Speak Korean Like a Native with IU - “eight” (Prod.&Feat. SUGA OF BTS): Lyrics & Expressions

Not just another lyric translation—this is your gateway to mastering Korean through K-Pop.

This blog post isn’t about simply translating or dissecting lyrics word for word. Instead, I break down the key vocabulary and expressions in K-Pop songs, making Korean learning fun and immersive.

By the time you reach the end, you won’t just understand the words—you’ll feel the song the way native speakers do.

If you're serious about leveling up your Korean, make it a daily habit: Pair this with my K-Drama Bites series, and you’ll be picking up Korean naturally—step by step, with excitement.

🎶 IU - “eight” (Prod.&Feat. SUGA OF BTS)

"eight" is a collaborative song released in 2020 by IU and BTS's Suga, exploring themes of youth, memories, and growth. More than just a love song, it conveys longing for things that fade away and offers comfort. The song holds even greater significance as IU and Suga, born in 1993, worked on it together.

 

🎶 IU - “eight” (Prod.&Feat. SUGA OF BTS): Music Video

[Source] YouTube, 1theK

 

🎯 Key Takeaways

1. 그대로 / 이대로 (As It Is / Like This)

"그대로" means keeping something unchanged, while "이대로" means maintaining the current state.

 

📌 Example Usage

"그대로 두면 어떻게 될까?"

"What will happen if we leave it as it is?"

 

"이대로 계속 갈 거야?"

"Are you going to keep going like this?"

 

🌀 Similar Expressions

변함없이 (Without Change)

 

📌 Example Usage

"시간이 지나도 변함없이 너를 좋아해."

"Even as time passes, I still like you without change."

 

2. 다 잃어버리다 (Lose Everything)

 

📌 Example Usage

"순간의 실수로 모든 것을 다 잃어버렸다."

"Because of one mistake, I lost everything."

 

🌀 Similar Expressions

모든 걸 잃다 (Lose Everything, More Literary)

 

📌 Example Usage

"그 사고로 그는 모든 걸 잃었다."

"In that accident, he lost everything."

 

3. 맘대로 (As One Wishes, Freely)

 

📌 Example Usage

"네 맘대로 결정해도 돼."

"You can decide as you wish."

 

🌀 Similar Expressions

자유롭게 (Freely)

 

📌 Example Usage

"자유롭게 선택할 수 있어."

"You can choose freely."

 

4. 인사도 없이 떠나다 (Leave Without Saying Goodbye)

 

📌 Example Usage

"그는 인사도 없이 갑자기 떠났다."

"He suddenly left without even saying goodbye."

 

🌀 Similar Expressions

말도 없이 떠나다 (Leave Without a Word)

 

📌 Example Usage

"그녀는 말도 없이 사라졌다."

"She disappeared without a word."

 

5. 사랑하고 싶지 않다 (Not Want to Love)

 

📌 Example Usage

"다시는 사랑하고 싶지 않아."

"I don’t want to love again."

 

“이대로는 무엇도 사랑하고 싶지 않아”

"Like this, I don’t want to love anything."

- "이대로는": "이대로 (as it is, like this)" + topic marker "-는" (emphasizing contrast).

- "무엇도": "무엇 (what, anything)" + emphatic negation "-도 (not even)."

- "사랑하고 싶지 않아": "사랑하다 (to love)" + "싶다 (to want to do)" + negation "-지 않다 (not want to)" + casual ending "-아."

 

🌀 Similar Expressions

사랑을 피하다 (Avoid Love)

 

📌 Example Usage

"상처받기 싫어서 사랑을 피했다."

"I avoided love because I didn’t want to get hurt."

 

6. 헤지다 / 해지다 (Get Worn Out / To break up)

- "헤지다" means something gets worn out.

- "해지다" is the abbreviated form of "헤어지다" (to part, to break up).

 

📌 Example Usage

"바지가 많이 헤졌다."

"My pants got really worn out."

