Breaking Down – Bilingual Lyrics Korean/English

• By: Ailee

Lyrics & Translation

Discover the emotional depth of Korean drama storytelling through Ailee's "Breaking Down." This song is a masterclass in conveying powerful emotions through music, a hallmark of many beloved K-dramas. By listening to this track, you can learn how Korean artists use a blend of delicate and explosive vocal dynamics to express profound feelings of sorrow and desperation. Its cinematic quality and rich orchestration also offer a glimpse into the high-quality production of Korean soundtracks. It's a perfect starting point to appreciate how music and narrative are beautifully intertwined in Korean media.

[English]

It's about to fall apart, it's dangerous

I'm sorry, tears are falling, yeah

Darkness is falling, fading away

In this stopped time

They'll disappear without a trace

I can't stop, why, my last favor

I'm breaking down, collapsing inside

It shines through the darkness

I'm breaking down, living in my memories

Inside my memory

...

It's our fate, destiny, like it was written

Coldly crushing me, yeah

Within this deep, reddened darkness

Empty life, my last favor

I'm breaking down, collapsing inside

It shines through the darkness

I'm breaking down, living in my memories

Inside my memory

...

I'm breaking down, in this endless night

Shattering, falling apart

I'm breaking down, living in my memories

Inside my memory (memory)

...

[Korean]

It's about to fall off 위험해

I'm sorry 눈물이 나 yeah

어둠이 내려와 사라져 가

멈춰진 시간 속에

They'll disappear without a trace

멈출 수가 없어 왜 my last favor

I'm breaking down 무너져 내리고

어둠을 비추네

I'm breaking down 기억 속에 살아

Inside my memory

It's our fate, destiny 운명처럼

차갑게 날 짓눌러와 yeah

붉어진 이 어둠 속 깊어져만 가

Empty life my last favor

I'm breaking down 무너져 내리고

어둠을 비추네

I'm breaking down 기억 속에 살아

Inside my memory

I'm breaking down 끝이 없는 이 밤

부서져 내려와

I'm breaking down 기억 속에 살아

Inside my memory (memory)

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
fall /fɔːl/ A2	verb - to drop down from a higher place
memory /ˈmɛməri/ B1	noun - the ability to remember information
darkness /ˈdɑːrk.nəs/ B2	noun - the absence of light
break /breɪk/ B1	verb - to separate into pieces
fate /feɪt/ B2	noun - the development of events beyond a person's control
life /laɪf/ A1	noun - the condition that distinguishes animals and plants from inorganic matter
trace /treɪs/ B2	noun - a mark or sign left by something
favor /ˈfeɪ.vər/ B1	noun - an act of kindness beyond what is due
shine /ʃaɪn/ B1	verb - to give off light
crush /krʌʃ/ B2	verb - to press or squeeze with force
disappear /ˌdɪs.əˈpɪr/ B1	verb - to cease to be visible
cold /koʊld/ A2	adjective - having a low temperature
deep /diːp/ A2	adjective - extending far down from the top or surface

Key Grammar Structures

• It's about to fall off 위험해

  ➔ It's about to + base verb

  ➔ "about to" indicates an action that is going to happen very soon.

• 멈춰진 시간 속에

  ➔ passive: present tense / past tense

  ➔ The phrase uses passive form to describe a state where time has stopped.

• They'll disappear without a trace

  ➔ Will + base verb (future tense)

  ➔ Uses "will" to express future certainty or prediction.

• 무너져 내리고

  ➔ Present participle / continuous form

  ➔ Expresses an ongoing action or a state that is happening continuously.

• Inside my memory

  ➔ Preposition + noun phrase

  ➔ Indicates location or containment within the memory.

• It's our fate, destiny 운명처럼

  ➔ Possessive pronoun + noun phrases

  ➔ Shows possession or association with the noun (fate, destiny).