BTS “Life Goes On” Korean Lyrics
BTS · 2020 · Album: BE · Intermediate
A pandemic-era comfort song: 'life goes on.' Natural, mid-length sentences — great listening practice.
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Full lyrics (Korean, romanization, English translation)
어느 날 세상이 멈췄어eoneu nal sesangi meomchwosseoOne day the world stopped
아무런 예고도 하나 없이amureon yegodo hana eopsiWithout any warning
봄은 기다림을 몰라서bomeun gidarimeul molraseoSpring didn't know to wait
눈치 없이 와버렸어nunchi eopsi wabeoryeosseoIt showed up not even a minute late
발자국이 지워진 거리baljaguki jiwojin georiStreets erased of footprints
여기 넘어져 있는 나yeogi neomeojyeo issneun naI lie here, fallen to the ground
혼자 가네 시간이honja gane siganiTime goes by on its own
미안해 말도 없이 yeahmianhae maldo eopsi yeahSorry, without a single apology, yeah
오늘도 비가 내릴 것 같아oneuldo biga naeril geot gataIt looks like rain again today
흠뻑 젖어버렸네heumppeok jeoteobeoryeossneI'm soaked to the bone
아직도 멈추질 않아ajikdo meomchujil anhaIt still won't stop
저 먹구름보다 빨리 달려가jeo meokgureumboda ppalri dalryeogaRunning faster than that cloud of rain
그럼 될 줄 알았는데geureom doel jul alassneundeThought that'd be enough
나 겨우 사람인가 봐na gyeou saraminga bwaGuess I'm only human after all
몹시 아프네mopsi apeuneIt hurts a lot
세상이란 놈이 준 감기sesangiran nomi jun gamgiThis cold the world gave to me
덕분에 눌러보는 먼지 쌓인 되감기deokbune nulreoboneun meonji ssatin doegamgiSo I press the dust-covered rewind
넘어진 채 청하는 엇박자의 춤neomeojin chae cheonghaneun eotbakjaui chumDancing off-beat while lying fallen
겨울이 오면 내쉬자gyeouli omyeon naeswijaOnce winter comes, let's exhale
더 뜨거운 숨deo tteugeoun sumA warmer breath
끝이 보이지 않아kkeuti boiji anhaThere's no end in sight
출구가 있긴 할까?chulguga issgin halkka?Is there a way out?
발이 떼지질 않아 않아, ohbali ttejijil anha anha, ohMy feet refuse to move, oh
잠시 두 눈을 감아jamsi du nuneul gamaClose your eyes for a moment
여기 내 손을 잡아yeogi nae soneul japaHold my hand here
저 미래로 달아나자jeo miraero dalanajaLet's run away to that future
Like an echo in the forestLike an echo in the forestLike an echo in the forest
하루가 돌아오겠지haruga dolaogessjiThe day will come back around
아무 일도 없단 듯이amu ildo eopsdan deutiAs if nothing happened
Yeah life goes onYeah life goes onYeah life goes on
Like an arrow in the blue skyLike an arrow in the blue skyLike an arrow in the blue sky
또 하루 더 날아가지tto haru deo nalagajiAnother day flying by
On my pillow, on my tableOn my pillow, on my tableOn my pillow, on my table
Yeah life goes onYeah life goes onYeah life goes on
이렇게 또ireotge ttoLike this again
이 음악을 빌려 너에게 나 전할게i eumakeul bilryeo neoege na jeonhalgeLet me tell you with this song
사람들은 말해 세상이 다 변했대saramdeuleun malhae sesangi da byeonhaessdaePeople say the world has changed
다행히도 우리 사이는dahaenghido uri saineunBut thankfully between you and me
아직 여태 안 변했네ajik yeotae an byeonhaessneNothing's changed so far
늘 하던 시작과 끝 "안녕"이란 말로neul hadeon sijakgwa kkeut "annyeong"iran malroWith the 'annyeong' that starts and ends the day
오늘과 내일을 또 함께 이어보자고oneulgwa naeileul tto hamkke ieobojagoLet's thread tomorrow with today again
멈춰있지만 어둠에 숨지 마meomchwoissjiman eodume sumji maWe're stopped, but don't hide in the dark
빛은 또 떠오르니깐biteun tto tteooreunikkanThe light will rise again
끝이 보이지 않아 (않아)kkeuti boiji anha (anha)There's no end in sight
출구가 있긴 할까? (할까)chulguga issgin halkka? (halkka)Is there a way out?
