When I Grow Up
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When I Grow Up captures the anxious, bittersweet struggle of youth yearning for maturity amid romantic confusion.
Release Date
September 10, 2015
Genre
Ballad / R&B
Label
PLEDIS Entertainment
Composers / Lyricists
WOOZI, BUMZU
Participating Members
S.Coups
Jeonghan
Joshua
Jun
Hoshi
Wonwoo
Woozi
THE 8
Mingyu
DK
Seungkwan
Vernon
Dino
Watch the Video
[FULL LYRICS – ROMANIZATION & ENGLISH ONLY]
English Translation
neu-reo-jin jeo ha-neul-man
ma-nyang ba-ra bo-da-ga (bo-da-ga)
a-mu-do eop-neun-geol neu-kil ttae-myeon
da-si saeng-gak-na-neun neo
ma-nyang ba-ra bo-da-ga (bo-da-ga)
a-mu-do eop-neun-geol neu-kil ttae-myeon
da-si saeng-gak-na-neun neo
Staring at the stretched-out sky
When I feel there’s no one around
I think of you again
When I feel there’s no one around
I think of you again
geu-jeo geu-reon il-deul sok (sok e)
tteo-nae-ryeo-gan geu-reon ni ma-meul
ja-beul su ga eop-janh-a
nan a-jik eo-rin-a-i-ra
so-ni dah-ji a-neul neol al-gi-e
deo jo-geum-man deo
tteo-nae-ryeo-gan geu-reon ni ma-meul
ja-beul su ga eop-janh-a
nan a-jik eo-rin-a-i-ra
so-ni dah-ji a-neul neol al-gi-e
deo jo-geum-man deo
In those ordinary things
Your drifting heart
I can’t hold onto
I’m still a child
Knowing I can’t reach you
Just a little more
Your drifting heart
I can’t hold onto
I’m still a child
Knowing I can’t reach you
Just a little more
si-ga-ni deo heul-leo
nae-ga eo-reu-ni doe-myeon
neol i-hae-hal su i-sseul-kka
my love my love my love
na-ui geu-dae-yeo bu-di kkwak ja-beun son
noh-ji ma-ra-jwo
nae-ga eo-reu-ni doe-myeon
neol i-hae-hal su i-sseul-kka
my love my love my love
na-ui geu-dae-yeo bu-di kkwak ja-beun son
noh-ji ma-ra-jwo
As time passes
When I grow up
Will I understand you?
My love my love my love
My dear, please don’t let go of my hand
When I grow up
Will I understand you?
My love my love my love
My dear, please don’t let go of my hand
nae-ga eo-reu-ni doe-myeon
dal-la-jil jul a-rat-deon
mo-deun geot geu mo-deun geot-deu-ri
ja-kku na-reul goe-rop-hyeo
meo-ri-man deo a-peu-ge
nae-ga eo-reu-ni doe-myeon
dal-la-jil jul a-rat-deon
mo-deun geot geu mo-deun geot-deu-ri
ja-kku na-reul goe-rop-hyeo
meo-ri-man deo a-peu-ge
nae-ga eo-reu-ni doe-myeon
When I grow up
I thought everything would change
All those things
Keep bothering me
Just giving me a headache
When I grow up
I thought everything would change
All those things
Keep bothering me
Just giving me a headache
When I grow up
nae-ga eo-reu-ni doe-myeon
nae-ga eo-reu-ni doe-myeon
i mal man gye-sok meo-ris-sok-e
maem-do-ra eo-ji-reo-wo
nae-ga eo-reu-ni doe-myeon
i mal man gye-sok meo-ris-sok-e
maem-do-ra eo-ji-reo-wo
When I grow up
When I grow up
These words keep spinning
In my head, making me dizzy
When I grow up
These words keep spinning
In my head, making me dizzy
eo-ji-reo-wo neo-reul da a-ra-ga-gi-ga
a-jik-eun hi-mi-deun-ga bwa
a-jik-eun hi-mi-deun-ga bwa
Dizzy, getting to know you
Seems hard for now
Seems hard for now
geu-jeo geu-reon il-deul sok (sok e)
tteo-nae-ryeo-gan geu-reon ni ma-meul
