풍선 (Balloons) — TVXQ!: meaning, key lines and pronunciation
First verse: the song, every line and what it means — in sync풍선을 타고 날아가는 예쁜 꿈도 꾸었지pung·seo·neul ta·go na·ra·ga·neun ye·ppeun kkum·do kku·eot·jjiI used to dream pretty dreams of flying off on a balloonListen to this line with the translationNo sign-upWhat the song is about
TVXQ!'s “풍선 (Balloons)”, Korean for balloon, looks back on childhood dreams of drifting off on one and the memories a yellow balloon in the sky brings back. Now grown up, they wonder why adults forget those days, and tears come when they look at the sky. When life hurts, they long to play like a child again and load forgotten dreams onto a balloon, wondering whether it can hold everything as the years pass.
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.
풍선을 타고 날아가는 예쁜 꿈도 꾸었지Listen from this lineRomanization (as sung): pung·seo·neul ta·go na·ra·ga·neun ye·ppeun kkum·do kku·eot·jji
Meaning: I used to dream pretty dreams of flying off on a balloon
Words in this line- 풍선을pung·seo·neulballoon
- 타고ta·goriding
- 날아가는na·ra·ga·neunflying away
- 예쁜ye·ppeunpretty
- 꿈도kkum·dodream too
- 꾸었지kku·eot·jjiused to dream
Word for word: Balloon riding-flying-away pretty dream also dreamed, right
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 타고 on its own means 'riding', and here it means 'flying away on' the balloon. 꿈을 꾸다 literally 'to dream a dream' means to have dreams or aspirations. The ending -지 adds no fact but gives a soft, nostalgic 'I did, didn't I'.
그 조그만 꿈을 잊어버리고 산 건Listen to the first verse — freeRomanization (as sung): geu jo·geu·man kku·meul i·jeo·beo·ri·go san geon
Meaning: I forgot that little dream and went on living
Words in this line- 그geuthat
- 조그만jo·geu·mantiny
- 꿈을kku·meuldream
- 잊어버리고i·jeo·beo·ri·goforgetting utterly
- 산sanlived
- 건geonthe thing
Word for word: That tiny dream forgetting-throwing-away lived thing
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 잊어버리고 combines 잊다 'forget' and 버리다 'throw away' and means 'forget completely', with a trace of regret. 산 건 literally 'the lived thing' means 'the fact that I lived on'. The whole phrase is an unfinished thought that the next line completes.
때로는 나도 그냥 하늘 높이 날아가고 싶어Listen to the first verse — freeRomanization (as sung): ttae·ro·neun na·do geu·nyang ha·neul no·pi na·ra·ga·go si·peo
Meaning: Sometimes I just want to fly high up into the sky
Words in this line- 때로는ttae·ro·neunsometimes
- 나도na·dome too
- 그냥geu·nyangjust
- 하늘ha·neulsky
- 높이no·pihigh
- 날아가고na·ra·ga·gofly away and
- 싶어si·peoI want
Word for word: Sometimes me-too just sky high fly-away-and want
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 그냥 means 'just' as in 'for no particular reason'. 날아가다 is 'fly' plus 'away', and -고 싶다 expresses wanting. Together they give a longing for freedom with no goal.
랄라라라라 우워 노란 풍선에 담을 수 있을까Listen to the first verse — freeRomanization (as sung): ral·la·ra·ra·ra u·wo no·ran pung·seo·ne da·meul ssu i·sseul·kka
Meaning: La la la, I wonder if I can hold it all in a yellow balloon.
Words in this line- 랄라라라라ral·la·ra·ra·rala la la
- 우워u·wowoah
- 노란no·ranyellow
- 풍선에pung·seo·nein the balloon
- 담을da·meulto hold
- 수ssuway, ability
- 있을까i·sseul·kkaI wonder if there is
Word for word: La la la woah yellow balloon-in contain-object way exists-I wonder
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 담다 means 'to put inside', 수 있다 means 'to be able to', and -을까 means 'I wonder if'. Together 담을 수 있을까 is a wistful question to oneself. The word 수 ('way, means') is literally there but disappears in English, since 'can' already covers it.
Lyrics © their rights holders. “풍선 (Balloons)” — TVXQ!. 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 가득 | ga·deuk | full |
| 괴로울 | goe·ro·ul | painful |
| 그것 | geu·geot | that |
| 기억들이 | gi·eok·tteu·ri | memories |
| 꿈들과 | kkum·deul·gwa | dreams and |
| 꿈들을 | kkum·deu·reul | dreams |
| 꿈은 | kku·meun | dream |
| 나는 | na·neun | I |
| 날면 | nal·myeon | if it flies |
| 마음에도 | ma·eu·me·do | in the heart too |
| 생각나 | saeng·gang·na | come to mind |
| 시절엔 | si·jeo·ren | in the days |
| 싣고 | sit·kko | loading |
| 아름다운 | a·reum·da·un | beautiful |
| 어린 | eo·rin | young |
| 지나가버린 | ji·na·ga·beo·rin | gone by |
| 풍선이 | pung·seo·ni | balloon |
| 하늘을 | ha·neu·reul | sky |
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Questions about “풍선 (Balloons)”
What is “풍선 (Balloons)” by TVXQ! about?
TVXQ!'s “풍선 (Balloons)”, Korean for balloon, looks back on childhood dreams of drifting off on one and the memories a yellow balloon in the sky brings back.
What does “풍선을 타고 날아가는 예쁜 꿈도 꾸었지” mean in “풍선 (Balloons)”?
I used to dream pretty dreams of flying off on a balloon. 타고 on its own means 'riding', and here it means 'flying away on' the balloon.
What does “그 조그만 꿈을 잊어버리고 산 건” mean in “풍선 (Balloons)”?
I forgot that little dream and went on living. 잊어버리고 combines 잊다 'forget' and 버리다 'throw away' and means 'forget completely', with a trace of regret.
How do you pronounce “때로는 나도 그냥 하늘 높이 날아가고 싶어”?
In the song it sounds roughly like “ttae·ro·neun na·do geu·nyang ha·neul no·pi na·ra·ga·go si·peo”: that's how it's actually sung by TVXQ!, not the textbook romanization.
Where can I see every line of “풍선 (Balloons)” explained?
This page explains 4 key lines. In the theIDOL app Sunwoo goes through all 34 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
- TVXQ!
- 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.