Woody
Sadder Than Yesterday (어제보다 슬픈 오늘) — Woody: meaning, key lines and pronunciation
First verse: the song, every line and what it means — in sync나의 창에 비친 아침 햇살이 어젯밤을 다 지울까na·ui chang·e bi·chin a·chim haet·ssa·ri eo·jet·ppa·meul da ji·ul·kkaWill the morning sunlight in my window erase last night?Listen to this line with the translationNo sign-upWhat the song is about
Woody's “Sadder Than Yesterday” portrays someone waking up after a breakup and finding the pain has only deepened. A night of rain and drinking hasn't erased the lover's image; the mirror shows a brave smile, while the real tears fall out of sight. A leftover cup and an empty bed fill the room with the lover's absence, and the singer half expects the door to open and that person to walk in smiling.
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.
나의 창에 비친 아침 햇살이 어젯밤을 다 지울까Listen from this lineRomanization (as sung): na·ui chang·e bi·chin a·chim haet·ssa·ri eo·jet·ppa·meul da ji·ul·kka
Meaning: Will the morning sunlight in my window erase last night?
Words in this line- 나의na·uimy
- 창에chang·eon the window
- 비친bi·chinshining in
- 아침a·chimmorning
- 햇살이haet·ssa·risunlight
- 어젯밤을eo·jet·ppa·meullast night
- 다daall
- 지울까ji·ul·kkawill it erase
Word for word: My window-on shone morning sunlight last-night all will-erase?
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 비친 alone is 'reflected', 아침 햇살 'morning rays'; together they mean light falling through the window. 다 ('all') strengthens 지울까, wishing the whole night wiped out. The self-questioning ending again makes it a hope, not a question for anyone else.
거울 속에 비친 내 모습은 괜찮다며 웃는데Listen from this lineRomanization (as sung): geo·ul so·ge bi·chin nae mo·seu·beun gwaen·chan·ta·myeo un·neun·de
Meaning: The me in the mirror smiles and says I'm fine.
Words in this line- 거울geo·ulmirror
- 속에so·geinside
- 비친bi·chinreflected
- 내naemy
- 모습은mo·seu·beunappearance
- 괜찮다며gwaen·chan·ta·myeosaying it's fine
- 웃는데un·neun·desmiles, but
Word for word: Mirror inside reflected my figure saying-fine smiles-but
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 괜찮다며 is 'fine' + 'saying', which together gives a not-quite-honest 'claiming it's fine'. 웃는데 is 'smiles' + the ending -는데, which hangs a 'but...' in the air and sets up the contrast with the next line. That is why the literal version sounds clipped.
문득 현관문을 열면 네가 웃으면서 올 것 같아Listen to the first verse — freeRomanization (as sung): mun·deuk hyeon·gwan·mu·neul yeol·myeon ni·ga u·seu·myeon·seo ol kkeot ga·ta
Meaning: It feels like if I suddenly open the front door, you'll come in smiling
Words in this line- 문득mun·deuksuddenly
- 현관문을hyeon·gwan·mu·neulfront door
- 열면yeol·myeonif I open
- 네가ni·gayou
- 웃으면서u·seu·myeon·seosmiling
- 올olwill come
- 것kkeotthing
- 같아ga·taseems
Word for word: Suddenly front door if open you smiling come thing resembles
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 것 means 'thing' and 같다 means 'to be like', but 것 같아 together is 'it seems that', a guess tinged with longing. 문득 captures a sudden thought, and -면서 means 'while smiling'.
어제 네가 쓰던 컵이 아직 나와 둘이 앉아 있고Listen to the first verse — freeRomanization (as sung): eo·je ni·ga sseu·deon keo·bi a·jik na·wa du·ri an·ja it·kko
Meaning: The cup you used yesterday is still sitting here with me, the two of us.
Words in this line- 어제eo·jeyesterday
- 네가ni·gayou
- 쓰던sseu·deonused to use
- 컵이keo·bicup
- 아직a·jikstill
- 나와na·wawith me
- 둘이du·rithe two
- 앉아an·jasitting
- 있고it·kkois, and
Word for word: Yesterday you used-to-use cup still with me the-two sitting is.
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 쓰던 means 'the one you used to use', a remembered habitual action. 앉아 있고 literally means 'sitting', but said of a cup it personifies the cup as a companion left behind. So 둘이 ('the two') means 'me and the cup', which is where the ache of the line lies.
Lyrics © their rights holders. “Sadder Than Yesterday” — Woody. Quoted for commentary and learning.
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Ask YoungjaeSong vocabulary
Words from the song in Korean alphabetical order, with pronunciation and meaning.
| Word | Sounds like | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 가슴에 | ga·seu·me | into the chest |
| 괜찮니 | gwaen·chan·ni | are you okay? |
| 나는 | na·neun | I |
| 나지 | na·ji | arise |
| 내게 | nae·ge | to me |
| 눈을 | nu·neul | eyes |
| 떠난 | tteo·nan | who left |
| 머물다 | meo·mul·da | lingering |
| 모습을 | mo·seu·beul | figure, appearance |
| 밖에 | ba·kke | outside |
| 밤새도록 | bam·sae·do·rok | all night long |
| 방안의 | bang·a·nui | in the room |
| 사랑이 | sa·rang·i | love |
| 스며 | seu·myeo | seeping in |
| 슬픔은 | seul·peu·meun | sadness |
| 실감 | sil·gam | sense of reality |
| 않는다 | an·neun·da | does not |
| 어제보다 | eo·je·bo·da | than yesterday |
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Questions about “Sadder Than Yesterday”
What is “Sadder Than Yesterday” by Woody about?
Woody's “Sadder Than Yesterday” portrays someone waking up after a breakup and finding the pain has only deepened.
What does “나의 창에 비친 아침 햇살이 어젯밤을 다 지울까” mean in “Sadder Than Yesterday”?
Will the morning sunlight in my window erase last night? 비친 alone is 'reflected', 아침 햇살 'morning rays'; together they mean light falling through the window.
What does “거울 속에 비친 내 모습은 괜찮다며 웃는데” mean in “Sadder Than Yesterday”?
The me in the mirror smiles and says I'm fine. 괜찮다며 is 'fine' + 'saying', which together gives a not-quite-honest 'claiming it's fine'.
How do you pronounce “문득 현관문을 열면 네가 웃으면서 올 것 같아”?
In the song it sounds roughly like “mun·deuk hyeon·gwan·mu·neul yeol·myeon ni·ga u·seu·myeon·seo ol kkeot ga·ta”: that's how it's actually sung by Woody, not the textbook romanization.
Where can I see every line of “Sadder Than Yesterday” explained?
This page explains 4 key lines. In the theIDOL app Youngjae goes through all 28 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
- Woody
- Official video
- 1theK (원더케이) · 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.