Have you ever had feelings for someone, but your heart was secretly somewhere else? GIFT’s “고백 (Confession)” captures exactly that bittersweet emotion—the guilt of being with someone while thinking of another person. This beautifully melancholic K-indie track is perfect for intermediate Korean learners who want to explore deeper emotional vocabulary and complex grammatical structures.
GIFT is a three-member indie rock band that debuted in 2018, known for vocalist Lee Juhyuk’s distinctive and emotionally rich voice. This song offers an honest, almost diary-like confession that uses natural, conversational Korean. You’ll encounter useful time expressions, conditional forms, and vocabulary related to relationships and emotions—all wrapped in a gentle melody that makes repeated listening a pleasure rather than a chore.
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Lyrics Preview
| 한국어 | Romanization | English |
|---|---|---|
| 중2때까진 늘 첫째 줄에 | jung-i-ttae-kka-jin neul cheot-jjae jul-e | Until 8th grade, I was always in the first row |
| 겨우 160이 됐을 무렵 | gyeo-u baek-yuk-si-bi dwae-sseul mu-ryeop | Around the time I barely reached 160cm |
| 쓸만한 녀석들은 모두 다 | sseul-man-han nyeo-seok-deu-reun mo-du da | All the decent guys |
| 이미 첫사랑 진행 중 | i-mi cheot-sa-rang jin-haeng jung | Were already in their first love |
| 하지만 미안해 이 넓은 가슴에 묻혀 | ha-ji-man mi-an-hae i neol-beun ga-seu-me mut-hyeo | But I’m sorry, buried in this broad chest |
| 다른 누구를 생각했었어 | da-reun nu-gu-reul saeng-gak-hae-sseo-sseo | I was thinking of someone else |
| 널 좋아하면 좋아할수록 | neol jo-a-ha-myeon jo-a-hal-su-rok | The more I like you |
| 상처 입은 날들이 더 많아 | sang-cheo i-beun nal-deu-ri deo ma-na | The more days I get hurt |
Want to see the full lyrics? Check them out on Bugs!
Key Expressions
Here are the must-know expressions from this song!
첫사랑 cheot-sa-rang
First love. A compound word combining 첫 (first) and 사랑 (love). This term holds special significance in Korean culture, often associated with innocent, unforgettable feelings.
그녀는 내 첫사랑이었어.
She was my first love.
미안해 mi-an-hae
I’m sorry. This is the informal way to apologize, used between close friends or to someone younger. The formal version is 미안합니다 or 죄송합니다.
늦어서 미안해.
Sorry for being late.
손을 잡다 so-neul jap-da
To hold hands. A romantic expression commonly used in Korean love songs and dramas to describe an intimate moment between couples.
우리 손을 잡고 걸을까?
Shall we walk while holding hands?
떠올리다 tteo-ol-li-da
To recall, to think of, to bring to mind. Used when memories or thoughts of someone come to you, often involuntarily.
이 노래를 들으면 그 사람이 떠올라.
When I hear this song, I think of that person.
상처 입다 sang-cheo ip-da
To get hurt, to be wounded (emotionally or physically). 상처 means wound or scar, and 입다 means to receive or suffer.
사랑하면 상처 입을 수도 있어.
If you love, you might get hurt.
Grammar Points
-ㄹ 무렵 (Around the time when)
This grammar pattern is used to indicate an approximate point in time when something happened or was happening. It attaches to verb stems and is similar to saying “around the time when” or “about when” in English. It gives a softer, more approximate feeling than exact time expressions.
| 한국어 | Romanization | English |
|---|---|---|
| 해가 질 무렵에 만나자. | hae-ga jil mu-ryeo-be man-na-ja | Let’s meet around sunset. |
| 대학을 졸업할 무렵 취직했어요. | dae-ha-geul jo-reo-pal mu-ryeop chwi-ji-kae-sseo-yo | I got a job around the time I graduated from university. |
| 봄이 올 무렵 꽃이 피기 시작해요. | bo-mi ol mu-ryeop kko-chi pi-gi si-ja-kae-yo | Flowers start to bloom around the time spring comes. |
-인 채였다면 (If it had remained as / If it had stayed)
This conditional structure combines 채 (state, condition) with the past hypothetical ending -였다면 (if it had been). It expresses a hypothetical situation about how things might have been different if a certain state had continued. In the song, 친구인 채였다면 means “if we had remained as friends.”
| 한국어 | Romanization | English |
|---|---|---|
| 모르는 사이인 채였다면 마음이 편했을 거야. | mo-reu-neun sa-i-in chae-yeot-da-myeon ma-eu-mi pyeon-hae-sseul geo-ya | If we had remained strangers, my heart would have been at ease. |
| 혼자인 채였다면 이런 고민은 없었을 텐데. | hon-ja-in chae-yeot-da-myeon i-reon go-mi-neun eop-seo-sseul ten-de | If I had stayed single, I wouldn’t have had these worries. |
| 학생인 채였다면 더 자유로웠을 거야. | hak-saeng-in chae-yeot-da-myeon deo ja-yu-ro-wo-sseul geo-ya | If I had remained a student, I would have been more free. |
Culture Note
GIFT’s “고백 (Confession)” is actually a cover of a beloved song originally by Delispice, a legendary Korean indie rock band. The original “고백” was released in the late 1990s and has become synonymous with confession songs in Korea. It’s often mentioned when Koreans talk about confessing their feelings to someone—making it a culturally significant track that many people recognize. GIFT reinterpreted this classic with their own emotional style, introducing it to a new generation of listeners.
The lyrics paint a relatable picture of Korean school life—mentioning being in the front row during PE class (students line up by height), and the phrase “쓸만한 녀석들” (decent guys) reflects casual, youthful Korean slang. The song captures the complicated emotions of young love: guilt, longing, and the realization that sometimes staying friends might have been the better choice.
Fun fact! Before forming GIFT, vocalist Lee Juhyuk gained significant attention through his busking performances and TV appearances. His cover of Jason Mraz’s “I Won’t Give Up” on YouTube has surpassed 27 million views, showcasing his incredible vocal talent to audiences worldwide. The band also won multiple competitions before their debut, including the gold prize at Bucheon National Busking Competition and the grand prize at Yamaha Asian Beat in Tokyo!
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