Release Date
November 10, 2023
Genre
K-pop / Dance
Label
Composers / Lyricists
Albi Albertsson, Anna Timgren, 나윤정 (라라라스튜디오)
Participating Members
Karina
Giselle
Winter
Ningning
About the Song
《YOLO》 is a bright and confident track by aespa, featured on Drama – The 4th Mini Album, released in 2023 through SM Entertainment. Composed by Albi Albertsson and Anna Timgren, with lyrics by Na Yoon Jung, the song turns the familiar “you only live once” idea into a playful declaration of self-confidence and personal freedom. With its energetic mood and bold message, 《YOLO》 captures aespa’s fearless attitude toward choosing your own path, ignoring unnecessary judgment, and enjoying life before the moment passes.
[FULL LYRICS – ROMANIZATION & ENGLISH ONLY]
English Translation
y-o-l-o
you go ‘oh no’
we go yolo
y-o-l-o
you go ‘oh no’
but yolo
you go ‘oh no’
we go yolo
y-o-l-o
you go ‘oh no’
but yolo
jal bwa my runway
ju-mok-hae nal teuk-byeol-han way
na-dap-ge i make rules
mam-dae-ro i walk
mae-il-i like birthday
dal-kom-han cake neut-gi jeon-e
han-ib-e ssok that’s right
mat-bol-rae right now
ju-mok-hae nal teuk-byeol-han way
na-dap-ge i make rules
mam-dae-ro i walk
mae-il-i like birthday
dal-kom-han cake neut-gi jeon-e
han-ib-e ssok that’s right
mat-bol-rae right now
Watch closely, this is my runway. Pay attention to my special way. I make rules in my own style and walk however I want. Every day feels like a birthday, and before the sweet cake melts, I take one bite. That’s right. Want to taste it right now?
jo-eun ge jo-a chase it
eo-ryeo-wo-do jeon-bu break it
po-gi-ga deo eo-ryeo-wo
(won-ha-myeon mwo-deun-ji i’ll make it mine)
sil-eod-do cham-go waiting
neo-eo dwo geu-reon yae-gin
o-neul-eun han beon-ppun
just live my life
eo-ryeo-wo-do jeon-bu break it
po-gi-ga deo eo-ryeo-wo
(won-ha-myeon mwo-deun-ji i’ll make it mine)
sil-eod-do cham-go waiting
neo-eo dwo geu-reon yae-gin
o-neul-eun han beon-ppun
just live my life
I chase what feels good. Even if it’s hard, I break through everything. Giving up is harder for me. If I want something, I’ll make it mine. Put away all that waiting and enduring, even when you hate it. Today only comes once, so I just live my life.
nae mam-i kkeul-rin-da-myeon pick
tta-bun-hae ji-ru-han geon kick
wanna ta-ta-take it
(let’s take)
nae son-e ge-ge-get it
(it’s like party)
mae-il deo jeul-gin-da-myeon
nae-ga winner
(bigger! better!)
getting higher
nan nae sam-i jo-eun geol
only live once
tta-bun-hae ji-ru-han geon kick
wanna ta-ta-take it
(let’s take)
nae son-e ge-ge-get it
(it’s like party)
mae-il deo jeul-gin-da-myeon
nae-ga winner
(bigger! better!)
getting higher
nan nae sam-i jo-eun geol
only live once
If my heart is drawn to it, I pick it. If it’s dull and boring, I kick it away. I want to take it, take it, take it. I’ll get it into my own hands. If I enjoy each day even more, I’m the winner. Bigger, better, getting higher. I like my life because it’s mine. You only live once.
y-o-l-o
you go ‘oh no’
we go yolo
y-o-l-o
you go ‘oh no’
but yolo
you go ‘oh no’
we go yolo
y-o-l-o
you go ‘oh no’
but yolo
dang-gil-rae zoom zoom
jin-jja nae kkum-e cho-jeom-eul mat-chweo
take a shot
sa-jin-cheo-reom ttak geol-eo nwa
da-reun geon an bwa
geu nu-gu-do nae seon-taek-e
chae-jeom-eun never
deon-jil-rae answer
o-dap-do right
geop-meok-ji a-na
jin-jja nae kkum-e cho-jeom-eul mat-chweo
take a shot
sa-jin-cheo-reom ttak geol-eo nwa
da-reun geon an bwa
geu nu-gu-do nae seon-taek-e
chae-jeom-eun never
deon-jil-rae answer
o-dap-do right
geop-meok-ji a-na
I want to pull it closer, zoom, zoom. I focus on my real dream. Take a shot and hang it up like a photograph. I don’t look at anything else. No one gets to grade my choices. Never. I’ll throw out the answer. Even a wrong answer can be right. I’m not scared.
