Drowning — WOODZ: meaning, key lines and pronunciation
First verse: the song, every line and what it means — in syncOh 내 맘이란 추는 나를 더 깊게Oh nae ma·mi·ran chu·neun na·reul deo gip·kkeOh, the pendulum that is my heart pulls me deeperListen to this line with the translationNo sign-upWhat the song is about
WOODZ's “Drowning” is about someone left behind after a exhausting, passionate relationship, feeling like the heartbreak is slowly suffocating him. Rain keeps rising around him until he can barely breathe, and his own heavy heart drags him further down. He blames the sweet words and the sudden departure, yet he still waits, ready to sink completely if only she would come back once more.
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.
Oh 내 맘이란 추는 나를 더 깊게Listen from this lineRomanization (as sung): Oh nae ma·mi·ran chu·neun na·reul deo gip·kke
Meaning: Oh, the pendulum that is my heart pulls me deeper
Words in this line- 내naemy
- 맘이란ma·mi·ranthe thing called my heart
- 추는chu·neunpendulum
- 나를na·reulme
- 더deomore
- 깊게gip·kkedeeper
Word for word: Oh, my-heart-called weight me more deeply
Why it doesn't translate word for word: "맘이란 추" is the metaphor of "heart-as-pendulum/weight" dragging one down; grammatically the sentence is cut off and only completes in the next line.
너 떠나고 이곳은 잠겨 눈물로Listen to the first verse — freeRomanization (as sung): neo tteo·na·go i·go·seun jam·gyeo nun·mul·lo
Meaning: You left, and this place is drowned in tears
Words in this line- 너neoyou
- 떠나고tteo·na·goleft
- 이곳은i·go·seunthis place
- 잠겨jam·gyeois submerged
- 눈물로nun·mul·loin tears
Word for word: You having-left, this-place is-locked/submerged tears-by
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 잠기다 means both 'to be submerged' and 'to be locked shut', tying this line to the song's drowning imagery. The word order 잠겨 눈물로 is flipped from the natural 눈물로 잠겨.
날 너무 사랑했던 넌 어디로 흩어졌는지Listen to the first verse — freeRomanization (as sung): nal neo·mu sa·rang·haet·tteon neon eo·di·ro heu·teo·jyeon·neun·ji
Meaning: You, who loved me so much — where did you scatter to?
Words in this line- 날nalme
- 너무neo·muso much
- 사랑했던sa·rang·haet·tteonwho loved
- 넌neonyou
- 어디로eo·di·roto where
- 흩어졌는지heu·teo·jyeon·neun·jiscattered (I wonder)
Word for word: Me too-much having-loved you — to-where have-scattered-question?
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 흩어지다 literally means 'to scatter/disperse', like petals in the wind. Using it for a person (instead of 떠나다, 'to leave') suggests she didn't just leave but seemed to dissolve without a trace.
더 깊이 빠져 죽어도 되니까Listen to the first verse — freeRomanization (as sung): deo gi·pi ppa·jyeo ju·geo·do doe·ni·kka
Meaning: It's okay even if I sink deeper and die
Words in this line- 더deomore
- 깊이gi·pideeply
- 빠져ppa·jyeosinking
- 죽어도ju·geo·doeven if I die
- 되니까doe·ni·kkasince it's okay
Word for word: More deeply having-sunk, even-dying, it-becomes-because
Why it doesn't translate word for word: Literally the clauses stack backwards: '...even-die becomes-because'. 되다 (to become/be fine) with the reason ending -니까 here means 'if that's how it turns out, it's okay' — death is simply accepted as an outcome.
Lyrics © their rights holders. “Drowning” — WOODZ. 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 감은 | ga·meun | closed |
| 금세 | geum·se | quickly |
| 끝까지 | kkeut·kka·ji | all the way |
| 너는 | neo·neun | you |
| 누이고 | nu·i·go | laying down |
| 다정한 | da·jeong·han | affectionate |
| 다투었던 | da·tu·eot·tteon | we fought |
| 돌아와 | do·ra·wa | come back |
| 떠나갔지 | tteo·na·gat·jji | left, you know |
| 막혀와 | ma·kyeo·wa | is getting stuck |
| 말로 | mal·lo | with words |
| 먼저 | meon·jeo | first |
| 미치도록 | mi·chi·do·rok | so madly |
| 붙잡아 | but·jja·ba | holds onto |
| 비가 | bi·ga | rain |
| 숨이 | su·mi | my breath |
| 알면서 | al·myeon·seo | while knowing |
| 한번만 | han·beon·man | just once |
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Questions about “Drowning”
What is “Drowning” by WOODZ about?
WOODZ's “Drowning” is about someone left behind after a exhausting, passionate relationship, feeling like the heartbreak is slowly suffocating him.
What does “Oh 내 맘이란 추는 나를 더 깊게” mean in “Drowning”?
Oh, the pendulum that is my heart pulls me deeper. "맘이란 추" is the metaphor of "heart-as-pendulum/weight" dragging one down; grammatically the sentence is cut off and only completes in the next line.
What does “너 떠나고 이곳은 잠겨 눈물로” mean in “Drowning”?
You left, and this place is drowned in tears. 잠기다 means both 'to be submerged' and 'to be locked shut', tying this line to the song's drowning imagery.
How do you pronounce “날 너무 사랑했던 넌 어디로 흩어졌는지”?
In the song it sounds roughly like “nal neo·mu sa·rang·haet·tteon neon eo·di·ro heu·teo·jyeon·neun·ji”: that's how it's actually sung by WOODZ, not the textbook romanization.
Where can I see every line of “Drowning” explained?
This page explains 4 key lines. In the theIDOL app Youngjae goes through all 38 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
- WOODZ
- Official video
- WOODZ · 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.