August 29, 2013

Let's Learn Together: Oh! // 소녀시대

Let's Learn Together:  Oh! // 소녀시대

Song:  Oh!
Artist:  소녀시대 [Girls' Generation // SNSD]
Album:  Oh!
Photo:  images.google.com
Lyrics:  music.naver.com
Company:  SM Entertainment

English:  7 / 10
Translation Difficulty:  2 / 10




Please credit "auditionadviceandthoughts@blogspot.com" or "angelsfallfast" when using the English translation.
[Edit:  3/18/14]

Just a Few Words:
I found a faster way to translate!  I use a whiteboard to help me get my thoughts in order so I don't have to keep flipping back and forth between browser pages.  Hopefully, this means I get things up faster!!

Anyway, I love "Oh!"  It's one of the few K-Pop songs that I know how to dance to and, besides, it's really catchy.  (I say that a lot, don't I?)  "Oh!" also helped solidify Girls' Generation as a hit maker.

English:  7 / 10
So the pronunciation is fine - most of the English is done by the group's two native English speakers, Jessica and Tiffany.  The English by itself is fine, but when globbed together with the Korean, the grammar could be tweaked.  Brand New Sound isn't wrong, but since the Korean sentence before it is complete, it's just a noun and a few adjectives hanging around with no verb.  And so on...

Translation Difficulty:  2 / 10

10 Words:
  1. 전에 (adverb):  "previously" or "formerly"
  2. 새롭다 (adjective):  "new" or "fresh, original"
  3. (adverb):  "{a little bit}" -->  indicates a degree of politeness
  4. 말투 (noun):  "one's way of speaking [talking]"
  5. 콧대가 높다 (verb phrase):  "to have a sharp nose."  Also:  "{snobbish}" or "{conceited}"
  6. 놀리다 (verb):  "tease, provoke" or "kid, pull one's leg" or "make fun of, poke fun at, play a joke [prank, trick] on sb"
  7. 잠깐만 (phrase):  "just a minute / moment / second"
  8. 후회 (noun):  "regret"
  9. 전혀 모르다 (adverb + verb):  "know nothing of" or "have not the slightest [faintest] idea" or "be quite ignorant of"
  10. 미루다 (verb):  "to delay" or "postpone" or "put off"
Credit:  dic.naver.com

Politeness Level:
Casual
The singer(s) are comfortable to the audience.  They are close friends, family, or in a relationship.

August 26, 2013

Let's Learn Together: MY MY // Apink

Let's Learn Together:  MY MY // Apink

Let's Learn Together:  MY MY // Apink
Song:  MY MY
Artist:  Apink
Album:  Snow Pink - EP
Photo:  images.google.com
Lyrics:  music.naver.com
Company:  A Cube Entertainment

English:  9 / 10
Translation Difficulty:  2 / 10



Please credit "auditionadviceandthoughts@blogspot.com" or "angelsfallfast" when using the English translation.
[Edit:  3/16/14]

Just a Few Words:
Ah, Apink.  I just love this group!  Much like 4Minute, sadly, they are basically "Eunji and the Back Up Dancers".  Lately, however, both Naeun and Namjoo have been getting attention.  But, of course, my favorite member (and the only one I knew besides Eunji, before Naeun and Namjoo got more attention), Yookyung, got kicked out! T-T

English:  9 / 10
So the two lines Yookyung says are perfect (why, Apink, did you kick out the one member who's good at English????).  I took off a little for "MY MY MY you're MY" because it really doesn't make any sense.  "you're my..." what????   Elephant?  Pet?  Boyfriend?  Grammatically, I think it should be "mine, mine, mine, you're mine", but it doesn't have the right flow.  So, I only took one point off.

Translation Difficulty:  1 / 10
This actually wasn't that difficult!
[Edit:  This was actually easy enough I was having trouble finding words to list below. ^^']

10 Words:
  1. 떨리다 (verb):  "shake" or "tremble."  Also, "shake, tremble, quiver, shiver, shudder, quake."  Also, "tremble, quiver."
  2. 생각 (noun):  "thought."  Also:  "idea" or "think" or "consider"
  3. 기분 (noun):  "feelings, mood"
  4. 부르다 (verb):  "call (out)."  Also, "say" or "call out" or "dictate."  Also, "sing."  Also, "call, send for" or "summon" or "invite."  Also, "call (sb sth), christen."  Also, "ask, quote."  Also, "cause, beget."
  5. (adverb):  "just"
  6. 처음 (adverb):  "first."  Also:  "beginning" or "start."
  7. (noun):  "snow"
    1. * "눈"'s other definition is eye!
  8. 하얗다 (adjective):  "white" or "fair" or "pale."  Also:  "(pure)"
  9. 우연히 (adverb):  "by change, by accident, accidentally."
  10. 마주치다 (verb):  "run into" or "bump into" or "come (run) across" or "happen to meet" or "chance (up)on"
Credit:  dic.naver.com

Politeness Level:
Casual
The singer(s) are comfortable to the audience.  They are close friends, family, or in a relationship.