발이 떼지질 않아 않아, ohbali ttejijil anha anha, ohMy feet refuse to move, oh
잠시 두 눈을 감아 (감아)jamsi du nuneul gama (gama)Close your eyes for a moment
여기 내 손을 잡아 (잡아)yeogi nae soneul japa (japa)Hold my hand here
저 미래로 달아나자jeo miraero dalanajaLet's run away to that future
Like an echo in the forestLike an echo in the forestLike an echo in the forest
하루가 돌아오겠지haruga dolaogessjiThe day will come back around
아무 일도 없단 듯이amu ildo eopsdan deutiAs if nothing happened
Yeah life goes onYeah life goes onYeah life goes on
Like an arrow in the blue skyLike an arrow in the blue skyLike an arrow in the blue sky
또 하루 더 날아가지 (날아가지)tto haru deo nalagaji (nalagaji)Another day flying by
On my pillow, on my tableOn my pillow, on my tableOn my pillow, on my table
Yeah life goes onYeah life goes onYeah life goes on
이렇게 또ireotge ttoLike this again
I rememberI rememberI remember
I rememberI rememberI remember
I rememberI rememberI remember
I rememberI rememberI remember
Vocabulary (33)
| Korean | Romanization | English | Note |
|---|
| 멈추다 | meomchuda | to stop | 세상이 멈췄어 = the world stopped |
| 예고 | yego | notice / warning | 예고 없이 = without warning |
| 눈치 | nunchi | sense / awareness | 눈치가 없다 = oblivious |
| 발자국 | baljaguk | footprint | 발 (foot) + 자국 (trace) |
| 지워지다 | jiwojida | to be erased | Passive of 지우다 (erase) |
| 넘어지다 | neomeojida | to fall down | 넘어진 채 = while lying fallen |
| 혼자 | honja | alone | 혼자 살아요 = I live alone |
| 미안하다 | mianhada | to be sorry | 미안해 = sorry (casual) |
| 흠뻑 | heumppeok | soaked through | 흠뻑 젖다 = soaked through |
| 젖다 | jeotda | to get wet | 비에 젖다 = get wet in the rain |
| 먹구름 | meokgureum | dark cloud | 먹 (ink) + 구름 (cloud) |
| 달려가다 | dalryeogada | to run (toward) | 달리다 + 가다 |
| 겨우 | gyeou | barely / only | 겨우 = barely, just |
| 몹시 | mopsi | extremely | Strong degree adverb |
| 감기 | gamgi | cold (illness) | 감기 걸렸어 = I caught a cold |
| 덕분에 | deokbune | thanks to | Often ironic: 'thanks a lot' |
| 먼지 | meonji | dust | 먼지투성이 = covered in dust |
| 되감기 | doegamgi | rewind | 되- (re-) + 감다 (wind) |
| 엇박자 | eotbakja | off-beat | 엇박자 = out of step |
| 내쉬다 | naeswida | to exhale | 숨을 내쉬다 = exhale |
| 뜨겁다 | tteugeopda | to be hot | 뜨거운 숨 = hot breath |
| 출구 | chulgu | exit | Opposite of 입구 (entrance) |
| 떼지다 | ttejida | to be stuck | 발이 떼지지 않다 = feet stuck |
| 잠시 | jamsi | a moment | 잠시만요 = just a moment |
| 감다 | gamda | to close (eyes) | 눈을 감다 ↔ 뜨다 |
| 미래 | mirae | future | 미래 = future; 문법 용어 미래형 |
| 달아나다 | dalanada | to flee | Literary cousin of 도망가다 |
| 빌리다 | bilrida | to borrow | 빌려 주다 = lend (careful!) |
| 전하다 | jeonhada | to convey | 마음을 전하다 = convey feelings |
| 다행 | dahaeng | a relief | 다행이다 = what a relief |
| 이어지다 | ieojida | to be connected | 이어지다 = connect (passive-ish) |
| 숨다 | sumda | to hide | 어둠에 숨지 마 = don't hide in the dark |
| 떠오르다 | tteooreuda | to rise / recall | 해가 떠오르다 = the sun rises |
Grammar notes (6)
어느 날 = one day
어느 날 세상이 멈췄어
어느 (which) + 날 (day) = one day. Classic story opener.
