SEVENTEEN

MAESTRO — SEVENTEEN: meaning, key lines and pronunciation

First verse: the song, every line and what it means — in sync미쳐야만 정상이 돼 세상을 바꾸는 우리니까 ahmi·cheo·ya·man jeong·sang·i dwae se·sang·eul ba·kku·neu nu·ri·ni·kka ahYou have to go crazy to be normal — we're the ones who change the worldPlay the first verse with translationNo sign-up

What does “MAESTRO” by SEVENTEEN mean?

“MAESTRO” by SEVENTEEN is a playful song where the group acts as an orchestra, blending classical and new sounds to take their music out to the world. Drums, strings and techno beats are mixed together as their specialty, and being a little crazy is how they say you change the world. The music speeds up toward a big climax while they promise to stay by your side, keeping a bright, confident mood all the way.

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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.

미쳐야만 정상이 돼 세상을 바꾸는 우리니까 ah
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Romanization (as sung): mi·cheo·ya·man jeong·sang·i dwae se·sang·eul ba·kku·neu nu·ri·ni·kka ah

Meaning: You have to go crazy to be normal — we're the ones who change the world

Words in this line
  • 미쳐야만mi·cheo·ya·manonly by going mad
  • 정상이jeong·sang·inormal
  • 돼dwaebecome
  • 세상을se·sang·eulthe world
  • 바꾸는ba·kku·neuwho change
  • 우리니까nu·ri·ni·kkasince we are

Word for word: Only having gone mad does it become normal, world-changing we because, ah

Why it doesn't translate word for word: 미치다 means 'to go mad', 정상 'normal', and 돼 'becomes'. With -어야만 ('only if') it forms a paradox: to stand out you must commit wildly. The ending -니까 again supplies the reason: because we are the ones changing the world.

Maestro의 지휘에 맞춰
Listen from this line

Romanization (as sung): Maestro-ui ji·hwi·e mat·chwo

Meaning: In time with the maestro's baton

Words in this line
  • Maestro의Maestro-uimaestro's
  • 지휘에ji·hwi·eto the conducting
  • 맞춰mat·chwomatching

Word for word: Maestro's conducting-to matching

Why it doesn't translate word for word: 지휘 means conducting, 에 means to or by, and 맞춰 means fitting or matching. Together they mean moving in sync with the conductor, with no literal 'matching' of objects. The particle 의 simply marks possession: the maestro's.

Good vibe, 잃지 않고 가 절대
Listen from this line

Romanization (as sung): Good vibe, il·chi an·ko ga jeol·ttae

Meaning: Good vibe, we never lose it, no matter what

Words in this line
  • 잃지il·chilose
  • 않고an·konot and
  • 가gago
  • 절대jeol·ttaenever

Word for word: Good vibe, lose not-and go absolutely

Why it doesn't translate word for word: 잃지 않고 means 'without losing', 가 means 'go', and 절대 means 'absolutely, never'. Alone they are fragments, but together they say 'we keep going and never lose the mood'. The verb 가 conveys moving forward, not just walking.

마지막 악장에, 템포는 A tempo
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Romanization (as sung): ma·ji·ma gak·jjang·e, tem·po·neun A tempo

Meaning: In the final movement, the tempo returns: a tempo

Words in this line
  • 마지막ma·ji·malast
  • 악장에,gak·jjang·e,in the movement
  • 템포는tem·po·neuntempo

Word for word: Last movement-in, tempo-topic a tempo

Why it doesn't translate word for word: 악장 alone is 'movement of a symphony', 마지막 is 'last', and 템포는 marks tempo as the topic of the sentence. A tempo is an Italian term meaning 'back to the original speed'. Together the line says the finale returns to the main pace, which also works as a metaphor for returning to one's own rhythm.

52 more lines translated

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Lyrics © their rights holders. “MAESTRO” — SEVENTEEN. Quoted for commentary and learning.

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Song vocabulary

Words from the song in Korean alphabetical order, with pronunciation and meaning.

WordSounds likeMeaning
가능해ga·neung·haeis possible
곳에서go·se·seoat the place
기준에gi·ju·neto the standard
까지kka·jito melody
나팔을na·pa·reultrumpet
높은no·peunhigh
드릴게deu·ril·kkeI'll give
뜨거운tteu·geo·unhot
리듬에서도ri·deu·me·seo·doeven in rhythm
배로bae·rotimes over
서로를seo·ro·reuleach other
세계로se·gye·roto the world
소나타so·na·tasonata
올라가자ol·la·ga·jalet's go up
우리는u·ri·neunwe
울리는ul·li·neunringing
절정으로jeol·jeong·eu·roto the peak
채로chae·rowhile staying

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Questions about “MAESTRO”

What is “MAESTRO” by SEVENTEEN about?

“MAESTRO” by SEVENTEEN is a playful song where the group acts as an orchestra, blending classical and new sounds to take their music out to the world.

What does “미쳐야만 정상이 돼 세상을 바꾸는 우리니까 ah” mean in “MAESTRO”?

You have to go crazy to be normal — we're the ones who change the world. 미치다 means 'to go mad', 정상 'normal', and 돼 'becomes'.

What does “Maestro의 지휘에 맞춰” mean in “MAESTRO”?

In time with the maestro's baton. 지휘 means conducting, 에 means to or by, and 맞춰 means fitting or matching.

How do you pronounce “Good vibe, 잃지 않고 가 절대”?

In the song it sounds roughly like “Good vibe, il·chi an·ko ga jeol·ttae”: that's how it's actually sung by SEVENTEEN, not the textbook romanization.

Where can I see every line of “MAESTRO” explained?

This page explains 4 key lines. In the theIDOL app Youngjae goes through all 56 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
SEVENTEEN
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.

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