushed pastListen to this line with the translationNo sign-upWhat the song is about
RESCENE’s “Deja Vu” is about a familiar scent and small keepsakes pulling the singer back into a tender memory of someone dear. Sunlit breezes, desk doodles, a shared secret and a faded note make the past feel close, and in her imagination they share one dream. Even if they can never touch again, she keeps a quiet wish to meet at the end of the world someday.
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.
처음 스친 그때, 이 향길 기억해 줘Listen from this lineRomanization (as sung): cheo·eum seu·chin geu·ttae, i hyang·gil gi·eo·kae jwo
Meaning: Remember this scent from when we first brushed past
Words in this line- 처음cheo·eumfirst time
- 스친seu·chinbrushed
- 그때,geu·ttae,then
- 이ithis
- 향길hyang·gilscent
- 기억해gi·eo·kaeremember
- 줘jwofor me
Word for word: First brushed then, this scent remember give.
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 스친 means 'brushed past', and 기억해 줘 is 'remember' plus 'give', but together it is a tender request, 'remember it for me'. The ending 줘 carries feeling that the single words lack. The contraction 향길 instead of 향기를 sounds casual and warm.
빽빽한 책장 사이, 손때 묻은 한 칸Listen to the first verse — freeRomanization (as sung): ppaek·ppae·kan chaek·jjang sa·i, son·ttae mu·deun han kan
Meaning: Among the crowded shelves, one well-thumbed slot
Words in this line- 빽빽한ppaek·ppae·kanpacked
- 책장chaek·jjangbookshelf
- 사이,sa·i,between
- 손때son·ttaehand grime
- 묻은mu·deunstained
- 한hanone
- 칸kanslot
Word for word: Crowded bookshelf between, hand-grime stained one slot
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 손 is 'hand' and 때 is 'grime', so word for word it sounds unpleasant. But 손때 묻은 means 'bearing the marks of many touches', i.e. loved and well used. The 'grime-stained slot' is really an affectionate picture of a cherished place.
자그만 이야길 들어 (귀 기울여 봐)Listen to the first verse — freeRomanization (as sung): ja·geu·man i·ya·gil deu·reo (gwi gi·u·ryeo bwa)
Meaning: Listen to a little story (lend an ear)
Words in this line- 자그만ja·geu·mansmall
- 이야길i·ya·gilstory
- 들어deu·reolisten
- (귀(gwiear
- 기울여gi·u·ryeotilt
- 봐)bwa)try
Word for word: Tiny story listen (ear tilt try)
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 귀 is 'ear' and 기울이다 is 'to tilt', so word for word it is 'tilt your ear', which together is the idiom 'listen closely'. 봐 alone means 'look', but here it softens the request to 'give it a try'.
You-ou-ou and I, 다시 닿을 수 없다 해도 (ooh)Listen to the first verse — freeRomanization (as sung): You-ou-ou and I, da·si da·eul ssu eop·tta hae·do o·o
Meaning: You and I, even if we can't touch again
Words in this line- 다시da·siagain
- 닿을da·eulto touch
- 수ssuway, ability
- 없다eop·ttathere is none
- 해도hae·doeven if
Word for word: You-ou-ou and I, again touch way not-exist even-if do (ooh)
Why it doesn't translate word for word: On their own 닿다 means to touch, 수 means a way or ability, 없다 means there is none, and 해도 means even if one does. Together 닿을 수 없다 해도 means «even if we can never reach each other», which carries sadness. The word-for-word chain loses that feeling.
Lyrics © their rights holders. “Deja Vu” — RESCENE. Quoted for commentary and learning.
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Ask AriSong vocabulary
Words from the song in Korean alphabetical order, with pronunciation and meaning.
| Word | Sounds like | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 감아보면 | ga·ma·bo·myeon | if I try closing |
| 그리워질 | geu·ri·wo·jil | will come to miss |
| 그린 | geu·rin | drawn |
| 기분 | gi·bun | feeling |
| 꾸듯 | kku·deut | as if dreaming |
| 꿈을 | kku·meul | dream |
| 끝에서 | kkeu·te·seo | at the end |
| 나눈 | na·nun | shared |
| 너와 | neo·wa | with you |
| 눈을 | nu·neul | eyes |
| 닿은 | da·eun | touched |
| 되돌아간 | doe·do·ra·gan | gone back |
| 바람결에 | ba·ram·gyeo·re | on the breeze |
| 바랜 | ba·raen | faded |
| 순간 | sun·gan | moment |
| 실려 | sil·lyeo | carried |
| 익숙한 | ik·ssu·kan | familiar |
| 펼쳐질 | pyeol·chyeo·jil | will unfold |
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Questions about “Deja Vu”
What is “Deja Vu” by RESCENE about?
RESCENE’s “Deja Vu” is about a familiar scent and small keepsakes pulling the singer back into a tender memory of someone dear.
What does “처음 스친 그때, 이 향길 기억해 줘” mean in “Deja Vu”?
Remember this scent from when we first brushed past. 스친 means 'brushed past', and 기억해 줘 is 'remember' plus 'give', but together it is a tender request, 'remember it for me'.
What does “빽빽한 책장 사이, 손때 묻은 한 칸” mean in “Deja Vu”?
Among the crowded shelves, one well-thumbed slot. 손 is 'hand' and 때 is 'grime', so word for word it sounds unpleasant.
How do you pronounce “자그만 이야길 들어 (귀 기울여 봐)”?
In the song it sounds roughly like “ja·geu·man i·ya·gil deu·reo (gwi gi·u·ryeo bwa)”: that's how it's actually sung by RESCENE, not the textbook romanization.
Where can I see every line of “Deja Vu” explained?
This page explains 4 key lines. In the theIDOL app Ari goes through all 50 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
- RESCENE
- Official video
- 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.