It’s Sunday again — time for another trip into K-pop history!
This week we go back to 2007, to JYP Entertainment’s first girl group and one of the most iconic songs of the second generation: “Tell Me” by Wonder Girls.
With its retro sound, catchy hook, and unforgettable choreography, Tell Me didn’t just dominate the charts — it became a full cultural phenomenon.
But beneath the playful beat lies the pure emotion of a girl in disbelief about falling in love.
Let’s look at these classic lines:
“자꾸만 듣고 싶어
계속 내게 말해줘
꿈이 아니라고 말해줘요”
“I want to keep hearing it —
Keep telling me
That this isn’t just a dream.”
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💬 Key Phrases to Learn:
1️⃣ 자꾸만 듣고 싶어 – I want to keep hearing it
• 자꾸(만) – again and again / repeatedly (often when something happens continuously or obsessively)
• 듣다 – to hear
• -고 싶어 – want to (do something)
→ Literally: “I want to keep hearing (it).”
💡 Grammar: V-고 싶어(요) expresses desire — “want to + verb.”
2️⃣ 계속 내게 말해줘 – Keep telling me
• 계속 – continuously
• 내게 – to me (나 + 에게)
• 말해줘 – tell (me) (말하다 + -아/어 줘)
→ The -아/어 주다 form means “do something for someone,” so this literally means “please tell (it) to me.”
3️⃣ 꿈이 아니라고 – that it’s not a dream
• 꿈 – dream
• -이 아니다 – to not be
• -라고 – quoting particle (“that…”)
→ Used to quote or report what is being said or believed: “say that it’s not a dream.”
4️⃣ 말해줘요 – please tell me (polite form)
• 말해줘 → informal
• 말해줘요 → polite
💡 The -요 ending adds politeness and softens the tone, often used when addressing someone dear but respectfully.
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💡 Grammar Tip:
The pair 말해줘 / 말해줘요 shows how Korean expresses emotion through subtle politeness.
Even in love confessions, switching from 말해줘 to 말해줘요 can make the tone gentler, sweeter, or more sincere.
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💬 Why It Matters:
This lyric captures the innocence and disbelief of first love — wanting to hear again and again that it’s real.
It’s a perfect snapshot of 2000s K-pop writing: simple, direct, and emotionally open.
And even after nearly two decades, when we hear “Tell me, tell me, t-t-t-tell me!” we’re reminded of the magic that started a generation of idol fandom.
💭 Do you remember when you first heard “Tell Me”? Or the dance challenge that swept Korea back in 2007? Drop a 💖 if this song was part of your first K-pop memories!