Album
Release Date
November 29, 2018
Genre
Ballad
Label
RBW
Composers / Lyricists
Lee Hu-sang, Moonbyul
Participating Members
Solar
Moonbyul
Wheein
Hwasa
About the Song
《Better Than I Thought》 is a track by MAMAMOO from the 2018 album BLUE;S, released under RBW. Written, composed, and arranged by Lee Hoo Sang, with additional lyrics by Moonbyul, the song gently explores the feeling of surviving a breakup better than expected, balancing quiet relief, lingering sadness, and MAMAMOO’s warm vocal tone in a calm, understated way.
[FULL LYRICS – ROMANIZATION & ENGLISH ONLY]
English Translation
neo-mu jo-a-seo neo-mu haeng-bo-kae-seo
jom teuk-byeol-hal geo-ra-go saeng-gak-haet-deon u-ri
gyeol-ma-reun mo-du ttok-ga-teun i-ya-gi
geu heun-han i-byeol no-rael deu-reu-myeo
tto si-ga-ne gi-dae
ha-na-dul-ssik ji-wo u-ri sa-jin-deul
jom teuk-byeol-hal geo-ra-go saeng-gak-haet-deon u-ri
gyeol-ma-reun mo-du ttok-ga-teun i-ya-gi
geu heun-han i-byeol no-rael deu-reu-myeo
tto si-ga-ne gi-dae
ha-na-dul-ssik ji-wo u-ri sa-jin-deul
So happy, so joyful
I thought we were special
But the ending is the same story
Listening to those common breakup songs
Leaning on time
Erasing our photos one by one
I thought we were special
But the ending is the same story
Listening to those common breakup songs
Leaning on time
Erasing our photos one by one
seon-myeong-hae-ji-neun neo-wa-e gi-eok-deul
ga-seum a-peun i-byeol-ha-neun jung-in-de
i-sang-ha-ge-do nun-mu-ri na-ji-reul a-na
saeng-gak-bo-dan gwaen-cha-na nae ma-mi gwaen-cha-na
tto mae-il-mae-il a-pa-hal jul
al-ass-neun-de (al-ass-neun-de)
ga-seum a-peun i-byeol-ha-neun jung-in-de
i-sang-ha-ge-do nun-mu-ri na-ji-reul a-na
saeng-gak-bo-dan gwaen-cha-na nae ma-mi gwaen-cha-na
tto mae-il-mae-il a-pa-hal jul
al-ass-neun-de (al-ass-neun-de)
Memories with you become clearer
I’m in the middle of a painful breakup
Strangely, I don’t shed tears
Better than I thought, my heart is okay
I thought I’d hurt every day
But I was wrong (I was wrong)
I’m in the middle of a painful breakup
Strangely, I don’t shed tears
Better than I thought, my heart is okay
I thought I’d hurt every day
But I was wrong (I was wrong)
saeng-gak-bo-dan gwaen-cha-na cham a-i-reo-ni-hae
i-ge a-nin-de jo-ass-eoss-neun-de
sa-rang-haess-neun-de (sa-rang-haess-neun-de)
ttu-ttu-ttu-ttu-ru-ttu ttu-ttu-ttu-ttu-ru
ttu-ttu-ttu-ttu-ru-ttu ttu-ttu-ru
ay byeol-saeng-ga-gi deul-ji a-na
i-ge a-nin-de jo-ass-eoss-neun-de
sa-rang-haess-neun-de (sa-rang-haess-neun-de)
ttu-ttu-ttu-ttu-ru-ttu ttu-ttu-ttu-ttu-ru
ttu-ttu-ttu-ttu-ru-ttu ttu-ttu-ru
ay byeol-saeng-ga-gi deul-ji a-na
Better than I thought, it’s so ironic
This isn’t right, it was good
I loved you (I loved you)
Doo doo doo doo roo doo doo doo doo roo
Doo doo doo doo roo doo doo roo
Ay, I don’t have any special thoughts
This isn’t right, it was good
I loved you (I loved you)