 

"다 해질 대로 해져버린 우리 사이를 기억한다." → “다 헤어질 대로 헤어져버린 우리 사이를 기억한다”

"I remember our relationship that has completely fallen apart."

 

🌀 Similar Expressions

이별하다 (To part, To say goodbye)

 

📌 Example Usage

"우리 이별했지만, 아름다웠던 그 기억에서 만나!”

"Although we parted ways, let's meet again in those beautiful memories!"

 

7. 기억 속 (In Memory, In One’s Mind)

 

📌 Example Usage

"기억 속에 남아 있는 얼굴."

"A face that remains in my memory."

 

🌀 Similar Expressions

추억 속 (In Nostalgic Memories)

 

📌 Example Usage

"추억 속 그때가 그립다."

"I miss that time in my memories."

 

8. 여행하다 (To Travel)

 

📌 Example Usage

"나는 세계를 여행하고 싶다."

"I want to travel the world."

 

🌀 Similar Expressions

떠나다 (To Leave, Set Off for a Trip)

 

📌 Example Usage

"새로운 곳을 찾아 떠났다."

"I left to explore new places."

 

9. 태양 (The Sun)

 

📌 Example Usage

"태양이 떠오르는 걸 바라봤다."

"I watched the sun rise."

 

🌀 Similar Expressions

햇빛 (Sunlight)

 

📌 Example Usage

"따뜻한 햇빛이 창문으로 들어왔다."

"Warm sunlight streamed through the window."

 

10. 그림자 (Shadow)

 

📌 Example Usage

"그림자가 길게 드리워졌다."

"A long shadow was cast."

 

🎨 Expressions

어둠 (Darkness, Shade)

 

📌 Example Usage

"어둠 속에서 길을 잃었다."

"I got lost in the darkness."

 

11. 춤을 추다 / 춤추다 (To Dance)

 

📌 Example Usage

"음악에 맞춰 춤을 췄다." = “음악에 맞춰 춤췄다.”

"I danced to the music."

 

🌀 Similar Expressions

몸을 흔들다 (Move One’s Body, Sway to Music)

 

📌 Example Usage

"리듬에 맞춰 몸을 흔들었다."

"I moved my body to the rhythm."

 

2. 정해진 (Predetermined, Fixed)

📌

 Example Usage

"정해진 운명을 바꿀 수 있을까?"

"Can we change our predetermined fate?"

 

🌀 Similar Expressions

결정된 (Decided, Determined)

 

📌 Example Usage

"회의에서 새로운 계획이 결정되었다."

"A new plan was decided at the meeting."

 

13. 이별 (Farewell, Parting, Breakup)

 

📌 Example Usage

"이별은 언제나 아프다."

"Parting is always painful."

 

🌀 Similar Expressions

헤어짐 (Separation, Breakup)

 

📌 Example Usage

"헤어짐을 준비할 수 있을까?"

"Can we ever prepare for a breakup?"

 

14. 아름답다 (To Be Beautiful)

 

📌 Example Usage

"그 순간은 정말 아름다웠다."

"That moment was truly beautiful."

 

🌀 Similar Expressions

예쁘다 (Pretty, Lovely)

 

📌 Example Usage

"이 꽃은 정말 예쁘다."

"This flower is really pretty."

 

15. 만나다 (To Meet, To See Someone)

 

📌 Example Usage

"오랜만에 친구를 만났다."

"I met my friend after a long time."

 

“아름다웠던 그 기억에서 만나”

"Let’s meet again in those beautiful memories."

- "아름다웠던": "아름답다 (to be beautiful)" + past attributive "-었던" (something that was beautiful in the past).

• “아름답다” → “아름다웠다” (past tense) + “-던”

• “-던”: A suffix that allows the preceding word to function as a modifier and indicates a past state.

- "그 기억에서": "그 (that, those)" + "기억 (memory)" + location particle "-에서 (in, at)."

- "만나": "만나다 (to meet)" in imperative/casual form.