Pattern: 어느 + [noun]
Example: 어느 나라 (which country) / 어느 쪽이 좋아? (which side is better?)
Without any: 아무런 -도 없이
아무런 예고도 하나 없이
아무런 + noun + 도 없이 = 'without any.' More formal than plain 아무.
Pattern: 아무런 + [noun] + 도 없이
Example: 아무런 말도 없이 (without a word) / 아무런 느낌도 없어 (no feeling at all)
-아 버리다 = done completely
봄은 기다림을 몰라서 눈치 없이 와버렸어
-버리다 = completed beyond recall: 'it just came.'
Pattern: [verb stem] + 아/어 버리다
Example: 깜빡해버렸어 (totally forgot) / 놓쳐버렸어 (missed it)
-ㄹ 줄 알다 = thought it would
그럼 될 줄 알았는데
-ㄹ 줄 알다 = expected/thought (often wrong): 'I thought that'd be enough.'
Pattern: [verb stem] + ㄹ/을 줄 알다
Example: 쉬울 줄 알았어 (thought it'd be easy) / 비 올 줄 몰랐어 (didn't expect rain)
Imperative -아
잠시 두 눈을 감아 여기 내 손을 잡아
감아/잡아 are casual imperatives — the comforting tone of lyrics.
Pattern: [verb stem] + 아/어 (imperative)
Example: 가지 마 (don't go) / 쉬어 (rest)
-니깐 = because (casual)
멈춰있지만 어둠에 숨지 마 빛은 또 떠오르니깐
-니깐 is casual -니까: 'cuz it's cold, dress warm.'
Pattern: [stem] + 으니깐/니깐
Example: 바쁘니깐 나중에 해 (busy now, do it later) / 좋으니깐 그냥 해 (you like it, so just do it)
7-day study plan
Day 1 — Vocab Set A + hum along to the chorus
- Memorize 10 basic words
- Listen to the song 3 times
- Hum along to the chorus Yeah, life goes on
- Write today's new words once
Day 2 — Grammar 1, 2 (어느 날 = one day, Without any: 아무런 -도 없이)
- Review vocab set A
- Learn 어느 날 = one day and Without any: 아무런 -도 없이
- Notice these patterns while listening
- Make two sentences with today's grammar
Day 3 — Vocab Set B + Grammar 3 (-아 버리다 = done completely)
- Memorize Life Goes On keywords
- Learn -아 버리다 = done completely
- Sing the whole chorus
- Sing the chorus along with the video
Day 4 — Grammar 4 (-ㄹ 줄 알다 = thought it would) + Vocab Set C
- Learn -ㄹ 줄 알다 = thought it would
- Read the lyrics aloud twice
- Make a sentence with 어느 날 (某一天)
- Shadow the verses once
Day 5 — Grammar 5, 6 + sing the whole song
- Learn Imperative -아 and -니깐 = because (casual)
- Sing the whole song with karaoke
- Flag the words you still miss
- Review grammar 1-3
Day 6 — Vocab review + quiz
- Score 80+ on the vocab quiz
- Write missed words 3 times
- Sing the chorus without looking
- Explain the meaning of 어느 날 to a friend
Day 7 — Final check: full sing-through + use the grammar
- Sing the entire song without subtitles
- Make one sentence per grammar point
- Record yourself singing and check pronunciation
- Use today's expressions in a short diary entry
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