August 24, 2013

Let's Learn Together: 반짝반짝 // 걸스데이

Let's Learn Together:  반짝반짝 // 걸스데이


Song:  반짝반짝
Artist:  걸스데이 (Girl's Day)
Album:  기대 [Expectation]
Lyrics:  music.naver.com
Photo:  images.google.com
Company:  Dream Tea Entertainment

English:  1 / 10
Translation Difficulty:  1 / 10




Please credit "auditionadviceandthoughts@blogspot.com" or "angelsfallfast."
[Edit:  3/13/14]

Just a Few Words:
I know this is an older song, but I still like it!  The zany tune really drives my sister crazy, but I think it's addicting.  I'm currently listening to it on repeat. :D
This song is basically about a girl who's confused about the signals her oppa is giving her.

English:  1 / 10
So I give them a little credit for the few lines that are accurate.  However, for all those correct lines, there are some that just make me shake my head.  "Love Love in sweety mind"?  Also, how do they misspell their name?  GIRL DAY...where's the "S"?

Translation Difficulty:  1 / 10
This was really easy, except for the lines that had the random English words.  "I am your Medic."?  

10 Words:
  1. 바라보다 (verb):  "look (at)" or "watch" or "stare (at)" or "gaze (at/into)"
  2. 나쁘다 (adjective):  "bad" or "poor."  Also:  "wrong"
  3. 훔치다 (verb):  "pinch" or "steal (sth for sb), pilfer (from), purlion" or "lift" or "filch" or "swipe" or "knock sth off".  Also "steal"
  4. 못되다 (adjective):  "bad, mean, evil, wicked"
  5. 슬쩍 (adjective):  "stealthily, furtively, secretly" or "nimbly".  Also "secretly".
  6. 멀어지다 (verb):  "recede, die away".  Also "grow apart, drift apart".
  7. 두렵다 (adjective):  "fearful (of)" or "scared (of)"
  8. 싫어지다 (verb):  "become disgusted (with), get sick [tired] (of), get fed up (with)"
  9. 장난치다 (verb):  "play with" or "joke with" or "make fun of"
  10. 가깝다 (adjective):  "close to" or "nearby" or "near"
Credit:  dic.naver.com

Politeness Level:
Casual
The singer(s) are comfortable to the audience.  They are close friends, family, or in a relationship.

Congratulations! So Now You're A Trainee...: A Speculative Look At Your Future

[DISCLAIMER:  Like the title says, this is speculative.  I have made educated guesses based on what I believe are mostly reliable sources.]

For More Information:

August 23, 2013

Let's Learn Together: Love Like This (네게로) // SS501

Let's Learn Together:  Love Like This (네게로) // SS501

Song:  Love Like This (네게로)
Artist:  SS501
Album:  Rebirth
Lyrics:  dic.naver.com
Photo:  naver.com
Company:  DSP Media

English:  3 / 10
Translation Difficulty:  5 /10


Please credit "auditionadviceandthoughts@blogspot.com" or "angelsfallfast."
[Edit:  3/12/14]

Just A Few Words:
This is the song that got me into K-Pop, thanks to the American group Varsity Fanclub and Drew Ryan Scott.  It also introduced me to how territorial fans get over songs (even if the rights were all legally acquired...) -_-
This song is very...simple.  It's understandable, since SS501 had very little time to translate and record it.  VFC had been planning to release it as late as March of 2009 (I actually watched this preview live, so the date's accurate) and SS501 released Rebirth in October.  Yeah, fast turn around.

Also, random tidbit but, I never knew the full title was "Love Like This (네게로)" until I looked it up on naver.

English:  3 / 10
Separate from the Korean, the English should be a 10 out of 10.  But once you factor in pronunciation and how it actually sound with the Korean, I have to massively deduct the English score.

Translation Difficulty:  5 / 10
This was harder than I expected because of how the Korean lyricists interlaced Korean with English.  It comes out...awkward.

10 Words:
  1. 이제 (adverb):  now
  2. 보여주다 (verb):  show, let {a person} see [look at] (a thing), display
  3. 항상 (adverb):  always, at all times, all the time
  4. 망설 (noun):  a false [baseless] report
  5. 가다리다 (verb):  wait, hold on; hang on; expect; await; look forward to
  6. 주인 (noun):  owner (of);  master; proprietor; landlord, landlady;  host, hostess
  7. 떠올리다 (verb):  recall, recollect
  8. 소중하다 (adjective):  precious, valuable, dear; priceless
  9. 원하다 (verb):  want, wish, hope; desire; long (for/to do)
  10. 결국 (adverb):  finally, eventually, ultimately, after all, at (long) last, in the long run
Credit:  dic.naver.com

Politeness Level:
Casual
The singer(s) are comfortable to the audience.  They are close friends, family, or in a relationship.