 

🌀 Similar Expressions

마주치다 (Run Into Someone, Encounter)

 

📌 Example Usage

"길에서 우연히 옛 친구와 마주쳤다."

"I ran into an old friend on the street."

 

16. 악몽에서 깨다 (Wake Up From a Nightmare)

 

📌 Example Usage

"무서운 악몽에서 깼다."

"I woke up from a terrifying nightmare."

 

🌀 Similar Expressions

나쁜 꿈에서 벗어나다 (Get Out of a Bad Dream)

 

📌 Example Usage

"이제 나쁜 꿈에서 벗어나고 싶다."

"I want to escape from this bad dream now."

 

17. 섬 (Island)

 

📌 Example Usage

"그 섬은 자연이 아름답다."

"That island has beautiful nature."

 

🌀 Similar Expressions

고립된 장소 (Isolated Place)

 

📌 Example Usage

"고립된 장소에서 혼자 지내고 싶다."

"I want to be alone in an isolated place."

 

18. 서로 (Each Other, One Another)

 

📌 Example Usage

"서로를 이해하는 게 중요하다."

"Understanding each other is important."

 

🌀 Similar Expressions

같이 (Together, With One Another)

 

📌 Example Usage

"우리는 같이 문제를 해결해야 해."

"We have to solve the problem together."

 

19. 영원 (Eternity, Forever)

 

📌 Example Usage

"영원히 함께하고 싶어."

"I want to be with you forever."

 

🌀 Similar Expressions

끝없는 시간 (Endless Time)

 

📌 Example Usage

"우린 끝없는 시간 속을 걷고 있다."

"We are walking through endless time."

 

20. 모래성 (Sandcastle)

 

📌 Example Usage

"모래성처럼 쉽게 무너지는 꿈."

"A dream that crumbles like a sandcastle."

 

🌀 Similar Expressions

허무한 꿈 (Fleeting Dream, Empty Dream)

 

📌 Example Usage

"허무한 꿈을 쫓고 있는 걸까?"

"Am I chasing an empty dream?"

 

21. 작별 (Farewell, Goodbye)

📌 Example Usage

 

"마지막 작별 인사를 했다."

"I said my final goodbye."

 

🌀 Similar Expressions

이별 인사 (Parting Words)

 

📌 Example Usage

"짧은 이별 인사를 나눴다."

"We exchanged brief parting words."

 

22. 재난문자 (Emergency Alert Message)

📌 Example Usage

 

"재난문자가 울려서 깜짝 놀랐다."

"I was startled when the emergency alert went off."

 

🌀 Similar Expressions

긴급 경보 (Emergency Warning)

 

📌 Example Usage

"긴급 경보가 발송되었다."

"An emergency warning was sent out."

 

23. 그리움 (Longing, Nostalgia)

 

📌 Example Usage

"그리움이 가득한 밤."

"A night full of longing."

 

🌀 Similar Expressions

보고픔 (Missing Someone, Wanting to See Someone)

 

📌 Example Usage

"그 사람에 대한 보고픔이 커졌다."

"My longing for that person grew stronger."

 

24. 아침을 맞이하다 (Greet the Morning, Welcome the Dawn)

 

📌 Example Usage

"조용한 아침을 맞이했다."

"I welcomed a quiet morning."

 

“그리움과 같이 맞이하는 아침이 슬프다.”

"The morning I greet with longing is sad."

- "그리움과 같이": "그리움 (longing, missing someone)" + conjunction "-과 (and)" + "같이 (together, along with)."

- "맞이하는": "맞이하다 (to greet, to welcome)" + present attributive "-는."

- "아침이": "아침 (morning)" + subject marker "-이."

- "슬프다": "슬프다 (to be sad)."

 

🌀 Similar Expressions

새벽을 맞다 (Greet the Dawn)

 

📌 Example Usage

"새벽을 맞으며 깊은 생각에 잠겼다."

