What If
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What If captures the bittersweet pain of unrequited love and the lingering hope that feelings might one day be returned.
Album
Sorry, Sorry (The 3rd Album)
Release Date
March 12, 2009
Genre
R&B / Ballad
Label
SM Entertainment
Composers / Lyricists
Sim Eun-jee, Sean Alexander, Kwon Yun-jung
Participating Members
Kyuhyun
Ryeowook
Yesung
Sungmin
Watch the Video
[FULL LYRICS – ROMANIZATION & ENGLISH ONLY]
English Translation
ssa-yeo-ga-neun si-gan-deu-reun a-ma-do yok-si-meul bu-reu-na bwa-yo
eo-je-bo-da o-neul deo a-pa-jin-geol bo-myeon….oh girl
na-reul hyang-han mi-so-e-do ma-nyang haeng-bo-kal su eop-seo-jin geon
tteuk-byeol-ha-mi eop-da-neun geol a-ra beo-rin hu-bu-teo-yeot-jyo baby
eo-je-bo-da o-neul deo a-pa-jin-geol bo-myeon….oh girl
na-reul hyang-han mi-so-e-do ma-nyang haeng-bo-kal su eop-seo-jin geon
tteuk-byeol-ha-mi eop-da-neun geol a-ra beo-rin hu-bu-teo-yeot-jyo baby
As time passes by, it seems like it only brings more greed. Seeing how today hurts more than yesterday… oh girl. Even your smile can’t simply make me happy anymore. I realized too late that there’s nothing special about it, baby.
what if geu-dae-ga nal sa-rang-hal geot-man gat-a
jo-geum gi-da-ri-myeon nae-ge ol geot-man gat-a-seo
i-reon gi-dae-ro na-neun geu-dael tteo-nal su eop-jyo
geu-reo-ke si-gan-i ssa-yeo a-peum-i doe-neun geol
jal al-go i-sseo-myeon-seo oh girl
jo-geum gi-da-ri-myeon nae-ge ol geot-man gat-a-seo
i-reon gi-dae-ro na-neun geu-dael tteo-nal su eop-jyo
geu-reo-ke si-gan-i ssa-yeo a-peum-i doe-neun geol
jal al-go i-sseo-myeon-seo oh girl
What if you were to love me? It feels like if I wait a little longer, you’ll come to me. With this hope, I can’t leave you. Even though I know that as time passes, it only turns into pain… oh girl.
nae-ge-man ju-neun geo-ra-go mit-go si-peo-ji-neun mi-so-yeot-ji-man
a-nin geo-get-jyo geu-rae-do hok-si-na ha-myeon-seo…
a-nin geo-get-jyo geu-rae-do hok-si-na ha-myeon-seo…
I wanted to believe that your smile was just for me, but I know it’s not true. Still, there’s a tiny hope…
what if nae-ga geu-dael meon-jeo man-na-sseot-da-myeon…
a-ni cha-ra-ri na geu-dae-reul mol-lat-sseot-da-myeon…
i-reon saeng-gak-do nae-gen a-mu so-yong-i eop-jyo
gip-su-ka-ge ba-khin geu-dae-ra-neun si-gan so-ge
i-mi sal-go i-sseu-ni…
a-ni cha-ra-ri na geu-dae-reul mol-lat-sseot-da-myeon…
i-reon saeng-gak-do nae-gen a-mu so-yong-i eop-jyo
gip-su-ka-ge ba-khin geu-dae-ra-neun si-gan so-ge
i-mi sal-go i-sseu-ni…
What if I had met you first… or if I had never known you at all… These thoughts are useless to me now. I’m already living deeply entangled in the time called you.
si-gan-e mu-ge-man-keum sa-rang-eun deo-hae-ga-go a-peum-i mu-geo-wo-do
geu-rae-do eon-jen-gan nal sa-rang-hal geot-man gat-a
geu-rae-do eon-jen-gan nal sa-rang-hal geot-man gat-a
As time gets heavier, love deepens, and even if the pain is burdensome, I still believe that someday you’ll love me.
jo-geum gi-da-ri-myeon nae-ge ol geot-man gat-a-seo
i-reon gi-dae-ro na-neun geu-dael tteo-nal su eop-jyo
geu-reo-ke si-gan-i ssa-yeo o-neu-reul man-deun geol
jal al-go i-sseo-myeon-seo…oh girl oh~ lady
i-reon gi-dae-ro na-neun geu-dael tteo-nal su eop-jyo
geu-reo-ke si-gan-i ssa-yeo o-neu-reul man-deun geol
jal al-go i-sseo-myeon-seo…oh girl oh~ lady
It feels like if I wait a little longer, you’ll come to me. With this hope, I can’t leave you. Even though I know that as time passes, it creates today… oh girl oh~ lady.
🗣️ Practice Korean Words
욕심
(yok-sim)
greed
💡 Note: expressing the growing desire for affection as time passes
특별함
(teuk-byeol-ham)
specialness
💡 Note: referring to the realization that a smile wasn’t unique to the protagonist
소용이
(so-yong-i)
use
💡 Note: describing how hypothetical thoughts about the past are useless in the present
무게만큼
(mu-ge-man-keum)
as much as weight
💡 Note: symbolizing how the burden of love and pain increases over time
🎵 Song Meaning & Interpretation
The lyrics convey the painful anticipation of a one-sided love where the protagonist remains hopeful that the other person might return their feelings. It reflects on the growing ache over time, as the protagonist realizes their feelings have no special place, yet they remain trapped in the futile thoughts of “what if” while their love grows heavier.