si-seon-eun not my business
i-gi-geo-na ji-neun races
jeon-bu gwan-sim eom-neun-geol
(a-mu-ri dang-gyeo-do can’t pull me down)
da pweon-han seong-gong beop-chik
gang-yo-neun ma-ra baby
ji-geum-eun han beon-ppun
just live my life
i-gi-geo-na ji-neun races
jeon-bu gwan-sim eom-neun-geol
(a-mu-ri dang-gyeo-do can’t pull me down)
da pweon-han seong-gong beop-chik
gang-yo-neun ma-ra baby
ji-geum-eun han beon-ppun
just live my life
Other people’s eyes are not my business. Winning or losing races means nothing to me. I’m not interested in any of it. No matter how hard they pull, they can’t pull me down. Don’t force some comfortable formula for success on me, baby. This moment only comes once, so I just live my life.
nae mam-i kkeul-rin-da-myeon pick
tta-bun-hae ji-ru-han geon kick
wanna ta-ta-take it
(let’s take)
nae son-e ge-ge-get it
(it’s like party)
mae-il deo jeul-gin-da-myeon
nae-ga winner
(bigger! better!)
getting higher
nan nae sam-i jo-eun geol
only live once
tta-bun-hae ji-ru-han geon kick
wanna ta-ta-take it
(let’s take)
nae son-e ge-ge-get it
(it’s like party)
mae-il deo jeul-gin-da-myeon
nae-ga winner
(bigger! better!)
getting higher
nan nae sam-i jo-eun geol
only live once
If my heart is drawn to it, I pick it. If it’s dull and boring, I kick it away. I want to take it, take it, take it. I’ll get it into my own hands. If I enjoy each day even more, I’m the winner. Bigger, better, getting higher. I like my life because it’s mine. You only live once.
y-o-l-o
you go ‘oh no’
we go yolo
y-o-l-o
you go ‘oh no’
but yolo
you go ‘oh no’
we go yolo
y-o-l-o
you go ‘oh no’
but yolo
(hey hey hey) oh yeah
follow your own heart
(hey hey hey) oh yeah
’cause you only live once
follow your own heart
(hey hey hey) oh yeah
’cause you only live once
Hey, hey, hey, oh yeah. Follow your own heart. Hey, hey, hey, oh yeah, because you only live once.
al-ja-na u-rin priceless
geu-nyang heul-reo-ga-gin truly
mae sun-gan-i a-swi-wo
sil-eod-do cham-go waiting
neo-eo-dwo geu-reon yae-gin
in-saeng-eun han beon-ppun
(just live my life)
geu-nyang heul-reo-ga-gin truly
mae sun-gan-i a-swi-wo
sil-eod-do cham-go waiting
neo-eo-dwo geu-reon yae-gin
in-saeng-eun han beon-ppun
(just live my life)
You know we’re priceless. It would be such a waste to just let life pass by. Every moment feels too precious. Put away all that waiting and enduring, even when you hate it. Life only happens once, so just live my life.
nae mam-i kkeul-rin-da-myeon pick
tta-bun-hae ji-ru-han geon kick
wanna ta-ta-take it
(let’s take)
nae son-e ge-ge-get it
(it’s like party)
mae-il deo jeul-gin-da-myeon
nae-ga winner
(bigger! better!)
getting higher
nan nae sam-i jo-eun geol
only live once
tta-bun-hae ji-ru-han geon kick
wanna ta-ta-take it
(let’s take)
nae son-e ge-ge-get it
(it’s like party)
mae-il deo jeul-gin-da-myeon
nae-ga winner
(bigger! better!)
getting higher
nan nae sam-i jo-eun geol
only live once
If my heart is drawn to it, I pick it. If it’s dull and boring, I kick it away. I want to take it, take it, take it. I’ll get it into my own hands. If I enjoy each day even more, I’m the winner. Bigger, better, getting higher. I like my life because it’s mine. You only live once.
y-o-l-o
you go ‘oh no’
we go yolo
y-o-l-o
you go ‘oh no’
but yolo
you go ‘oh no’
we go yolo
y-o-l-o
you go ‘oh no’
but yolo
🗣️ Practice Korean Words
주목해
(jumokhae)
pay attention
💡 Note: Captures the confident demand to be seen, as if the speaker is stepping onto her own runway.
맘대로
(mamdaero)
as one pleases
💡 Note: Expresses the freedom to move according to one’s own will rather than outside expectations.
초점
(chojeom)
focus
💡 Note: Suggests fixing one’s vision clearly on a real dream without being distracted.
겁먹지
(geopmeokji)
becoming afraid
💡 Note: Highlights the refusal to be intimidated by wrong answers, judgment, or uncertain choices.
🎵 Song Meaning & Interpretation
The lyrics express a bright, fearless determination to live by instinct rather than by other people’s rules. The narrator treats life like a personal runway, choosing whatever pulls at her heart, rejecting boredom, outside judgment, and fixed formulas for success. Even mistakes become part of her answer, because every moment is too precious to waste. At its core, the song celebrates self-directed freedom, fearless choice, and the simple belief that life should be lived fully because it happens only once.