"I greeted the dawn and fell into deep thought."

 

25. 영겁을 지나다 (Pass Through Eternity)

 

📌 Example Usage

"우리는 영겁을 지나 다시 만날까?"

"Will we meet again after passing through eternity?"

 

🌀 Similar Expressions

시간을 초월하다 (Transcend Time)

 

📌 Example Usage

"시간을 초월한 사랑."

"A love that transcends time."

 

26. 지나듯 (As If Passing By, Momentarily)

 

📌 Example Usage

"그 순간이 마치 꿈처럼 지나듯 사라졌다."

"That moment disappeared as if passing by in a dream."

 

🌀 Similar Expressions

스쳐 지나가다 (Brush Past, Pass By Briefly)

 

📌 Example Usage

"우리의 만남은 스쳐 지나가는 인연일까?"

"Was our meeting just a fleeting connection?"

 

27. 위로하다 (To Comfort, Console)

 

📌 Example Usage

"힘든 시간을 보내는 친구를 위로했다."

"I comforted my friend who was going through a tough time."

 

🌀 Similar Expressions

달래다 (Soothe, Calm Down)

 

📌 Example Usage

"아이를 조용히 달래며 재웠다."

"I soothed the child to sleep."

 

28. 고작 (Only, No More Than, Merely)

 

📌 Example Usage

"고작 몇 분 늦었을 뿐인데 왜 그렇게 화를 내?"

"I was only a few minutes late, why are you so angry?"

 

🌀 Similar Expressions

겨우 (Barely, Just Enough)

 

📌 Example Usage

"겨우 시험에 합격했다."

"I barely passed the exam."

 

29. 한 뼘 (A Handspan, A Small Amount)

 

📌 Example Usage

"한 뼘 차이로 경기를 졌다."

"We lost the game by just a handspan."

 

🎨 Expressions

조금 (A Little, Slightly)

 

📌 Example Usage

"조금만 더 기다려 줘."

"Please wait just a little longer."

 

30. 추억을 잊다 / 추억을 기억하다 (Forget Memories / Remember Memories)

 

📌 Example Usage

"그때의 추억을 잊고 싶지 않아."

"I don’t want to forget those memories."

 

"추억을 기억하며 그 노래를 들었다."

"I listened to that song while remembering my memories."

 

“한 뼘짜리 추억을 잊는 게 참 쉽지 않아”

"Forgetting a small piece of memory is really not easy."

- "한 뼘짜리": "한 뼘 (a palm’s width, something small)" + suffix "-짜리 (indicating size or worth)."

- "추억을": "추억 (memory)" + object marker "-을."

- "잊는 게": "잊다 (to forget)" + noun form "-는 것" (spoken as "-는 게") + “-이” (subject maker)

• “잊다” → “잊는 것” → “잊는 것이” → “잊는 게” (abbreviation)

- "참 쉽지 않아": "참 (really)" + "쉽지 않다 (not easy)" + casual ending "-아."

 

🌀 Similar Expressions

기억을 되살리다 (Revive Memories, Recall Memories)

 

📌 Example Usage

"사진을 보며 기억을 되살렸다."

"I revived my memories while looking at the photos."

 

31. 쉽다 / 쉽지 않다 / 어렵다 / 어렵지 않다 (Easy / Not Easy / Difficult / Not Difficult)

 

📌 Example Usage

"이 문제는 쉽다."

"This problem is easy."

 

"그렇게 하는 건 쉽지 않아."

"Doing it that way isn’t easy."

 

"그 결정을 내리는 건 어려웠다."

"Making that decision was difficult."

 

"생각보다 어렵지 않았어."

"It wasn’t as difficult as I thought."

 

🌀 Similar Expressions

간단하다 (Simple, Straightforward)

 

📌 Example Usage

"설명은 간단하지만 직접 해 보면 어렵다."

"The explanation is simple, but it’s difficult when you actually try it."

