NCT DREAM are getting ready to release their third studio album, ISTJ, next month, and in anticipation of the project, the K-pop boy band returned yesterday with “Broken Melodies”, an extremely catchy song about long-distance romantic yearning that debuted inside the Top 10 of the Genius Top Songs chart.
Produced by Ronny Svendsen and the wonderfully named Pizzapunk, “Broken Melodies” begins with palm-muted guitars and frantic percussion pushed way down in the mix. Group member Jeno takes the first lines of the opening verse and tells his love interest that they owe him sleep. You see, he’s been up all night, “sending the moon and stars” to his L.A. sweetie via telephone from Seoul, as per the English translation.
You owe me sleep
밤새 얘기하며
오늘의 달과 별 너에게 보내
Seoul to LA, hm
On the pre-chorus, Haechan says this couple’s story is “unfinished.” He’ll stop at nothing to write the next chapter.
잃어버린 그 something
미완성의 우리
I’ll do anything to get back to you, you
There’s a clever bit of songwriting in the chorus, as there actually is what you might call a broken melody. Haechan ends the hook by declaring, “I hate singing…” but he doesn’t finish the thought—or the melody—with the titular phrase. (He does in the choruses that follow the second and third verses, though.)
’Cause I’m just left here singing
Lonely harmonies, broken melodies (Ah)
Love-drunk energy, I’m in ocean deep (Ah)
Oh, I hate this distance
And I hate singing
In the second verse, Haechan thanks this other person for making all of his “shining moments” feel “beautiful.” Then Mark (lyrics in italics) says he wants these good times to return, and that “dreams don’t fade.”
네가 있기에 아름다웠던
나의 찬란한 순간
내 전부인 너 for you
다시 되찾고 싶어
꿈은 바래지지 않기에
Chenle takes the bridge and makes a strong case for why these two people should give love a chance. Maybe it’s not the right time, but when is it ever?
I don’t have wings, but I’m flying
There’s no perfect timing
This could turn into something
Let’s turn it into something, yeah
On the third verse, Jaemin makes a Prince reference as he vows to “keep fighting” for this relationship, even if it costs him everything. Then Mark (lyrics in italics) and Jisung (bold) insist that “one smile” from this other person makes them invincible.
Keep fighting, 모두 뺏긴 채
종말 앞에 내게 쏟아지는
Purple rain, ah
희망의 절벽 끝에선
네 미소 하나면 돼
I’ll never die
“Broken Melodies” comes with a dizzying feel-good music video stuffed with phone booths, airplanes, football players, choreographed dancing, and graffiti.
You can read all the lyrics to “Broken Melodies” (and its English translation) on Genius now.