Let's Learn Together: SUNSHINE // 레인보우

Let's Learn Together:  SUNSHINE // 레인보우


Song:  SUNSHINE
Artist:  레인보우 (Rainbow)
Album:  Rainbow Syndrome:  Part 2
Lyrics:  music.naver.com
Photo:  images.google.com
Company:  DSP Media

English:  2 / 10
Translation Difficulty:  2 / 10




Please credit: "auditionadviceandthoughts@blogspot.com" or "angelsfallfast"]
[Edit:  3/12/14]

Just a Few Words:
This is totally my feel good jam of the summer!  The music video is packed with cuteness and I just love it!!  However, I do have to say that Yoonhye's unnaturally large eyes weird me out sometimes...

English:  2 / 10.
-- First of all, I kept hearing "cherry boy" (which makes sense, but then that would mean that the girls keep pointing out that the boy they're in love with is a virgin - which isn't bad, but it's really awkward in a song...).  But the lyrics say "Jerry boy" (and so does the MV), so what the heck is a Jerry boy?
The English pronunciation is pretty good up until Woori's rap.  She says everything right, but just with a heavy accent.
[Something in me says they need a comma after "sunshine" in "You're my SUNSHINE(,) BOY"...]

Translation Difficulty:  1 out of 10.

10 Words:
  1. 맞다 (verb):  "be hit (by)" or "be shot" or "be struck"
    1. --> Note: Usually when you see this word, it will translate into "correct" or "right", but in this context, we use its less-frequently used homophone.
  2. 빼앗기다 (verb):  "be captivated by" or "be charmed by"
  3. 천사 (noun):  "angel"
  4. 다가가다 (verb):  "to approach" or "draw near" or "come up (to)"
  5. 햇살 (noun):  "sun" or "sunlight" or "sunshine"
  6. 바다 (noun):  "sea" or "ocean"
  7. 조마조마하다 (adjective):  "afraid (of/that)" or "nervous [uneasy, anxious] (about)"
  8. 수줍다 (adjective):  "shy, bashful"
  9. 녹다 (verb):  "to melt" or "to run"
  10. 불을 지르다 (verb phrase):  "to set fire to" or "start a fire"
Credit:  dic.naver.com

Politeness Level:
Casual
The singer(s) are comfortable to the audience.  They are close friends, family, or in a relationship.


Let's Learn Together: 3.6.5. // EXO

Let's Learn Together:  3.6.5 // EXO


Song:  3.6.5
Artist:  EXO
Album:  XOXO (Kiss & Hug) [Kiss Version]
Lyrics:  music.naver.com
Photo:  images.google.com
Company:  SM Entertainment

English:  10 / 10
Translation Difficulty:  8 / 10




Please credit: "auditionadviceandthoughts@blogspot.com" or "angelsfallfast"
[Edit: 3/12/14]

Just a Few Words:  Finally, this is up!  Thank you for waiting so patiently!  This song turned out to be much more difficult than I had first anticipated.  Because of it, I want to thank 윤언니 for answering my ever-pestering questions.  ^^  감사합니다!!
This definitely sounds like something One Direction would sing, but it fits EXO perfectly!  Also, it's nice to clearly hear Kai sing and not just rap.

English:  10 / 10
How hard is it to say "Three.  Six.  Five?" :)

Translation Difficulty:  8 out of 10.
Okay, so this was tougher than I thought!  The parts in the verses where they sing the numbers was obviously forced a little to fit the song.   Also, this a song that is difficult to translate literally into English.  As evident by the help I got from 소윤언니, I kinda got lost when translating it! ^^
Edit: [3/12/14]
4 out of 10.
This is a prime example of how this gets easier over time.  My Korean is getting to point where I look back and say "What the heck was I thinking?"  But this is still tricky... :)

10 Words:
  1. 부딪히다 (adjective):  "to be bumped (crashed) into" or be bumped (run) against"
  2. 이겨내다 (verb):  "overcome" or "conquer (the enemy)" or "get over (a disease)" or "resist (a temptation)"
  3. 숨을 고르다 (phrase):  "to get one's breath"
  4. 깨우다 (verb):  "wake (up)" or "awaken" or "awake"
  5.  (noun):  "second"
  6.  (noun):  "(spare) time"
  7. 기사 (noun):  "knight"
  8. (noun):  "sword" or "saber"
  9. 비끼다 (verb):  "to lie aslant" or "hang at an angle" or {"deflect"}
  10. 나타나다 (verb):  "to appear" or "to turn up."  Also:  "to come into sight"
Credit:  dic.naver.com

Politeness Level:
Casual
The singer(s) are comfortable to the audience.  They are close friends, family, or in a relationship.

August 10, 2013

Long Time No See!

I apologize for the long absence!   I had the awesome opportunity to meet a group of students from South Korea who were staying at university for a summer program.  There are some truths to what you hear about girl groups and the army.  One of the boys had just come off his mandatory service.  He knew pretty much all the girl groups and their current songs and happily declared they were "goddesses".  And just to show what a small world it is...one of the girls was a former elementary school classmate with D.O.

Even though school is starting, I have some more time!  I will finish up the last touches on the "3.6.5." translation and get back in gear. :)