 

32. 시간이 지나다 (Time Passes, Time Goes By)

 

📌 Example Usage

"시간이 지나면 괜찮아질 거야."

"As time passes, things will be okay."

 

🌀 Similar Expressions

세월이 흐르다 (Time Flows, Years Pass By)

 

📌 Example Usage

"세월이 흐를수록 마음도 변한다."

"As the years pass, hearts change too."

33. 여전히 (Still, As Always)

 

📌 Example Usage

"여전히 널 생각해."

"I still think of you."

 

🌀 Similar Expressions

변함없이 (Unchanged, Constantly)

 

📌 Example Usage

"오랜 시간이 지나도 변함없이 좋아해."

"Even after a long time, I still like you the same."

 

34. 붙들다 / 놓아주다 (To Hold Onto / To Let Go)

 

📌 Example Usage

"그의 손을 꼭 붙들었다."

"I held his hand tightly."

 

"더 이상 잡고 있을 수 없어, 이제 놓아줄게."

"I can’t hold on any longer, I’ll let you go now."

 

🌀 Similar Expressions

잡다 / 보내주다 (To Grab / To Send Off, Let Go)

 

📌 Example Usage

"기회를 잡아야 해."

"You have to seize the opportunity."

 

"그를 보내주는 게 맞는 걸까?"

"Is it right to let him go?"

 

35. 정해지다 (To Be Decided, To Be Set)

 

📌 Example Usage

"회의 날짜가 정해졌다."

"The meeting date has been set."

 

🌀 Similar Expressions

결정되다 (To Be Determined, To Be Finalized)

 

📌 Example Usage

"결과가 최종적으로 결정되었다."

"The results have been finalized."

 

36. 안녕 (Hello, Goodbye, Peace)

 

📌 Example Usage

"오랜만이야, 안녕!"

"It’s been a while, hello!"

 

"마지막으로 안녕을 고했다."

"I said my final goodbye."

 

🌀 Similar Expressions

잘 가 / 잘 있어 (Goodbye - Informal)

 

📌 Example Usage

"잘 가, 다음에 또 보자!"

"Goodbye, see you next time!"

 

37. ~ 따위는 없다 (There Is No Such Thing as ~)

 

📌 Example Usage

"영원한 사랑 따위는 없다."

"There is no such thing as eternal love."

 

“우울한 결말 따위는 없어”

"There’s no such thing as a sad ending."

- "우울한": "우울하다 (to be gloomy, sad)" + present attributive "-한."

- "결말": "결말 (ending, conclusion)."

- "따위는": "따위 (things like, such as, often dismissive)" + topic marker "-는" (emphasizing negation).

- "없어": "없다 (to not exist, there is none)" in casual form.

 

🌀 Similar Expressions

~ 같은 건 없어 (There Is No Such Thing as ~ - More Casual)

 

📌 Example Usage

"행운 같은 건 없어, 노력만 있을 뿐이야."

"There is no such thing as luck, only effort."

 

🎶 Key Points for Enjoying “eight” (Prod. & Feat. SUGA OF BTS)

- The dreamy melody and emotional lyrics blend harmoniously, providing listeners warm comfort.

 

- Suga’s sentimental rap and IU’s clear vocals complement each other, delivering deep emotions.

 

- The music video, combining animation and live-action, visually expresses the blurred boundary between reality and fantasy.

 

- The song is about cherishing memories and longing for faded things.

 

🎶 IU - “eight” (Prod. & Feat. SUGA OF BTS): Additional Information

- Release Date: May 6, 2020

- Album: Single "eight"

- Genre: Pop Rock, Synth-pop

- Lyrics & Composition: IU, Suga, EL CAPITXN

 

🌍 If you’d like to read the full lyrics, please visit official music platforms such as Melon, Genie Music, Apple Music, or Spotify!

 

❗All rights to the lyrics belong to Edam Entertainment and the original creators.

 

❗This analysis is intended for educational and language-learning purposes and does not replace the official lyrics.