네모네모 — YENA: meaning, key lines and pronunciation
First verse: the song, every line and what it means — in sync얄미워 너 정말 왜 저럴까 진짜yal·mi·wo neo jeong·mal wae jeo·reol·kka jin·jjaYou're so annoying! Seriously, why are you like this?Listen to this line with the translationNo sign-upWhat the song is about
YENA's “네모네모” (네모 is Korean for a square) is about a couple whose sharp edges keep hurting each other, and her choice to stay anyway. A partner glued to a phone, a silent chat and a locked screen leave her irritated and sulking, as if they have both turned boxy and prickly. Still, she doesn't want them to drift apart, so she reaches out first and holds the partner like a gift, with a playful tone that softens into tenderness. The chorus even slips in her own name: 예나 지금이나 means “then and now”.
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.
얄미워 너 정말 왜 저럴까 진짜Listen from this lineRomanization (as sung): yal·mi·wo neo jeong·mal wae jeo·reol·kka jin·jja
Meaning: You're so annoying! Seriously, why are you like this?
Words in this line- 얄미워yal·mi·woso annoying
- 너neoyou
- 정말jeong·malreally
- 왜waewhy
- 저럴까jeo·reol·kkalike that, I wonder
- 진짜jin·jjaseriously
Word for word: Annoyingly-cute you, truly, why like-that-I-wonder, really?
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 얄밉다 blends 'sly, sharp' with 'unlikeable', but it means irritation with affection underneath. The ending 까 turns 저렇다 ('to be like that') into a reproachful 'why on earth are you like that?'. Stacking 정말, 왜 and 진짜 shows this is an emotional sigh rather than a question seeking an answer.
네모 같은 우리 서로 남 탓하는 건 예나 지금이나 그대로Listen from this lineRomanization (as sung): ne·mo ga·teun u·ri seo·ro nam ta·ta·neun geon ye·na ji·geu·mi·na geu·dae·ro
Meaning: We're like squares, blaming each other, same as ever.
Words in this line- 네모ne·mosquare
- 같은ga·teunlike
- 우리u·riwe
- 서로seo·roeach other
- 남namothers
- 탓하는ta·ta·neunblaming
- 건geonthe thing
- 예나ye·nain the past
- 지금이나ji·geu·mi·naor now
- 그대로geu·dae·roas it was
Word for word: Square-like we each-other other's fault doing thing — old-times-or-now as-is.
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 네모 'square' and 같은 'like' together paint people with sharp corners who don't fit smoothly. 남 탓하다 is 'do other's fault': 남 'someone else' and 탓 'blame' together simply mean 'to blame others'. 예나 지금이나 is 'old times or now', which together means 'nothing has changed'.
삐 삐 삐 삐뚤빼뚤해 like like like likeListen to the first verse — freeRomanization (as sung): ppi ppi ppi ppi·ttul·ppae·ttu·rae like like like like
Meaning: It's all wobbly and crooked, and I like it
Words in this line- 삐ppiwobble sound
- 삐ppiwobble sound
- 삐ppiwobble sound
- 삐뚤빼뚤해ppi·ttul·ppae·ttu·raewobbly, crooked
Word for word: Bee-bee-bee-wobbly-crooked like (like, like, like)
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 삐 on its own is just a squeaky sound, and 삐뚤빼뚤 means wobbly and uneven. Stretched out together they form a playful stutter, not a list of words. The English like works as 'I like it', much like pressing a like button.
뒤죽박죽 소란한 내 마음 어떡해야 해요?Listen to the first verse — freeRomanization (as sung): dwi·juk·ppak·jjuk so·ran·han nae ma·eum eo·tteo·kae·ya hae·yo?
Meaning: My heart is a noisy mess, what should I do?
Words in this line- 뒤죽박죽dwi·juk·ppak·jjukjumbled
- 소란한so·ran·hannoisy, restless
- 내naemy
- 마음ma·eumheart
- 어떡해야eo·tteo·kae·yawhat to do
- 해요?hae·yo?should I
Word for word: Topsy-turvy noisy my heart how should-do must?
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 뒤죽박죽 means topsy-turvy, 소란한 means noisy, and 마음 means heart or mind. Together they describe confused feelings. The ending 어떡해야 해요 turns it into a helpless 'what am I supposed to do?'.
Lyrics © their rights holders. “네모네모” — YENA. Quoted for commentary and learning.
Mini-lesson: fill in the missing word
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Ask AriSong vocabulary
Words from the song in Korean alphabetical order, with pronunciation and meaning.
| Word | Sounds like | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 가득해 | ga·deu·kae | is full |
| 가만있어 | ga·ma·ni·sseo | stay still |
| 각진 | gak·jjin | angular |
| 같던데 | gat·tteon·de | seemed like |
| 거야 | geo·ya | it will be |
| 끝내긴 | kkeun·nae·gin | to end |
| 내밀래 | nae·mil·lae | I'll stretch out |
| 내밀면 | nae·mil·myeon | if you reach out |
| 네모나고 | ne·mo·na·go | square and |
| 네모나도 | ne·mo·na·do | even if square |
| 눈칠 | nun·chil | mood, cues |
| 둥근 | dung·geun | round |
| 리본처럼 | ri·bon·cheo·reom | like a ribbon |
| 모난 | mo·nan | angular |
| 상처투성이야 | sang·cheo·tu·seong·i·ya | full of scars |
| 이러다 | i·reo·da | going on like this |
| 죽어 | ju·geo | die |
| 찔릴 | jjil·lil | get pricked |
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Questions about “네모네모”
What is “네모네모” by YENA about?
YENA's “네모네모” (네모 is Korean for a square) is about a couple whose sharp edges keep hurting each other, and her choice to stay anyway.
What does “얄미워 너 정말 왜 저럴까 진짜” mean in “네모네모”?
You're so annoying! Seriously, why are you like this? 얄밉다 blends 'sly, sharp' with 'unlikeable', but it means irritation with affection underneath.
What does “네모 같은 우리 서로 남 탓하는 건 예나 지금이나 그대로” mean in “네모네모”?
We're like squares, blaming each other, same as ever. 네모 'square' and 같은 'like' together paint people with sharp corners who don't fit smoothly.
How do you pronounce “삐 삐 삐 삐뚤빼뚤해 like like like like”?
In the song it sounds roughly like “ppi ppi ppi ppi·ttul·ppae·ttu·rae like like like like”: that's how it's actually sung by YENA, not the textbook romanization.
Where can I see every line of “네모네모” explained?
This page explains 4 key lines. In the theIDOL app Ari goes through all 48 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
- YENA
- Official video
- YENA(최예나) · 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.