Moon - переклад на Англійська

I try to translate as close to the actual lyrics as possible and add context as necessary. I use naver dictionary and howtostudyKorean.com, respectively, for vocabulary and grammar points.

[] indicate words that are not in the song but are necessary to understand the meaning
** indicates loose translation

Translation notes/Lyric Analysis
1. 뜨다 (line 4) has a lot of definitions, some of which are: to float, to open, to come up/out, to look at, to depart, to ferment, to burn, to cut. Overall, I think 'come up/out' is the best way to think about the word + connect all the other definitions, but it's not as descriptive. Since Jonghyun uses sky imagery in line 4, I chose 'float' in my translation. It's probably the moons and rivers that he notices floating. (Does this dream take place outdoors??)

The word appears again in line 28. Given the context of line, it's likely that he's saying 'don't open your eyes', but there's also a connotation of departure. Since this is a dream world, everything will disappear if his eyes open. That's why in the first verse, he's saying 'not yet, sleep deeper'. He doesn't want to lose this imaginary world he's built.

뜨다 can also be used in some instances to refer to sexual awakening. While the exact grammar for that construction is missing in the text, the song is in fact about sexual awakening. I'll go over this at the end.

2. 느슨하다 in line 6 means to be loose/lax, but from what I've seen, it's used in two ways. One is when there is lax discipline from some authority figure (like a school, government, employer, or one's self). The other deals with loose rope (such as a loose knot, a loose pants belt, a loose seatbelt, etc). Considering that 감싸다, which is in the same line, means to wrap/cover, it's more likely that he's referring to rope imagery. Because 감싸다 has a protective connotation, it's likely that he's referring to seat-belt imagery in particular. His arms are like a seat belt, there to protect the lover, not restrain them. (For all you Love Belt enthusiasts, 감싸다 is also used in that song, in the first line). This feeling of safety comes back in line 11. The lover doesn't have to be stressed/worried, because he's not there to hurt them.

3. He finishes the statement in line 6 with 네. This is emphatic language expressing either admiration or surprise. Being able to embrace this person is as surprising as the 1000s of moons and the river in the sky. He uses emphatic language again in line 10. -ㄴ 거야 describes the past but it's more emotional than the regular past tense. It's used in story telling a lot to explain something that is a bit surprising/unknown to an uninformed listener. It's role is to make the listener more engaged in what the person is saying by stimulating their curiosity. He's set up the dream, and will tell you more about it.

4. Most translate line 14 to 'tell me your secrets'. It does mean that, but his word choice is a little sweeter. He uses 털어놓다 which means to confide/confess. Usually it's paired with the relief of letting someone know your thoughts/troubles. He doesn't just want to know the lover's secrets but wants their alone time to be a safe space where the lover can express themselves.

5. There is no translation of 발칙하다 in line 17 in the naver dictionary, but other dictionaries say it means rude, insolent, outrageous, indecent, irregular, wicked. In the context of the rest of the song, it's most likely indecent. The 'eh - eh -eh ' seems to imitate heavy breathing/moaning, so these thoughts are likely of sex.

It isn't clear who is having these indecent thoughts--the singer who is having the romantic dream, the lover in his dream who has a lot to confess, or both. All other translations pick the singer, but a case can be made for the lover, since he reassures them that even excessive things are okay with him in the next line. This indicates that the lover might be a bit shy or is holding back because they don't want him to think they're weird/perverted.

6. lines 23-24 are what inspired me to translate this song. People often translate this incorrectly to 'even if you say no, I'll do what I want'. This goes against the whole principle of the song. The dreamer asks the lover to talk to him 19 times, there is no way he doesn't care what they think. The whole point of the song is that even though this is a wet dream, and he could dream of anything, he gets excited over his partner expressing their sexuality, and leading the romance. It is the partner's lips that are top of his cheek (line 24); they are in total control.

But then why is this mistranslated so often? People often mistakenly combine the sentence 'actually everything is as I desire' and 'even if you say no/you don't like it' in line 23. You have to remember that this is his dream, and he made all the visions (line 10), so of course everything is how he desires it. Why would he have a fantasy about a partner who honestly doesn't have feelings for him? Moreover, 'everything is as I desire' is a complete sentence. Whenever you see a verb in a Korean sentence, it is the end of the sentence. The verb is 'to be' and is observed by '야'. The 'even if you say no/you don't like it' phrase instead connects to line 24. He is pointing out inconsistencies in the partner's speech (pretending not to like something) and their action (leading romance with a kiss). He is asking them to be sincere instead of coy about what they want (lines 23, 24, 26). His goal is to please them exactly how they wish to be pleased. Taking them to the moon (or having them experience something out of this world) is, after all, a euphemism for giving their partner an orgasm.

7. People generally water down the imagery in line 24 to 'your lips will be on my cheek'. But 포개다 doesn't mean to put/place, it means to stack, pile or fold. In the same way fingers alternate when one folds their hands, their flesh also alternates. In other words, she either bit or sucked in some of his cheek and has it placed between her lips. It's a much more sensual image than just touching his cheek with lips. This is supposed to demonstrate the partner holding back strong desires. They keep trying to say no, but then can't help themselves from biting his flesh.

8. 잡생각 in line 25 is also frequently mistranslated to 'meaningless or useless thoughts'. The word means 'trivial thoughts' but it's used to express the feeling of when people have a lot on their mind or when they're stressed or worried about things. He's not belittling their thoughts or concerns but wants them to know that they don't need to worry because they're safe with him (lines 6, 11, 14, 18).

9. In line 27, he's honestly curious about what the partner fantasized in past but he's also asking that to prove a point. The line ends in 는지; this tends to add uncertainty to a line about whether/if something exists. He's questioning whether the partner is also coy in their fantasies. And if they're not coy in their fantasies, there's no reason for them to be coy or hesitant in reality (or at least the reality of his dreamland). On top of that he uses a grammar suffix, -던, which is used to indicate an action that has been done repeatedly up until recently but is finished in the present moment. This is attached to 'imagined' and means that the partner doesn't need to imagine anymore; they have the opportunity to act out their fantasies if they want, by communicating.

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I'll finish this by coming back to 뜨다. I mentioned earlier that the song is about sexual awakening. It is not his own sexual awakening, but that of a partner. Throughout the song he tries to make the partner feel comfortable so that they can express themselves and their desires without anxiety of being judged. It's interesting that the 'awakening' happens when they are asleep/dreaming. He points out that the awakening can translate to reality (line 27) if they communicate. That's what makes this song so sexy---he emphasizes clear communication and how useful it is in creating intimacy.