As an idol-group song, this one already has a lot of fan translations floating around for it. I often find things to nit-pick about various color-coded lyrics and the like, so this is my take on it.
I actually missed “10 Seconds” when it came out, only discovering it a couple years after release. It’s quickly become my favorite AOA track, and a prime example of girl-group R&B done tastefully and cleanly.
AOA – 10 Seconds
From Good Luck (2016)
Label: FNC Entertainment
Distributor: Loen Entertainment
Written by Shin Ji-min, Kim Jae-yang, Park Isu
Composed and arranged by Linnea Mary Han Deb, Joy Neil Mitro Deb, Anton Malmberg Haard Af Segerstad, Jennifer Decilveo
더 다가와 Just 10 Seconds
그 누구도 알 수 없게
날 느껴봐 Just 10 Seconds
더 다가와 Just 10 Seconds
그 누구도 볼 수 없게
날 느껴봐 Just 10 Seconds
주사윌 던져 두발을 떼
어디로 가든 전부 내게 오는 길
함정은 없어 기대가 돼
두 눈에 깃든 너의 짙은 감정들
날 보는 시선에
날 가둔 손길에
하나가 돼
널 느껴 Fire 내 맘은 Higher
온몸이 그댈 향해 반응하잖아
미지의 세계 가능의 세계
본능의 꽃은 분명 아름다울걸
더 다가와 Just 10 Seconds
그 누구도 알 수 없게
날 느껴봐 Just 10 Seconds
더 다가와 Just 10 Seconds
그 누구도 볼 수 없게
날 느껴봐 Just 10 Seconds
코끝이 닿게 입 맞춰줘
내 숨결이 그대 리듬에 맞추게
이성을 놓아 감동을 줘
이 밤의 끝을 피해 도망칠 거야
날 보는 시선에
날 가둔 손길에
하나가 돼
널 느껴 Fire 내 맘은 Higher
온몸이 그댈 향해 반응하잖아
미지의 세계 가능의 세계
본능의 꽃은 분명 아름다울걸
더 다가와 Just 10 Seconds
그 누구도 알 수 없게
날 느껴봐 Just 10 Seconds
더 다가와 Just 10 Seconds
그 누구도 볼 수 없게
날 느껴봐 Just 10 Seconds
오늘 밤이 가기 전에
유난히 별이 많이 뜬 이 밤에
비밀스럽게 너와 나 눈을 맞춰
맞닿은 온기에
떨리는 순간에
내게 입 맞춰줘요
떨리는 입술이
떨리는 눈빛이
말하잖아
날 보는 시선에
날 가둔 손길에
하나가 돼
널 느껴 Fire 내 맘은 Higher
온몸이 그댈 향해 반응하잖아
미지의 세계 가능의 세계
본능의 꽃은 분명 아름다울걸
더 다가와 Just 10 Seconds
그 누구도 알 수 없게
날 느껴봐 Just 10 Seconds
더 다가와 Just 10 Seconds
그 누구도 볼 수 없게
날 느껴봐 Just 10 Seconds
더 다가와 Just 10 Seconds
Come closer, just 10 seconds
So no one could know
Feel me, just 10 seconds
Come closer, just 10 seconds
So no one could see
Feel me, just 10 seconds
Cast the dice, move your feet
Any path you take, they all lead to me
There’s no trap, I’m excited
Dwelling in the eyes, your deep emotions
In that gaze toward me
In those hands holding me
We become one
I feel you, fire, my mind goes higher
My whole body responding towards you
A world of mystery, world of possibility
Surely the flower of instinct is beautiful
Come closer, just 10 seconds
So no one could know
Feel me, just 10 seconds
Come closer, just 10 seconds
So no one could see
Feel me, just 10 seconds
Kiss me so our nose tips touch
So my breath matches your rhythm
Let go of thought, give me emotion
I’ll run to avoid tonight’s end
In the gaze toward me
In the hands holding me
We become one
I feel you, fire, my mind goes higher
My whole body responding towards you
A world of mystery, world of possibility
Surely the flower of instinct is beautiful
Come closer, just 10 seconds
So no one could know
Feel me, just 10 seconds
Come closer, just 10 seconds
So no one could see
Feel me, just 10 seconds
Before tonight passes
On this particularly starry night
Secretly you and I lock gazes
In the warmth of touch
In the trembling moment
Give me a kiss
Trembling lips
Trembling gaze
They all say
In the gaze toward me
In the hands holding me
We become one
I feel you, fire, my mind goes higher
My whole body responding towards you
A world of mystery, world of possibility
Surely the flower of instinct is beautiful
Come closer, just 10 seconds
So no one could know
Feel me, just 10 seconds
Come closer, just 10 seconds
So no one could see
Feel me, just 10 seconds
Come closer, just 10 seconds
Notes
- The last line of the chorus is tricky – “instinct” is a literal translation, but it does sound slightly out of place. Any alternative would have to maintain the tinge of sensuality that lives in context.
- “This particularly starry night” in the bridge is verbose. Feels more like “this special starry night” if the local nuance could be kept (that what’s special about the night is how starry it is).
- For the longest time I thought this song’s chorus was a loosely pronounced “날 느껴 봐요” (“Feel me”), which would still rhyme with “higher”…
- Again on the chorus: do both “world of mystery” and “world of possibility” need an article in front? I tried it all different ways, but having neither with an article felt wrong and having both with one felt verbose. So the “a” is only in there once.
- I’ve rearranged the line breaks in Jimin’s rap verse for clarity, rather than following the bars.