Doo doo doo doo roo doo doo doo doo roo
Doo doo doo doo roo doo doo roo
Ay, I don’t have any special thoughts
neol saeng-gak-ha-myeo sseoss-deon ga-sa-deu-ri
a-mu so-yong-eobs-i ja-ri-man chae-wo
gam-jeong-eun i-mi jeung-bal-hae chat-gi eo-ryeo-wo
cheo-eu-me-neun nat-seol-eoss-eo ne-ga eobs-da-neun ge
kka-ma-teon ha-neu-ri pa-ran-saek-eu-ro mul-deul ttae
je ja-ri-ro do-ra-on deut a-mu-reoch-ji a-na
a-mu so-yong-eobs-i ja-ri-man chae-wo
gam-jeong-eun i-mi jeung-bal-hae chat-gi eo-ryeo-wo
cheo-eu-me-neun nat-seol-eoss-eo ne-ga eobs-da-neun ge
kka-ma-teon ha-neu-ri pa-ran-saek-eu-ro mul-deul ttae
je ja-ri-ro do-ra-on deut a-mu-reoch-ji a-na
The lyrics I wrote thinking of you
Just fill up space without meaning
Emotions have already evaporated, hard to find
At first, it was strange that you weren’t there
When the dark sky turns blue
It feels like I’m back to my place, I’m okay
Just fill up space without meaning
Emotions have already evaporated, hard to find
At first, it was strange that you weren’t there
When the dark sky turns blue
It feels like I’m back to my place, I’m okay
mi-an-han mam-man maem-dol ppun hu-hoe-ha-ji a-na
ham-kke geot-deon geo-ril hon-ja geot-neun-de
i-sang-ha-ge-do ne-ga bo-go sip-ji a-na
saeng-gak-bo-dan gwaen-cha-na nae ma-mi gwaen-cha-na
tto mae-il-mae-il a-pa-hal jul
al-ass-neun-de (al-ass-neun-de)
ham-kke geot-deon geo-ril hon-ja geot-neun-de
i-sang-ha-ge-do ne-ga bo-go sip-ji a-na
saeng-gak-bo-dan gwaen-cha-na nae ma-mi gwaen-cha-na
tto mae-il-mae-il a-pa-hal jul
al-ass-neun-de (al-ass-neun-de)
Only sorry feelings linger, no regrets
Walking the streets we walked together, alone
Strangely, I don’t miss you
Better than I thought, my heart is okay
I thought I’d hurt every day
But I was wrong (I was wrong)
Walking the streets we walked together, alone
Strangely, I don’t miss you
Better than I thought, my heart is okay
I thought I’d hurt every day
But I was wrong (I was wrong)
saeng-gak-bo-dan gwaen-cha-na cham a-i-reo-ni-hae
i-ge a-nin-de jo-ass-eoss-neun-de
sa-rang-haess-neun-de (sa-rang-haess-neun-de)
ttu-ttu-ttu-ttu-ru-ttu ttu-ttu-ttu-ttu-ru
ttu-ttu-ttu-ttu-ru-ttu ttu-ttu-ru
gu-ji ae-reul sseo-ga-myeo neol geu-ri-wo
i-ge a-nin-de jo-ass-eoss-neun-de
sa-rang-haess-neun-de (sa-rang-haess-neun-de)
ttu-ttu-ttu-ttu-ru-ttu ttu-ttu-ttu-ttu-ru
ttu-ttu-ttu-ttu-ru-ttu ttu-ttu-ru
gu-ji ae-reul sseo-ga-myeo neol geu-ri-wo
Better than I thought, it’s so ironic
This isn’t right, it was good
I loved you (I loved you)
Doo doo doo doo roo doo doo doo doo roo
Doo doo doo doo roo doo doo roo
I don’t force myself to miss you
This isn’t right, it was good
I loved you (I loved you)
Doo doo doo doo roo doo doo doo doo roo
Doo doo doo doo roo doo doo roo
I don’t force myself to miss you
ha-go sip-ji a-na nae ma-meun neol
i-dae-ro bo-nae-go si-peo
i-dae-ro heul-leo-ga-ge dwa
e-ga jo-geu-meun deol a-peu-gil ba-ra