ja-beul su ga eop-janh-a
nan a-jik eo-rin-a-i-ra
so-ni dah-ji a-neul neol al-gi-e
deo jo-geum-man deo
tteo-nae-ryeo-gan geu-reon ni ma-meul
ja-beul su ga eop-janh-a
nan a-jik eo-rin-a-i-ra
so-ni dah-ji a-neul neol al-gi-e
deo jo-geum-man deo
In those ordinary things
Your drifting heart
I can’t hold onto
I’m still a child
Knowing I can’t reach you
Just a little more
Your drifting heart
I can’t hold onto
I’m still a child
Knowing I can’t reach you
Just a little more
si-ga-ni deo heul-leo
nae-ga eo-reu-ni doe-myeon
neol i-hae-hal su i-sseul-kka
my love my love my love
na-ui geu-dae-yeo bu-di kkwak ja-beun son
noh-ji ma-ra-jwo
nae-ga eo-reu-ni doe-myeon
neol i-hae-hal su i-sseul-kka
my love my love my love
na-ui geu-dae-yeo bu-di kkwak ja-beun son
noh-ji ma-ra-jwo
As time passes
When I grow up
Will I understand you?
My love my love my love
My dear, please don’t let go of my hand
When I grow up
Will I understand you?
My love my love my love
My dear, please don’t let go of my hand
i’m waiting just for u
neol gi-da-ri-da ilh-eo-beo-rin-da
nan yeo-jeon-hi geu ja-ri-e
neol gi-da-ri-da ilh-eo-beo-rin-da
nan yeo-jeon-hi geu ja-ri-e
I’m waiting just for u
Waiting for you, I lose you
I’m still in the same place
Waiting for you, I lose you
I’m still in the same place
nae-ga eo-reu-ni doe-myeon
dal-la-jil jul a-rat-deon
mo-deun geot geu mo-deun geot-deu-ri
ja-kku na-reul goe-rop-hyeo
meo-ri-man deo a-peu-ge
nae-ga eo-reu-ni doe-myeon
dal-la-jil jul a-rat-deon
mo-deun geot geu mo-deun geot-deu-ri
ja-kku na-reul goe-rop-hyeo
meo-ri-man deo a-peu-ge
nae-ga eo-reu-ni doe-myeon
When I grow up
I thought everything would change
All those things
Keep bothering me
Just giving me a headache
When I grow up
I thought everything would change
All those things
Keep bothering me
Just giving me a headache
When I grow up
🗣️ Practice Korean Words
늘어진
(neureojin)
stretched out/drooping
💡 Note: Describes the vast, empty sky that matches the speaker’s lonely and melancholic contemplation.
떠내려간
(tteonaeryeogan)
drifted away/washed away
💡 Note: Metaphorically illustrates the partner’s fading feelings slipping out of reach due to trivial daily events.
괴롭혀
(goerophyeo)
distressing/tormenting
💡 Note: Captures the persistent mental pressure and complex realities that aggressively disturb the young speaker’s peace.
맴돌아
(maemdora)
hovering/lingering
💡 Note: Portrays the repetitive, obsessive cycle of thoughts echoing in the narrator’s mind, inducing dizziness.
🎵 Song Meaning & Interpretation
The lyrics depict the bittersweet emotional growing pains of a youthful narrator who feels inadequate and too immature to comprehend the complexities of romance. Yearning for the maturity that age promises, the speaker expresses deep anxiety as the lingering confusion and headache of growing up constantly disrupt their peace. Ultimately, it emphasizes an adolescent psychological vulnerability and longing, transforming the concept of adulthood into a perplexing internal barrier while pleading desperately to retain a tenacious protective grip on the fleeting relationship.
