Stray Kids · Korean · 34 words

I am NOT

I am NOT is Stray Kids' March 2018 debut EP, and the whole record is one long identity crisis: waking up inside a life you did not choose, arguing with the people who narrate you, and staring into a mirror that gives no answer. The Korean is written by the group's own producing team, so it is blunt and conversational rather than polished. This set collects the words that carry that argument — being trapped, being misread, falling behind, and the quiet reassurance of "잘 하고 있어" at the end of it.

Vocabulary

Word	Meaning	Example
의심스럽다	to be suspicious, to seem doubtful or not to be trusted	그 사람 말투가 어딘가 의심스러웠다.There was something suspicious about the way he talked.
머릿속	inside one's head; one's mind	요즘 머릿속이 너무 복잡해서 잠이 안 와.My head is so cluttered lately that I can't sleep.
갇히다	to be shut in, to be trapped	엘리베이터에 갇혀서 삼십 분이나 기다렸어요.I got stuck in the elevator and waited a whole thirty minutes.
깨어나다	to wake up, to come out of sleep or a daze	알람 소리에 겨우 깨어났어.I barely woke up to the sound of the alarm.
잔소리	nagging, unwanted lecturing	엄마 잔소리 좀 그만 들었으면 좋겠어.I wish I could stop hearing my mom nag.
답답하다	to be frustrating, stifling; to feel stuck	말이 안 통해서 진짜 답답해.It's so frustrating that we can't understand each other.
간섭	interference, meddling in someone else's business	내 일에 간섭하지 말아 줘.Please don't meddle in my business.
구역	a zone, a district, someone's turf	여기부터는 출입이 금지된 구역이에요.From here on it's a restricted zone.
편견	a prejudice, a biased assumption	편견 없이 사람을 대하는 게 생각보다 어려워요.Treating people without prejudice is harder than you'd think.
증명하다	to prove, to demonstrate something is true	실력은 말이 아니라 결과로 증명하는 거야.You prove your ability with results, not with words.
숙제	homework; by extension, an unsolved problem left to you	이건 아직 우리한테 남은 숙제야.This is still an unsolved problem left to us.
눈치를 보다	to watch someone's mood, to act according to how others might react	괜히 남의 눈치를 보다가 하고 싶은 말을 못 했어.I ended up watching everyone's reaction and never said what I wanted to.
헤매다	to wander around lost, to grope for a way out	지도를 잃어버려서 한참을 헤맸다.I lost the map and wandered around for ages.
방황	aimless drifting, a period of not knowing where you're going	스무 살 무렵에는 누구나 조금씩 방황을 한다.Around twenty, everyone drifts a little.
비치다	to be reflected, to show up on a surface	유리창에 내 얼굴이 흐릿하게 비쳤다.My face showed up faintly in the window.
전율	a thrill; a shiver running through the whole body	그 장면을 보는 순간 온몸에 전율이 흘렀다.The moment I saw that scene, a shiver ran through my whole body.
도망가다	to run away, to flee	무서운 얘기가 나오자 동생은 방으로 도망갔다.As soon as the scary part started, my little brother ran off to his room.
소란	a commotion, a noisy disturbance	밖에서 무슨 소란이 났는지 사람들이 몰려 있었다.People had gathered outside over some kind of commotion.
두렵다	to be afraid, to dread something	실패하는 것보다 시작조차 못 하는 게 더 두렵다.I dread never starting more than I dread failing.
바위	a boulder, a large rock	우리는 계곡의 넓은 바위 위에 앉아서 쉬었다.We sat and rested on a wide boulder by the stream.
차라리	rather, sooner (I'd rather do this than that)	이렇게 고민할 바에는 차라리 지금 물어보자.Rather than agonize like this, let's just ask now.
허탕 치다	to come up empty-handed, to have an effort come to nothing	가게가 문을 닫아서 완전히 허탕 쳤어.The shop was closed, so the whole trip was for nothing.
짜증	irritation, annoyance	더운 날씨에 사람까지 많아서 짜증이 났다.Between the heat and the crowd, I got irritated.
어설프다	to be clumsy, half-baked, not properly done	어설프게 아는 척하다가 오히려 창피했어.I pretended to know, half-baked as it was, and just embarrassed myself.
넘어지다	to fall over, to take a tumble	빙판길에서 넘어졌는데 다행히 안 다쳤어.I fell on the icy road, but luckily I wasn't hurt.
실수하다	to make a mistake, to slip up	처음이니까 실수해도 괜찮아요.It's your first time, so it's fine to make mistakes.
뒤처지다	to fall behind, to lag behind others	조금 뒤처졌다고 해서 끝난 건 아니야.Falling a little behind doesn't mean it's over.
포기하다	to give up, to abandon something	여기까지 왔는데 지금 포기하기는 아깝잖아.You've come this far — it'd be a waste to give up now.
최선을 다하다	to do one's very best	결과가 어떻든 최선을 다했으면 된 거야.Whatever the result, it's enough that you did your best.
서툴다	to be unskilled at something, to be still awkward at it	아직 한국어가 서툴러서 천천히 말해 주세요.My Korean is still shaky, so please speak slowly.
위협	a threat, something menacing you	그 소문은 우리 팀에 큰 위협이 되지 않는다.That rumor isn't much of a threat to our team.
본질	the essence, the true nature of something	겉모습보다 문제의 본질을 봐야 해요.You have to look at the essence of the problem, not its surface.
겉모습	outward appearance, how something looks from outside	겉모습만 보고 사람을 판단하지 마세요.Don't judge people just by their appearance.
우두커니	blankly, standing there vacantly doing nothing	그는 창밖을 우두커니 바라보고 있었다.He stood there staring blankly out the window.