Dirty Work – English Lyrics

• By: aespa
• Album: Dirty Work

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the confident and dynamic world of aespa with their single "Dirty Work." This song offers a compelling listening experience, showcasing aespa's evolving sound and an assertive attitude. Learners can explore contemporary English phrases and expressions within the lyrics, delivered with a strong, impactful vocal style. The track's unique production, featuring trap drums, a booming 808 bass, and electrified synths, makes it a fresh and ambitious addition to their discography, perfect for understanding modern pop music trends.

[English]

World domination, I don't gotta say it

전엔 없던 돌연변이 같아

저주야 난 다수로 볼 땐

Set 'em on fire, 스스로 밝혀

And I don't really care if you like me, like me

I don't really wanna play nicely, nicely

오답을 고른 게 정답인 선택

Open your eyes, come and bite me

Sharp teeth, bite first

Real bad business, that's dirty work (yeah)

Real bad business, that's dirty work

Real bad business, that's dirty work

Bold eyes, cold stare

Real bad business, that's dirty work

Real bad business, that's dirty work (yeah)

Real bad business, that's dirty work

Work, work, work, work (yeah)

Work, work, work

Real bad business, it's dirty work

Real bad business, it's dirty work

I'm not an it girl, more like a hit girl

Mafia ties going back to the old world

Fear in their eyes, I'm always watching

Call me the reaper, I'm knock, knock, knocking

It's me, it's me, a little baddie

Just 'cause I'm pretty doesn't mean I don't do hard things

Hard things make me feel like a thunder

Let me think, 뭐를 하든 I will like it, like it

Sharp eyes, fierce look

Real bad business, it's dirty work (yeah)

Real bad business, that's dirty work (yeah)

Real bad business, that's dirty work

Hold tight, get tough

Real bad business, that's dirty work

Real bad business, that's dirty work (yeah)

Real bad business, that's dirty work

We don't see you as a threat (yeah)

얄팍한 rule, 따윈 한 겹의 glass

내 맘대로 해 깨트려 내

쉽게 난 두 발로 그 위를 pass, yeah

Kick up the dust, let 'em talk about it

Crawl out the mud, let 'em know about it

번뇌를 깨우는 음률 속에

두 눈을 봐, well, you already found it

Drop it low, low, low, low, low, low

Work it out, work it out

Drop it low, low, low, low, low, low

Work it out, work it out

Drop it low, low, low, low, low, low

Work it out, work it out

Drop it low, low, low, low, low, low

Work it out, work it out (work It)

Sharp teeth, bite first

Real bad business, that's dirty work

Real bad business, that's dirty work

Real bad business, that's dirty work

Bold eyes, cold stare

Real bad business, that's dirty work

Real bad business, that's dirty work

Real bad business, that's dirty work

Work (work, it out), work (work), work (work, it out), work (yeah)

Work (it), work (it), work (work it out)

Real bad business, that's dirty work (work it out)

Real bad business, that's dirty work (work it out)

Work (it out), work, work (it out), work (yeah)

Work (it), work (it), work (yeah)

Real bad business, that's dirty work (work it out)

Real bad business, that's dirty work (work it out)

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
work /wɜːrk/ A1	noun - effort or activity directed toward a goal; a task to be done. verb - to perform a task; to operate or function.
dirty /ˈdɜːrti/ A2	adjective - not clean; morally reprehensible or dishonest.
business /ˈbɪznəs/ A2	noun - a person's regular occupation, profession, or trade; serious matters or affairs.
bite /baɪt/ A2	verb - (of a person or animal) use the teeth to cut into or through something. noun - an act of biting.
sharp /ʃɑːrp/ B1	adjective - having a thin cutting edge or a fine point; intelligent or perceptive.
eyes /aɪz/ A1	noun - the organs of sight.
stare /steər/ B1	verb - look fixedly with wide open eyes. noun - a fixed look with wide open eyes.
bold /boʊld/ B2	adjective - (of a person, action, or idea) showing an ability to take risks; confident and courageous.
cold /koʊld/ A1	adjective - of or at a low temperature; lacking emotion or warmth.
fear /fɪər/ A2	noun - an unpleasant emotion caused by the threat of danger, pain, or harm. verb - be afraid of (someone or something) as likely to be dangerous, painful, or harmful.
threat /θrɛt/ B2	noun - a statement of an intention to inflict pain, injury, damage, or other hostile action on someone; a person or thing likely to cause damage or danger.
reaper /ˈriːpər/ C1	noun - a person or machine that harvests a crop; often refers to 'The Grim Reaper,' a personification of death.
domination /ˌdɒmɪˈneɪʃn/ C1	noun - the exercise of control or influence over someone or something, or the state of being so controlled.
fire /ˈfaɪər/ A1	noun - combustion or burning, in which substances combine chemically with oxygen from the air and typically give out bright light, heat, and smoke. verb - to ignite; to shoot (a weapon).
thunder /ˈθʌndər/ B1	noun - a loud rumbling or crashing noise heard after a lightning flash, caused by the expansion of rapidly heated air.
crawl /krɔːl/ B1	verb - move forward on the hands and knees or by dragging the body close to the ground; move very slowly.
mud /mʌd/ B1	noun - soft, sticky earth made of soil and water.
glass /ɡlɑːs/ A2	noun - a hard, brittle, transparent substance; a drinking vessel.
hard /hɑːrd/ A1	adjective - solid, firm, and resistant to pressure; difficult to do or understand.
fierce /fɪərs/ B2	adjective - having or displaying an intense or ferocious aggressiveness; powerful and intense.