nae mam-gwa gat-gi-reul nan ba-ral-ge
i want you to be ok
i-dae-ro bo-nae-go si-peo
i-dae-ro heul-leo-ga-ge dwa
e-ga jo-geu-meun deol a-peu-gil ba-ra
nae mam-gwa gat-gi-reul nan ba-ral-ge
i want you to be ok
I don’t want to, my heart
Wants to let you go like this
Let it flow like this
I hope you’re a little less hurt
I hope your heart is like mine
I want you to be OK
Wants to let you go like this
Let it flow like this
I hope you’re a little less hurt
I hope your heart is like mine
I want you to be OK
saeng-gak-bo-dan gwaen-cha-na nae ma-mi gwaen-cha-na
tto mae-il-mae-il a-pa-hal jul
al-ass-neun-de (al-ass-neun-de)
saeng-gak-bo-dan gwaen-cha-na cham a-i-reo-ni-hae
i-ge a-nin-de jo-ass-eoss-neun-de
sa-rang-haess-neun-de (sa-rang-haess-neun-de)
tto mae-il-mae-il a-pa-hal jul
al-ass-neun-de (al-ass-neun-de)
saeng-gak-bo-dan gwaen-cha-na cham a-i-reo-ni-hae
i-ge a-nin-de jo-ass-eoss-neun-de
sa-rang-haess-neun-de (sa-rang-haess-neun-de)
Better than I thought, my heart is okay
I thought I’d hurt every day
But I was wrong (I was wrong)
Better than I thought, it’s so ironic
This isn’t right, it was good
I loved you (I loved you)
I thought I’d hurt every day
But I was wrong (I was wrong)
Better than I thought, it’s so ironic
This isn’t right, it was good
I loved you (I loved you)
ttu-ttu-ttu-ttu-ru-ttu ttu-ttu-ttu-ttu-ru
ttu-ttu-ttu-ttu-ru-ttu ttu-ttu-ru
ttu-ttu-ttu-ttu-ru-ttu ttu-ttu-ttu-ttu-ru
ttu-ttu-ttu-ttu-ru-ttu ttu-ttu-ru
ttu-ttu-ttu-ttu-ru-ttu ttu-ttu-ru
ttu-ttu-ttu-ttu-ru-ttu ttu-ttu-ttu-ttu-ru
ttu-ttu-ttu-ttu-ru-ttu ttu-ttu-ru
Doo doo doo doo roo doo doo doo doo roo
Doo doo doo doo roo doo doo roo
Doo doo doo doo roo doo doo doo doo roo
Doo doo doo doo roo doo doo roo
Doo doo doo doo roo doo doo roo
Doo doo doo doo roo doo doo doo doo roo
Doo doo doo doo roo doo doo roo
🗣️ Practice Korean Words
결말
(gyeol-mal)
Ending
💡 Note: The inevitable and cliché conclusion of a love story that resembles every ordinary narrative.
기억
(gi-ok)
Remembrance
💡 Note: The mental images of a past partner that paradoxically become vivid while trying to erase old photos.
감정
(gam-jeong)
Emotion
💡 Note: The inner passionate feelings that have already evaporated, making it impossible to trace them.
후회
(hu-hoe)
Regret
💡 Note: The feeling of wishes or sorrow for past actions that the speaker surprisingly does not experience anymore.
🎵 Song Meaning & Interpretation
The lyrics capture the unexpected and ironic calmness that arrives after a significant breakup. Despite anticipating intense pain and endless crying, the speaker faces an unusual state of emotional detachment where even the lyrics written about the past become useless. As the lingering memories gradually evaporate and reality returns to its normal state, they choose to stop forcing the sorrow and instead wish for a peaceful resignation, letting the remnants of love simply drift away.