Key Grammar Structures

• 전엔 없던 돌연변이 같아

  ➔ Retrospective Adjective Modifier V-(으)ㄴ / Noun + 같다 (to be like/seem like)

  ➔ “없던” is the retrospective adjective form of “없다” (to not exist), modifying “돌연변이” (mutant). It describes something that didn't exist before but is now being observed or recalled. “같아” (from “같다”) means “to be like” or “to seem like”, indicating a comparison. The line means “I'm like a mutant that didn't exist before.”

• 저주야 난 다수로 볼 땐

  ➔ Noun + -(으)로 볼 때 (when viewed as Noun / from the perspective of Noun)

  ➔ “다수로 볼 땐” uses the grammatical pattern “Noun + -(으)로 볼 때” which means “when viewed as Noun” or “from the perspective of Noun”. Here, “다수” means “the majority” or “many people”, so the phrase translates to “when viewed by the majority” or “from the perspective of many.” “저주야” means “I am a curse.”

• 오답을 고른 게 정답인 선택

  ➔ V-(으)ㄴ 것 (nominalization of a verb phrase / what V-ed), Noun + 이다/인 (to be Noun, used as a modifier)

  ➔ “고른 게” is a contracted form of “고른 것” where “고른” is the past adjectival form of “고르다” (to choose), and “-는 것” nominalizes the verb phrase, making it “the act of choosing” or “what was chosen”. So, “오답을 고른 게” means “what was chosen as the wrong answer”. “정답인” (정답 + 인) means “that is the correct answer”, modifying “선택” (choice). The entire phrase means “A choice where choosing the wrong answer is the correct answer.”

• Just 'cause I'm pretty doesn't mean I don't do hard things

  ➔ Just 'cause X doesn't mean Y (Informal expression for cause and effect negation)

  ➔ This is an informal English phrase. “Just 'cause” is a colloquial abbreviation of “just because”. The structure is used to state that one fact (X, “I'm pretty”) does not automatically lead to or imply another fact (Y, “I don't do hard things”). It suggests a contradiction or a common misconception being corrected.

• 뭐를 하든 I will like it, like it

  ➔ Wh-word + V-든(지) (no matter what/who/when/where/how V)

  ➔ “뭐를 하든” uses the “wh-word + V-든(지)” grammar pattern, meaning “no matter what/who/when/where/how [verb]”. Here, “뭐” is “what”, and “하든” is from “하다” (to do). So, “뭐를 하든” means “no matter what I do” or “whatever I do”. It expresses an unyielding attitude.

• 내 맘대로 해 깨트려 내

  ➔ Noun + 맘대로 하다 (to do as one pleases/to do as Noun desires)

  ➔ “내 맘대로 해” literally means “do it as my heart desires” or “do it my way”. “맘대로 하다” is a common idiom meaning to do as one pleases or to have one's own way. It expresses autonomy and self-will.

• 얄팍한 rule, 따윈 한 겹의 glass

  ➔ Noun + 따위 (things like Noun / Noun and such, often dismissive or derogatory)

  ➔ “따위” is a suffix that can be attached to nouns (or sometimes pronouns/adjectives) to refer to “things like that,” “such as,” or “and so on.” However, it often carries a dismissive, contemptuous, or derogatory nuance, implying that the item mentioned is trivial, insignificant, or inferior. Here, “rule 따윈” means “rules and such (which are trivial/insignificant).”

• We don't see you as a threat

  ➔ See A as B (to perceive or consider A in the manner of B)

  ➔ This idiom is used to express how someone perceives or categorizes another person or thing. In this context, “we don't see you as a threat” means “we do not consider you to be a threat” or “we do not perceive you as threatening.” It's a common structure for expressing perception or opinion.

• 쉽게 난 두 발로 그 위를 pass, yeah

  ➔ V-게 (adverbial suffix transforming adjective/verb into an adverb)

  ➔ “쉽게” is formed by adding the adverbial suffix “-게” to the adjective “쉽다” (to be easy). This transforms “easy” into “easily,” modifying the verb “pass.” It indicates the manner in which the action is performed.

• 번뇌를 깨우는 음률 속에

  ➔ V-는 (present tense verb modifier for nouns / present participle)

  ➔ “깨우는” is the present tense attributive form of “깨우다” (to awaken/arouse), modifying the noun “음률” (rhythm/melody). This structure describes a noun by stating what it currently does or is doing. Here, it means “the rhythm that awakens worries/suffering.”